Maryam expects her brother at four, but he is not home yet. Follow the clock, a short phone call and the clue that explains his late arrival.
01Read the Arabic story
أَنْتَظِرُ أَخِي
اِسْمِي مَرْيَمُ. أَنْتَظِرُ أَخِي سَامِيًا فِي غُرْفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ. نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَلْعَبَ مَعًا. يَقُولُ لِي فِي الصَّبَاحِ: «أَعُودُ فِي السَّاعَةِ الرَّابِعَةِ». الْآنَ السَّاعَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ، وَلَكِنَّ سَامِيًا لَيْسَ هُنَا. أَنْظُرُ مِنَ النَّافِذَةِ. الشَّارِعُ هَادِئٌ، وَبَابُ الْبَيْتِ مُغْلَقٌ.
أَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَطْبَخِ وَأَسْأَلُ أُمِّي: «أَيْنَ أَخِي؟» تَقُولُ: «هُوَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ. اِتَّصِلِي بِهِ». آخُذُ الْهَاتِفَ وَأَتَّصِلُ بِسَامٍ. يَقُولُ: «أَنَا فِي الْمَخْبَزِ الْقَرِيبِ. أَشْتَرِي خُبْزًا لِلْعَشَاءِ. أَعُودُ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ». أَقُولُ: «حَسَنًا، أَنَا أَنْتَظِرُكَ». أَقُولُ لِأُمِّي: «سَامٍ يَأْتِي بِالْخُبْزِ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ».
أَعُودُ إِلَى غُرْفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ وَأَقْرَأُ كِتَابًا صَغِيرًا. بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ، أَسْمَعُ صَوْتًا عِنْدَ الْبَابِ. السَّاعَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ وَالرُّبْعُ. هَذَا أَخِي، وَمَعَهُ كِيسُ خُبْزٍ. أَفْتَحُ الْبَابَ وَأَقُولُ: «أَهْلًا يَا سَامِي!» يَضَعُ الْخُبْزَ فِي الْمَطْبَخِ، ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ مَعِي. الْآنَ نَلْعَبُ مَعًا.
Show English translationHide English translation
My name is Maryam. I am waiting for my brother Sami in the living room. We want to play together. In the morning, he says to me, “I will return at four o’clock.” Now it is four o’clock, but Sami is not here. I look out of the window. The street is quiet, and the front door is closed.
I go to the kitchen and ask my mother, “Where is my brother?” She says, “He is on the way. Call him.” I take the phone and call Sami. He says, “I am at the nearby bakery. I am buying bread for dinner. I will return soon.” I say, “All right, I am waiting for you.” I tell my mother, “Sami is coming with the bread soon.”
I return to the living room and read a small book. A little later, I hear a sound at the door. It is quarter past four. This is my brother, and he has a bag of bread. I open the door and say, “Welcome, Sami!” He puts the bread in the kitchen, then sits with me. Now we play together.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| أَنْتَظِرُ | I wait; I am waiting |
| غُرْفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ | the living room |
| الرَّابِعَةِ | four o’clock, in the time phrase |
| مُغْلَقٌ | closed |
| أَتَّصِلُ | I call |
| بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ | soon; a little later |
| الرَّابِعَةُ وَالرُّبْعُ | quarter past four |
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
- Sami arrives at quarter past four after stopping to buy bread for dinner.
- Maryam uses the phone to learn where Sami is, then reads while she waits.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Telling the Time in Arabic: Hours, Half Past and Quarter Past
السَّاعَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ وَالرُّبْعُ
Compare the planned whole hour with the arrival time a quarter-hour later.
Family Members in Arabic: 12 Useful Words
أَيْنَ أَخِي
Review the family words Maryam uses for her brother and mother.
Rooms and Furniture in Arabic: 15 Words for Your Home
غُرْفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ
Follow Maryam between the living room and the kitchen.
