Mariam and her brother Omar have thirty riyals for the family shopping. They compare prices and decide what belongs in their basket.
01Read the Arabic story
التَّسَوُّقُ بِمَبْلَغٍ صَغِيرٍ
فِي صَبَاحِ الْجُمُعَةِ، أَعْطَتِ الْأُمُّ مَرْيَمَ ثَلَاثِينَ رِيَالًا وَقَائِمَةً قَصِيرَةً. ذَهَبَتْ مَرْيَمُ مَعَ أَخِيهَا عُمَرَ إِلَى السُّوقِ. قَالَتْ لَهُ: «نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى خُبْزٍ وَحَلِيبٍ وَأَرُزٍّ. نَشْتَرِي هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءَ أَوَّلًا، ثُمَّ نَنْظُرُ إِلَى الْمَالِ الَّذِي يَبْقَى مَعَنَا».
كَانَ ثَمَنُ الْخُبْزِ أَرْبَعَةَ رِيَالَاتٍ، وَثَمَنُ الْحَلِيبِ سِتَّةَ رِيَالَاتٍ. وَجَدَا كِيسَيْنِ مِنَ الْأَرُزِّ: كِيسًا كَبِيرًا بِعِشْرِينَ رِيَالًا، وَآخَرَ صَغِيرًا بِاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ رِيَالًا. قَالَ عُمَرُ: «الْكِيسُ الْكَبِيرُ أَغْلَى مِنَ الصَّغِيرِ». اِخْتَارَا الْكِيسَ الصَّغِيرَ، لِأَنَّ الْكَمِّيَّةَ تَكْفِي الْأُسْرَةَ الْيَوْمَ.
بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، رَأَى عُمَرُ عَصِيرًا بِخَمْسَةِ رِيَالَاتٍ. وَرَأَتْ مَرْيَمُ كِيسَ تُفَّاحٍ بِالسِّعْرِ نَفْسِهِ. قَالَتْ: «لَا نَسْتَطِيعُ شِرَاءَ الْاِثْنَيْنِ». تَذَكَّرَ عُمَرُ أَنَّ أُمَّهُ تُرِيدُ تُفَّاحًا لِلْغَدِ، فَقَالَ: «نَأْخُذُ التُّفَّاحَ، وَنَشْرَبُ الْمَاءَ فِي الْبَيْتِ». وَضَعَتْ مَرْيَمُ التُّفَّاحَ فِي السَّلَّةِ.
عِنْدَ الْمُحَاسِبِ، دَفَعَتْ مَرْيَمُ سَبْعَةً وَعِشْرِينَ رِيَالًا، وَبَقِيَتْ مَعَهَا ثَلَاثَةُ رِيَالَاتٍ. حَمَلَ عُمَرُ الْحَقِيبَةَ، وَعَادَا إِلَى الْبَيْتِ مَعًا. سَأَلَتْهُمَا الْأُمُّ عَنِ الْمُشْتَرَيَاتِ. شَرَحَا لَهَا كَيْفَ قَارَنَا الْأَسْعَارَ وَاخْتَارَا الْأَشْيَاءَ الضَّرُورِيَّةَ. اِبْتَسَمَتْ وَوَضَعَتِ التُّفَّاحَ عَلَى طَاوِلَةِ الْمَطْبَخِ.
Show English translationHide English translation
On Friday morning, the mother gave Mariam thirty riyals and a short list. Mariam went to the market with her brother Omar. She said to him, “We need bread, milk and rice. We will buy these things first, then look at the money we have left.”
The bread cost four riyals, and the milk cost six riyals. They found two bags of rice: a large bag for twenty riyals and another, small one for twelve riyals. Omar said, “The large bag is more expensive than the small one.” They chose the small bag because the amount was enough for the family that day.
After that, Omar saw some juice for five riyals. Mariam saw a bag of apples at the same price. She said, “We cannot buy both.” Omar remembered that his mother wanted apples for the next day, so he said, “We will take the apples and drink water at home.” Mariam put the apples in the basket.
At the checkout, Mariam paid twenty-seven riyals and had three riyals left. Omar carried the bag, and they returned home together. Their mother asked them about the shopping. They explained how they had compared prices and chosen the necessary things. She smiled and put the apples on the kitchen table.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| قَائِمَةً قَصِيرَةً | a short list |
| ثَمَنُ الْخُبْزِ | the price of the bread |
| كِيسًا كَبِيرًا | a large bag |
| أَغْلَى مِنَ الصَّغِيرِ | more expensive than the small one |
| الْكَمِّيَّةَ | the amount; the quantity |
| بِالسِّعْرِ نَفْسِهِ | at the same price |
| السَّلَّةِ | the basket |
| الْأَشْيَاءَ الضَّرُورِيَّةَ | the necessary things |
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
- Mariam and Omar buy the essentials, then choose apples over juice because their mother needs them for the next day.
- The comparison أَغْلَى مِنَ الصَّغِيرِ and the phrase بِالسِّعْرِ نَفْسِهِ help explain their shopping choices.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Shopping in Arabic: Ask Prices and Choose What You Need
ثَمَنُ الْخُبْزِ
Connect the shopping list, prices and basket with everyday shopping language.
Arabic Comparatives: Bigger Than and Better Than
الْكِيسُ الْكَبِيرُ أَغْلَى مِنَ الصَّغِيرِ
See how Omar compares the prices of the two bags of rice.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّ الْكَمِّيَّةَ تَكْفِي الْأُسْرَةَ الْيَوْمَ
Read the reason that makes the small rice bag a suitable choice.
