Amal can no longer bring the main dish to a shared evening meal. Lina and Huda compare delivery with cooking and divide the remaining tasks.
01Read the Arabic conversation
حَلُّ مُشْكِلَةٍ قَبْلَ الْوَجْبَةِ
لِينَا: اِتَّصَلَتْ بِي أَمَلُ قَبْلَ قَلِيلٍ. لَنْ تَأْتِيَ لِوَجْبَةِ الْمَسَاءِ بِسَبَبِ ظَرْفٍ مُفَاجِئٍ.
هُدَى: أَلَيْسَتْ هِيَ الَّتِي وَعَدَتْ بِإِحْضَارِ طَبَقِ الْأَرُزِّ؟ مَاذَا سَنُقَدِّمُ بَدَلًا مِنْهُ؟
لِينَا: بَلَى، وَلَيْسَ لَدَيْنَا الْآنَ طَبَقٌ رَئِيسِيٌّ. السَّاعَةُ الْخَامِسَةُ، وَسَيَصِلُ أَصْدِقَاؤُنَا بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ.
هُدَى: أَنَطْلُبُ طَعَامًا مِنْ مَطْعَمٍ قَرِيبٍ أَمْ نُعِدُّ شَيْئًا بِأَنْفُسِنَا؟ لِنُقَارِنْ الْوَقْتَ أَوَّلًا.
لِينَا: سَأَلْتُ الْمَطْعَمَ، وَقَالَ إِنَّ التَّوْصِيلَ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى سَاعَةٍ وَنِصْفٍ. هَذَا أَطْوَلُ مِنَ الْوَقْتِ الْمُتَاحِ.
هُدَى: لَدَيَّ مَعْكَرُونَةٌ فِي الْبَيْتِ، وَأَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أُحْضِرَهَا خِلَالَ عِشْرِينَ دَقِيقَةً. هَلْ لَدَيْكِ صَلْصَةٌ؟
لِينَا: نَعَمْ، عِنْدِي صَلْصَةُ طَمَاطِمَ. هَذِهِ وَصْفَةٌ أَعْرِفُهَا، وَأَحْتَاجُ إِلَى نِصْفِ سَاعَةٍ لِإِعْدَادِهَا.
هُدَى: إِذَنْ يُمْكِنُنَا أَنْ نُنْهِيَ الطَّبْخَ قَبْلَ السَّادِسَةِ. لِنَتَأَكَّدْ مِنَ الْكَمِّيَّةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ.
لِينَا: سَنَكُونُ سِتَّةَ أَشْخَاصٍ بَعْدَ اِعْتِذَارِ أَمَلَ. هَلْ تَكْفِي الْمَعْكَرُونَةُ الْمَوْجُودَةُ عِنْدَكِ؟
هُدَى: نَعَمْ، لَدَيَّ مَا يَكْفِي لِسِتَّةِ أَشْخَاصٍ. سَأُحْضِرُهَا كُلَّهَا، فَلَا حَاجَةَ إِلَى زِيَارَةِ الْمَتْجَرِ.
لِينَا: هَذَا يُوَفِّرُ وَقْتًا. سَأُجَهِّزُ الْقِدْرَ وَالصَّلْصَةَ قَبْلَ وُصُولِكِ، ثُمَّ أَتَوَلَّى الطَّبْخَ.
هُدَى: وَأَنَا سَأُرَتِّبُ الْمَائِدَةَ بَعْدَ وُصُولِي، حَتَّى تَسْتَطِيعِي التَّرْكِيزَ عَلَى إِعْدَادِ الطَّعَامِ.
لِينَا: مَاذَا عَنِ السَّلَطَةِ؟ وَعَدَ سَامِي بِإِحْضَارِهَا، وَأَخْشَى أَنْ يَتَغَيَّرَ هَذَا التَّرْتِيبُ أَيْضًا.
هُدَى: أَكَّدَ لِي قَبْلَ قَلِيلٍ أَنَّهُ سَيُحْضِرُهَا. لَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى تَغْيِيرِ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ.
لِينَا: صَحِيحٌ. كُنْتُ قَلِقَةً لِأَنَّ الْمُشْكِلَةَ ظَهَرَتْ فِي آخِرِ لَحْظَةٍ، لَكِنَّ الْحَلَّ أَصْبَحَ وَاضِحًا.
