Khalid and his friend want a simple lunch. They read the menu, ask about a dish and choose food to share.
01Read the Arabic story
نَطْلُبُ الْغَدَاءَ فِي الْمَطْعَمِ
اِسْمِي خَالِدٌ. أَذْهَبُ مَعَ صَدِيقِي إِلَى مَطْعَمٍ صَغِيرٍ لِلْغَدَاءِ. نَجْلِسُ إِلَى طَاوِلَةٍ بِجَانِبِ النَّافِذَةِ. أَنَا جَائِعٌ وَصَدِيقِي جَائِعٌ أَيْضًا. يَأْتِي النَّادِلُ إِلَيْنَا، وَأَقُولُ: «قَائِمَةَ الطَّعَامِ، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ».
نَقْرَأُ الْقَائِمَةَ مَعًا. أَسْأَلُ النَّادِلَ: «هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ أُرْزٌ مَعَ الْخُضْرَاوَاتِ؟» يَقُولُ: «نَعَمْ. الطَّبَقُ كَبِيرٌ وَيَكْفِي لِشَخْصَيْنِ». أَنْظُرُ إِلَى صَدِيقِي، فَيَقُولُ: «أَنَا أُحِبُّ هَذَا الطَّعَامَ. نَطْلُبُ طَبَقًا وَاحِدًا وَنَأْكُلُ مَعًا».
نَطْلُبُ أُرْزًا مَعَ الْخُضْرَاوَاتِ وَسَلَطَةً صَغِيرَةً. يَسْأَلُ النَّادِلُ: «مَاذَا تُرِيدَانِ أَنْ تَشْرَبَا؟» نَقُولُ: «مَاءً، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ». يَضَعُ النَّادِلُ الْمَاءَ وَالْخُبْزَ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ، ثُمَّ يَأْتِي بِالطَّعَامِ. نَقُولُ لَهُ: «شُكْرًا».
أَضَعُ بَعْضَ الْأُرْزِ فِي طَبَقِي، وَيَأْخُذُ صَدِيقِي بَعْضَهُ أَيْضًا. الطَّعَامُ سَاخِنٌ وَلَذِيذٌ. نَأْكُلُ بِهُدُوءٍ وَنَتَحَدَّثُ. بَعْدَ الْغَدَاءِ أَقُولُ: «الْحِسَابَ، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ». نَدْفَعُ الْحِسَابَ وَنَخْرُجُ. كَانَ الْغَدَاءُ مَعَ صَدِيقِي جَمِيلًا.
Show English translationHide English translation
My name is Khalid. I go with my friend to a small restaurant for lunch. We sit at a table beside the window. I am hungry, and my friend is hungry too. The waiter comes to us, and I say, “The menu, please.”
We read the menu together. I ask the waiter, “Do you have rice with vegetables?” He says, “Yes. The dish is large and is enough for two people.” I look at my friend, and he says, “I like this food. Let’s order one dish and eat together.”
We order rice with vegetables and a small salad. The waiter asks, “What would you two like to drink?” We say, “Water, please.” The waiter puts the water and bread on the table, then brings the food. We say to him, “Thank you.”
I put some rice on my plate, and my friend takes some too. The food is hot and delicious. We eat calmly and talk. After lunch, I say, “The bill, please.” We pay the bill and leave. Lunch with my friend was lovely.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| لِلْغَدَاءِ | for lunch |
| جَائِعٌ | hungry |
| النَّادِلُ | the waiter |
| الْخُضْرَاوَاتِ | the vegetables |
| سَلَطَةً | a salad |
| لَذِيذٌ | delicious |
| الْحِسَابَ | the bill |
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
- Separate the request for the menu from the later request for the bill.
- Find the details that show the friends are sharing their meal.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Restaurant Arabic: Order a Meal and Ask for the Bill
الْحِسَابَ، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
Practise the menu, drink and bill requests used during this restaurant visit.
Food and Drinks in Arabic: 15 Words for Everyday Meals
نَطْلُبُ أُرْزًا مَعَ الْخُضْرَاوَاتِ وَسَلَطَةً صَغِيرَةً
Review rice, vegetables, salad, bread and water from the shared meal.
Arabic Adjectives: 10 Words to Describe Everyday Things
سَلَطَةً صَغِيرَةً
Notice how small changes form when it describes a restaurant or a salad.
