In this fictional purchasing meeting, Amin, the buyer, Rania, the supplier, and Hisham, the operations manager, negotiate quantities, delivery standards and a limited trial.
01Read the Arabic conversation
التَّفَاوُضُ عَلَى شَرَاكَةٍ مَعَ مُوَرِّدٍ
أَمِينٌ: نُرِيدُ شَرَاكَةً تَمْتَدُّ إِلَى عَامٍ، لَا مُجَرَّدَ طَلَبِيَّةٍ مُنْفَرِدَةٍ. لَكِنَّ تَقَلُّبَ الطَّلَبِ يَجْعَلُ تَثْبِيتَ الْكَمِّيَّاتِ مُبَكِّرًا مُخَاطَرَةً لَا نَسْتَطِيعُ تَجَاهُلَهَا.
رَانِيَا: وَنَحْنُ نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى الْقُدْرَةِ عَلَى التَّخْطِيطِ. حَجْزُ خَطِّ إِنْتَاجٍ لَكُمْ يَعْنِي رَفْضَ طَلَبَاتٍ أُخْرَى، وَلَوْ لَمْ تَشْتَرُوا الْكَمِّيَّةَ الْمُتَوَقَّعَةَ فِي النِّهَايَةِ.
هِشَامٌ: قَبْلَ مُنَاقَشَةِ الْخَصْمِ، أُرِيدُ تَوْضِيحَ مَعْنَى التَّسْلِيمِ. فِي التَّجْرِبَةِ السَّابِقَةِ خَرَجَتِ الشُّحْنَةُ فِي مَوْعِدِهَا، وَلَكِنَّنَا لَمْ نَتَسَلَّمْهَا إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَوَقُّفِ الْعَمَلِ يَوْمًا كَامِلًا.
رَانِيَا: أُقِرُّ بِذَلِكَ، مَعَ أَنَّ التَّأْخِيرَ حَدَثَ أَثْنَاءَ النَّقْلِ. لَا أَذْكُرُ هَذَا لِلتَّنَصُّلِ مِنَ الْمَسْؤُولِيَّةِ، بَلْ لِتَحْدِيدِ مَا يَجِبُ تَغْيِيرُهُ فِي التَّرْتِيبِ الْجَدِيدِ.
أَمِينٌ: إِذَنْ نَقِيسُ الْوُصُولَ إِلَى مَخْزَنِنَا، لَا مُجَرَّدَ الشَّحْنِ. وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَشْمَلَ الْمُؤَشِّرُ اكْتِمَالَ الْكَمِّيَّةِ وَمُطَابَقَتَهَا لِلْمُوَاصَفَاتِ، حَتَّى لَا تُخْفِيَ السُّرْعَةُ عَيْبًا آخَرَ.
هِشَامٌ: هَذَا يُنَاسِبُنِي، بِشَرْطِ أَنْ نَفْحَصَ الشُّحْنَةَ خِلَالَ يَوْمَيْنِ مِنْ وُصُولِهَا. لَا يَصِحُّ أَنْ نُؤَخِّرَ الْفَحْصَ، ثُمَّ نَنْسُبَ كُلَّ تَأْخِيرٍ فِي الْقَبُولِ إِلَى الْمُوَرِّدِ.
رَانِيَا: أُقَدِّرُ هَذَا التَّوَازُنَ. أَمَّا السِّعْرُ الْمُنْخَفِضُ الَّذِي طَلَبْتُمُوهُ، فَهُوَ مَبْنِيٌّ عَلَى أَلْفِ وَحْدَةٍ شَهْرِيًّا؛ وَمِنْ دُونِ حَدٍّ أَدْنَى لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ ضَمَانَهُ.
أَمِينٌ: أَلْفُ وَحْدَةٍ هِيَ تَوَقُّعُنَا، وَلَيْسَتْ وَعْدًا بِالشِّرَاءِ. أَسْتَطِيعُ الِالْتِزَامَ بِسِتِّمِائَةِ وَحْدَةٍ شَهْرِيًّا فِي الْبِدَايَةِ، أَمَّا الْبَاقِي فَأُفَضِّلُ رَبْطَهُ بِالطَّلَبِ الْفِعْلِيِّ لَدَيْنَا.
