Arabic A1, Unit 5: Reading three-letter words

Reading three-letter words

Arabic A1 · Unit 5

GoalRead short three-letter words and short phrases with all the letters you know so far.

New words

كَلْب (kalb) · dogقَلْب (qalb) · heartكَم (kam) · how manyسَمَك (samak) · fishجَمَل (jamal) · camelمِلْح (milḥ) · saltبَحْر (baḥr) · sea

Explanation

Here is a reading routine. Start at the right edge and name the first letter. Say its vowel, then move to the next letter. If a letter has a sukun, join it to the sound before it: كَلْب is kal + b. The last letter has no mark, so read it with no vowel. Say the whole word slowly, then quickly. One small change can give a new word: قَلْب and كَلْب differ only in the first letter.

كَka+لْl+بb

Worked examples

مِmi+لْl+حḥ

Break مِلْح into steps: مِ + لْ + ح. The last letter, ḥaa, is breathy and has no vowel.

One letter changes the word: q is deep, k is light. Press Listen to hear heart and dog.

Two words together make a short phrase: a noun and a word that describes it.

Class activity

Reading cards. Make ten paper cards and write one word on each: the words of this lesson and some from earlier lessons, with all vowels. Shuffle them and read each card aloud from the right. Put the cards you read easily in one pile and the others in another pile. Read the second pile again tomorrow.

Practice

Read aloud and say what it means: كَلْب.

Press Listen. How many letters does the word have?

Which two of these words differ only in the first letter: قَلْب and كَلْب, or سَمَك and جَمَل?

Read the phrase aloud and say what it means: فِيل كَبِير.

The picture shows a fish. Which word is it: سَمَك or جَمَل?

Faa, qaaf, kaaf, laam, meem

Reading three-letter words