Neighbours Marwan and Rima negotiate recycling rules that account for limited storage, mobility and shared responsibilities.
01Read the Arabic conversation
الِاتِّفَاقُ عَلَى قَوَاعِدَ مُشْتَرَكَةٍ لِإِعَادَةِ التَّدْوِيرِ
مَرْوَانُ: أَقْتَرِحُ أَنْ تَفْرِزَ كُلُّ أُسْرَةٍ الْوَرَقَ وَالْبِلَاسْتِيكَ، وَتَحْتَفِظَ بِهِمَا حَتَّى يَوْمِ الْجَمْعِ الْأُسْبُوعِيِّ لِإِعَادَةِ التَّدْوِيرِ.
رِيمَا: الْفِكْرَةُ جَيِّدَةٌ، لَكِنَّ بَعْضَ الشُّقَقِ صَغِيرٌ جِدًّا. فَرْضُ التَّخْزِينِ أُسْبُوعًا كَامِلًا قَدْ يَجْعَلُ الْمُشَارَكَةَ صَعْبَةً.
مَرْوَانُ: لَمْ أَنْتَبِهْ إِلَى هَذَا الْفَرْقِ. هَلْ نَضَعُ حَاوِيَتَيْنِ مُشْتَرَكَتَيْنِ فِي السَّاحَةِ، وَاحِدَةً لِلْوَرَقِ وَأُخْرَى لِلْبِلَاسْتِيكِ؟
رِيمَا: قَدْ يَحُلُّ ذَلِكَ مُشْكِلَةَ الْمَسَاحَةِ، بِشَرْطِ أَلَّا تَسُدَّ الْحَاوِيَتَانِ الْمَمَرَّ، وَأَنْ يُوَافِقَ السُّكَّانُ عَلَى مَكَانِهِمَا.
مَرْوَانُ: سَأَرْسُمُ مَكَانًا مُقْتَرَحًا لِلْمُرَاجَعَةِ. أَمَّا الْجَمْعُ فَهُوَ كُلَّ خَمِيسٍ صَبَاحًا، وَفْقَ الْجَدْوَلِ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَتْهُ الشَّرِكَةُ.
رِيمَا: وَهَلْ تَقْبَلُ الشَّرِكَةُ جَمِيعَ أَنْوَاعِ الْبِلَاسْتِيكِ؟ لَا يَكْفِي أَنْ نَكْتُبَ كَلِمَةَ بِلَاسْتِيكٍ عَلَى الْحَاوِيَةِ.
مَرْوَانُ: قَائِمَتُهَا تَذْكُرُ أَنْوَاعًا مُحَدَّدَةً. سَنَعْرِضُ مَا تَقْبَلُهُ بِصُوَرٍ وَاضِحَةٍ، وَنَكْتُبُ أَنَّ الزُّجَاجَ غَيْرُ مَشْمُولٍ حَالِيًّا.
رِيمَا: جَيِّدٌ. وَإِذَا لَمْ نَعْرِفْ هَلْ تُقْبَلُ مَادَّةٌ، نَسْأَلُ الشَّرِكَةَ قَبْلَ إِضَافَتِهَا، بَدَلًا مِنَ التَّخْمِينِ.
مَرْوَانُ: أَرَى أَنْ تَتَوَلَّى كُلُّ أُسْرَةٍ نَقْلَ الْحَاوِيَتَيْنِ إِلَى نُقْطَةِ الْجَمْعِ بِالتَّنَاوُبِ، حَتَّى نُوَزِّعَ الْعِبْءَ بِالتَّسَاوِي.
رِيمَا: التَّنَاوُبُ يَبْدُو عَادِلًا، وَلَكِنَّ الْقُدْرَةَ عَلَى الْحَمْلِ تَخْتَلِفُ. بَعْضُ الْجِيرَانِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَقْلَ حَاوِيَةٍ مُمْتَلِئَةٍ.
