Leila and her sister stop at a café after a walk. When the drinks arrive, Leila needs a polite way to explain a small mistake.
01Read the Arabic story
الْمَشْرُوبُ الْخَطَأُ فِي الْمَقْهَى
تَدْخُلُ لَيْلَى الْمَقْهَى مَعَ أُخْتِهَا سَارَةَ. الْجَوُّ حَارٌّ، وَهِيَ عَطْشَى بَعْدَ الْمَشْيِ. تَجْلِسَانِ عِنْدَ طَاوِلَةٍ صَغِيرَةٍ بِجَانِبِ الْبَابِ. تَنْظُرُ لَيْلَى إِلَى الْقَائِمَةِ. تَقُولُ لِلنَّادِلِ: «أُرِيدُ عَصِيرَ بُرْتُقَالٍ، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ». وَتَطْلُبُ سَارَةُ شَايًا.
يَأْتِي النَّادِلُ بِالشَّايِ وَالْقَهْوَةِ. تَنْظُرُ لَيْلَى إِلَى الْفِنْجَانِ وَتَقُولُ: «عَفْوًا، أَنَا لَا أُرِيدُ الْقَهْوَةَ. أُرِيدُ عَصِيرَ بُرْتُقَالٍ». يَقُولُ النَّادِلُ: «آسِفٌ، الْعَصِيرُ يَأْتِي حَالًا». يَأْخُذُ فِنْجَانَ الْقَهْوَةِ مِنَ الطَّاوِلَةِ.
بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ، يَضَعُ النَّادِلُ كَأْسَ الْعَصِيرِ أَمَامَ لَيْلَى. تَشْرَبُ وَتَقُولُ: «الْعَصِيرُ بَارِدٌ وَلَذِيذٌ، شُكْرًا». تَشْرَبُ سَارَةُ الشَّايَ، وَتَتَحَدَّثَانِ عَنِ الْمَشْيِ. تَسْأَلُ لَيْلَى عَنِ الْحِسَابِ. ثُمَّ تَدْفَعُ وَتَخْرُجُ مَعَ أُخْتِهَا. الْآنَ هِيَ لَيْسَتْ عَطْشَى.
Show English translationHide English translation
Leila enters the café with her sister Sara. The weather is hot, and she is thirsty after the walk. They sit at a small table beside the door. Leila looks at the menu. She says to the waiter, “I would like orange juice, please.” Sara orders tea.
The waiter brings tea and coffee. Leila looks at the cup and says, “Excuse me, I do not want coffee. I would like orange juice.” The waiter says, “Sorry, the juice is coming right away.” He takes the coffee cup from the table.
A little later, the waiter puts the glass of juice in front of Leila. She drinks and says, “The juice is cold and delicious, thank you.” Sara drinks the tea, and they talk about the walk. Leila asks for the bill. Then she pays and leaves with her sister. Now she is not thirsty.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| الْمَقْهَى | the café |
| عَطْشَى | thirsty, describing a female |
| الْقَائِمَةِ | the menu |
| عَصِيرَ بُرْتُقَالٍ | orange juice |
| لِلنَّادِلِ | to the waiter |
| آسِفٌ | sorry, said by a male |
| الْحِسَابِ | 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
- Keep each drink with its role: Leila requests juice, Sara requests tea, and the coffee is the mistake.
- Polite phrases help Leila correct the order: عَفْوًا introduces the correction, and شُكْرًا ends her response.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Food and Drinks in Arabic: 15 Words for Everyday Meals
عَصِيرَ بُرْتُقَالٍ
Review the juice, tea and coffee words that distinguish the two orders.
Restaurant Arabic: Order a Meal and Ask for the Bill
مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
Practise the polite ordering pattern Leila uses with the waiter.
“I Like” and “I Want” in Arabic: Two Useful Sentence Patterns
أَنَا لَا أُرِيدُ الْقَهْوَةَ
Compare Leila’s request with her negative sentence about the wrong drink.
