4
Shopping and prices
Arabic A1 · Unit 18
GoalAsk for a price and say that something is cheap or expensive.
New words
بِكَم هَذَا؟ (bi-kam hādhā?) · how much is this?الثَّمَن (ath-thaman) · the priceبِخَمْسَة (bi-khamsa) · for fiveغَالِي (ghālī) · expensiveرَخِيص (rakhīṣ) · cheapأَشْتَرِي (ʾashtarī) · I buyأُرِيد هَذَا (ʾurīd hādhā) · I want this
Explanation
To ask a price say بِكَم? (bi-kam), “for how much?”. بِكَم هَذَا؟ means “how much is this?”. The seller answers with بِ and a number: بِخَمْسَة is “for five”. Here we use the numbers 3 to 10 and leave out the money word. Use غَالِي (expensive) and رَخِيص (cheap) like other adjectives. For a feminine thing add ة: هَذِهِ الطَّاوِلَة غَالِيَة.
| Price | Eastern | Arabic | Say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | ٣ | بِثَلَاثَة | bi-thalātha |
| 7 | ٧ | بِسَبْعَة | bi-sabʿa |
| 9 | ٩ | بِتِسْعَة | bi-tisʿa |
| 10 | ١٠ | بِعَشَرَة | bi-ʿashara |
Worked examples
Dina
مِن فَضْلِك، بِكَم هَذَا الدَّفْتَر؟
Hassan
بِثَلَاثَة.
Dina
هُوَ رَخِيص! أُرِيد هَذَا.
Hassan
شُكْرًا.
At the shop: a book and a notebook. Ask the price of each: بِكَم هَذَا؟
Two sentences. Read each one, then listen.
Class activity
Play shop. Put small paper price tags with a number from 3 to 10 on five things at home. A friend points and asks بِكَم هَذَا؟ and you answer with بِ and the number, for example بِخَمْسَة. Then change roles.
Practice
1
Press Listen. Which number do you hear: 3, 4 or 8?
…
4: بِأَرْبَعَة (bi-ʾarbaʿa), “for four”.
2
The picture shows a pencil that costs 3. Is it غَالِي or رَخِيص?
رَخِيص, “cheap”.
3
Ask the price of the notebook.
بِكَم هَذَا الدَّفْتَر؟ (or بِكَم الدَّفْتَر؟)
4
The picture shows a bag. Say “this bag is expensive”.
هَذِهِ الْحَقِيبَة غَالِيَة
5
Say “for six” in Arabic.
بِسِتَّة