Youssef knows his usual journey to work, but today the bus turns into an unfamiliar street. A question at the next stop helps him find his way.
01Read the Arabic story
طَرِيقٌ جَدِيدٌ لِلْحَافِلَةِ
يَرْكَبُ يُوسُفُ الْحَافِلَةَ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ لِيَذْهَبَ إِلَى عَمَلِهِ. عَادَةً تَمُرُّ الْحَافِلَةُ بِالسُّوقِ، وَيَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ الْمَكْتَبَةِ. وَلَكِنْ فِي صَبَاحِ الِاثْنَيْنِ، اِنْعَطَفَتِ الْحَافِلَةُ إِلَى شَارِعٍ جَدِيدٍ بِجَانِبِ مَكْتَبِ الْبَرِيدِ. نَظَرَ يُوسُفُ مِنَ النَّافِذَةِ وَقَالَ لِنَفْسِهِ: «لَا أَعْرِفُ هَذَا الشَّارِعَ».
عِنْدَمَا تَوَقَّفَتِ الْحَافِلَةُ، سَأَلَ يُوسُفُ السَّائِقَ: «هَلْ هَذِهِ الْحَافِلَةُ تَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَكْتَبَةِ؟» أَجَابَ السَّائِقُ: «نَعَمْ. الطَّرِيقُ الْمُعْتَادُ مُغْلَقٌ الْيَوْمَ بِسَبَبِ أَعْمَالٍ فِي الشَّارِعِ، لِذَلِكَ نَسْتَخْدِمُ طَرِيقًا آخَرَ». شَعَرَ يُوسُفُ بِالرَّاحَةِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ أَيْنَ يَنْزِلُ.
سَأَلَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى: «أَيْنَ أَنْزِلُ، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ؟» قَالَ السَّائِقُ: «فِي الْمَوْقِفِ التَّالِي. الْمَكْتَبَةُ عَلَى يَسَارِكَ». قَالَ يُوسُفُ: «أَعْرِفُ الْمَكْتَبَةَ، وَمَكْتَبِي خَلْفَهَا فِي الْبِنَايَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ. الْآنَ فَهِمْتُ الطَّرِيقَ. شُكْرًا لَكَ». عَادَ إِلَى مَقْعَدِهِ وَوَضَعَ حَقِيبَتَهُ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ.
نَزَلَ يُوسُفُ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ التَّالِي، وَرَأَى الْمَكْتَبَةَ كَمَا قَالَ السَّائِقُ. مَشَى خَمْسَ دَقَائِقَ حَتَّى وَصَلَ إِلَى مَكْتَبِهِ فِي الْوَقْتِ الْمُنَاسِبِ. قَبْلَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ، قَرَأَ الْإِعْلَانَ عَلَى الْمَوْقِفِ الْقَرِيبِ. كَانَ الطَّرِيقُ الْجَدِيدُ مَرْسُومًا عَلَيْهِ، فَصَوَّرَهُ بِهَاتِفِهِ لِيَسْتَخْدِمَهُ فِي الْعَوْدَةِ.
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Youssef takes the bus every morning to go to work. The bus usually passes the market, and he gets off at the library. But on Monday morning, the bus turned into a new street beside the post office. Youssef looked out of the window and said to himself, “I do not know this street.”
When the bus stopped, Youssef asked the driver, “Does this bus go to the library?” The driver answered, “Yes. The usual road is closed today because of roadworks, so we are using another route.” Youssef felt relieved, but he did not know where to get off.
He asked again, “Where should I get off, please?” The driver said, “At the next stop. The library will be on your left.” Youssef said, “I know the library, and my office is behind it in the white building. Now I understand the route. Thank you.” He returned to his seat and put his bag on his knees.
Youssef got off at the next stop and saw the library, just as the driver had said. He walked for five minutes until he reached his office on time. Before going in, he read the notice at the nearby bus stop. The new route was drawn on it, so he photographed it with his phone to use on the return journey.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| اِنْعَطَفَتِ | turned |
| مَكْتَبِ الْبَرِيدِ | the post office |
| السَّائِقَ | the driver |
| مُغْلَقٌ | closed |
| بِالرَّاحَةِ | relieved; at ease |
| الْمَوْقِفِ التَّالِي | the next stop |
| عَلَى يَسَارِكَ | on your left |
| الْإِعْلَانَ | the notice |
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
- Youssef checks the route with the driver and uses the library as a landmark to reach his office.
- Notice how the next stop, on your left and behind it make the directions easier to follow.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Transport in Arabic: 8 Words for Getting Around
يَرْكَبُ يُوسُفُ الْحَافِلَةَ
Follow the bus journey and recognise words for the vehicle and its stops.
Directions in Arabic: Left, Right and Straight Ahead
الْمَكْتَبَةُ عَلَى يَسَارِكَ
Use left and behind to connect the stop, library and office.
Arabic Question Words: Who, What, Where, When, and Why
أَيْنَ أَنْزِلُ، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ؟
See how Youssef asks where to get off.
