When Masry Sayed El-Araby, the protagonist of the 2010 film ‘Asal Eswed (‘Bittersweet’), gets on a plane to finally visit his native Egypt after decades in the United States, he is immediately met with one the conversational courtesies common in Egypt: When he sneezes, the man sitting beside him responds with a “Yarhamukum Allah” (God bless you). Masry, portrayed by Egyptian comedian Ahmed Helmy, knows what to do of course; returning the courtesy is simple enough. “Allah yerhamak,” he responds. Little does he know that while his response also translates to ‘God bless you’, this particular phrasing is actually used to bless the souls of the deceased. While only a throwaway gag in a truly bittersweet comedy about the hardships and injustices Egyptian citizens face in their own country and the unflattering truths about the privileges of a foreign passport, this joke is nothing if not realistic. Egyptian Arabic is peppered with similar courtesies, each used on specific occasions, and each with its own specific response. For someone who is not immersed in everyday Egyptian culture, it is difficult to keep track of them all. For the benefit of diaspora…
12 Common Conversational Courtesies in Egypt and How to Respond to Them
August 19, 2023
