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ägyptisch
Egyptian
Refers to the country of Egypt, its population, its culture, or its language.
example
Die ägyptischen Pyramiden sind weltberühmt.
The Egyptian pyramids are world-famous.
ägyptisch
Egyptian
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word derivation
The adjective 'ägyptisch' is derived from the country name 'Ägypten' (Egypt). The ending '-isch' is a very common way to form adjectives from geographical names.
EXAMPLE
Die italienische Küche ist weltberühmt.
Italian cuisine is world-famous.
Common mistake
Adjectives derived from geographical names with the ending '-isch' are written in lowercase in German. This is an important difference from English.
EXAMPLE
Wir haben eine Führung durch die ägyptische Abteilung des Museums gebucht.
We booked a guided tour through the Egyptian section of the museum.
Typical collocations
The word 'ägyptisch' is very often used in connection with the history of ancient Egypt. Typical combinations are 'ägyptische Götter' (Egyptian gods), 'ägyptische Hieroglyphen' (Egyptian hieroglyphs), or 'die altägyptische Kultur' (ancient Egyptian culture).
EXAMPLE
In der Schule lernen wir gerade etwas über die ägyptischen Götter.
At school, we are currently learning about the Egyptian gods.
Compare with
ägyptisch vs arabisch
Arabic
'arabisch' and 'ägyptisch' can both have to do with language, people, and culture. 'arabisch' is broader: it fits the Arab world or the Arabic language in general. 'ägyptisch' is more specific and refers to Egypt, its people, culture, or language. Learners may confuse the words because Arabic is spoken in Egypt. But not everything Arab or Arabic is Egyptian, and 'ägyptisch' does not mean the whole Arab world.
ägyptisch
Zu Hause kocht sie oft ägyptische Gerichte, weil ihr Mann aus Kairo kommt.
At home, she often cooks Egyptian dishes because her husband is from Cairo.
arabisch
Im Gespräch sprach er aus Versehen von arabischer Musik, obwohl er nur Musik aus Ägypten meinte.
In the conversation, he accidentally spoke of Arab music, although he only meant music from Egypt.
In real life
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