In this upcoming video, I’m really excited to share with you a fun and educational journey through the Arabic alphabet, where we’ll be diving into two specific letters, R (ر) and Z (ز), and exploring their unique characteristics and uses. Not only that, but I’ll also be guiding you through the conjugation of the verb “to paint” in different tenses, helping you grasp the nuances of Arabic verb conjugations. And to add a special touch to our learning session, I’ve prepared a delightful surprise at the end of the video—a heartwarming performance of a traditional Lebanese dance by a group of adorable little kids, celebrating the joyous occasion of Mother’s Day. The dance, known as the Dabke, is a beautiful expression of Lebanese culture, and it was performed as part of a ceremony we organized at my school to honor all the wonderful mothers out there. So, stay tuned, enjoy the learning, and don’t forget to immerse yourself in the vibrant energy of the Lebanese dance at the end of our session!
Transcript:
Introduction
Hello, guys! How are you? Today, we’re going to learn two new letters and one conjugation verb. It is the verb “to paint.” At the end of the video, I’m going to share with you a Lebanese dance performed by little kids. Some days ago, it was Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mothers who are watching! Because of Mother’s Day, the school where I teach made a ceremony for the parents. One class had to do the Lebanese dance, a traditional dance called the Dabke. You’re going to see it at the end of the video. For now, let’s start with the letters.
Learning the Letters
I’m going to grab the camera. Today, we’re going to learn the letter R (ر) and Z (ز). The letter R (ر) in Lebanese, in the Arabic alphabet, is very simple. It is like this; it’s like the moon, very easy. You do like this: banana, moon, anything. The letter Z (ز) is very, very easy. It’s the R (ر) but with a point. See how easy? Z (ز).
And now, I’m going to make a word from these two letters, only these two: R (ر) and Z (ز). Together, they make the delicious word “rice.” So, R (ر) and Z (ز) together make “Riz” (رز), and “Riz” means rice. If I put the Z (ز) first and then the R (ر), I will have “Zirr” (زر), which means button. So, “Riz” means rice, and “Zirr” means button. It’s very simple.
So again, this is the R (ر), this is the Z (ز), and we have the delicious rice. The Z (ز) followed by the R (ر), and we have the button.
More Examples
Let’s learn more of this. When the R (ر) is at the beginning of a word, we have “Rasmeh” (رسمة). This is the R, and it means a painting. “Rasmeh” means painting. I’m going to turn this page.
When we have the R in the middle of the word, we have “Amar” (قمر). My writing isn’t very good. This is “Amar,” this is the R attached to the word, and “Amar” means the moon.
Now, when we have the R at the end of a word, it is attached to the word. This is an R at the end that is not attached. So, we have different kinds of Rs.
Today, we learned the Z and the R. Don’t forget our secret: R plus Z makes “Riz,” rice. Z plus R make “Zirr,” button.
Conjugating the Verb “To Paint”
Now, let’s conjugate the verb “to paint.” Can you see me? The verb “to paint” in Arabic is “Rasama.” “Fe3el” means verb. So, the verb “to paint” in the present tense is as follows:
- I paint: “Ana bersoum”
- You paint (male): “Enta btersoum”
- You paint (female): “Ente btersmeh”
- He paints: “Houwe byersoum”
- She paints: “Hiyeh btersoum”
- We paint: “Ne7na mnersoum”
- You paint (plural): “Ento btersmo”
- They paint: “Henneh byersmo”
Past Tense
Let’s learn the past tense. For the past tense, we usually do the regular, past simple. Today, we’re going to learn the past simple, but why not also learn the past perfect? I don’t know, the past that I draw and I used to draw. This “I used to draw” we’re going to learn it today.
Now, with a simple past:
- I painted: “Ana Rasamet”
- You painted (male): “Enta rasamet”
- You painted (female): “Ente rasamteh”
- He painted: “Houwe Rasam”
- She painted: “Hiyye rasamit”
- We painted: “Nehna Rasamna”
- You painted (plural): “Ento Rasamto”
- They painted: “Hinneh Rasamo”
Past Perfect
Always when we want to use the past continuous perfect, I don’t know, I forgot school, “Anna Kenet ersoum.” I used to paint:
- I used to paint: “Ana Kenet ersoum”
- You used to paint (male): “Enta Kenet tersoum”
- You used to paint (female): “Ente kenteh teresmeh”
- He used to paint: “Houwe Ken yersoum”
- She used to paint: “Hiyye kenit tersoum”
- We used to paint: “Ne7na kenna nersoum”
- You used to paint (plural): “Ento kento tersmo”
- They used to paint: “Hinneh Keno yersmo”
So always put the verb ‘ken’ and the verb ‘ken’ means the verb ‘I am’ here. ‘I am’, ‘I was’, ‘Ana Kenet’. So always when you want to use the ‘I used’, put the verb ‘I am’ for the verb ‘I am’, ‘Ana Kenet’.