هِشَامٌ: لِنَفْصِلْ بَيْنَ التَّوَقُّعِ وَالطَّلَبِ الْمُؤَكَّدِ فِي الْجَدْوَلِ نَفْسِهِ. إِذَا تَغَيَّرَ التَّوَقُّعُ نُحَدِّثُهُ، وَأَمَّا الطَّلَبُ الْمُؤَكَّدُ فَلَا نُعَدِّلُهُ مِنْ جَانِبٍ وَاحِدٍ بَعْدَ اعْتِمَادِهِ.
رَانِيَا: أَسْتَطِيعُ بِنَاءَ عَرْضٍ عَلَى هَذَا الْأَسَاسِ، لَكِنَّ الْخَصْمَ سَيَكُونُ أَصْغَرَ. وَأَحْتَاجُ إِلَى تَأْكِيدِ أَيِّ كَمِّيَّةٍ إِضَافِيَّةٍ قَبْلَ مَوْعِدِ تَسْلِيمِهَا بِأُسْبُوعَيْنِ عَلَى الْأَقَلِّ.
أَمِينٌ: يَبْدُو ذَلِكَ مَقْبُولًا، لِأَنَّ الْمُرُونَةَ لَهَا تَكْلِفَةٌ. لَكِنْ إِذَا بَلَغَتْ مُشْتَرَيَاتُنَا أَلْفَ وَحْدَةٍ فِي شَهْرٍ، فَهَلْ نَحْصُلُ عَلَى الْخَصْمِ الْأَكْبَرِ لِذَلِكَ الشَّهْرِ؟
رَانِيَا: نَعَمْ، عَلَى الْوَحَدَاتِ الْمُسَلَّمَةِ خِلَالَ ذَلِكَ الشَّهْرِ، بَعْدَ مُرَاجَعَةِ الْكَمِّيَّاتِ مَعًا. لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ نَرْبِطَ الْخَصْمَ بِتَوَقُّعٍ قَدْ لَا يَتَحَقَّقُ، فَنَعُودَ إِلَى الْخِلَافِ نَفْسِهِ.
هِشَامٌ: بَقِيَتْ مَسْأَلَةُ الِاعْتِمَادِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَحْدَكُمْ. مَاذَا نَفْعَلُ إِذَا تَعَطَّلَ خَطُّ الْإِنْتَاجِ؟ لَا يَكْفِي أَنْ نَعْرِفَ بِالْمُشْكِلَةِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي نَنْتَظِرُ فِيهِ الشُّحْنَةَ.
رَانِيَا: لَدَيْنَا خَطٌّ بَدِيلٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مُتَاحًا دَائِمًا. لِذَلِكَ أَقْتَرِحُ تَنْبِيهَكُمْ فَوْرَ ظُهُورِ خَطَرٍ جِدِّيٍّ، مَعَ خُطَّةٍ بَدِيلَةٍ وَتَقْدِيرٍ صَرِيحٍ لِمَا لَا نَعْرِفُهُ بَعْدُ.
أَمِينٌ: وَنَحْنُ سَنَحْتَفِظُ بِمُوَرِّدٍ آخَرَ لِلطَّوَارِئِ. هَذَا لَا يُلْغِي الْحَدَّ الْأَدْنَى الَّذِي الْتَزَمْنَا بِهِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ يَمْنَحُنَا مَجَالًا لِلِاسْتِجَابَةِ إِذَا تَعَذَّرَ تَوْفِيرُ الْكَمِّيَّةِ الْإِضَافِيَّةِ.
رَانِيَا: كُنْتُ أُفَضِّلُ الْحَصْرِيَّةَ، وَلَكِنَّ ضَمَانَ الْحَدِّ الْأَدْنَى يَحْمِي جُزْءًا مِنْ قُدْرَتِنَا عَلَى التَّخْطِيطِ. أَقْبَلُ ذَلِكَ مَا دَامَ الْعَرْضُ لَا يُقَدَّمُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ اتِّفَاقٌ حَصْرِيٌّ.
