4
Polite words
Arabic A1 · Unit 7
GoalThank someone, answer thanks, ask politely and say yes or no.
New words
شُكْرًا (shukran) · thank youشُكْرًا جَزِيلًا (shukran jazīlan) · thank you very muchعَفْوًا (ʿafwan) · you are welcome; excuse meمِن فَضْلِك (min faḍlik) · pleaseنَعَم (naʿam) · yesلَا (lā) · no
Explanation
Shukran means “thank you”, and shukran jazīlan means “thank you very much”. The usual answer is ʿafwan, “you are welcome”. The same word also means “excuse me” or “pardon”. When you ask for something, say min faḍlik, “please”. Naʿam is “yes” and lā is “no”. They sound polite when you add shukran: lā, shukran means “no, thank you”.
Worked examples
Tariq
شُكْرًا جَزِيلًا
Dina
عَفْوًا
مِنmin+فَضْلِfaḍl+كik
Min faḍlik is made of three parts: min “from”, faḍl “favour”, ik “your”. So it means “out of your kindness”.Yes or no, always with thanks.
Class activity
Politeness game. With a friend or family member, pretend to pass small things (a pen, a cup, a book). Ask with min faḍlik, take it, and say shukran. The other person answers ʿafwan. Then offer something and let your friend answer naʿam, shukran or lā, shukran.
Practice
1
Press Listen. Is this word “thank you” or “hello”?
…
Hello: أَهْلًا (ʾahlan).
2
What do you answer to شُكْرًا?
عَفْوًا (ʿafwan), “you are welcome”.
3
Write in Arabic: “no, thank you”.
لَا، شُكْرًا
4
Give two meanings of عَفْوًا.
“You are welcome” (after thanks) and “excuse me”.
5
Which word goes with the picture: نَعَم or لَا?
نَعَم (naʿam), “yes”.