Lesson 29: The Student & Classroom Objects in Lebanese Arabic

This lesson covers the essential vocabulary for any student. Learn how to say “student,” “teacher,” and “I study,” and discover the names for common classroom objects like pens, books, and notebooks in Lebanese Arabic. This is the perfect vocabulary for school, university, or any learning environment.

Full Transcript: A Guide to the Classroom

1. Being a Student

First, let’s learn how to introduce yourself as a student and say what you are studying.

• Student (female): telmizeh (تلميذة)
• Student (male): telmiz (تلميذ)
• I am a student (female): ana telmizeh (أنا تلميذة)
• I am a student (male): ana telmiz (أنا تلميذ)

The verb “to study” is bedros (بدرس).

• I study Arabic: bedros 3arabeh (بدرس عربي)

You can combine these into a full sentence:

• ana telmizeh bedros 3arabeh bil jeim3a el lebneniyeh.
• (أنا تلميذة بدرس عربي بالجامعة اللبنانية)
• I am a student (f.), I study Arabic at the Lebanese University.

Note: University is jeim3a (جامعة), which is a feminine word, so it takes the feminine adjective lebneniyeh (لبنانية).

2. Classroom Objects

Here are the names for the essential tools you’ll find in any classroom.

• Pencil: alam rsas (قلم رصاص)
• Pen: alam (قلم)
• Paper: war’a (ورقة)
• Notebook: daftar (دفتر)
• Book: kteb (كتاب)
• Ruler: mastara (مسطرة)
• Board: loH or lawH (لوح)
• Chair: kirseh (كرسي)
• Table: tawleh (طاولة)

To say “I write with the pen on the paper,” you would say:

• ana biktob bil alam 3ala al war’a. (أنا بكتب بالقلم على الورقة)

3. People & Places in the School

• Teacher (female): ma3almeh (معلمة) or Anisa (آنسة)
• Teacher (male): estez (أستاذ) or ustaz (أستاذ)
• Classroom: saff (صف)

4. Classroom Interactions & Phrases

Need to ask for something? Here are some useful phrases.

• May I…? / Can I…?: fineh…? (فيني…؟)
• May I go to the bathroom?: fineh foot 3al Hemmem? (فيني فوت عالحمام؟)
• May I drink?: fineh oshrab? (فيني إشرب؟)

To borrow something from a friend:

• Can you lend me a pen? (to a male): fik t3eerneh alam? (فيك تعيرني قلم؟)
• Can you lend me a pen? (to a female): fikeh t3eereeneh alam? (فيكي تعيريني قلم؟)

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Key Vocabulary & Phrases

Lebanese Phrase	Transliteration	English Meaning
تلميذ / تلميذة	Telmiz / Telmizeh	Student (m/f)
بدرس	Bedros	I study
جامعة	Jeim3a	University
قلم رصاص	Alam rsas	Pencil
دفتر	Daftar	Notebook
كتاب	Kteb	Book
لوح	LoH / LawH	Board
كرسي / طاولة	Kirseh / Tawleh	Chair / Table
معلمة / أستاذ	Ma3almeh / Estez	Teacher (f/m)
صف	Saff	Classroom
فيني…؟	Fineh…?	May I…?
فيك تعيرني؟	Fik t3eerneh?	Can you lend me? (to a male)