So one last time:
- “Ana Kenet ersoum”
- “Enta Kenet tersoum”
- “Houwe Ken yersoum”
- “Hiyye Kenet tersoum”
- “Nehna kenna nersoum”
- “Ento kento tersmo”
- “Hinneh keno yersmo”
Don’t mix the two past tenses.
Future Tense
Now, the last tense, and it is the future one. You know by now when we want to use the future, it is very simple. It’s like the present, I mean there are exceptions, but it’s like the present, but we put ‘ra7.’
- I will paint: “Ana ra7 ersoum”
- You will paint (male): “Enta ra7 tersoum”
- You will paint (female): “Ente ra7 tersmeh”
- He will paint: “Houwe ra7 yersoum”
- She will paint: “Hiyeh ra7 tersoum”
- We will paint: “Ne7na ra7 nersoum”
- You will paint (plural): “Ento ra7 tersmo”
- They will paint: “Henneh ra7 yersmo”
Conclusion
This is my lesson for today. I hope you will enjoy it. Watch the video if you want the dance one, and don’t forget to subscribe. Thank you, see you soon.
Recap:
| English Word (Bold) | Lebanese (Latin Script) | Lebanese (Arabic Script) |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | Riz | رز |
| Button | Zirr | زر |
| Painting | Rasmeh | رسمة |
| Moon | Amar | قمر |
| Gun | Fared | فرد |
| Horn | Zammour | زمّور |
| Little Walk | Kazdoura | كزدورة |
| I paint | Ana bersoum | أنا برسم |
| You (male) paint | Enta btersoum | أنت بترسم (ذكر) |
| You (female) paint | Ente btersmeh | أنت بترسمي (أنثى) |
| He paints | Houwe byersoum | هو بيرسم |
| She paints | Hiyeh btersoum | هي بترسم |
| We paint | Ne7na mnersoum | نحنا منرسم |
| You all paint | Ento btersmo | أنتو بترسموا |
| They paint | Henneh byersmo | هني بيرسموا |
| I painted | Ana Rasamet | أنا رسمت |
| You (male) painted | Enta rasamet | أنت رسمت (ذكر) |
| You (female) painted | Ente rasamteh | أنت رسمتي (أنثى) |
| He painted | Houwe Rasam | هو رسم |
| She painted | Hiyye rasamit | هي رسمت |
| We painted | Nehna Rasamna | نحنا رسمنا |
| You all painted | Ento Rasamto | أنتو رسمتوا |
| They painted | Hinneh Rasamo | هني رسموا |
| I used to paint | Ana Kenet ersoum | أنا كنت ارسم |
| You (male) used to paint | Enta Kenet tersoum | أنت كنت ترسم (ذكر) |
| You (female) used to paint | Ente kenteh teresmeh | أنت كنتي ترسمي (أنثى) |
| He used to paint | Houwe Ken yersoum | هو كان يرسم |
| She used to paint | Hiyye Kenet tersoum | هي كانت ترسم |
| We used to paint | Ne7na kenna nersoum | نحنا كنا نرسم |
| You all used to paint | Ento kento tersmo | أنتو كنتوا ترسموا |
| They used to paint | Hinneh Keno yersmo | هني كانوا يرسموا |
| I will paint | Ana ra7 ersoum | أنا رح أرسم |
| You (male) will paint | Enta ra7 tersoum | أنت رح ترسم (ذكر) |
| You (female) will paint | Ente ra7 tersmeh | أنت رح ترسمي (أنثى) |
| He will paint | Houwe ra7 yersoum | هو رح يرسم |
| She will paint | Hiyeh ra7 tersoum | هي رح ترسم |
| We will paint | Ne7na ra7 nersoum | نحنا رح نرسم |
| You all will paint | Ento ra7 tersmo | أنتو رح ترسموا |
| They will paint | Hinneh ra7 yersmo | هني رح يرسموا |
