Middle Egyptian: A Student's GuideMiddle Egyptian grammar, glossary and sign lists
Thematic Glossary

Verbs

Abbreviations:

‎str‎ — strong verb (‎3-lit, 4-lit‎)

‎bi‎ — biliteral verb (‎2-lit‎)

‎3-inf‎ — verb with a weak third consonant (third-weak)

‎4-inf‎ — verb with a weak fourth consonant (fourth-weak)

‎2-gem‎ — second and third consonants identical

‎3-gem‎ — third and fourth consonants identical

‎irreg‎ — irregular verb, irregular conjugation

‎caus‎ — causative verb (‎causative‎)

‎imp‎ — imperative

Movement

Coming & Going

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
jwjw To come irreg
jjjj To come irreg
jj.t (inf.), jj.t (inf.)jj.t (infinitive) To come irreg
mj, mjmj Come! imp
šmšm To go bi
jsjs Go! imp irreg
prjprj To go, come out 3-inf
wḏꜣwḏꜣ To proceed, go str
hꜣjhꜣj To come down, descend, return 3-inf
ꜥqꜥq To enter; To set (of sun) bi

Position & Stance

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
ꜥḥꜥꜥḥꜥ To stand, stand up str
ḥmsjḥmsj To sit, dwell 4-inf
sḏrsḏr To spend the night, lie down str
dwndwn To stretch, stretch out str
dmꜣdmꜣ To stretch out str

Travel (Land & Water)

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
nꜥjnꜥj To travel, cross over by boat 3-inf
ḫntjḫntj To sail upstream, travel southward 4-inf
ḫdjḫdj To sail downstream, travel northward 3-inf
ḏꜣjḏꜣj To cross by river, ferry 3-inf
mnjmnj To moor str
mnmnmnmn To quake, move about ( + r / ḥr) 2-gem, root:mn
sꜣḥsꜣḥ To reach, arrive at str
pḥpḥ To reach (a person or place) bi
dmjdmj To reach (a place) str
sprspr To reach (+r) str
snjsnj To pass, pass by, surpass 3-inf
nmjnmj To travel by foot 3-inf
wsṯnwsṯn To stride str
pḥrrpḥrr To run 3-gem
sḫpsḫp To lead caus
šmsšms To follow str
rwj, rwjrwj To go away; To escape 3-inf
swꜣswꜣ To pass, pass by (+ ḥr) caus, str

Action

Giving & Taking

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
dmjdmj To touch str
rdjrdj To give, put, place 3-inf, irreg
dj, djdj var. of rdj 3-inf, irreg
rdj.t / dj.t (inf.), rdj.t / dj.t (inf.)rdj.t / dj.t (infinitive) var. of rdj 3-inf, irreg
wdjwdj To put, set, push 3-inf
jmjjmj Give! Put! Cause! imp
jnjjnj To bring, fetch 3-inf
nwjnwj To bring back 3-inf
msms To bring, present bi
jṯjjṯj To take possession of, carry off 3-inf
šspšsp To take, accept, receive str
mm Take! imp irreg
mnmn Take! imp irreg
jrjjrj To do, make, cultivate; To spend time, work; To beget (children) 3-inf
gmgmgmgm To break, smash str
nḥmnḥm To save, rescue, carry off str
smꜣsmꜣ To bring together, unite str
nwjnwj To collect, assemble 3-inf
sꜣwjsꜣwj To extend, lengthen 4-inf ~ caus
nḏrjnḏrj To grasp, hold fast 4-inf

Opening & Closing

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
wpjwpj To open, part, split 3-inf
wnwn To open bi
tmtm To close, shut bi
ḫtmḫtm To close, seal str
jwdjwd To separate, divide (+ r: X from Y) str

Carrying & Loading

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
ꜣtpꜣtp To load str
ṯsjṯsj To raise, lift up 3-inf
fꜣjfꜣj To rise, arise, lift up 3-inf
jtḥjtḥ To draw, pull str

Construction & Labor

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
qdqd To build bi
ḫwsjḫwsj To pound; To build 4-inf
grggrg To set up, found, establish str
ḫndḫnd To bend (wood) str
šdjšdj To cut out, dig, rescue, take 3-inf
mḥmḥ To fill, complete, finish bi
snꜥꜥsnꜥꜥ To smooth 3-gem

Agricultural

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
hbjhbj To tread (in seed), plow 3-inf
skꜣskꜣ To plow str
srdsrd To cause to grow (to plant) caus
bḥsbḥs To hunt str

Warfare & Conflict

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
ꜥḥꜣꜥḥꜣ To fight (against +r) str
ḥwjḥwj To beat, strike, drive in 3-inf
sqrsqr To hit, smite (with a cudgel) str
smꜣsmꜣ To kill, destroy str
ḥsqḥsq To cut off (for example, a hand, head, etc.) str
ḥꜣqḥꜣq To loot, plunder str
dꜣrdꜣr To control temper, self; subdue foes, suppress evil str
ẖnnẖnn To disturb; interfere 2-gem
ḫsfḫsf To oppose, ward off, punish str
sꜣwsꜣw To guard, watch over 3-inf

