On Friday, Khalid apologises for missing his meeting with Yusuf the previous day. They agree on a new time and a way to avoid another missed appointment.
01Read the Arabic conversation
الاِعْتِذَارُ عَنْ تَفْوِيتِ لِقَاءٍ
خَالِدٌ: أَنَا آسِفٌ لِأَنَّنِي لَمْ أَحْضُرْ لِقَاءَنَا أَمْسِ. أَعْرِفُ أَنَّكَ انْتَظَرْتَنِي فِي الْمَقْهَى.
يُوسُفُ: نَعَمْ، وَصَلْتُ عِنْدَ الرَّابِعَةِ وَانْتَظَرْتُ نِصْفَ سَاعَةٍ. اِتَّصَلْتُ بِكَ، لَكِنَّكَ لَمْ تَرُدَّ.
خَالِدٌ: رَأَيْتُ اتِّصَالَكَ مُتَأَخِّرًا. كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ الْمَوْعِدَ مَا زَالَ فِي الْخَامِسَةِ، كَمَا اتَّفَقْنَا أَوَّلًا.
يُوسُفُ: لَكِنَّنَا غَيَّرْنَاهُ إِلَى الرَّابِعَةِ فِي رِسَالَةِ يَوْمِ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ، وَأَنْتَ أَكَّدْتَ أَنَّ الْوَقْتَ يُنَاسِبُكَ.
خَالِدٌ: صَحِيحٌ، قَرَأْتُ الرِّسَالَةَ وَوَافَقْتُ، لَكِنَّنِي لَمْ أُغَيِّرِ الْمَوْعِدَ فِي مُفَكِّرَتِي. هَذَا خَطَئِي.
يُوسُفُ: مَا أَزْعَجَنِي هُوَ أَنَّنِي غَيَّرْتُ خُطَّتِي لِأَلْقَاكَ، ثُمَّ بَقِيتُ أَنْتَظِرُ دُونَ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ مَا حَدَثَ.
خَالِدٌ: أَتَفَهَّمُ ذَلِكَ. كَانَ يَجِبُ أَنْ أُرَاجِعَ الْمَوْعِدَ وَأَنْ أَنْتَبِهَ لِهَاتِفِي. لَا أُرِيدُ تَبْرِيرَ خَطَئِي.
يُوسُفُ: أُقَدِّرُ أَنَّكَ تَتَحَمَّلُ الْمَسْؤُولِيَّةَ. كُنْتُ أَتَمَنَّى فَقَطْ رِسَالَةً تُخْبِرُنِي بِأَنَّكَ لَنْ تَأْتِيَ.
خَالِدٌ: هَلْ تُنَاسِبُكَ مُقَابَلَةٌ أُخْرَى غَدًا، يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ؟ يُمْكِنُنِي الْحُضُورُ فِي الصَّبَاحِ أَوْ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ.
يُوسُفُ: أَنَا مَشْغُولٌ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ، لَكِنَّ السَّاعَةَ الْحَادِيَةَ عَشْرَةَ صَبَاحًا تُنَاسِبُنِي. هَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ الْحُضُورَ؟
خَالِدٌ: نَعَمْ، رَاجَعْتُ مُفَكِّرَتِي، وَلَيْسَ لَدَيَّ مَوْعِدٌ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ. سَأَكْتُبُ الْمَوْعِدَ الْجَدِيدَ الْآنَ.
يُوسُفُ: جَيِّدٌ. أَنَلْتَقِي فِي الْمَقْهَى نَفْسِهِ أَمْ تُفَضِّلُ مَكَانًا آخَرَ أَقْرَبَ إِلَيْكَ؟
خَالِدٌ: الْمَقْهَى نَفْسُهُ مُنَاسِبٌ. وَسَأَضَعُ تَنْبِيهًا قَبْلَ الْمَوْعِدِ بِسَاعَةٍ حَتَّى أَخْرُجَ فِي الْوَقْتِ الْمُنَاسِبِ.
يُوسُفُ: أَرْجُو أَنْ تُخْبِرَنِي مُبَكِّرًا إِذَا تَغَيَّرَ شَيْءٌ. لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَ وُصُولِي.
