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عندي مشكلة في الكمبيوتر، ولسه ماعنديش حل.

عندي مشكلة في الكمبيوتر، ولسه ماعنديش حل.
I have a problem with the computer, and I still don't have a solution.
FromLesson 5inHardcore Arabic (Egyptian)

Questions & Answers about عندي مشكلة في الكمبيوتر، ولسه ماعنديش حل.

What does عندي literally mean, and why isn’t there a verb for have?

In Egyptian Arabic, عندي literally means at me or with me, but it is the normal way to say I have.

So:

  • عندي مشكلة = I have a problem
  • literally: At me is a problem

Arabic often expresses possession this way instead of using a separate verb like English have.

Breakdown:

  • عند = at / with
  • -ي = my / me

So عندي = at me.

Why is it مشكلة and not something else like a direct translation of problem?

مشكلة is the standard Arabic word for problem in both Modern Standard Arabic and many dialects, including Egyptian.

In Egyptian pronunciation, it’s usually said something like:

  • móshkela or mushkila

So عندي مشكلة is a very common everyday phrase for I have a problem.

What does في الكمبيوتر mean exactly? Is it really in the computer?

Literally, في الكمبيوتر means in the computer or in the computer system, because:

  • في = in / at / with / on, depending on context
  • الكمبيوتر = the computer

But in natural English, this sentence would usually be understood as:

  • I have a problem with the computer

So even though the Arabic uses في, the best English translation is often with the computer, not strictly in the computer.

Why does الكمبيوتر have الـ on it? Why is it the computer?

In Arabic, even borrowed words like computer can take the definite article الـ.

So:

  • كمبيوتر = a computer
  • الكمبيوتر = the computer

In this sentence, في الكمبيوتر sounds natural and refers to the computer being talked about. Arabic often uses definiteness a bit differently from English, and in context this can still translate naturally as just with the computer.

What does لسه mean here?

لسه means still or yet, depending on the sentence.

Here, because the sentence is negative, it means:

  • still
  • or in some contexts yet

So:

  • لسه ماعنديش حل = I still don’t have a solution
  • also understandable as I don’t have a solution yet

This is a very common Egyptian word.

Examples:

  • لسه صاحي = I just woke up / I’m still awake, depending on context
  • لسه ماجاش = he still hasn’t come / he hasn’t come yet
How does ماعنديش work? Why are there two negative parts?

This is the common Egyptian negation pattern ما...ش.

So:

  • عندي = I have
  • ما عنديش = I don’t have

It is built like this:

  • ما
    • عندي
      • ش

In casual writing, people often write it all together:

  • ماعنديش

You may also see it spaced:

  • ما عنديش

Both represent the same thing in informal writing.

This ma...sh negation is very common in Egyptian Arabic:

  • ماعرفش = I don’t know
  • ماحبّش = I don’t like
  • ماجاش = he didn’t come
Why is it لسه ماعنديش حل and not a different word order?

This word order is very natural in Egyptian Arabic.

  • لسه comes before the negative clause
  • then the whole idea I don’t have a solution

So:

  • لسه ماعنديش حل = I still don’t have a solution

If you translated word-for-word, it would be something like:

  • still I-don’t-have solution

That sounds odd in English, but it is normal in Egyptian Arabic.

What does حل mean, and why doesn’t it have الـ?

حل means solution.

Here it is indefinite, so it means:

  • a solution
  • any solution

That is why there is no الـ.

Compare:

  • عندي حل = I have a solution
  • عندي الحل = I have the solution

In your sentence:

  • ماعنديش حل = I don’t have a solution / I have no solution
Why is there a و before لسه?

The و means and.

So the sentence is:

  • عندي مشكلة في الكمبيوتر، ولسه ماعنديش حل.
  • I have a problem with the computer, and I still don’t have a solution.

In English, depending on tone, this could also feel like and or but. Arabic و is very flexible and often just links ideas smoothly.

You could say the sentence without و in some contexts, but with و it sounds more connected and natural.

How would a learner pronounce the whole sentence?

A helpful approximate pronunciation is:

ʿandī mushkila fil-kombyūter, w lissa maʿandīsh ḥall.

A more learner-friendly version:

  • an-DEE mosh-KE-la fil-kom-byoo-ter, wi LIS-sa ma-an-DEESH hall

A few notes:

  • ع in عندي is a deep throat sound, not an English sound
  • ح in حل is a breathy, stronger h
  • الكمبيوتر is a borrowed word, so its pronunciation is close to computer, but adapted to Arabic sound patterns
How do I pronounce ع in عندي?

The letter ع is one of the sounds English speakers usually find hardest.

In عندي, it is the first sound. It is a voiced throat sound made deep in the throat. There is no exact English equivalent.

Tips:

  • Don’t replace it with a strong English a if you can help it
  • Try starting with the vowel while tightening the throat slightly
  • Listen and imitate native speakers a lot

If you can’t say it perfectly yet, learners are often understood if they say something close to andi, but it is good to keep working on the real sound.

How do I pronounce ح in حل?

ح is not the normal English h. It is a stronger, breathier sound produced deeper in the throat.

So حل is not just hal with an ordinary English h. It is more like:

  • ḥall

If you are a beginner, a plain h is an acceptable approximation, but the real sound is important to learn because Arabic distinguishes:

  • ح
  • ه

They are different letters and different sounds.

Why is the sentence written without case endings or formal grammar endings?

Because this is Egyptian Arabic, not formal Modern Standard Arabic.

In spoken Egyptian Arabic:

  • case endings are not used
  • final short vowels from formal Arabic are usually dropped
  • the sentence reflects everyday speech

That is why you see a simple spoken form like:

  • عندي مشكلة
  • ماعنديش حل

instead of a more formal written style.

Is ماعنديش the only correct spelling, or can it be written differently?

In informal Egyptian writing, spelling is not always completely standardized, so you may see:

  • ماعنديش
  • ما عنديش

Both are common and mean the same thing.

The same happens with many colloquial words and negated forms. People often write the sentence in the way that feels most natural to them.

Could this sentence also mean I have a problem in my computer instead of with my computer?

Yes, depending on context, في الكمبيوتر could suggest:

  • a problem in the computer
  • a problem with the computer
  • an issue on the computer/system

But in natural English, the broad meaning is usually:

  • I have a problem with the computer

If the speaker were talking about software, files, or a technical issue inside the system, in the computer could also make sense in context. The Arabic is flexible enough for that.

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