☰ Units · Arabic A1

Greetings and introductions

Unit 7 · Part B · Arabic A1 (Beginners)
3

My name is…

Arabic A1 · Unit 7
GoalSay your name, ask someone's name and say you are pleased to meet them.
New words
اِسْمِي (ismī) · my name (is)مَا اسْمُك (mā smuk) · what is your name?أَنَا (ʾanā) · I (am)أَيْضًا (ʾayḍan) · also, tooتَشَرَّفْنَا (tasharrafnā) · pleased to meet youفُرْصَة سَعِيدَة (furṣa saʿīda) · pleased to meet you (happy chance)
Explanation

To give your name, say ismī and then the name: ismī Laylā. Ismī is ism, “name”, plus ī, “my”. You can also say ʾanā and the name: ʾanā Laylā, “I am Layla”. To ask “what is your name?”, say mā smuk. Mā means “what”; question words come in unit 12, so learn this one as a phrase. The first sound of ism is not heard after mā, so you hear mā smuk. When you meet someone say tasharrafnā or furṣa saʿīda, and the other person can answer ʾanā ʾayḍan, “me too”.

NameSayEnglish spelling
لَيْلَىLaylāLayla
كَرِيمKarīmKarim
سَلْمَىSalmāSalma
عُمَرʿUmarOmar
نُورNūrNour
يُوسُفYūsufYusuf
مُنَىMunāMona
حَسَنḤasanHassan
دِينَاDīnāDina
طَارِقṬāriqTariq
هِنْدHindHind
فَادِيFādīFadi
سَارَةSāraSara
Worked examples
Salma

مَرْحَبًا، اِسْمِي سَلْمَى. مَا اسْمُك؟

Omar

أَهْلًا، أَنَا عُمَر. تَشَرَّفْنَا

Salma

فُرْصَة سَعِيدَة

Salma and Omar meet. Read the lines: marḥaban, ismī Salmā. mā smuk? ʾahlan, ʾanā ʿUmar. tasharrafnā. furṣa saʿīda.
اِسْمِism-+يī
Ismī is built from two parts: ism “name” and ī “my”. The same ī means “my” on other words too.
Two ways to say who you are. Both are correct.
Class activity

Name card. On a card write ismī and your name, using the Arabic letters you know, with all the vowels. Ask a friend to read it. Then act out a first meeting in front of a mirror: say hello, give your name, ask mā smuk, and say tasharrafnā. Use two names from the table for a role play.

Practice
1
Press Listen. Does the speaker greet you, or ask your name?

…

2
Write in Arabic: “my name is Hind”.
3
Which phrase asks “what is your name?”: مَا اسْمُك or كَيْف حَالُك?
4
Layla says اِسْمِي لَيْلَى. Karim answers with a phrase for meeting someone. Which phrase can he use?
Layla

اِسْمِي لَيْلَى

5
Read the three names aloud: طَارِق، سَارَة، فَادِي.