هِشَامٌ: أُرِيدُ أَيْضًا أَنْ نَمْنَعَ تَغْيِيرَ مَادَّةِ التَّغْلِيفِ دُونَ مُوَافَقَةٍ. قَدْ يَبْدُو الْبَدِيلُ مُمَاثِلًا، وَلَكِنَّهُ قَدْ يُسَبِّبُ مُشْكِلَةً فِي آلَاتِنَا لَا تَظْهَرُ فِي الصُّوَرِ.
رَانِيَا: مَفْهُومٌ. نُرْسِلُ عَيِّنَةً وَبَيَانًا بِالْفُرُوقِ قَبْلَ أَيِّ تَغْيِيرٍ مُقْتَرَحٍ، وَلَا نَشْحَنُ الْبَدِيلَ قَبْلَ الْمُوَافَقَةِ. وَأَقْتَرِحُ أَنْ تُحَدِّدُوا مُوَظَّفًا لِلرَّدِّ حَتَّى لَا يَتَعَطَّلَ الْفَحْصُ.
هِشَامٌ: سَأَتَوَلَّى التَّنْسِيقَ، وَسَأُسَمِّي بَدِيلًا عِنْدَ غِيَابِي. إِذَا احْتَجْنَا إِلَى وَقْتٍ أَطْوَلَ لِلِاخْتِبَارِ نُبَلِّغُكُمْ بِالسَّبَبِ وَالْمَوْعِدِ الْمُتَوَقَّعِ لِلرَّدِّ، بَدَلًا مِنْ تَرْكِ الطَّلَبِ مُعَلَّقًا.
أَمِينٌ: هَلْ نَسْتَطِيعُ تَثْبِيتَ السِّعْرِ طَوَالَ الْعَامِ؟ أَفْهَمُ أَنَّ تَكْلِفَةَ الْمَوَادِّ قَدْ تَرْتَفِعُ، لَكِنَّ تَعْدِيلًا مُفَاجِئًا بَعْدَ تَأْكِيدِ الطَّلَبِ يُفْسِدُ حِسَابَاتِنَا وَيُضْعِفُ الثِّقَةَ.
رَانِيَا: أَضْمَنُ ثَبَاتَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، لَا عَامًا كَامِلًا. بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ نُرَاجِعُ الْأَسْعَارَ لِلطَّلَبَاتِ الْمُسْتَقْبَلِيَّةِ فَقَطْ، مَعَ تَقْدِيمِ مَا يُبَرِّرُ أَيَّ زِيَادَةٍ أَوْ يُتِيحُ أَيَّ تَخْفِيضٍ.
هِشَامٌ: لِنَبْدَأْ إِذَنْ بِتَجْرِبَةٍ لِثَلَاثَةِ أَشْهُرٍ. خِلَالَهَا نُرَاجِعُ كُلَّ شُحْنَةٍ، وَنُسَجِّلُ مَوَاعِيدَ الْوُصُولِ وَنَتَائِجَ الْفَحْصِ وَأَسْبَابَ أَيِّ نَقْصٍ، بَدَلًا مِنَ الِاكْتِفَاءِ بِانْطِبَاعٍ عَامٍّ عَنِ الْخِدْمَةِ.
أَمِينٌ: أُوَافِقُ عَلَى التَّجْرِبَةِ بِالْحَدِّ الْأَدْنَى الْمَذْكُورِ. وَنَجْعَلُ التَّوَسُّعَ بَعْدَهَا قَرَارًا مُشْتَرَكًا، لَا نَتِيجَةً تِلْقَائِيَّةً لِمُرُورِ الْوَقْتِ أَوْ لِعَدَمِ وُصُولِ شَكْوَى رَسْمِيَّةٍ إِلَيْنَا.
رَانِيَا: هَذَا مَعْقُولٌ، وَأُرِيدُ أَنْ تَشْمَلَ الْمُرَاجَعَةُ انْتِظَامَ تَأْكِيدِ طَلَبَاتِكُمْ وَسَدَادِ الْفَوَاتِيرِ أَيْضًا. فَالشَّرَاكَةُ لَا تَسْتَقِرُّ إِذَا كَانَ الِالْتِزَامُ مَطْلُوبًا مِنْ طَرَفٍ وَاحِدٍ فَقَطْ.
