In this fictional outing plan, Nabil, Samir, and Adil disagree about distance and cost. They adapt a nearby option so everyone can join comfortably.
01Read the Arabic conversation
اِتِّفَاقٌ عَلَى نُزْهَةٍ مُشْتَرَكَةٍ
نَبِيلٌ: أُرِيدُ أَنْ نَذْهَبَ إِلَى الْبُحَيْرَةِ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ. لَمْ نَزُرْهَا مَعًا، وَأُحِبُّ تَجْرِبَةَ مَكَانٍ جَدِيدٍ.
سَمِيرٌ: الْفِكْرَةُ جَمِيلَةٌ، لَكِنَّ الطَّرِيقَ طَوِيلٌ. عِنْدِي زِيَارَةٌ عَائِلِيَّةٌ فِي السَّادِسَةِ، فَلَا أَسْتَطِيعُ الْبَقَاءَ طَوَالَ الْيَوْمِ.
عَادِلٌ: وَأَنَا أُفَضِّلُ نُزْهَةً قَلِيلَةَ التَّكْلِفَةِ. أُجْرَةُ السَّفَرِ وَالْغَدَاءُ فِي مَطْعَمٍ سَيُكَلِّفَانِنِي أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا خَطَّطْتُ.
نَبِيلٌ: يُمْكِنُنَا أَنْ نَأْخُذَ طَعَامًا مِنَ الْبَيْتِ، لَكِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَحُلُّ مُشْكِلَةَ بُعْدِ الْبُحَيْرَةِ.
سَمِيرٌ: مَا رَأْيُكُمَا فِي الْحَدِيقَةِ الْقَرِيبَةِ؟ هِيَ أَقْرَبُ مِنَ الْبُحَيْرَةِ، وَنَسْتَطِيعُ الْوُصُولَ إِلَيْهَا مَشْيًا.
عَادِلٌ: هَذَا يُنَاسِبُ مِيزَانِيَّتِي، لِأَنَّنَا لَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى دَفْعِ أُجْرَةِ السَّفَرِ. هَلْ يُنَاسِبُكَ يَا نَبِيلُ؟
نَبِيلٌ: أُحِبُّ الْحَدِيقَةَ، لَكِنَّنَا نَجْلِسُ فِي الْمَكَانِ نَفْسِهِ كُلَّ مَرَّةٍ. أُرِيدُ تَغْيِيرًا بَسِيطًا.
سَمِيرٌ: يُوجَدُ مَمَرٌّ فِي جُزْئِهَا الْغَرْبِيِّ لَمْ نَجْرِبْهُ. يُمْكِنُنَا الْمَشْيُ هُنَاكَ ثُمَّ تَنَاوُلُ الطَّعَامِ.
نَبِيلٌ: فِكْرَةٌ جَيِّدَةٌ. هَكَذَا نُجَرِّبُ شَيْئًا جَدِيدًا دُونَ سَفَرٍ طَوِيلٍ، وَلَا نُؤَجِّلُ لِقَاءَنَا.
عَادِلٌ: أَفِي الْوَاحِدَةِ نَلْتَقِي أَمْ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ؟ أُفَضِّلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَدَيْنَا وَقْتٌ كَافٍ.
سَمِيرٌ: الْوَاحِدَةُ أَنْسَبُ لِي. إِذَا عُدْنَا فِي الرَّابِعَةِ، فَسَيَبْقَى لِي وَقْتٌ قَبْلَ الزِّيَارَةِ.
عَادِلٌ: اِتَّفَقْنَا. سَأُحْضِرُ الْخُبْزَ وَالْجُبْنَ لَنَا جَمِيعًا. مَاذَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُحْضِرَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمَا؟
نَبِيلٌ: سَأُحْضِرُ الْفَاكِهَةَ، وَعِنْدِي حَقِيبَةٌ نَضَعُ فِيهَا أَشْيَاءَنَا. لَنْ نَحْتَاجَ إِلَى الْمَطْعَمِ هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ.
سَمِيرٌ: وَأَنَا سَأُحْضِرُ الْمَاءَ وَفِرَاشًا لِلْجُلُوسِ. لِنَلْتَقِ عِنْدَ الْمَدْخَلِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، فَهُوَ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الْمَمَرِّ.
عَادِلٌ: يَبْدُو أَنَّنَا وَجَدْنَا حَلًّا وَسَطًا. مَكَانٌ قَرِيبٌ، وَتَكْلِفَةٌ قَلِيلَةٌ، وَتَجْرِبَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ لِنَبِيلٍ.
