Cairo StreetCairo Street › Learn Egyptian Arabic
Duolingo alternatives for Egyptian Arabic
Many people start Arabic on Duolingo, travel to Egypt, and find that people don't talk like the app. That is not your fault: Duolingo teaches Modern Standard Arabic (formal Arabic), while Egyptians speak Egyptian Arabic (Masri) every day.
What changes in Egypt
Some everyday words you learn in formal Arabic are different in Cairo:
| Arabic | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| كيف حالك؟ | Kayfa ḥaluk? | How are you? (formal) |
| إزيك؟ | Izzayyak? | How are you? (Egyptian) |
| ماذا؟ | Madha? | What? (formal) |
| إيه؟ | Eh? | What? (Egyptian) |
| أريد | Ureed | I want (formal) |
| عايز | 'Ayez | I want (Egyptian) |
| الآن | Al-an | now (formal) |
| دلوقتي | Dilwa'ti | now (Egyptian) |
The good news: the alphabet is the same, and many words are shared, so nothing you learned is wasted.
Apps that teach Egyptian Arabic
- Cairo Street (iPhone): a full Egyptian course told as a story set in Cairo, 840 lessons from A1 to C1, with Arabic script, pronunciation and English on every line. You can start at your level with a placement test, so Duolingo learners don't need to start from zero.
- Pimsleur Egyptian Arabic: 30 audio lessons in the Cairo dialect, great for listening and speaking.
- Rocket Arabic (Egyptian): audio lessons with notes and quizzes.
- Mango Languages: a separate Egyptian course, often free through public libraries.
- Talk In Arabic: videos with native speakers in many dialects, including Egyptian.
For a longer comparison, see the best apps to learn Egyptian Arabic.
How to switch without starting over
- Keep your alphabet. If you can read Arabic letters from Duolingo, you are ahead: Egyptian uses the same script.
- Learn the everyday swaps first: how are you, what, I want, now, there is (10 words you will hear every day).
- Learn Egyptian sounds: in Cairo ج is "g" and ق often becomes a short pause (pronunciation guide).
- Listen to Egyptians every day, even 5 minutes: films, songs, or lessons with native voices.
Checked in November 2026. Apps change, so check each app's page for current features.
More guides
- How to say "How are you?" in Egyptian Arabic
- 30 Egyptian Arabic phrases for your first day in Cairo
- Egyptian Arabic vs Modern Standard Arabic: which should you learn?
- Greetings in Egyptian Arabic: hello, good morning and goodbye
- Numbers 1 to 10 in Egyptian Arabic (and how to ask the price)
- How to order food in Egyptian Arabic
- How to take a taxi in Egyptian Arabic
- 10 Egyptian Arabic words you will hear every day
- Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: why ج is a "g" and ق disappears
- Talking to a man or a woman in Egyptian Arabic
- The Arabic alphabet for beginners: all 30 letters
- The best way to learn Egyptian Arabic in 2026
- Best apps to learn Egyptian Arabic in 2026