The primary language spoken in Egypt is Arabic. Over 98% of people living in Egypt speak a form of Arabic, so it’s easy to assume that everyone there can speak to each other. But those dialects of Arabic can be quite different, and when you consider Indigenous languages, second languages, and immigrant languages, the picture gets a little more complex.
Learn what languages are spoken in Egypt and where you may encounter these languages in your travels.
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What is the official language of Egypt?
As well as being the most commonly spoken language, Arabic is the official language of Egypt. The form of Arabic used as the official language of Egypt is known as Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is a more formalized written form of Arabic used in education, journalism, and government communications. MSA is known as a lingua franca (common language) between Arabic-speaking countries.
However, Egyptian Arabic (Masri) is the most commonly spoken dialect in Egypt. While most Arabic speakers learn MSA grammar and vocabulary rules in schools, they’re much more likely to speak in Egyptian Arabic in everyday conversation.
How many languages are spoken in Egypt?
There are around 21 total languages spoken in Egypt, including several dialects of Arabic, languages spoken by immigrants, and second languages learned by Egyptians who speak Arabic as a native language.
The primary languages spoken in Egypt include:
- Egyptian Arabic
- Sa’idi Arabic
- Northwest Arabian Arabic
- Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic
- Western Egyptian Bedawi Arabic
- Sudanese Arabic
- Armenian
- Bedawi
- Beja
- Domari
- Egyptian Sign Language
- English
- French
- German
- Greek
- Italian
- Kenzi
- Mattokki
- Nobiin
- Russian
- Siwi
Of these languages, Greek, Armenian, and Italian are primarily spoken in areas of Egypt with high numbers of immigrants and displaced populations. Languages used in business and tourism include Russian, German, English, and French, and are not usually the first languages of people living in Egypt.
The top 3 main languages in Egypt
There are three primary languages that you’ll hear while visiting or living in Egypt: Arabic, English, and French. The current population of Egypt is around 116 million, and its geographical position in North Africa, just south of the Middle East, enables the country to be a very linguistically diverse area.
1. Arabic
Egypt is home to 115 million Arabic speakers (Worlddata, 2025), more than twice the number of Arabic speakers in the next highest country (Yemen). With around 116 million people living in Egypt, the Arabic-speaking population makes up around 98% of the total Egyptian population.
Arabic is in the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family, along with Hebrew, Chadic, and Cushitic. The language arrived in Egypt during the Arab invasion in 639-642 C.E., eventually replacing the ancient Egyptian language originally spoken by Egyptians.
Today, Egyptian Arabic is the main spoken language of Egypt (and the most common dialect of Arabic in the world), though Sa’idi Arabic, Northwest Arabian Arabic, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic, Western Egyptian Bedawi Arabic, and Sudanese Arabic are also spoken in different regions of the country.
2. English
English is one of the most spoken languages in the world, and it’s very prevalent in Egypt as well. There are over 28 million English speakers in Egypt, which is around 25% of the population. You’re most likely to hear English in big Egyptian cities such as Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria.
Egyptians mainly speak Arabic as their native language, but often learn English in school or university as a second language. English is a common language for international communications, business, tourism, and media.
3. French
Like English, French is a commonly spoken language in education, business, and tourism. Egypt’s proximity to French-speaking countries like Algeria, Chad, and Niger makes it natural for Egyptians to learn French as a second language.
French explorers and politics in North Africa influenced Egypt’s culture between the 18th and 20th centuries, and that influence continues in Egyptian education. Today, around 3 million people speak French in Egypt, which is just over 2.5% of the total population.
Indigenous languages spoken in Egypt
Beyond Arabic, English, and French, there are a number of Indigenous languages spoken in Egypt. Arabic is still a dominant language, even among Indigenous people, but Indigenous languages of Egypt are often the first languages spoken by people in these tribal regions.
Domari
Around 4 million people worldwide speak Domari, with around 400,000 of those speakers living in Egypt (around 0.03% of the Egyptian population). The Indo-Aryan language Domari is often referred to as Middle Eastern Romani due to its connection to the Romani language in Europe and northern India. Domari is spoken by the nomadic Dom people throughout Egypt and includes the Nawari, Kurbati, and Helebi dialects. Because Domari doesn’t have a written form, it doesn’t have an alphabet, but is often depicted in writing with Arabic, Hebrew, or Latin alphabets.
Nubian languages
A variety of Nubian languages, including Nobiin and Kenzi, are primarily spoken in the Upper Nile region of Egypt. These languages are in the Nilo-Saharan language family, along with other Indigenous languages in the region, and date back thousands of years throughout Egypt and North Africa. It’s difficult to know how many people speak Nubian languages today, as Nubian languages are endangered, but many Egyptians have made strong efforts to preserve these historic dialects.
To Bedawi
The north Cushitic language To Bedawi is spoken by the nomadic Beja people in the Eastern Desert across Egypt and Sudan. Also called Bidhaawyeet or Tubdhaawi, there are around 2 million people in the Beja tribe, with around 88,000 Beja people living in Egypt, east of the Nile River and in the Red Sea Hills. Although the name of this Indigenous language sounds similar to Western Egyptian Bedawi Arabic and Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic, it is not similar to Arabic itself.
Siwi
The Siwi language is spoken by around 20,000 speakers (0.017% of the population) on the Siwa Oasis, most of whom also speak Egyptian Arabic. This Afroasiatic language is on the Berber language branch, along with Awjila and Ghadamès, which are primarily spoken in Libya. Siwi is also known as Siwi Berber or Zenati, and is an endangered Indigenous language that isn’t taught in Egyptian schools. When written, Siwi doesn’t have its own alphabet and is primarily depicted in Latin and Tifinagh alphabets.
Frequently asked questions about what language is spoken in Egypt
While Arabic is the main language spoken in Egypt, the cultural diversity and rich history of this part of the world make it more linguistically complex.
Is English spoken in Egypt?
English is one of the main second languages spoken in Egypt, especially in large cities and tourism areas. Many educated Egyptians speak some degree of English in addition to Arabic and can help answer questions from English-speaking travelers.
Do I need to learn Arabic to visit Egypt?
Learning a few Arabic words and phrases would be helpful when traveling to Egypt, especially if you’re planning to visit more rural places without many English speakers. You can study MSA vocabulary and grammar to master Arabic conversation, or you can pick up Egyptian Arabic phrases to sound more like a local in your travels.
What other countries speak Arabic?
Egypt is home to the largest population of Arabic speakers in the world, but it’s not the only Arabic-speaking country. Other countries in North Africa or Western Asia that use Arabic as an official language include (Worlddata, 2025): Yemen, Iraq, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Morocco, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, and Libya.
Is Egyptian a language?
Ancient Egyptian is one of the oldest languages in the world, but it’s not spoken in Egypt anymore. Arabic replaced Egyptian as the primary language of Europe in the 7th century, and today, the Egyptian language only exists in ancient texts and engravings.
The liturgical language Coptic of the Coptic Orthodox Church and Coptic Catholic Church is considered to be the final form of ancient Egyptian. Its writing system consisted of the Greek alphabet rather than the hieroglyphics of ancient Egyptian, and it was spoken throughout Upper and Lower Egypt prior to the 7th century. Its most recent texts are from the 14th century, and today, it is still spoken in worship services and prayers within the churches, but not as an everyday language (similar to Latin in other Christian churches).
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