نَبِيلٌ: نَعَمْ، لَا يَلْزَمُ أَنْ نَخْتَارَ فِكْرَتِي كَامِلَةً. الْمُهِمُّ أَنْ نَسْتَمْتِعَ جَمِيعًا بِنُزْهَتِنَا.
سَمِيرٌ: شُكْرًا لِتَفَهُّمِكُمَا وَقْتِي. لَمْ أُرِدْ إِلْغَاءَ النُّزْهَةِ، بَلْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ تَكُونَ مُنَاسِبَةً لِجَدْوَلِي.
عَادِلٌ: وَأَنَا سَعِيدٌ لِأَنَّنَا تَحَدَّثْنَا بِوُضُوحٍ عَنِ التَّكْلِفَةِ. لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ نَسْتَمْتِعَ عَلَى حِسَابِ أَحَدٍ.
نَبِيلٌ: سَأُرْسِلُ لَكُمَا الْخُطَّةَ: السَّبْتُ، الْوَاحِدَةُ، الْمَدْخَلُ الْغَرْبِيُّ. وَالْعَوْدَةُ فِي الرَّابِعَةِ كَمَا اِتَّفَقْنَا.
سَمِيرٌ: مُمْتَازٌ. نَتْرُكُ زِيَارَةَ الْبُحَيْرَةِ لِمَوْعِدٍ آخَرَ، بَعْدَ أَنْ نَتَأَكَّدَ مِنْ مُنَاسَبَتِهَا لِلْجَمِيعِ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Nabil: I want us to go to the lake on Saturday. We have not visited it together, and I like trying somewhere new.
Samir: It is a nice idea, but the journey is long. I have a family visit at six, so I cannot stay all day.
Adil: And I prefer an inexpensive outing. The travel fare and lunch at a restaurant will cost me more than I planned.
Nabil: We can take food from home, but that does not solve the problem of the lake being far away.
Samir: What do you two think about the nearby park? It is closer than the lake, and we can reach it on foot.
Adil: That suits my budget because we do not need to pay a travel fare. Does it suit you, Nabil?
Nabil: I like the park, but we sit in the same place every time. I want a small change.
Samir: There is a path in its western part that we have not tried. We can walk there and then eat.
Nabil: Good idea. That way we try something new without a long journey, and we do not postpone meeting.
Adil: Shall we meet at one or at two? I would prefer us to have enough time.
Samir: One is more suitable for me. If we return at four, I will still have time before the visit.
Adil: Agreed. I will bring bread and cheese for all of us. What can each of you two bring?
Nabil: I will bring fruit, and I have a bag for our things. We will not need the restaurant this time.
Samir: And I will bring water and a mat to sit on. Let us meet at the western entrance, as it is close to the path.
Adil: It seems we have found a compromise: a nearby place, a low cost, and a new experience for Nabil.
Nabil: Yes, we do not have to choose my whole idea. What matters is that we all enjoy our outing.
Samir: Thank you both for understanding my timing. I did not want to cancel the outing; I wanted it to fit my schedule.
Adil: And I am happy that we spoke clearly about the cost. I do not want us to enjoy ourselves at anyone’s expense.
Nabil: I will send you both the plan: Saturday, one o’clock, the western entrance. And returning at four, as agreed.
Samir: Excellent. We will leave the lake visit for another time, after checking that it suits everyone.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| قَلِيلَةَ التَّكْلِفَةِ | inexpensive |
| أُجْرَةُ السَّفَرِ | the travel fare |
| مِيزَانِيَّتِي | my budget |
| تَغْيِيرًا بَسِيطًا | a small change |
| مَمَرٌّ | a path |
| نُؤَجِّلُ لِقَاءَنَا | we postpone meeting |
| الْمَدْخَلِ الْغَرْبِيِّ | the western entrance |
| حَلًّا وَسَطًا | a compromise |
| لِجَدْوَلِي | for my schedule |
| عَلَى حِسَابِ أَحَدٍ | at anyone’s expense |
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
- Explain cost and time constraints without dismissing another person’s preference.
- Find a compromise and confirm the place, time, and contributions.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
Arabic Comparatives: Bigger Than and Better Than
هِيَ أَقْرَبُ مِنَ الْبُحَيْرَةِ
Use a comparison word followed by min to compare the distance of two destinations.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّنَا لَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى دَفْعِ أُجْرَةِ السَّفَرِ
Attach the we pronoun to lianna and add a complete reason for accepting an idea.
Arabic Choice Questions: This or That with A and Am
أَفِي الْوَاحِدَةِ نَلْتَقِي أَمْ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ؟
Place the question hamza before the first time phrase and am before the second.
