Today in Part 2 of our Arabic for Life lesson on asking for directions, you’ll read a dialogue about Ahmed who’s trying to find his way to the center of Cairo. You'll also read a dialogue about Farah and Laith who are trying to find a place to park in a strange town.


Dialogue 1: Can You Tell Me How To Get To...?


Ahmed is driving toward Cairo, Egypt, but this is his first time in the city, so he decides to stop on his way to buy a map. He stops at a convenience store to see if they can help him. Let's read about it:


Ahmed

هَلْ تَبيعُ الخَرائط؟

/hal tabeeʻu ilkharaaʼiT/

Do you sell maps?


Salesperson

لا، أنا آسِف، نَحنُ لا نَبيعُ الخَرائط.

/laa ʼanaa ʼaasif naHnu laa nabeeʻu ilkharaaʼiT/

No, I'm sorry, we don't.


Ahmed

 لِسوءِ حَظّي

/lisooʼi HaDHee/

Just my luck.


Salesperson

رُبَّما أستَطيعُ مُساعَدَتَك.

/rubbamaa ʼastaTeeʻu musaaʻadatak/

Maybe I can help you.


Ahmed

حَسَنًا، هَل يُمكِنُكَ أن تُخبِرَني كَيفَ أصِلُ إلى القاهِرَة؟

/Hasanan hal yumkinuka ʼan tukhbiranee kayfa ʼaSilu ʼilaa ilqaahirah/

Well, can you tell me how to get to Cairo?


Salesperson

بِالتَّأكيد. 

اتَّبِع الطَّريقَ السَّريعَ جَنوبًا لِمَسافَةِ عَشرَة أمتار تَقريبًا، ثُمَّ اتَّجِه يَسارًا إلى شارِعِ رمسيس.

/bittaʼkeed. ittabiʻ iTTareeqa issareeʻa janooban limasaafati ʻashrat ʼamtaar taqreeban thumma ittajih yasaaran ʼilaa shaariʻi rmsees/


Sure. Follow the highway south for about ten meters, and then make a left on to Ramses Street.


Ahmed

اليَسارُ فِي نِهايَةِ المُنحَدَر؟

/alyasaar fee nihaayati ilmunHadar/

Left at the end of the ramp?

`

Salesperson

نَعَمْ. ثُمَّ عِندَ التقاطُعِ التَّالي، انعَطِفْ يَسارًا وَسَتَجِدُ نَفْسَكَ في

وَسَطِ القاهِرَة.

/naʻam thumma ʻinda ittaqaaTuʻi ittaalee inʻaTif yasaaran wa satajidu nafsaka fee wasaTi ilqaahirah/

Yes. Then, at the next intersection, turn left and you'll be in the center of Cairo.


Ahmed

شُكرًا جَزيلاً.

/shukran jazeelan/

Thanks a lot.


Salesperson

عَلى الرَّحبِ وَالسَّعَة.

/ʻalaa irraHbi wa issaʻah/

You're welcome.

Dialogue 2: No Parking!


Farah and Laith are in town to run a few errands. The only problem is that they can't find a place to park. They've been driving around looking for parking on the street, but finally they give up and decide to park in a parking lot. Farah decides to ask the parking attendant for directions.


Farah

لا يُمكِنُكَ الاصطِفافُ هُنا، سَتَحصُلُ عَلى مُخالَفَة.

/laa yumkinuka iliSTifaafu hunaa sataHSul ʻalaa mukhaalafah/

You can’t park here! You'll get a ticket!





Laith


اصطِفافُ السَّيّاراتِ في هَذِهِ المَدينَةِ لَيسَ سَهلًا، دَعونا نَبحَثُ عَن مَوقِفٍ لِلسَّيّارات.

/iSTifaafu issayyaaraati fee haTHihi ilmadeenati laysa sahlan daʻoonaa nabHathu ʻan mawqifin lissayyaaraat/

Parking in this city is not easy. Let's look for a parking lot.


Farah

هُناكَ واحِدٌ، وَسِعرُهُ دولارَينِ فَقَط في السّاعَة.

/hunaaka waaHidun wa siʻruhu dolaarayni faqaT fee issaaʻah/

There's one, and it's only two dollars an hour.


Parking Lot Attendant

أَهلًا. ها هِيَ تَذكِرَتَكَ. قُمْ بِالاصطِفافِ في تِلكَ المَسَاحَةِ. 

/ʼahlan haa hiya taTHkirataka qum biliSTifaafi fee tilka ilmasaaHah/

Hi. Here's your ticket. Line up in that space


Farah

 هَل يُمكِنُ أَن تُخبِرَنا كَيفَ نَصِلُ إلى قاعَةِ المَدينَة؟

 /hal yumkin ʼan tukhbiranaa kayfa naSilu ʼilaa qaaʻat ilmadeenah/

Could you tell us how to get to the town hall?


Parking Lot Attendant





سِر بِاتِّجاه الشَّرقِ، واتَّجِه إلى اليَسَارِ، سَتَكونُ قاعَةُ المَدينَةِ أَمامَكَ مُباشَرَةً.

/sir bittijaah isharqi wa ittajih ʼilaa ilyasaari satakoon qaaʻatu ilmadeenati ʼamaamaka mubaasharah/


Walk east, and make a left. The town hall will be right in front of you.





Laith

شُكرًا جَزيلًا

/shukran jazeelan/

Thank you very much !


Parking Lot Attendant

لا مُشكِلَة، استَمتِعا بِيَومِكُما!

/laa mushkilah istamtiʻaa biyawmikumaa/

No problem! You two enjoy your day!



Now that Ahmed is on his way and Farah and Laith found a place to park, you see how getting around in Arabic is actually pretty easy. Plus, you probably learned a few new Arabic words from Ahmed, Farah, and Laith today while you were reading it.


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