هذا خطأ

You can use it as a standalone sentence. If someone says something you know isn't true, just look at them and say, ده غلط. You can also point at a physical object, like a bill with an extra zero, and say it. It’s very flexible. If you want to be extra, you can add أوي (awi) at the end—ده غلط أوي—to say 'that is very wrong.' It’s like adding three exclamation points in a text.

Use it when you are 100% sure about a fact. Use it when you are with friends and someone tells a story that sounds like a total lie. It’s also great for moral stands. If you see someone being rude to a waiter, a quiet ده غلط to your friend expresses your disapproval perfectly. In a professional setting, use it to point out errors in data or schedules, but keep your tone neutral so you don't sound like you're scolding someone.

Be careful using this with people significantly older than you or your boss. In Middle Eastern culture, being that direct can sometimes feel like a lack of adab (politeness). Instead of saying ده غلط, you might want to say مش صح أوي (mish sahh awi), which means 'it's not quite right.' It’s the linguistic equivalent of a soft pillow versus a brick. Also, don't use it if you're only 'kind of' sure—you'll look a bit silly if you're the one who ends up being wrong!

Egyptians are generally very expressive and direct with their friends. Correcting each other is actually a sign of closeness. If a friend doesn't tell you ده غلط when you're making a mistake, are they even your friend? The word ghalat itself comes from Classical Arabic, but the way it's paired with the informal da makes it quintessentially Egyptian. It reflects a culture that values truth-telling within the inner circle.

You might hear كلام غلط (kalam ghalat) which means 'wrong words' or 'what you're saying is wrong.' If you’re talking about something feminine (like a 'story' or 'info'), you’d say دي غلط (di ghalat). If you want to sound more formal or like a news anchor, you’d use the Standard Arabic هذا خطأ (haza khata’), but honestly, stick to the dialect version if you want to sound like a local.