Huda would like to accept Reem’s dinner invitation, but she has already promised to help her sister. She gives a kind reply and suggests another day.
01Read the Arabic story
دَعْوَةٌ لَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ قَبُولَهَا
أَرْسَلَتْ رِيمٌ رِسَالَةً إِلَى صَدِيقَتِهَا هُدَى: «سَنَتَنَاوَلُ الْعَشَاءَ فِي بَيْتِي يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ فِي السَّادِسَةِ. هَلْ تَأْتِينَ؟» فَرِحَتْ هُدَى بِالدَّعْوَةِ، وَلَكِنَّهَا تَذَكَّرَتْ وَعْدَهَا لِأُخْتِهَا. فَقَدِ اتَّفَقَتْ مَعَهَا مِنْ قَبْلُ عَلَى مُسَاعَدَتِهَا فِي تَرْتِيبِ بَيْتِهَا الْجَدِيدِ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَسَاءِ.
فَتَحَتْ هُدَى دَفْتَرَ الْمَوَاعِيدِ لِتَتَأَكَّدَ مِنَ الْيَوْمِ، ثُمَّ كَتَبَتْ رَدًّا: «أَشْكُرُكِ عَلَى الدَّعْوَةِ. لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ الْحُضُورَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ، لِأَنَّنِي وَعَدْتُ أُخْتِي بِالْمُسَاعَدَةِ. أَتَمَنَّى لَكُمْ أَمْسِيَةً جَمِيلَةً». قَرَأَتِ الرَّدَّ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، وَأَضَافَتْ: «هَلْ نَلْتَقِي يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ بَدَلًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ؟»
رَدَّتْ رِيمٌ: «لَا بَأْسَ، أَفْهَمُ ذَلِكَ. أَنَا مَشْغُولَةٌ صَبَاحَ الْأَحَدِ، وَلَكِنَّنِي مُتَفَرِّغَةٌ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ». اِقْتَرَحَتْ هُدَى اللِّقَاءَ فِي الْحَدِيقَةِ الْقَرِيبَةِ فِي السَّاعَةِ الرَّابِعَةِ. وَافَقَتْ رِيمٌ وَقَالَتْ: «سَأُحْضِرُ الشَّايَ». كَتَبَتْ هُدَى الْمَوْعِدَ الْجَدِيدَ فِي دَفْتَرِهَا وَأَجَابَتْ: «وَأَنَا سَأُحْضِرُ بَعْضَ الْبَسْكَوِيتِ».
يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ، سَاعَدَتْ هُدَى أُخْتَهَا فِي فَتْحِ الصَّنَادِيقِ وَوَضْعِ الْكُتُبِ عَلَى الرُّفُوفِ. وَفِي الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي، ذَهَبَتْ إِلَى الْحَدِيقَةِ فِي الْمَوْعِدِ الْمُتَّفَقِ عَلَيْهِ. جَلَسَتْ مَعَ رِيمٍ وَسَأَلَتْهَا عَنِ الْعَشَاءِ. قَالَتْ رِيمٌ: «كَانَ جَمِيلًا، وَأَنَا سَعِيدَةٌ بِلِقَائِكِ الْيَوْمَ». شَرِبَتَا الشَّايَ وَتَحَدَّثَتَا عَنْ أَخْبَارِهِمَا.
Show English translationHide English translation
Reem sent her friend Huda a message: “We are having dinner at my home on Saturday at six. Will you come?” Huda was pleased by the invitation, but she remembered her promise to her sister. She had already agreed to help her arrange her new home that evening.
Huda opened her diary to check the day, then wrote a reply: “Thank you for the invitation. I cannot attend on Saturday because I promised my sister I would help. I hope you all have a lovely evening.” She read the reply again and added, “Shall we meet on Sunday instead?”
Reem replied, “No problem, I understand. I am busy on Sunday morning, but I am free in the afternoon.” Huda suggested meeting in the nearby park at four o’clock. Reem agreed and said, “I will bring tea.” Huda wrote the new appointment in her diary and answered, “And I will bring some biscuits.”
On Saturday, Huda helped her sister open the boxes and put books on the shelves. The next day, she went to the park at the agreed time. She sat with Reem and asked her about the dinner. Reem said, “It was lovely, and I am happy to see you today.” They drank tea and caught up with each other’s news.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| بِالدَّعْوَةِ | by the invitation |
| وَعْدَهَا | her promise |
| دَفْتَرَ الْمَوَاعِيدِ | the diary; the appointment book |
| رَدًّا | a reply |
| الْحُضُورَ | attending; attendance |
| مَشْغُولَةٌ | busy; feminine |
| مُتَفَرِّغَةٌ | free; available; feminine |
| الْمَوْعِدِ الْمُتَّفَقِ عَلَيْهِ | the agreed time |
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
- Huda thanks Reem, explains her existing commitment and suggests a different day to meet.
- The friends compare their available times and agree on a clear place, day and hour.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
How to Say “I Can” and “I Can’t” in Arabic
لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ الْحُضُورَ
See how Huda explains politely that she cannot attend.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّنِي وَعَدْتُ أُخْتِي بِالْمُسَاعَدَةِ
Connect Huda’s refusal with the earlier promise to her sister.
Arabic Future Tense for Beginners: Talk About Tomorrow
سَأُحْضِرُ الشَّايَ
Follow the friends’ plans for what each will bring to their new meeting.
