Family Reading Practice

Read a short description of John’s family and use the text to explore the source’s questions.

Reading the Latin spelling

This is a simplified learning transcription adapted from the source, not a phonetic alphabet. sh = ش, kh = خ, gh = غ, 3 = ع, and 7 = ح. The numbers represent sounds. Dotted ṣ, ṭ and ḍ mark emphatic consonants; doubled letters indicate a longer consonant. Regional pronunciation and spelling can vary.

Read in short sections

• My name is John. My father’s name is Stephen and my mother’s name is Judy.

  سميتي دجون. بابا سميتو ستيفن و ماما سميتها دجودي.

  smiti John. baba smitu Stephen u mama smitha Judy.

• I have three siblings: two girls and a boy. My brother’s name is Brian.

  عندي تلاتة د الخوت: جوج بنات و ولد. خويا سميتو بريان.

  3ndi tlata d l-khut: juj bnat u wld. khuya smitu Brian.

• He works at a company. My sister Kathy is married and has two children: a boy and a girl.

  هو خدام ف واحد الشركة. ختي كاثي مزوجة و عندها جوج دراري: ولد و بنت.

  huwa khddam f wa7d sh-sharika. khti Kathy mzuwja u 3ndha juj drari: wld u bnt.

• The boy is still little; he is three months old. The girl is eight years old and goes to school.

  الولد مازال صغير عندو تلت شهور. البنت عندها تمن سنين و كتمشي للمدرسة.

  l-wld mazal ṣghir 3ndu tlt shhur. l-bnt 3ndha tmn snin u kat-mshi l l-mdrasa.

• My younger sister, Mary, is still studying at university.

  ختي الصغيرة، ماري، مازال كتقرا فالجامعة.

  khti ṣ-ṣghira, Mary, mazal kat-qra f l-jami3a.

The English meanings are added learning aids. The source’s account is divided into shorter sections here; the people and relationships remain the same.

Questions from the source

Look back at the reading to find the information. No official answer key is provided in the source.

• 1. What is John’s father’s name?

  بات دجون، شنو سميتو؟

  bat John, shnu smitu?

• 2. And his mother, what is her name?

  و مّو، شنو سميتها؟

  u mmu, shnu smitha?

• 3. How many siblings does John have?

  شحال د الخوت عند دجون؟

  sh7al d l-khut 3nd John?

• 4. Who is the youngest in John’s family?

  شكون الصغير ف العائلة د دجون؟

  shkun ṣ-ṣghir f l-3a’ila d John?

• 5. Does John’s niece work?

  واش بنت خت دجون خدامة؟

  wesh bnt kht John khddama?

Reading tip

Track who each sentence refers to before moving to the next one. The child aged three months is Kathy’s son; the girl aged eight is Kathy’s daughter.

Source and audio

Adapted for LearnLahja from Peace Corps/Morocco, Basic Introduction to Arabic, lesson 30 (PDF page 25). English learning notes, layout and simplified Latin spelling are editorial adaptations. LearnLahja is independent and is not endorsed by Peace Corps.

Audio unavailable. The source names a recording covering lessons 28–30, but no playable recording has been verified for this lesson.