What Languages Are Spoken In Egypt? (Answered!)

Egyptians speak a number of languages, with by far the dominant vernacular being Egyptian Arabic. The official language of Egypt, though, is Literary Arabic, and this is used in writing and as official communications such as from government bodies. Coptic is also an important language in Egypt.

There are many languages in Egypt, then, that comprise the linguistic makeup of the country as a whole.

While the local Arabic vernacular is spoken by around 98% of the population, many speak it as a second language, but it is in any case the de facto lingua franca.

Most speak it as a second language if not as their first.

Let’s find out more.

In This Article

What are the top three spoken languages in Egypt?

The vernacular language in Egypt is Egyptian Arabic.

This is spoken by around 98% of the population, the majority of which speaking it as a first language, around 68% of that figure.

It is part of the Afro-Asiatic language family, having originally developed in the Nile Delta.

It is sometimes referred to as Masri, and is even broadly understood in the wider region of Arabic speaking countries due to the historical and modern influence of Egypt.

As a vernacular, it is primarily a spoken language.

However, it is also used in novels, plays, poetry, and even in newspapers and advertising to some extent.

It is based on the dialect of Cairo, and there are of course some minor variations between local dialects of Egyptian Arabic, but the dialects are always mutually intelligible.

However, though it is not commonly spoken, it’s important to be aware of the role of Literary Arabic in Egypt.

This is the most widely written language and is considered the official language of the country.

It is, then, often used in communications and official writings, as well as in academic writings.

Though Coptic is considered an extinct language, it remains a very important language in Egypt.

It is the liturgical language of Coptic Egpytian Christians.

Though some ten million Copts still exist as a distinct ethnic group in Egypt, they tend to speak Egyptian Arabic as Vernacular and Coptic remains a liturgical language for orthodox Christians in the area.

However, there is at present an effort to revive the language to some extent.

A handful of other languages are also represented in Egypt’s population: Domari, an endangered Indo-Aryan language, spoken by about 10% of the population; Nobiin, a Nubian language spoken by around 3% of the population; and Beja, another Afro-Asiatic language spoken by around 7% of the population.

What language is mostly spoken in Egypt?

By far the most commonly spoken language in Egypt is Egyptian Arabic.

Around 98% of the population speak this language and the vast majority speak it as their first language.

Most people in Egypt speak it at least as a second language even if it is not their native vernacular.

This language is more or less universally written in the Arabic alphabet, though commonly it can be transcribed into others such as the Latin alphabet.

Many aspects of the language are deeply influenced by Coptic, though Coptic has now been supplanted as the most commonly spoken language.

Egyptian Arabic has proliferated across the Arabic speaking world due to the popularity of Egyptian films and a disproportionately large number of Egyptian teachers and professors in the region.

So, Egyptian Arabic plays a huge and important role not just in Egypt but the Arabic world in general.

Despite this, it is not recognized as the official language of Egypt.

Historically, the language has been under pressure from various sources, as for a long time Turkish was the language of the ruling class in Egypt.

It is tied up in a lot of delicate political and religious social history, so it’s a complex debate.

How many languages are spoken in Egypt?

Many, many languages are spoken in Egypt.

The official language is Standard Arabic, so most will be able to understand this.

The vernacular is Egyptian Arabic or Masri. Coptic is used as a liturgical language for Christians. Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic is another Arabic dialect not mutually intelligible with Masri.

Other minority languages, which are still native, include Domari, Nobiin, Beja and Siwi.

There are also many immigrant languages spoken by large parts of the population of Egypt.

These include Farsi, Hindi, Urdu and Chinese.

Egypt is an enormously diverse linguistic phenomenon, then.

Is English widely spoken in Egypt?

English is widely spoken as a second language in Egypt for a few reasons.

It was only 70 years ago that Egypt itself was a British colony.

Today, it is taught in schools and widely understood by many.

It is an international language of business and politics on a global scale, so it is certainly widely understood.

However, for the average person in Egypt, English is probably not likely to be well understood.

There are already multiple native languages you might need to know to effectively communicate, so English is more of an international language.

Egypt is something of a melting pot of languages, then, but Egyptian Arabic nonetheless is by far the most common spoken language.

The vast majority of Egypt’s population speak this language in some capacity even if it is not their first language.

It is the one most widely used and understood.

However, you of course also have languages like Literary Arabic which are used for writing, and the large Coptic speaking population in the country.

More in Regional Languages

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

Was this article helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!