Yalla! Episode 4: Meeting the Doorman

Hello language lovers!

It's been a while since we had a Yalla! lesson out. As you may recall from our last three lessons, this group of lessons will feature two friends, Hanan from Cairo and Ana from Vancouver visiting each other and experiencing life in their new cities. 

In the first lesson, Ana just arrived at the Cairo International Airport.

In the second lesson, she took the taxi in Cairo.

In the third lesson, she was hunting for an apartment.

After some adjustment time, Ana is settling in to her new place and is meeting the doorman (bawab) Mustafa and asking for some practical information. Both the English and the Arabic versions will feature the audio files rather than including the vowel marks (tashkeel). We hope that you enjoy this lesson! Let me know in the comments what you thought about this short lesson!

ENGLISH

For the English audio, please click here.

After Mona has found an apartment for Ana, it is time to move in. Ana meets the doorman, Mostafa and asks him for practical information about the neighborhood.

(The doorman helps Ana get her luggage out of the car)

Ana: Hello, thank you so much for your help. My name is Ana, it’s nice to meet you.

Mostafa: Welcome, my name is Mostafa and I am here for any questions you may have about living here.

Ana: I appreciate it. I realized that I didn’t get the front door key. Could I please have one?

Mostafa: Sure, I will send my son to make one for you today and bring it to you this afternoon.

Ana: I will be home after 2. I need to go buy some things today. What is the best place here to buy groceries from?

Mostafa: You have a market on El Amal Street and it will have everything you need. Stores here open early and close late. This city never sleeps.

Ana: This is perfect! What about the closest metro station?

Mostafa: The nearest one is Opera Station but it’s not exactly in Zamalek. I recommend that you use Uber or Careem if you travel alone, but if you are with friends, you can use the many types of public transportation we have here. It will take you some time to feel confident crossing the street here.

Ana: I don’t think I will ever cross the street here. Anything else I should know?

Mostafa: Don’t go out alone at night and shut your windows when you leave your apartment, it gets dusty here quickly! If you need anything, I live on the ground floor and I am always here to help.

Ana: You are so kind, thank you! See you soon!

For the Arabic audio, please click here

مقابلة حارس العمارة

بعد ما منى لقت شقة لآنا، جيه وقت النقل. 

آنا قابلت حارس العمارة مصطفى وسألته شوية أسئلة عملية عن المنطقة.

حارس العمارة بيساعد آنا تخرج الشنط من العربية. 

آنا : أهلا ، متشكرة اوي على مساعدتك ليا. أنا آنا.

مصطفى : أهلا وسهلا يا مرحب، أنا أسمي مصطفى. أنا هنا عشان اجاوبك على اي أسئلة عن العيشة هنا. 

آنا : أنا مقدرة ده.  أنا اكتشفت أني معيش مفتاح البوابة. ممكن يبقى معايا نسخة ؟

مصطفى : أكيد .أنا هبعت أبني يعملك نسخه ويجبهالك النهرده بعد الضهر.

آنا : أنا هكون في البيت بعد 2. محتاجة أروح أشتري شوية حاجات النهردة. 

فين أحسن مكان اشترى منه بقالة؟

مصطفى : في محل في شارع الأمل وهتلاقي فيه كل حاجه تحتاجيها. 

المحلات هنا بتفتح بدري وبتقفل متأخر. المدينة هنا مبتنامش أبدا. 

آنا : ده كويس جدااا!  طب وبالنسبة لأقرب محطة مترو ؟

مصطفى : الأوبرا هي أقرب محطة بس دي مش في الزمالك بالظبط. أنصحك تستخدمي أوبر أو كريم لو هتمشي لوحدك.

لكن لو مع صحابك تقدري تركبي المواصلات العادية اللي عندنا هنا.

هتاخدي شوية وقت لحد ماتعرفي تعدي الشارع بثقة هنا. 

آنا : معتقدش إني هعدي الشارع أصلا. في حاجة تاني مفروض أعرفها ؟

مصطفي : متخرجيش بليل لوحدك وأبقى اقفلي الشبابيك كويس لما تخرجي من الشقة. الدنيا بتترب بسرعة هنا.

لو احتجتي اي حاجة أنا عايش في الدور الأرضي.

Let us know if you enjoyed this lesson. If you are interested in private Arabic lessons from a native speaker in Cairo, please contact me to put you in touch with the lovely Hanan.

See you next week as Ana and Hanan plan to meet for a coffee in the city but are prevented by a nasty sandstorm (عواصف رملية)!