Hamid asks for help packing shop orders every weekend. Yusuf explains his commitments and offers one specific hour instead.
01Read the Arabic conversation
رَفْضُ طَلَبِ مُسَاعَدَةٍ بِأَدَبٍ
حَامِدٌ: يَا يُوسُفُ، هَلْ تُسَاعِدُنِي فِي تَجْهِيزِ طَلَبَاتِ الْمَتْجَرِ كُلَّ سَبْتٍ؟ زَادَ الْعَمَلُ مُؤَخَّرًا.
يُوسُفُ: أُقَدِّرُ ثِقَتَكَ بِي، لَكِنَّنِي لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَلْتَزِمَ بِالْمُسَاعَدَةِ كُلَّ أُسْبُوعٍ.
حَامِدٌ: أَحْتَاجُ إِلَى سَاعَتَيْنِ صَبَاحًا فَقَطْ. هَلْ لَدَيْكَ مَوْعِدٌ ثَابِتٌ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ؟
يُوسُفُ: نَعَمْ، عِنْدِي دَوْرَةٌ صَبَاحَ كُلِّ سَبْتٍ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ، وَأَحْتَاجُ إِلَى وَقْتٍ لِلْمُرَاجَعَةِ.
حَامِدٌ: أَفْهَمُ ذَلِكَ. وَهَلْ يَكُونُ الْمَسَاءُ أَسْهَلَ لَكَ بَعْدَ الدَّوْرَةِ وَالْمُرَاجَعَةِ؟
يُوسُفُ: لِلْأَسَفِ، لَا. أَزُورُ أُسْرَتِي مَسَاءً، وَلَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَلْغِيَ هَذِهِ الزِّيَارَةَ الْأُسْبُوعِيَّةَ.
حَامِدٌ: لَمْ أَكُنْ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّ يَوْمَكَ مَشْغُولٌ هَكَذَا. لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَضْغَطَ عَلَيْكَ.
يُوسُفُ: أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أُسَاعِدَكَ سَاعَةً هَذَا الْخَمِيسَ فِي إِعْدَادِ قَائِمَةٍ بِخُطُوَاتِ التَّجْهِيزِ.
حَامِدٌ: هَذَا مُفِيدٌ. هَلْ أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَعْتَمِدَ عَلَيْكَ كُلَّ خَمِيسٍ بَدَلًا مِنَ السَّبْتِ؟
يُوسُفُ: أَعْنِي هَذَا الْخَمِيسَ فَقَطْ. لَا أَعِدُكَ بِمَوْعِدٍ أُسْبُوعِيٍّ لِأَنَّ وَقْتِي مَحْدُودٌ.
حَامِدٌ: إِذَنْ، سَأَبْحَثُ عَنْ شَخْصٍ آخَرَ لِلْمُسَاعَدَةِ الْمُنْتَظِمَةِ، وَنُعِدُّ الْقَائِمَةَ مَعًا هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ.
يُوسُفُ: بِالضَّبْطِ. أُفَضِّلُ أَنْ أَكُونَ وَاضِحًا الْآنَ بَدَلًا مِنْ أَنْ أَعِدَكَ بِمَا لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ.
حَامِدٌ: هَلْ نَكْتُبُ الْخُطُوَاتِ بِالتَّرْتِيبِ حَتَّى يَسْتَطِيعَ الْمُسَاعِدُ الْجَدِيدُ أَنْ يَتَّبِعَهَا؟
يُوسُفُ: نَعَمْ، نَبْدَأُ بِاخْتِيَارِ الْعُلْبَةِ الْمُنَاسِبَةِ، ثُمَّ نُرَاجِعُ الْعُنْوَانَ قَبْلَ إِغْلَاقِهَا.
حَامِدٌ: سَأُجَهِّزُ الْعُلَبَ وَنَمُوذَجًا لِلطَّلَبِ قَبْلَ وَصُولِكَ. فِي أَيِّ سَاعَةٍ تَأْتِي؟
يُوسُفُ: مِنَ السَّادِسَةِ إِلَى السَّابِعَةِ مَسَاءً. هَذِهِ هِيَ السَّاعَةُ الْمُتَاحَةُ لِي هَذَا الْخَمِيسَ.
حَامِدٌ: وَإِذَا لَمْ نَنْتَهِ مِنَ الْقَائِمَةِ عِنْدَ السَّابِعَةِ، هَلْ يُمْكِنُكَ أَنْ تَبْقَى قَلِيلًا؟
يُوسُفُ: لَا، عِنْدِي مَوْعِدٌ بَعْدَهَا. نَكْتُبُ أَهَمَّ الْخُطُوَاتِ أَوَّلًا، وَتُكْمِلُ التَّفَاصِيلَ لَاحِقًا.
حَامِدٌ: حَسَنًا، سَنَتَوَقَّفُ عِنْدَ السَّابِعَةِ. شُكْرًا لِأَنَّكَ أَوْضَحْتَ مَا يُنَاسِبُكَ مِنَ الْبِدَايَةِ.
يُوسُفُ: وَشُكْرًا لِتَفَهُّمِكَ. أَسْعَدُ بِمُسَاعَدَتِكَ هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ مَعَ الْحِفَاظِ عَلَى مَوَاعِيدِي الْأُخْرَى.
Show English translationHide English translation
Hamid: Yusuf, could you help me prepare the shop orders every Saturday? Work has increased recently.
Yusuf: I appreciate your trust in me, but I cannot commit to helping every week.
Hamid: I only need two hours in the morning. Do you have a regular commitment then?
Yusuf: Yes, I have a course every Saturday morning this month, and I need time to revise.
Hamid: I understand. Would the evening be easier for you after the course and revision?
Yusuf: Unfortunately, no. I visit my family in the evening, and I do not want to cancel this weekly visit.
Hamid: I did not know your day was so busy. I do not want to put pressure on you.
Yusuf: I can help you for an hour this Thursday to prepare a list of the packing steps.
Hamid: That is useful. Can I count on you every Thursday instead of Saturday?
Yusuf: I mean this Thursday only. I am not promising a weekly time because my time is limited.
Hamid: Then I will look for someone else to help regularly, and we will prepare the list together this time.
Yusuf: Exactly. I prefer to be clear now rather than promise what I cannot manage.
Hamid: Shall we write the steps in order so the new helper can follow them?
Yusuf: Yes, we start by choosing the right box, then check the address before closing it.
Hamid: I will prepare the boxes and a sample order before you arrive. What time will you come?
Yusuf: From six to seven in the evening. That is the hour I have available this Thursday.
Hamid: If we have not finished the list by seven, could you stay a little longer?
Yusuf: No, I have an appointment afterwards. We will write the main steps first, and you can finish the details later.
Hamid: All right, we will stop at seven. Thank you for explaining what suits you from the start.
Yusuf: Thank you for understanding. I am happy to help this time while keeping my other commitments.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| أُقَدِّرُ ثِقَتَكَ بِي | I appreciate your trust in me |
| أَلْتَزِمَ | commit myself |
| مَوْعِدٌ ثَابِتٌ | a regular commitment |
| أُسْرَتِي | my family |
| أَضْغَطَ عَلَيْكَ | put pressure on you |
| أَعْتَمِدَ عَلَيْكَ | count on you |
| وَقْتِي مَحْدُودٌ | my time is limited |
| بِالتَّرْتِيبِ | in order |
| الْمُتَاحَةُ | available |
| لِتَفَهُّمِكَ | for your understanding |
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 a request, state your limit clearly, and offer only what you can manage.
- Confirm both the frequency and the finishing time so that a limited offer stays clear.
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