Egyptian Arabic is a lively and energetic dialect. One of the most fun parts of learning Egyptian Arabic is knowing how to talk about the future. Like English and unlike romance languages, Egyptian doesn’t use special future tense conjugations for verbs. Instead, it uses simple markers in front of present tense forms to indicate the future.
In Egyptian Arabic, the future tense is formed by adding هـ
to the verb in its present imperfect form. Sometimes حـ
is used instead.This prefix is similar to the English “will.” Here are some examples:
أنا هروح
(I will go)
إنت هتاكل
(You (m.) will eat)
هي هتشرب
(She will drink)
Notice how the prefix هـ
is added directly to the verb, and the verb remains in its present imperfect form. The prefix only changes the verb conjugation with the pronoun أنا
by removing the first letter أ
as seen in the first example: أروح
becomes هروح
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Pay attention to the future tense verbs used in this segment from a video on preparing Turkish coffee.
Main characteristics of the future tense in Egyptian Arabic
- No complex verb forms: The future tense in Egyptian Arabic doesn’t require changing the verb form beyond adding هـ
.
- Person-specific prefixes: The verb-subject conjugation determines the prefixes/suffixes that go with هـ
. We mentioned before that there are eight verb forms corresponding to the eight different pronouns in our past tense article. Here are the verb conjugations in the present imperfect form of the verb كتب
(wrote):
| Pronoun | Present imperfect form | Future tense form |
| أنا
(I) | أكتب
| هكتب
|
| إحنا
(We) | نكتب
| هنكتب
|
| إنتو
(You [pl.]) | تكتبوا
| هتكتبوا
|
| إنتَ
(You [m.]) | تكتب
| هتكتب
|
| إنتي
(You [f.]) | تكتبي
| هتكتبي
|
| هو
(He) | يكتب
| هيكتب
|
| هي
(She) | تكتب
| هتكتب
|
| هما
(They) | يكتبوا
| هيكتبوا
|
- Using future tense indicators: Words like بكرة
(tomorrow) or بعدين
(later) make it even clearer that you’re talking about the future:
- هنشوف بعدين
(We’ll see later).
- هقابله بكره
(I’ll meet him tomorrow).
A scene from an Egyptian TV series.
Other ways to talk about the future in Egyptian Arabic
While هـ
is the most common marker, there are additional ways to express the future:
1. Using present tense for the near future
In casual speech, Egyptians often rely on the present tense to indicate an event that’s happening very soon. Context provides the clue:
- نتكلم في الموضوع ده بكره
(We’ll talk about this topic tomorrow).
2. Using اسم الفاعل
to talk about the future
Sometimes the present participle form اسم الفاعل
is used instead of the verb to talk about the future. For example:
- أحمد رايح بكره السينما
(Ahmed is going to the movies tomorrow).
- منى مسافرة الاسبوع اللي جاي
(Mona is travelling next week).
3. Expressing intentions or possibilities with عايز
or ناوي
or ممكن
To emphasize plans, desires or possible future events, Egyptians use:
- أنا عايز أسافر السنة الجاية
(I want to travel next year).
- إنتَ ناوي تعمل إيه؟
(What are you planning to do?)
- ممكن أزوره بكره بعد الشغل
(I might visit him tomorrow after work).
Egyptian basic phrases video.
Common future tense verbs to know
Here’s a list of everyday Egyptian Arabic future tense verbs that are commonly used:
- هروح
(I will go).
- هجيب
(I will bring).
- هشتري
(I will buy).
- هتكلم
(I will talk).
- هشوف
(I will see).
- هاجي
(I will come).
- هدي
(I will give).
- هاخد
(I will take).
Practice using these verbs with هـ
and future tense indicators to create your own sentences about the future.
Cultural tips: how Egyptians talk about the future
Egyptians are known for their humorous and optimistic outlook on life. They often add phrases like إن شاء الله
or بإذن الله
(God willing) when talking about future plans. This reflects cultural values of faith and humility, but also the possibility that whatever’s planned won’t happen.
- هروح الشغل بكرة إن شاء الله
(I will go to work tomorrow, God willing)
Can you find the uses of future tense in this Egyptian video?
Using such expressions adds a layer of authenticity to your Egyptian Arabic conversations and shows an appreciation for the culture.
Note that sometimes Egyptians use the phrase إن شاء الله
to express their unwillingness to do something, especially in a sarcastic way:
- بابا ممكن تجيبلي بلايستيشن فايف؟
(Hey, dad. Can you get me a PS5?)
- إن شاء الله
(Most probably not gonna happen).
Practice time!
To truly master the future tense in Egyptian Arabic, practice forming sentences about your daily plans or future aspirations. Use future tense markers and cultural phrases to make your sentences more natural and engaging. For example:
- هشترك في موقع بلايالينج النهاردة عشان اتعلم أكتر عن اللهجات العربية
(I’ll sign up at Playaling today to learn more about Arabic dialects).
By practicing the future tense in Egyptian Arabic, you’ll gain confidence in expressing yourself and deepen your understanding of this lively dialect. To further enhance your skills, check out our guide on mastering the past tense in Arabic to build a strong foundation. If you’re curious about common expressions, you can learn ten ways to say “how are you?” in Egyptian Arabic or explore how to say hello in Egyptian Arabic with a cultural and linguistic perspective. Don’t forget to incorporate cultural elements like إن شاء الله
to make your speech more authentic and engaging. Speaking about the future has never been more fun or accessible!
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