Ahmed El-ShabasyArabic for real life
The Arabic Survival Kit

Arabic for the taxi, the market and the pharmacy.

Over 500 phrases you will actually use, each written in Arabic, in easy English letters and in English. Made by a native Egyptian teacher for travelers, families and anyone who wants to be understood from day one.

لحد وسط البلد بكام؟ li7add wisT il-balad bikaam? · How much to Downtown? Agree the price before the car moves.
See the two books Get the free sample
Cover of The Egyptian Arabic Survival Kit Cover of The Arabic Survival Kit, Modern Standard Arabic
Two books, same easy layout

Pick the Arabic you need

Going to Egypt? Choose Egyptian Arabic, the language of the street. Travelling around the Arab world, or reading signs and news? Choose Modern Standard Arabic.

Egyptian Arabic Survival Kit cover

The Egyptian Arabic Survival Kit

العامية المصرية
  • 543 phrases in 24 chapters
  • 16 real-life dialogues
  • How people really talk in Cairo and Alexandria
£11PDF, plus a print-friendly copy
Buy the Egyptian book
Arabic MSA Survival Kit cover

The Arabic Survival Kit (MSA)

العربية الفصحى
  • 552 phrases in 24 chapters
  • 16 real-life dialogues
  • Understood anywhere in the Arab world
£11PDF, plus a print-friendly copy
Buy the MSA book

Coming soon: the Complete editions with native audio. Tap any phrase and hear me say it. Join the free sample list to get the launch price.

What's inside

Built for people who learn by doing

Every page is a real situation. Arabic comes first, then how to say it, then what it means. The text is large and clear, easy on the eyes on a phone or on paper.

Book page: Chapter 9, Taxi and Uber, Getting a ride
Phrases by situationShort scenes like Getting a ride, with a tip on each phrase and the woman's form shown separately.
Book page: the Arabic alphabet
The alphabet, made simpleEvery letter with its sound, so the Arabic script stops looking like decoration.
Book page: lifesaver phrases recap
Lifesavers in every chapterThe five phrases to remember if you remember nothing else, plus a small practice task.
  • 24
    ChaptersGreetings, numbers, the airport, taxis, the restaurant, the market, the doctor, emergencies and more.
  • 16
    DialoguesFull conversations so you hear how the phrases fit together.
  • 3 · 7
    Easy English lettersA simple guide explains the numbers used for Arabic sounds, like 3 for ع and 7 for ح.
  • A–Z
    English indexLook up "receipt" or "too expensive" and jump straight to the page.
Who it's for

Grown-ups who want to talk, not study grammar

Travelers

Planning a trip to Egypt or the Gulf and want to handle taxis, hotels and markets yourself.

Families

Married into an Arabic-speaking family and want to talk with the people you love.

Expats

Living in the Arab world and tired of pointing and hoping.

Heritage learners

You understand a little from home and want to finally speak it.

Free sample

Try three full chapters first

Greetings, the taxi and the market, with the alphabet and the pronunciation guide. Free, no payment. You will also get the launch price when the audio editions are ready.

Egyptian sample MSA sample
A page from the free MSA sample
Ahmed El-Shabasy
About the author

Hi, I'm Ahmed El-Shabasy

I'm a native Egyptian from Alexandria and I have been teaching Arabic for more than 4 years. My students come from all over the world, and most of them want the same thing: to speak with real people, quickly, without years of grammar first.

These books are the phrases I give my own students, organised by the places you will actually be: the airport, the taxi, the restaurant, the pharmacy, the market. I checked every phrase and every transliteration myself.

Questions

Good to know before you buy

What do I get?

A PDF you can read on any phone, tablet or computer, and a second print-friendly PDF that uses less ink. The download link arrives by email right after payment.

Do I need to read Arabic?

No. Every phrase is also written in English letters. The alphabet pages are there when you want to start reading signs and menus.

Egyptian or Modern Standard Arabic?

Egyptian is what people speak in Egypt every day, and Egyptian films and songs made it understood across the region. Modern Standard Arabic is the shared formal Arabic of the whole Arab world, used in news, signs and writing.

Is there audio?

The Complete editions with native audio are coming soon. Every phrase will have a tap-to-listen button that works on phone and computer.

Can I get a refund?

Yes. If the book is not for you, email me within 14 days of buying and I will refund you in full.

Policies

Refunds, privacy and terms

Refund policy

You can ask for a full refund within 14 days of purchase, for any reason. Email me with your order number and the refund is sent to your original payment method.

Privacy

Payments are handled by Lemon Squeezy, my online store and reseller. I receive your name and email to deliver your book and answer you. I never sell or share your details, and you can unsubscribe from emails at any time.

Terms

Each book is for the personal use of the buyer. Please do not share, resell or upload the files. Teachers who want to use the books with a class can email me for a group licence.

Contact

Questions? Write to me

I answer every email myself, usually within a day.