Layla, a vendor representative, and Sami, a resident, compare market sites and negotiate a proposal balancing access, cost and quiet.
01Read the Arabic conversation
اِخْتِيَارُ مَوْقِعٍ لِسُوقٍ مَحَلِّيَّةٍ
لَيْلَى: أُفَضِّلُ السَّاحَةَ الْمَرْكَزِيَّةَ لِلسُّوقِ الْأُسْبُوعِيَّةِ؛ فَهِيَ قَرِيبَةٌ مِنَ الْحَافِلَاتِ، وَيَعْرِفُ الزَّبَائِنُ مَكَانَهَا.
سَامِي: قُرْبُهَا مُفِيدٌ، وَلَكِنَّ الْبُيُوتَ مُلَاصِقَةٌ لَهَا. يَخْشَى السُّكَّانُ أَنْ يَبْدَأَ الضَّجِيجُ قَبْلَ اسْتِيقَاظِهِمْ.
لَيْلَى: هَلْ تُفَضِّلُ الْمَوْقِعَ الْقَرِيبَ مِنَ النَّهْرِ؟ إِيجَارُهُ أَرْخَصُ مِنْ إِيجَارِ السَّاحَةِ، وَمَوَاقِفُهُ وَاسِعَةٌ.
سَامِي: نَعَمْ، لَكِنِّي أُدْرِكُ أَنَّ أَقْرَبَ مَوْقِفٍ لِلْحَافِلَاتِ يَبْعُدُ عَنْهُ نَحْوَ ثَمَانِمِئَةِ مِتْرٍ.
لَيْلَى: هَذِهِ مَسَافَةٌ صَعْبَةٌ لِبَعْضِ الزَّبَائِنِ، خُصُوصًا إِذَا حَمَلُوا مُشْتَرَيَاتِهِمْ. لَا يَمْلِكُ الْجَمِيعُ سَيَّارَاتٍ.
سَامِي: أَتَفَهَّمُ ذَلِكَ، وَأَقْتَرِحُ حَافِلَةً صَغِيرَةً تَرْبِطُ الْمَوْقِعَ بِالْمَحَطَّةِ. هَلْ تُغَطِّي رُسُومُ الْبَائِعِينَ تَكْلِفَتَهَا؟
لَيْلَى: لَا حَالِيًّا؛ فَالرُّسُومُ تَكْفِي لِلتَّنْظِيفِ فَقَطْ، وَزِيَادَتُهَا قَدْ تَمْنَعُ الْبَائِعِينَ الصِّغَارَ مِنَ الْمُشَارَكَةِ.
سَامِي: إِذَنْ، لَا يَكْفِي انْخِفَاضُ الْإِيجَارِ وَحْدَهُ. لِنَبْحَثْ عَنْ شُرُوطٍ تَجْعَلُ السَّاحَةَ مَقْبُولَةً لِلسُّكَّانِ أَيْضًا.
لَيْلَى: يُمْكِنُنَا فَتْحُ السُّوقِ مِنَ الْعَاشِرَةِ صَبَاحًا إِلَى الثَّانِيَةِ ظُهْرًا، بَدَلًا مِنَ السَّابِعَةِ.
سَامِي: وَمَتَى تَصِلُ شَاحِنَاتُ الْبَضَائِعِ؟ تَأْخِيرُ الْفَتْحِ لَا يَحُلُّ الْمُشْكِلَةَ إِذَا بَدَأَ التَّفْرِيغُ مُبَكِّرًا.
لَيْلَى: نُحَدِّدُ التَّفْرِيغَ بَعْدَ التَّاسِعَةِ وَالنِّصْفِ، وَنُوَزِّعُ الْمَوَاعِيدَ لِنَمْنَعَ تَجَمُّعَ الشَّاحِنَاتِ عِنْدَ الْمَدْخَلِ.
سَامِي: هَذَا أَفْضَلُ، بِشَرْطِ بَقَاءِ مَمَرِّ الْبُيُوتِ مَفْتُوحًا. وَمَاذَا عَنْ مُكَبِّرَاتِ الصَّوْتِ وَإِعْلَانَاتِ الْبَائِعِينَ؟
لَيْلَى: نَسْتَغْنِي عَنِ الْمُكَبِّرَاتِ، وَنَعْرِضُ الْأَسْعَارَ عَلَى لَوْحَاتٍ. الْهُدُوءُ لَا يَمْنَعُ الْبَيْعَ، وَإِنْ غَيَّرَ طَرِيقَتَهُ.
سَامِي: أُوَافِقُ، لَكِنَّ النَّظَافَةَ مُهِمَّةٌ أَيْضًا. لَا نُرِيدُ أَنْ تَبْقَى الصَّنَادِيقُ أَمَامَ الْبُيُوتِ بَعْدَ الْإِغْلَاقِ.
لَيْلَى: يَدْفَعُ الْبَائِعُونَ تَكْلِفَةَ التَّنْظِيفِ، وَيُعَيِّنُونَ مُشْرِفًا يَتَأَكَّدُ مِنْ إِخْلَاءِ السَّاحَةِ قَبْلَ الثَّالِثَةِ.
