Sami and Bilal agree to meet at the station, but they mean different places. A phone call helps them choose one clear meeting point.
01Read the Arabic story
صَدِيقَانِ فِي مَحَطَّتَيْنِ مُخْتَلِفَتَيْنِ
اِتَّفَقَ سَامِي وَبِلَالٌ عَلَى زِيَارَةِ الْمَتْحَفِ مَعًا يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ. كَتَبَ سَامِي فِي رِسَالَةٍ: «نَلْتَقِي فِي الْمَحَطَّةِ فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ». وَصَلَ إِلَى الْمَحَطَّةِ الْمَرْكَزِيَّةِ فِي مَوْعِدِهِ وَانْتَظَرَ أَمَامَ الْبَابِ. مَرَّتْ عَشْرُ دَقَائِقَ، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَرَ بِلَالًا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ.
اِتَّصَلَ سَامِي بِصَدِيقِهِ وَسَأَلَ: «أَيْنَ أَنْتَ؟» قَالَ بِلَالٌ: «أَنَا فِي الْمَحَطَّةِ، أَمَامَ مَتْجَرِ الْوُرُودِ». نَظَرَ سَامِي حَوْلَهُ وَقَالَ: «لَا أَرَى مَتْجَرَ وُرُودٍ هُنَا. مَا اسْمُ الْمَحَطَّةِ؟» قَرَأَ بِلَالٌ اللَّوْحَةَ فَوْقَ الْبَابِ وَأَجَابَ: «مَحَطَّةُ الشَّرْقِ». عِنْدَئِذٍ فَهِمَا سَبَبَ الْمُشْكِلَةِ.
قَالَ سَامِي: «أَنَا فِي الْمَحَطَّةِ الْمَرْكَزِيَّةِ. نَسِيتُ أَنْ أَكْتُبَ اسْمَهَا فِي الرِّسَالَةِ». قَالَ بِلَالٌ: «لَا بَأْسَ. سَآخُذُ الْحَافِلَةَ إِلَيْكَ». اِتَّفَقَا عَلَى اللِّقَاءِ دَاخِلَ الْمَحَطَّةِ الْمَرْكَزِيَّةِ، تَحْتَ السَّاعَةِ الْكَبِيرَةِ. دَخَلَ سَامِي الْمَحَطَّةَ وَوَقَفَ تَحْتَ السَّاعَةِ، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ صُورَةً لَهَا وَبَقِيَ فِي الْمَكَانِ نَفْسِهِ يَنْتَظِرُ صَدِيقَهُ.
وَصَلَ بِلَالٌ بَعْدَ رُبْعِ سَاعَةٍ وَوَجَدَ سَامِي بِسُهُولَةٍ. ضَحِكَا مِنَ الْخَطَإِ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَا مِنَ الْمَحَطَّةِ وَمَشَيَا إِلَى الْمَتْحَفِ الْقَرِيبِ. فِي الطَّرِيقِ، قَالَ سَامِي: «فِي الْمَرَّةِ الْقَادِمَةِ، سَأَكْتُبُ اسْمَ الْمَكَانِ كَامِلًا». قَالَ بِلَالٌ: «وَسَأَسْأَلُ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ الْعُنْوَانُ وَاضِحًا». اِسْتَمْتَعَا بِزِيَارَتِهِمَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ.
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Sami and Bilal agreed to visit the museum together on Sunday. Sami wrote in a message, “Let us meet at the station at three o’clock.” He arrived at the central station on time and waited in front of the door. Ten minutes passed, but he did not see Bilal among the people.
Sami called his friend and asked, “Where are you?” Bilal said, “I am at the station, in front of the flower shop.” Sami looked around and said, “I cannot see a flower shop here. What is the station’s name?” Bilal read the sign above the door and answered, “East Station.” Then they understood the reason for the problem.
Sami said, “I am at the central station. I forgot to write its name in the message.” Bilal said, “No problem. I will take the bus to you.” They agreed to meet inside the central station, under the large clock. Sami went inside the station and stood under the clock, then sent a picture of it and stayed in the same place waiting for his friend.
Bilal arrived a quarter of an hour later and found Sami easily. They laughed about the mistake, then left the station and walked to the nearby museum. On the way, Sami said, “Next time, I will write the full name of the place.” Bilal said, “And I will ask if the address is not clear.” They enjoyed their visit after that.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| اِتَّفَقَ | agreed |
| الْمَحَطَّةِ الْمَرْكَزِيَّةِ | the central station |
| مَتْجَرِ الْوُرُودِ | the flower shop |
| حَوْلَهُ | around him |
| لَا بَأْسَ | no problem |
| تَحْتَ السَّاعَةِ | under the clock |
| بِسُهُولَةٍ | easily |
| وَاضِحًا | clear |
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
- The friends discover that the same short message led them to two different stations.
- A complete station name and a clear landmark help them agree on one meeting point.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Arabic Prepositions: In, On, Under and Next To
تَحْتَ السَّاعَةِ الْكَبِيرَةِ
Distinguish waiting in front of the door from meeting under the clock.
Arabic Question Words: Who, What, Where, When, and Why
أَيْنَ أَنْتَ؟
Use where and what to check a friend’s location and the station name.
Telling the Time in Arabic: Hours, Half Past and Quarter Past
فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ
Recognise the planned meeting time and the later waiting period.
