اول ما الكمبيوتر يشتغل، هاقرا الرسالة.

أول ما is a very common Egyptian expression meaning as soon as, when, or the moment that.

In this sentence, it introduces the action that happens first:

• أول ما الكمبيوتر يشتغل = as soon as the computer starts

It often signals that one action will happen immediately after another.

Yes, يشتغل literally means to work or to be working, but in Egyptian Arabic it is also commonly used for machines and devices to mean:

• start
• turn on
• run
• be operating

So with الكمبيوتر, يشتغل means something like:

• the computer starts up
• the computer turns on
• the computer begins working

This is very natural in Egyptian.

That’s a very important Egyptian Arabic point.

In Egyptian, بـ often marks the regular present tense:

• الكمبيوتر بيشتغل = the computer works / is working

But after words like أول ما when you are talking about a future event, Egyptian usually uses the verb without بـ:

• أول ما الكمبيوتر يشتغل = as soon as the computer starts

So يشتغل here is not a plain habitual present. It is part of a time clause referring to what will happen in the future.

The هـ at the beginning is the Egyptian future marker.

So:

• اقرا / أقرا = I read / I will read depending on context
• هاقرا = I will read

In Egyptian Arabic, هـ or حـ is commonly used to show the future:

• هاكتب = I’ll write
• هاروح = I’ll go
• هاقرا = I’ll read

So here هاقرا الرسالة means I’ll read the message.

Because this is Egyptian Arabic, not Modern Standard Arabic.

Egyptian Arabic is usually written more informally and closer to how people actually speak. So:

• هاقرا is the Egyptian colloquial form
• سأقرأ is the formal MSA form

Also, colloquial writing often simplifies spelling, especially hamzas.

So هاقرا is a normal everyday Egyptian way to write I’ll read.

In Egyptian Arabic, ق is often pronounced as a glottal stop.

So هاقرا is usually pronounced something like:

• haʔra

You may also see it transliterated as:

• ha'ra
• ha2ra

That is because the ق sound in many Egyptian accents becomes ʔ rather than a hard q sound.

كمبيوتر is a loanword from English computer, and it is extremely common in Egyptian Arabic.

So:

• الكمبيوتر = the computer

This is normal. Egyptian Arabic uses many borrowed everyday words, especially for technology.

You may also hear people say things like:

• اللابتوب = the laptop
• الموبايل = the mobile phone

Yes, you can say both.

This sentence uses:

• أول ما الكمبيوتر يشتغل

But you can also say:

• أول ما يشتغل الكمبيوتر

Both are understandable and natural. The difference is mostly about word order and emphasis, not basic meaning.

For learners, it is useful to know that Egyptian Arabic often allows flexible word order, especially in colloquial speech.

الرسالة means the message, while رسالة means a message.

So:

• هاقرا الرسالة = I’ll read the message
• هاقرا رسالة = I’ll read a message

Using الـ shows that the speaker has a specific message in mind, probably one already known from the context.

Yes, usually أول ما gives more of an as soon as / the moment feeling.

Compare:

• لما الكمبيوتر يشتغل، هاقرا الرسالة
  = when the computer starts, I’ll read the message

• أول ما الكمبيوتر يشتغل، هاقرا الرسالة
  = as soon as the computer starts, I’ll read the message

So أول ما emphasizes immediacy a bit more.

Yes. The whole sentence is understood as future.

That happens because:

• أول ما sets up a future time condition
• هاقرا clearly marks the future in the main clause

So even though يشتغل is not marked with هـ, the meaning is:

• As soon as the computer starts, I’ll read the message

This is very common in both Egyptian Arabic and many other languages: a present-form verb can refer to the future inside time clauses.

A natural Egyptian-style pronunciation would be roughly:

• awwal ma l-kombyūter yishtighal, haʔra r-risāla

A few pronunciation notes:

• أول → awwal
• الكمبيوتر → often il-kombyūter or el-kombyūter
• يشتغل → yishtighal
• هاقرا → haʔra
• الرسالة → ir-risāla or er-risāla

Because of connected speech, الرسالة is pronounced with an assimilated r, so it sounds more like ir-risāla than al-risāla.

Yes, it sounds natural.

It uses several everyday Egyptian features:

• أول ما for as soon as
• يشتغل for a machine starting/working
• هاقرا for the future
• كمبيوتر as a normal borrowed word

A speaker might also say similar things like:

• أول ما الموبايل يشحن، هكلمك.
  As soon as the phone charges, I’ll call you.

• أول ما البرنامج يفتح، هبعتلك الملف.
  As soon as the program opens, I’ll send you the file.