Arabic_for_Dummies

Table 3-1 Country Names and Nationalities in Arabic

To tell someone “I am from Morocco,” you say ‘anaa min al-maghrib (ann-aa min al-magh-rib). Alternatively, you may also say ‘anaa maghribii (ann-aa magh-ree-bee; I am Moroccan) (M).

Fun & Games

Fill in the missing words below in the dialogue between a teacher and his student.

The answers are in Appendix C.

Part II

Arabic in Action

You get to know key words and phrases that allow you to interact with Arabic-speaking folks in a variety of

different settings (such as in a restaurant, around town, at the office, or even at the mall). You discover how to make small talk and how to ask for basic information about people you speak to, such as their names, where they’re from, and their occupations.

Chapter 4

Getting to Know You:

Making Small Talk

In This Chapter

Asking simple questions

Talking about your family, job, and hobbies

Commenting on the weather

Discovering the Arabic number system

Sorting out words for days and months

kalaam khafiif (kah-laah-m khah-feef; small talk, literally “light talk”) plays an important role during interactions with Arabic speakers. Sometimes

you need to engage in kalaam khafiif when you meet people for the first time; you may know their ‘ism (ee-sehm; name), but you want to find out more about them, such as where they’re from and what they do. kalaam khafiif allows you to find out more about the person you’re interacting with as well as lets you tell a little bit about yourself. kalaam khafiif may also take place between people who know each other but prefer to make small talk in order to avoid awkward silence! Whatever the case, the ability to engage in kalaam khafiif is important.

You need to be aware of a number of rules when you make small talk in Arabic. Some cultural, social, and personal topics are off-limits, and you may offend someone unnecessarily if you don’t know what topics to avoid. This chapter explains how to make kalaam khafiif in Arabic, including how to ask simple questions to find out more about the person or people you’re talking to. I review how to talk about your ‘usra (oos-rah; family), your mihna (meehnah; job), and your hiwaayaat (hee-waa-yat; hobbies). I also share how to chat about aT-Taqs (aht-tah-kes; the weather). Finally, you discover key words that will allow you to engage in kalaam khafiif like a native speaker!

Chapter 4: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk 63

lii maadhaa dhahabta ‘ilaa as-suuq? (lee maah-zaah za-hab-tah ee-laah ass-sook; Why did you go to the market?) (MS)

Notice that some of the questions above refer to either masculine or feminine subjects. When you ask a question in Arabic, you choose the gender of the subject by modifying the gender suffix of the noun in question. For example, kitaab (kee-tab) means “book,” but kitaabuka (kee-tah-boo-kah) means “your book” (M), and kitaabuki (kee-tah-boo-kee) means “your book” (F). So if you want to ask a man for his book, you use kitaabuka.

Talkin’ the Talk

Yassin and Youssef are both incoming freshmen at al-azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. They strike up a friendly conversation outside the cafeteria.

Words to Know

Talking About Yourself and Your Family

When you meet someone for the first time, you want to get to know a little more about them. One of the best ways to get acquainted with the person you’re talking to is by finding out more about his or her ‘usra (oos-rah; the family). The ‘usra is one of the best topics of conversation because it generates a lot of interest and endless conversation. Table 4-1 lists some important members of the ‘usra who may come up in casual conversation.