هُدَى: سَأَخْرُجُ الْآنَ. أَرْسِلِي لِلْأَصْدِقَاءِ رِسَالَةً تُوَضِّحُ تَغْيِيرَ الطَّبَقِ، وَأَنَّ مَوْعِدَ اللِّقَاءِ لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ.
لِينَا: سَأَكْتُبُ أَنَّ الْمَعْكَرُونَةَ سَتَحُلُّ مَحَلَّ الْأَرُزِّ، وَأَنَّنَا نَنْتَظِرُهُمْ فِي الْوَقْتِ الْمُحَدَّدِ.
هُدَى: جَيِّدٌ، وَأَنَا سَأُخْبِرُكِ إِذَا تَأَخَّرْتُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ، حَتَّى تَعْرِفِي الْوَقْتَ الْمُتَبَقِّيَ.
لِينَا: شُكْرًا لِمُسَاعَدَتِكِ. أَنْتِ تُحْضِرِينَ الْمَعْكَرُونَةَ وَتُرَتِّبِينَ الْمَائِدَةَ، وَأَنَا أَطْبُخُ وَأُرْسِلُ الرِّسَالَةَ.
هُدَى: بِالضَّبْطِ. قَسَّمْنَا الْعَمَلَ، وَاخْتَرْنَا وَصْفَةً تَعْرِفِينَ طَرِيقَتَهَا. سَأَرَاكِ بَعْدَ قَلِيلٍ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Lina: Amal called me a little while ago. She will not come for the evening meal because something unexpected has come up.
Huda: Is she not the one who promised to bring the rice dish? What will we serve instead?
Lina: Yes, and we now have no main dish. It is five o’clock, and our friends will arrive in an hour.
Huda: Shall we order food from a nearby restaurant or prepare something ourselves? Let us compare the timing first.
Lina: I asked the restaurant, and they said delivery would take an hour and a half. That is longer than the time available.
Huda: I have pasta at home and can bring it within twenty minutes. Do you have any sauce?
Lina: Yes, I have tomato sauce. This is a recipe I know, and I need half an hour to prepare it.
Huda: Then we can finish cooking before six. Let us check the quantity before I leave.
Lina: There will be six of us after Amal’s cancellation. Do you have enough pasta?
Huda: Yes, I have enough for six people. I will bring all of it, so there is no need to visit the shop.
Lina: That saves time. I will get the pot and sauce ready before you arrive, then take charge of the cooking.
Huda: And I will set the table after I arrive, so you can focus on preparing the food.
Lina: What about the salad? Sami promised to bring it, and I am worried that this arrangement might change too.
Huda: He confirmed to me a little while ago that he will bring it. We do not need to change everything.
Lina: True. I was worried because the problem appeared at the last minute, but the solution has become clear.
Huda: I will leave now. Send the friends a message explaining the change of dish and that the meeting time has not changed.
Lina: I will write that pasta will replace the rice and that we are expecting them at the agreed time.
Huda: Good, and I will let you know if I am delayed on the way, so you know how much time remains.
Lina: Thank you for your help. You will bring the pasta and set the table, and I will cook and send the message.
Huda: Exactly. We have divided the work and chosen a recipe you know how to make. I will see you shortly.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| ظَرْفٍ مُفَاجِئٍ | an unexpected circumstance |
| بَدَلًا مِنْهُ | instead of it |
| طَبَقٌ رَئِيسِيٌّ | a main dish |
| الْوَقْتِ الْمُتَاحِ | the time available |
| صَلْصَةُ طَمَاطِمَ | tomato sauce |
| أَتَوَلَّى الطَّبْخَ | I take charge of the cooking |
| سَأُرَتِّبُ الْمَائِدَةَ | I will set the table |
| فِي آخِرِ لَحْظَةٍ | at the last minute |
| سَتَحُلُّ مَحَلَّ | will replace |
| فِي الْوَقْتِ الْمُحَدَّدِ | at the agreed time |
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
- Compare a replacement plan with the time and ingredients actually available.
- Confirm who will cook, who will help, and what guests need to know.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
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هَذَا أَطْوَلُ مِنَ الْوَقْتِ الْمُتَاحِ
Use a comparative followed by min to compare a delivery estimate with the available time.
How to Say “I Can” and “I Can’t” in Arabic
أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أُحْضِرَهَا
Use astatiu an followed by a verb to offer an action you are able to do.
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سَأُجَهِّزُ الْقِدْرَ وَالصَّلْصَةَ
Attach sa to a present-tense verb when taking responsibility for the next task.