مَرْوَانُ: مَعَكِ حَقٌّ؛ فَالْمُسَاوَاةُ فِي الْمَهَمَّةِ لَا تَعْنِي دَائِمًا الْمُسَاوَاةَ فِي الْجُهْدِ. مَا الْبَدِيلُ الَّذِي تَقْتَرِحِينَهُ؟
رِيمَا: نَطْلُبُ مُتَطَوِّعِينَ لِلنَّقْلِ، وَيَخْتَارُ الْآخَرُونَ مَهَامَّ تُنَاسِبُهُمْ، مِثْلَ إِرْسَالِ التَّذْكِيرِ أَوْ تَحْدِيثِ قَائِمَةِ الْمَوَادِّ الْمَقْبُولَةِ.
مَرْوَانُ: أَقْبَلُ ذَلِكَ، لَكِنْ يَجِبُ أَلَّا يَقَعَ النَّقْلُ عَلَى الشَّخْصَيْنِ نَفْسِهِمَا كُلَّ أُسْبُوعٍ بِدُونِ مُرَاجَعَةٍ.
رِيمَا: نُعِدُّ جَدْوَلًا لِمَنْ تَطَوَّعُوا، وَنُرَاجِعُهُ أُسْبُوعِيًّا. وَمَنْ يَتَعَذَّرُ حُضُورُهُ يُبْلِغُ مُبَكِّرًا لِنَبْحَثَ عَنْ بَدِيلٍ.
مَرْوَانُ: وَمَاذَا عَنْ جَارٍ يَسْتَطِيعُ الْفَرْزَ وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ حَمْلَ كِيسِهِ إِلَى السَّاحَةِ؟ لَا أُرِيدُ اسْتِبْعَادَهُ.
رِيمَا: نَتَّفِقُ مَعَهُ عَلَى مُسَاعَدَةٍ فِي مَوْعِدٍ مُنَاسِبٍ. الْمَطْلُوبُ مُسَاهَمَةٌ مُمْكِنَةٌ، لَا إِثْبَاتُ أَنَّ الْجَمِيعَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الْعَمَلَ نَفْسَهُ.
مَرْوَانُ: هَلْ نَعْتَمِدُ الْقَوَاعِدَ بِصُورَةٍ دَائِمَةٍ مِنَ الْبِدَايَةِ، أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْأَسَابِيعَ الْأَرْبَعَةَ الْأُولَى تَجْرِبَةً لِمَعْرِفَةِ مَا يَنْجَحُ؟
رِيمَا: أُفَضِّلُ التَّجْرِبَةَ. نُتَابِعُ امْتِلَاءَ الْحَاوِيَتَيْنِ وَانْتِظَامَ الْجَمْعِ وَصُعُوبَاتِ الْمُشَارَكَةِ، دُونَ نَشْرِ أَسْمَاءِ مَنْ يُخْطِئُونَ.
مَرْوَانُ: وَإِذَا امْتَلَأَتِ الْحَاوِيَتَانِ قَبْلَ الْخَمِيسِ، نُرَاجِعُ سَعَتَهُمَا أَوْ مَوْعِدَ الْجَمْعِ مَعَ الشَّرِكَةِ، وَلَا نَلُومُ السُّكَّانَ تِلْقَائِيًّا.
رِيمَا: بِالضَّبْطِ؛ فَنَجَاحُ النِّظَامِ يَعْتَمِدُ عَلَى وُضُوحِهِ وَإِمْكَانِ تَطْبِيقِهِ، لَا عَلَى كَثْرَةِ التَّعْلِيمَاتِ وَحْدَهَا.
مَرْوَانُ: سَأُعِدُّ مُقْتَرَحًا مُخْتَصَرًا وَأُرْسِلُهُ لِلْجِيرَانِ، مَعَ قَائِمَةِ الشَّرِكَةِ، لِنَجْمَعَ مَلَاحَظَاتِهِمْ قَبْلَ تَثْبِيتِ التَّرْتِيبَاتِ.
