Layla and her sister visit their grandparents for tea. A missing item gives Layla a small job before everyone settles down to hear a story.
01Read the Arabic story
الشَّايُ فِي بَيْتِ جَدَّتِي
اِسْمِي لَيْلَى. الْيَوْمُ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ. أَذْهَبُ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ إِلَى بَيْتِ جَدَّتِي مَعَ أُخْتِي هِنْدٍ. بَيْتُهَا قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الْحَدِيقَةِ، وَبَابُهُ أَزْرَقُ. تَفْتَحُ جَدَّتِي الْبَابَ وَتَقُولُ: «أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا». نَدْخُلُ وَنَجْلِسُ مَعَ جَدِّي فِي غُرْفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ.
تَضَعُ جَدَّتِي الشَّايَ وَالْحَلِيبَ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ. أَمَامَنَا طَبَقٌ كَبِيرٌ فِيهِ كَعْكٌ. تَسْأَلُنِي: «هَلْ تُرِيدِينَ الشَّايَ؟» أَقُولُ: «أُرِيدُ حَلِيبًا، مِنْ فَضْلِكِ». تَشْرَبُ هِنْدٌ الشَّايَ مَعَ جَدَّتِي. وَلَكِنْ أَيْنَ الْمَلَاعِقُ؟ لَا تُوجَدُ مَلَاعِقُ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ.
أَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَطْبَخِ. أَفْتَحُ الدُّرْجَ وَأَجِدُ الْمَلَاعِقَ هُنَاكَ. أَحْمِلُهَا إِلَى غُرْفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ. تَقُولُ جَدَّتِي: «شُكْرًا يَا لَيْلَى». نَأْكُلُ الْكَعْكَ، وَيَحْكِي جَدِّي قِصَّةً عَنْ رِحْلَةٍ قَدِيمَةٍ. نَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْهِ وَنَضْحَكُ. أُحِبُّ هَذَا الْوَقْتَ مَعَ أُسْرَتِي.
Show English translationHide English translation
My name is Layla. Today is Friday. In the afternoon I go to my grandmother’s house with my sister Hind. Her house is near the park, and its door is blue. My grandmother opens the door and says, “Welcome.” We enter and sit with my grandfather in the living room.
My grandmother puts tea and milk on the table. In front of us is a large plate with cakes on it. She asks me, “Would you like tea?” I say, “I would like milk, please.” Hind drinks tea with my grandmother. But where are the spoons? There are no spoons on the table.
I go to the kitchen. I open the drawer and find the spoons there. I carry them to the living room. My grandmother says, “Thank you, Layla.” We eat the cakes, and my grandfather tells a story about a trip long ago. We listen to him and laugh. I love this time with my family.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| جَدَّتِي | my grandmother |
| جَدِّي | my grandfather |
| غُرْفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ | the living room |
| حَلِيبًا | milk |
| الْمَلَاعِقُ | the spoons |
| الدُّرْجَ | the drawer |
| نَضْحَكُ | we laugh |
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 offered drink from Layla’s choice: Grandmother offers tea, and Layla asks for milk.
- Follow the spoons from the kitchen drawer to the living room to understand Layla’s helpful action.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Family Members in Arabic: 12 Useful Words
مَعَ أُخْتِي هِنْدٍ
Review the sister and grandparents in Layla’s family visit.
Food and Drinks in Arabic: 15 Words for Everyday Meals
الشَّايَ وَالْحَلِيبَ
Practise the drink words used around Grandmother’s table.
“I Like” and “I Want” in Arabic: Two Useful Sentence Patterns
أُرِيدُ حَلِيبًا، مِنْ فَضْلِكِ
Use Layla’s reply to practise a polite request addressed to a woman.
