ayez

Ayiz is a transliteration of a colloquial Arabic word (often written عايز in Arabic script) that means “want” or “desire.” In many spoken dialects, particularly Egyptian Arabic, the masculine form is rendered as ayiz, while the feminine form is ayza. The word is commonly used in everyday speech to indicate a desire or intention, as in phrases like “Ana ayiz …” meaning “I want …” or “Enta ayiz eh?” meaning “What do you want?” The standard, formal Arabic equivalent for “to want” is yureed, but it is rarely used in casual conversation.

Spelling variations occur in Latin script because dialectal pronunciation can differ and because transliteration systems are not fixed. Common variants include ayez, 3ayiz, 3ayiz, and ayiz with different vowel marks. The feminine forms are often written as ayza or 3ayza in transliteration. In written contexts such as subtitles or social media, you may also see عايز rendered as ayiz or 3ayez, depending on the source and audience.

Usage notes: ayiz functions as a predicate adjective in the first-person or third-person constructions typical of Arabic dialects, and its precise meaning depends on the subject and surrounding words. It is widely understood in regions where Egyptian-influenced or Levantine-influenced dialects are spoken and appears in everyday conversation, media, and pop culture. It should not be confused with formal Arabic verbs for “to want,” which appear as يرِيد (yureed) or أَراد (arada) in standard usages.

See also: Arabic dialects, Egyptian Arabic, transliteration, Arabic verbs.