لما, Adjective of Verbs & Pronouns in Egyptian Arabic
Learn how to use لما (when/whenever) for habitual situations, the difference between بجيب and جايب, and how to attach ني (me) and ي (my) to words.
لما — When / Whenever
لما (lamma) means "when" or "whenever" and is used for habitual or repeated situations — things that happen regularly whenever a condition is true. It is not used for single past events.
لما (lamma) — habitual "when"
لما بكون جعان، بعمل أكل
lamma bakoon gaʿān, baʿmel akl
When I'm hungry, I cook
لما مش بيكون في قهوة في البيت، بشتري قهوة من Uber Eats
lamma mesh beyekoon fi ʾahwa fi el-beit, beshtiri ʾahwa men Uber Eats
When there isn't coffee at home, I buy coffee from Uber Eats
عايش دلوقتي في أمريكا، بس لما بكون في القاهرة، بعيش مع بابا في شقته
ʿāyesh delwaʾti fi amrika, bas lamma bakoon fi el-ʾāhera, baʿīsh maʿa baba fi shaʾʾeto
I live in the US now, but when I'm in Cairo, I stay with my dad in his apartment
بكون — Habitual or Recurring State
بكون (bakoon) is the habitual/continuous present of كان. On its own, an adjective or location describes your state right now. Adding بكون shifts the meaning to "usually" or "in general".
مبسوط (mabsoot) — happy
أنا مبسوط
ana mabsoot
I am happy (right now)
أنا بكون مبسوط
ana bakoon mabsoot
I get happy / I am usually happy
Active Participle vs. Present Continuous
This builds on the active participle lesson. The key contrast: the present continuous (بـ prefix) describes what you habitually or regularly do; the active participle describes what you are doing right now, or a state you are currently in.
Side-by-side contrasts
أنا بجيب الأكل
ana bagīb el-akl
I get / bring the food (habitual — it's my role)
أنا جايب الأكل
ana gayeb el-akl
I am getting the food / I already have it with me (right now)
أنا بلبس قميص وبنطلون في الشغل
ana belbis ʾamīs w-bantaloon fi el-shughl
I wear a shirt and trousers at work (habit)
أنا لابس قميص أبيض — انت شايفني؟
ana lābes ʾamīs abyad — enta shayefni?
I am wearing a white shirt — can you see me? (right now)
أنا بنام بدري كل يوم
ana banām badri koll yom
I sleep early every day (habit)
أنا نايم
ana nāyem
I am sleeping (right now)
أنا بروح الشغل كل يوم
ana barooh el-shughl koll yom
I go to work every day (habit)
أنا رايح الفرح دلوقتي
ana rayeh el-faraḥ delwaʾti
I am going to the wedding right now
Attached Pronouns — ني (me) and ي (my)
Egyptian Arabic attaches short pronoun suffixes directly to verbs and nouns. Two of the most common are ني (ni — me) added to verbs, and ي (i — my) added to nouns.
Verb + ني (ni) — me
بتكلمني
betkallemni
You talk to me / you are talking to me
بتسمعني؟
betsmaʿni?
Can you hear me?
بتشوفني؟
betshooofni?
Can you see me?
بتفهمني؟
betfahemni?
Do you understand me?
Noun + ي (i) — my
بيتي
beiti
My house
أمي
ommi
My mother
أبويا
abouya
My father
اسمي
esmi
My name
شغلي
shughli
My work / my job