Language/Egyptian-arabic/Grammar/Reflexive-Pronouns

Egyptian Arabic → Grammar → Reflexive Pronouns

In this lesson, we will learn about reflexive pronouns in Egyptian Arabic and how to use them. Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object in a sentence refer to the same person or thing.

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Adverbs & Possessive Pronouns.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns in Egyptian Arabic are formed by adding the prefix "نَفْسَ" (nafs) to the corresponding subject pronoun. See the table below for examples:

Egyptian Arabic	Pronunciation	English
أنا نَفْسِيَ	ana nafsiya	myself
أنتَ نَفْسَكَ ‎	anta nafsak	yourself (singular masculine)
أنتِ نَفْسِكَ	anti nafsik	yourself (singular feminine)
هو‎ نَفْسُهُ	huwa nafsu	himself
هي‎ نَفْسَهَا‎	hiya nafsa-ha	herself
احنا‎ نَفْسَنَا	eHna nafsna	ourselves
انتوا‎ نَفْسَكُمْ	entu nafsekum	yourselves (plural masculine)
انتوا‎ نَفْسَكُمْ	ento nafsakom	yourselves (plural feminine)
هُمْ‎ نَفْسَهُمْ‎	hum nafsu-hum	themselves (masculine)
هُنْ نَفْسَهُنَ‎	hun nafsa-hun	themselves (feminine)

For example, if you want to say "I dressed myself", you would say "أنا لَبْسْتُ نَفْسِيَ" (ana labest nafsiya).

It's important to note that in Egyptian Arabic, the reflexive pronoun is placed directly after the verb, unlike in English where it comes before the verb.

Using Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns in Egyptian Arabic are used in a variety of situations. Here are some common examples:

• Daily routines: "I wake myself up at 6am" would be "أنا بَصِّحْ نَفْسِي عَ الساعة ٦ الصبح" (ana bassiH nafsiya 'ala-s-saa'a sita s-sobH).
• Personal care: "She washes herself" would be "هي تَغْسِلْ نَفْسَهَا" (hiya taghsil nafsa-ha).
• Reciprocal actions: "They love each other" would be "هُمْ بَيْحَبُّوا بَعْضِهُمْ" (hum bayHubbu ba'dihum).

It's also important to remember that in Egyptian Arabic, reflexive pronouns are not used when the action is being done for someone else. For example, "I washed my son" would be "أنا غَسَّلْتُ وَلَدي" (ana gassaltu waladi), not "أنا غَسَّلْتُ نَفْسِي" (ana gassaltu nafsiya).

Practice

Here are some examples for you to practice using reflexive pronouns in Egyptian Arabic:

• I cut myself =
• They dressed themselves =
• She combs her hair herself =

Check your answers below:

• أنا قَطَّعْتُ نَفْسِي = (ana QaTTa'tu nafsiya)
• هُمْ لَبَّسُوا نَفْسَهُمْ = (hum labbasu nafsu-hum)
• هي بِشِّطْ شَعْرَهَا نَفْسَهَا‎ = (hiya bishTiT sha'raha nafsa-ha)

Sources

• Egyptian Arabic
• Reflexive Pronouns

Other Lessons

• Adjectives
• Verbs to speak
• How to Use "فى" (There is)
• Future Tense
• To Be Verb
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Questions Words
• Past Tense
• Negation
• Give your Opinion