هِشَامٌ: أَتَّفِقُ مَعَكِ. وَعِنْدَ وُقُوعِ مُشْكِلَةٍ نُحَدِّدُ مَصْدَرَهَا قَبْلَ نِسْبَتِهَا إِلَى أَحَدٍ؛ فَقَدْ يَكُونُ الْخَلَلُ فِي تَوَقُّعِنَا أَوْ فِي تَأْكِيدِنَا الْمُتَأَخِّرِ، لَا فِي التَّوْرِيدِ نَفْسِهِ.
أَمِينٌ: سَأُعِدُّ مُلَخَّصًا بِمَا اتَّفَقْنَا عَلَيْهِ لِمُرَاجَعَتِهِ مَعًا. وَسَأَفْصِلُ فِيهِ بَيْنَ الْكَمِّيَّاتِ الْمُلْزِمَةِ وَالتَّوَقُّعَاتِ، وَبَيْنَ سِعْرِ التَّجْرِبَةِ وَمَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى تَفَاوُضٍ لَاحِقٍ.
رَانِيَا: سَأُرْسِلُ الْعَرْضَ الْمُعَدَّلَ غَدًا. وَمُوَافَقَتِي الْمَبْدَئِيَّةُ الْيَوْمَ لَا تَعْنِي أَنَّ كُلَّ التَّفَاصِيلِ حُسِمَتْ؛ بَقِيَ أَنْ نُطَابِقَ الْأَرْقَامَ وَالْمَوَاعِيدَ فِي الْوَثِيقَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْبَدْءِ.
هِشَامٌ: وَسَأُرَاجِعُ إِجْرَاءَاتِ الِاسْتِلَامِ مَعَ فَرِيقِي. أَظُنُّ أَنَّنَا تَقَدَّمْنَا، لِأَنَّ الْمَخَاطِرَ أَصْبَحَتْ أَوْضَحَ، لَا لِأَنَّهَا اخْتَفَتْ. وَهَذَا أَسَاسٌ أَصْلَبُ لِشَرَاكَةٍ يُمْكِنُ تَوْسِيعُهَا لَاحِقًا.
Show English translationHide English translation
Amin: We want a partnership lasting a year, not just a single order. But fluctuating demand makes fixing quantities early a risk we cannot ignore.
Rania: We need to be able to plan too. Reserving a production line for you means turning away other orders, even if you ultimately do not buy the forecast quantity.
Hisham: Before discussing the discount, I want to clarify what delivery means. In our previous trial, the shipment left on time, but we did not receive it until work had stopped for a whole day.
Rania: I acknowledge that, although the delay occurred in transit. I mention this not to evade responsibility but to identify what needs to change in the new arrangement.
Amin: Then we measure arrival at our warehouse, not merely dispatch. The measure should include the full quantity and conformity to specifications, so speed does not conceal another problem.
Hisham: That works for me, provided we inspect the shipment within two days of arrival. We cannot delay inspection and then attribute every delay in acceptance to the supplier.
Rania: I appreciate that balance. The lower price you requested is based on a thousand units per month; without a minimum, I cannot guarantee it.
Amin: A thousand units is our forecast, not a promise to purchase. I can initially commit to six hundred per month; I would prefer to link the rest to actual demand.
Hisham: Let us distinguish forecasts from confirmed orders in the same schedule. If the forecast changes, we update it; we do not change an approved, confirmed order unilaterally.
Rania: I can base an offer on that, but the discount will be smaller. I also need confirmation of additional quantities at least two weeks before their delivery date.
Amin: That seems acceptable because flexibility has a cost. But if our purchases reach a thousand units in a month, do we get the larger discount for that month?
Rania: Yes, on units delivered during that month, after we review the quantities together. I do not want to link the discount to a forecast that may not materialise, bringing us back to the same disagreement.
Hisham: There is still the issue of relying on you alone. What happens if the production line stops? Learning about the problem on the day we expect the shipment is not enough.