Body & Mind

Consumption & Bodily Functions

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
wnmwnm To eat str
wšꜥwšꜥ To chew str
swrswr To drink str
dpdp To taste, experience bi
sꜣjsꜣj To become sated 3-inf
qꜣꜥqꜣꜥ To vomit str
wsšwsš To urinate str
fgnfgn To defecate str
ḥqrḥqr To hunger str
jbjjbj To thirst 3-inf
jꜥjjꜥj To wash 3-inf
ḥbsḥbs To clothe, cover up, get dressed str
sdsd To get dressed (in a kilt) bi
ṯꜣmṯꜣm To cover, veil str

Love, Sex & Reproduction

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
nknk To copulate, have sexual relations bi
ꜥꜣꜥꜥꜣꜥ To ejaculate str
ḥptḥpt To embrace str
jnqjnq To embrace str
snsn To kiss (+ ḥnꜥ / r) bi
wtṯ, wtṯwtṯ To beget; to bear a child str
jwrjwr To conceive str
msjmsj To bear, give birth 3-inf
ḥsmnḥsmn To menstruate str

Perception & Cognition

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
mꜣꜣmꜣꜣ To see, look at 2-gem, irreg
gmḥgmḥ To glimpse, look at, see str
dgjdgj To look at (+ r) 3-inf
sjꜣsjꜣ To recognize, perceive str
sḏmsḏm To hear str
rḫrḫ To learn, experience bi
šsꜣšsꜣ To know, be wise str
ḫmḫm To be ignorant of, be unconscious of bi
jbjb To wish, think, feel, suppose bi
kꜣjkꜣj To think, plan 3-inf
sḫꜣsḫꜣ To remember, recall str
ssꜣjssꜣj To satisfy (+m) caus, 4-inf

Communication

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
dbḥdbḥ To ask; To beg str
ḏdḏd To speak, talk bi
wšbwšb To answer str
sšsš To write bi
hꜣbhꜣb To send; To write to str
sbꜣsbꜣ To teach str
ḥsjḥsj To sing 3-inf
njtjtnjtjt To stutter str
jꜣšjꜣš To summon, call str
njsnjs To summon, call str
wḥmwḥm To repeat str
smjsmj To report 3-inf
srsr To foretell bi
wšdwšd To question about: (+ ḥr) str
sštꜣsštꜣ To make secret caus, str
wḏwḏ To order, command bi
gmjgmj To find 3-inf
ḥḥjḥḥj To seek 3-inf
wḏꜥwḏꜥ To judge, separate, decide str

Emotional & Psychological

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
mrjmrj To want, desire, like, love 3-inf
msḏjmsḏj To hate, dislike 4-inf
sbṯsbṯ To laugh, mock str
snḏsnḏ To fear str
ḥtpḥtp To be pleased, be at peace, satisfy, please str
ꜣwj-jbꜣwj-jb

To be happy

(lit. Long of heart)

3-inf
ršj, ršwršj, ršw To rejoice, delight 3-inf
ḥsjḥsj To favor; praise 3-inf

State & Change

Existence & State

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
wnnwnn To be, exist 2-gem irreg
ḫprḫpr To evolve, happen, occur, come into being str
mnmn To be firm, established, enduring bi
nḫtnḫt To be forceful str
ḥtpḥtp To be happy, pleased, calm str
wḏꜣwḏꜣ To be well, prosperous, uninjured str
qbbqbb To be cool 2-gem
sqbbsqbb To cause: to be cool 2-gem caus
ꜥd, ꜥḏ, ꜥd, ꜥḏꜥd, ꜥḏ To be safe bi
šwšw To be empty [of m] bi
bjnbjn To be bad str
kmkm To total up to, amount to, complete bi
wdfwdf To delay, stall str
spjspj To remain, to be left over 3-inf
kttktt To be small, be the youngest 2-gem
wrdwrd To tire str
swrdswrd To cause: to be tired str caus
wꜥjwꜥj To be alone 3-inf
snbsnb To be healthy, well str

Growth & Change

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
rnpjrnpj To be or grow young 4-inf
rdrd To grow bi
wbnwbn To swell, rise str
ꜥnḫꜥnḫ To live str
tnjtnj To age 3-inf
m(w)tm(w)t To die, perish bi, irreg

Religion & Rituals

Worship & Offering

HieroglyphsTransliteration English Type
dwꜣdwꜣ To worship str
dwꜣ-nṯrdwꜣ-nṯr To praise god str
ḥsjḥsj To praise (someone) 3-inf
ꜣmꜣm To burn, burn up bi
jmꜣḫjmꜣḫ To be provided for, revered str
gsgs To anoint bi
↑