Mazin calls his father with a small request, but the sound is unclear. Read their short exchange and notice how they make the message clear.
01Read the Arabic story
مُكَالَمَةٌ مَعَ أَبِي
اِسْمِي مَازِنٌ. أَنَا فِي الْبَيْتِ مَعَ أُمِّي. أَبِي فِي السُّوقِ، وَوَقْتُ الْعَشَاءِ قَرِيبٌ. تَفْتَحُ أُمِّي الثَّلَّاجَةَ وَتَقُولُ: «لَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا حَلِيبٌ». آخُذُ الْهَاتِفَ مِنْ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ وَأَتَّصِلُ بِأَبِي. أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَطْلُبَ مِنْهُ حَلِيبًا وَخُبْزًا.
يَرُدُّ أَبِي. أَقُولُ: «مَرْحَبًا يَا أَبِي! كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟» يَقُولُ: «أَنَا بِخَيْرٍ يَا مَازِنُ، وَلَكِنِ الصَّوْتُ غَيْرُ وَاضِحٍ. لَا أَسْمَعُكَ جَيِّدًا». أَبِي بِجَانِبِ شَارِعٍ كَبِيرٍ. هُنَاكَ سَيَّارَاتٌ كَثِيرَةٌ. يَدْخُلُ مَتْجَرًا صَغِيرًا، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «أَسْمَعُكَ الْآنَ».
أَقُولُ: «نُرِيدُ حَلِيبًا وَخُبْزًا، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ». يَسْأَلُ أَبِي: «هَلْ تُرِيدُ شَيْئًا آخَرَ؟» أَقُولُ: «لَا، شُكْرًا. مَتَى تَرْجِعُ؟» يَقُولُ: «أَرْجِعُ فِي السَّاعَةِ السَّادِسَةِ». أَقُولُ: «مَعَ السَّلَامَةِ!» وَأَضَعُ الْهَاتِفَ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ.
أَقُولُ لِأُمِّي: «أَبِي يَجْلِبُ الْحَلِيبَ وَالْخُبْزَ». تَبْتَسِمُ أُمِّي. فِي السَّاعَةِ السَّادِسَةِ يَفْتَحُ أَبِي الْبَابَ. فِي يَدِهِ حَقِيبَةُ الطَّعَامِ. أَذْهَبُ إِلَيْهِ وَأَقُولُ: «أَهْلًا يَا أَبِي!»
Show English translationHide English translation
My name is Mazin. I am at home with my mother. My father is at the market, and dinner time is soon. My mother opens the fridge and says, “We have no milk.” I take the phone from the table and call my father. I want to ask him for milk and bread.
My father answers. I say, “Hello, Dad! How are you?” He says, “I am well, Mazin, but the sound is unclear. I cannot hear you well.” My father is beside a big road. There are many cars. He enters a small shop, then says, “I can hear you now.”
I say, “We would like milk and bread, please.” My father asks, “Do you want anything else?” I say, “No, thank you. When are you coming back?” He says, “I am coming back at six o’clock.” I say, “Goodbye!” and put the phone on the table.
I say to my mother, “Dad is bringing the milk and bread.” My mother smiles. At six o’clock, my father opens the door. The food bag is in his hand. I go to him and say, “Welcome, Dad!”
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| أَتَّصِلُ بِأَبِي | I call my father |
| يَرُدُّ | he answers |
| الصَّوْتُ غَيْرُ وَاضِحٍ | the sound is unclear |
| لَا أَسْمَعُكَ جَيِّدًا | I cannot hear you well, said to a man |
| مَتَى تَرْجِعُ | when are you coming back? |
| حَقِيبَةُ الطَّعَامِ | the food bag |
| مَعَ السَّلَامَةِ | goodbye |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic story when you need a clue. Open the English support if you need help understanding a question.
What to remember
- Notice how the father moves before Mazin repeats his request.
- Keep the two requested items together: milk and bread.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Phone Arabic: 6 Simple Phrases for Calls and Messages
لَا أَسْمَعُكَ جَيِّدًا
Practise the phrase Mazin’s father uses when he cannot hear clearly.
Arabic Greetings: Hello, How Are You, and Goodbye
كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟
Review the greeting and wellbeing question at the start of the call.
Telling the Time in Arabic: Hours, Half Past and Quarter Past
فِي السَّاعَةِ السَّادِسَةِ
Read the hour when Mazin’s father plans to return.