سَامِي: لِنَجْعَلِ التَّرْتِيبَ تَجْرِبَةً لِثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامِ سَبْتٍ. الْمُوَافَقَةُ الْمُؤَقَّتَةُ لَا تَعْنِي قَبُولَ الْمَوْقِعِ نِهَائِيًّا.
لَيْلَى: مُتَّفِقَةٌ، وَنُسَجِّلُ الْمَبِيعَاتِ وَصُعُوبَاتِ الْوُصُولِ، فَلَا نَحْكُمُ عَلَى النَّجَاحِ بِعَدَدِ الْبَائِعِينَ فَقَطْ.
سَامِي: وَيُسَجِّلُ مُمَثِّلُ السُّكَّانِ الشَّكَاوَى وَأَوْقَاتَهَا، لِنُمَيِّزَ الْمُشْكِلَةَ الْمُتَكَرِّرَةَ مِنْ حَادِثَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ.
لَيْلَى: إِذَا تَكَرَّرَ الضَّجِيجُ، نُعَدِّلُ التَّرْتِيبَ قَبْلَ تَمْدِيدِهِ. لَا أُرِيدُ نَجَاحَ السُّوقِ عَلَى حِسَابِ الْجِيرَانِ.
سَامِي: وَأَنَا لَا أُرِيدُ رَفْضَهَا مُسْبَقًا؛ فَقَدْ تُفِيدُ الْحَيَّ إِذَا وُزِّعَتِ الْمَسْؤُولِيَّاتُ بِوُضُوحٍ.
لَيْلَى: سَأُرْسِلُ الشُّرُوطَ لِلْبَائِعِينَ الْيَوْمَ، وَنَطْلُبُ مِنَ الْجِهَةِ الْمُنَظِّمَةِ الْمُوَافَقَةَ عَلَى التَّجْرِبَةِ.
سَامِي: وَسَأُرَاجِعُهَا مَعَ السُّكَّانِ. هَكَذَا نُقَدِّمُ اقْتِرَاحًا مُشْتَرَكًا، لَا قَرَارًا اتُّخِذَ دُونَ سَمَاعِهِمْ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Layla: I prefer the central square for the weekly market: it is near buses, and customers know its location.
Sami: Its proximity helps, but homes adjoin it. Residents fear noise will start before they wake.
Layla: Do you prefer the riverside site? Its rent is cheaper than the square’s, and its parking is spacious.
Sami: Yes, but I realise its nearest bus stop is about eight hundred metres away.
Layla: That distance is difficult for some customers, especially carrying purchases. Not everyone owns a car.
Sami: I understand and suggest a minibus linking the site to the station. Could vendors’ fees cover it?
Layla: Not currently: fees only cover cleaning, and raising them might exclude small vendors.
Sami: Then low rent alone is insufficient. Let us find conditions making the square acceptable to residents too.
Layla: We could open from ten in the morning until two in the afternoon, instead of seven.
Sami: When would delivery trucks arrive? Later opening does not solve the problem if unloading starts early.
Layla: We would allow unloading after nine thirty and stagger arrival times to prevent trucks gathering at the entrance.
Sami: That is better, provided the passage to homes stays open. What about loudspeakers and vendors’ announcements?
Layla: We can omit loudspeakers and display prices on boards. Quiet does not prevent sales, although it changes the method.
Sami: I agree, but cleanliness matters too. We do not want boxes left outside homes after closing.
Layla: Vendors would pay for cleaning and appoint a supervisor to ensure the square is cleared before three.
Sami: Let us trial this for three Saturdays. Temporary agreement does not mean accepting the location permanently.
Layla: Agreed. We will record sales and access difficulties, so vendor numbers alone do not determine success.
Sami: The residents’ representative will record complaints and their times, to distinguish recurring problems from one incident.
Layla: If noise recurs, we will adjust arrangements before extending them. I do not want success at neighbours’ expense.
Sami: And I do not want to reject it beforehand: it could benefit the neighbourhood if responsibilities are clear.
Layla: I will send vendors the conditions today, and we will ask the organising body to approve the trial.
Sami: I will review them with residents. We will present a joint proposal, not a decision made without hearing them.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| السَّاحَةَ الْمَرْكَزِيَّةَ | the central square |
| مُلَاصِقَةٌ | adjoining |
| تَكْلِفَتَهَا | its cost |
| رُسُومُ الْبَائِعِينَ | vendors’ fees |
| التَّفْرِيغُ | unloading |
| مُكَبِّرَاتِ الصَّوْتِ | loudspeakers |
| إِخْلَاءِ السَّاحَةِ | clearing the square |
| الْمُوَافَقَةُ الْمُؤَقَّتَةُ | temporary agreement |
| الْمُشْكِلَةَ الْمُتَكَرِّرَةَ | the recurring problem |
| عَلَى حِسَابِ الْجِيرَانِ | at neighbours’ 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
- A cheaper site may create other access costs.
- A limited trial needs clear responsibilities and evidence.
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