Rania: We have an alternative line, but it is not always available. I therefore suggest notifying you as soon as a serious risk emerges, with a backup plan and a frank account of what remains unknown.
Amin: We will retain another supplier for emergencies. That does not cancel our minimum commitment, but it gives us room to respond if additional quantities cannot be supplied.
Rania: I would have preferred exclusivity, but the guaranteed minimum protects some of our ability to plan. I accept that, as long as the offer is not presented as an exclusive agreement.
Hisham: I also want to prevent changes to the packaging material without approval. An alternative may look equivalent but cause a problem in our machines that photographs do not reveal.
Rania: Understood. We will send a sample and a statement of the differences before any proposed change, and will not ship the alternative before approval. Please designate someone to respond so inspection is not held up.
Hisham: I will coordinate this and name a substitute during my absence. If testing needs more time, we will tell you why and when to expect a response, instead of leaving the request unresolved.
Amin: Can we fix the price for the whole year? I understand material costs may rise, but a sudden change after an order is confirmed disrupts our calculations and weakens trust.
Rania: I can guarantee it for three months, not a full year. After that, we review prices for future orders only, presenting evidence that justifies an increase or permits a reduction.
Hisham: Then let us begin with a three-month trial. We will review every shipment, recording arrival dates, inspection results and reasons for any shortfall instead of relying on a general impression of the service.
Amin: I agree to the trial with the stated minimum. Expansion afterward will be a joint decision, not an automatic result of time passing or of receiving no formal complaint.
Rania: That is reasonable, and I want the review also to cover how reliably you confirm orders and pay invoices. A partnership cannot be stable if commitment is required from only one side.
Hisham: I agree. When a problem occurs, we identify its source before attributing it to anyone; the fault may lie in our forecast or late confirmation rather than in supply itself.
Amin: I will prepare a summary for us to review together. It will distinguish binding quantities from forecasts, and the trial price from matters requiring later negotiation.
Rania: I will send the revised offer tomorrow. My agreement in principle today does not mean every detail is settled; we still need to reconcile the figures and dates in both documents before starting.
Hisham: I will review receiving procedures with my team. I think we have progressed because the risks are clearer, not because they have disappeared. That is a firmer basis for a partnership we can expand later.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| تَقَلُّبَ الطَّلَبِ | fluctuating demand |
| حَجْزُ خَطِّ إِنْتَاجٍ | reserving a production line |
| لِلتَّنَصُّلِ مِنَ الْمَسْؤُولِيَّةِ | to evade responsibility |
| مُطَابَقَتَهَا لِلْمُوَاصَفَاتِ | its conformity to specifications |
| حَدٍّ أَدْنَى | a minimum |
| الطَّلَبُ الْمُؤَكَّدُ | the confirmed order |
| مِنْ جَانِبٍ وَاحِدٍ | unilaterally |
| الْحَصْرِيَّةَ | exclusivity |
| مَادَّةِ التَّغْلِيفِ | packaging material |
| الْكَمِّيَّاتِ الْمُلْزِمَةِ | binding quantities |
| مُوَافَقَتِي الْمَبْدَئِيَّةُ | my agreement in principle |
| لِلطَّلَبَاتِ الْمُسْتَقْبَلِيَّةِ | for future orders |
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
- Distinguish a forecast, a confirmed order and an agreement in principle.
- Trace concessions back to each speaker’s operational or commercial concern.
- Recognise a qualified conclusion: clearer risks allow a trial without guaranteeing expansion.
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
لَكِنَّ تَقَلُّبَ الطَّلَبِ يَجْعَلُ تَثْبِيتَ الْكَمِّيَّاتِ مُبَكِّرًا مُخَاطَرَةً لَا نَسْتَطِيعُ تَجَاهُلَهَا
Use lakinna to qualify a positive aim; its noun taqalluba is accusative.
Idha in Arabic: How to Say When and If
إِذَا تَغَيَّرَ التَّوَقُّعُ نُحَدِّثُهُ
Use idha to connect a possible change in the forecast with the response to it.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّ الْمُرُونَةَ لَهَا تَكْلِفَةٌ
Introduce a reason with lianna; al-murunata takes the accusative.