رِيمَا: وَأَنَا سَأَسْأَلُ عَنِ الْمُتَطَوِّعِينَ. نَبْدَأُ بَعْدَ الِاتِّفَاقِ عَلَى الْمَكَانِ وَالْمَهَامِّ، ثُمَّ نُعَدِّلُ الْخُطَّةَ بِحَسَبِ التَّجْرِبَةِ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Marwan: I suggest each household separates paper and plastic, keeping them until the weekly recycling collection.
Rima: The idea is good, but some flats are tiny. Requiring a full week’s storage could make participation difficult.
Marwan: I overlooked that difference. Could we put two shared bins in the courtyard, one for paper and another for plastic?
Rima: That could solve the space problem, provided the bins do not block the path and residents approve their location.
Marwan: I will sketch a proposed location for review. Collection is every Thursday morning, according to the company’s schedule.
Rima: Does the company accept every plastic type? Simply labelling a bin “plastic” is insufficient.
Marwan: Its list specifies certain types. We will display accepted items with clear pictures and note that glass is currently excluded.
Rima: Good. If we do not know whether an item is accepted, we ask the company before adding it instead of guessing.
Marwan: I suggest households take turns moving both bins to the collection point, sharing the workload equally.
Rima: Taking turns seems fair, but lifting ability differs. Some neighbours cannot move a full bin.
Marwan: You are right: identical tasks do not always mean equal effort. What alternative do you suggest?
Rima: We seek volunteers to move bins. Others choose suitable tasks, such as sending reminders or updating the accepted-materials list.
Marwan: I agree, but moving the bins must not fall on the same two people every week without review.
Rima: We schedule volunteers and review weekly. Anyone unable to attend gives early notice so we can find a replacement.
Marwan: What about a neighbour who can sort but cannot carry his bag to the courtyard? I do not want to exclude him.
Rima: We arrange help at a suitable time. The aim is feasible participation, not proving everyone can do identical work.
Marwan: Shall we make all the rules permanent immediately, or use the first four weeks to test what works?
Rima: I prefer a trial. We monitor bin capacity, reliable collection and participation difficulties without publishing the names of people making mistakes.
Marwan: If both bins fill before Thursday, we review capacity or collection timing with the company instead of automatically blaming residents.
Rima: Exactly. Success depends on clarity and feasibility, not merely the number of instructions.
Marwan: I will send neighbours a short proposal with the company’s list, gathering comments before finalising arrangements.
Rima: I will ask for volunteers. We start after agreeing on the location and tasks, then adjust the plan based on experience.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| تَفْرِزَ | sorts or separates |
| التَّخْزِينِ | storage |
| حَاوِيَتَيْنِ مُشْتَرَكَتَيْنِ | two shared bins |
| غَيْرُ مَشْمُولٍ | not included |
| التَّخْمِينِ | guesswork |
| بِالتَّنَاوُبِ | in turns |
| الْعِبْءَ | the workload |
| مُسَاهَمَةٌ مُمْكِنَةٌ | feasible participation |
| انْتِظَامَ الْجَمْعِ | reliable collection |
| إِمْكَانِ تَطْبِيقِهِ | its feasibility |
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
- Match shared responsibilities to practical abilities.
- Use clear instructions and a trial period to improve participation.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
Lakinna and Lakin in Arabic: Two Patterns for But
وَلَكِنَّ الْقُدْرَةَ عَلَى الْحَمْلِ تَخْتَلِفُ
Qualify an apparently fair arrangement with lakinna and a contrasting fact about ability.
Relative Ma in Arabic: What You Want and What They Said
سَنَعْرِضُ مَا تَقْبَلُهُ
Use relative ma to identify the items the company accepts, rather than to ask a question.
Purpose Li in Arabic: How to Say “In Order To”
لِنَبْحَثَ عَنْ بَدِيلٍ
Follow purpose li with a subjunctive verb to explain why early notice matters.
