In one of Chappo’s early stories, he meets with Aisha, an illegal alien from Egypt in a border shanty town. While she has been reduced to sex slavery by the cartel, Chappo helps her escape the cartel after she gave him information for him to pursue his revenge against the Mexican cartel over the fentanyl overdose death of Tak, Chappo’s younger brother and the father of Chief in Boudica and The Butcher.
I wanted Aisha to be able to flavor her appeals to Chappo with an Egyptian Arabic term equivalent to ‘sir.’ The result is that a formal term would be Beshmehandes and the informal term would be ustādh.
According to Google translate, for ‘sir’, it recommended sayyed.
Below is the exchange I had with Copilot.
Q: What is an Egyptian word that would substitute for ‘sir’ in conversation?
A: Certainly! In Egyptian Arabic, the term “بشمهندس” (Beshmehandes) is a unique way to address someone as “sir” in a formal setting. It literally means “engineer” and is used to show respect, regardless of the person’s profession. Additionally, in Levantine Arabic (spoken in countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan), the colloquial term “عمي” (‘Amī) is also used to address someone as “sir”. If you’re looking for an ancient Egyptian term, “imy-r” probably means “the one in whom is the word” (referring to someone with authority to issue orders). Feel free to use any of these expressions based on the context!
Q: What about a more informal Egyptian term?
A: Certainly! For a more informal address in Egyptian Arabic, you can use “يا أستاذ” (Ya ustādh), which translates to “Hey, teacher” or “Hey, mister.” It’s commonly used to get someone’s attention or show familiarity. Feel free to use this expression casually!
Q: So ustadh would be understood as mister? A: Yes, “يا أستاذ” (Ya ustādh) is commonly understood as “mister” in Egyptian Arabic. It’s a more informal way to address someone. Feel free to use it casually!
Jaycee Woods 
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