خَالِدٌ: بِالتَّأْكِيدِ. سَأَتَّصِلُ بِكَ إِذَا حَدَثَ تَأْخِيرٌ، وَسَأُوَضِّحُ مَتَى أَتَوَقَّعُ أَنْ أَصِلَ.
يُوسُفُ: هَذَا يُسَاعِدُنِي عَلَى تَنْظِيمِ وَقْتِي. وَإِذَا لَمْ أَرُدَّ، فَأَرْسِلْ رِسَالَةً أَيْضًا.
خَالِدٌ: إِذَنْ، غَدًا فِي الْحَادِيَةَ عَشْرَةَ صَبَاحًا، فِي الْمَقْهَى نَفْسِهِ. سَأُرْسِلُ لَكَ هَذِهِ التَّفَاصِيلَ الْآنَ.
يُوسُفُ: صَحِيحٌ، وَقَدْ كَتَبْتُهَا أَيْضًا. لَدَيَّ سَاعَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ لِلْجُلُوسِ مَعَكَ قَبْلَ مَوْعِدِي التَّالِي.
خَالِدٌ: شُكْرًا لِإِعْطَائِي فُرْصَةً أُخْرَى. أَعْتَذِرُ مَرَّةً ثَانِيَةً عَنِ الْوَقْتِ الَّذِي ضَاعَ مِنْكَ أَمْسِ.
يُوسُفُ: أَقْبَلُ اعْتِذَارَكَ. لِنَلْتَزِمْ بِالْمَوْعِدِ الْجَدِيدِ، وَلْيُخْبِرْ كُلٌّ مِنَّا الْآخَرَ بِأَيِّ تَغْيِيرٍ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Khalid: I am sorry I missed our meeting yesterday. I know you waited for me at the café.
Yusuf: Yes, I arrived at four and waited half an hour. I called you, but you did not answer.
Khalid: I saw your call late. I thought the meeting was still at five, as we first agreed.
Yusuf: But we changed it to four in Wednesday’s message, and you confirmed that the time suited you.
Khalid: That is true. I read the message and agreed, but did not change the time in my diary. That was my mistake.
Yusuf: What upset me was that I changed my plans to meet you, then kept waiting without knowing what had happened.
Khalid: I understand. I should have checked the time and paid attention to my phone. I do not want to excuse my mistake.
Yusuf: I appreciate you taking responsibility. I just wished I had received a message telling me you would not come.
Khalid: Would another meeting tomorrow, Saturday, suit you? I can come in the morning or afternoon.
Yusuf: I am busy in the afternoon, but eleven in the morning works for me. Can you come?
Khalid: Yes, I checked my diary and have no appointment then. I will write down the new time now.
Yusuf: Good. Shall we meet at the same café, or would you prefer somewhere closer to you?
Khalid: The same café works. I will set a reminder an hour before the meeting so I leave in time.
Yusuf: Please tell me early if anything changes. I do not want to find out after arriving.
Khalid: Of course. I will call if there is a delay and explain when I expect to arrive.
Yusuf: That helps me organise my time. If I do not answer, send a message too.
Khalid: Then tomorrow at eleven in the morning, at the same café. I will send you those details now.
Yusuf: Correct, and I have written them down too. I have a full hour to spend with you before my next appointment.
Khalid: Thank you for giving me another chance. I apologise again for the time you lost yesterday.
Yusuf: I accept your apology. Let us keep the new appointment and tell each other about any change.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| وَانْتَظَرْتُ نِصْفَ سَاعَةٍ | and I waited half an hour |
| مُفَكِّرَتِي | my diary |
| أَتَفَهَّمُ | I understand |
| تَبْرِيرَ خَطَئِي | excusing my mistake |
| تَتَحَمَّلُ الْمَسْؤُولِيَّةَ | you take responsibility |
| تَنْبِيهًا | a reminder |
| تَأْخِيرٌ | a delay |
| تَنْظِيمِ وَقْتِي | organising my time |
| فُرْصَةً أُخْرَى | another chance |
| أَقْبَلُ اعْتِذَارَكَ | I accept your apology |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic conversation for evidence. Open the English question support or a hint when you need help.
What to remember
- Acknowledge the inconvenience and explain your mistake without shifting responsibility.
- Agree on a specific new time and how to communicate any later change.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
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