review & speak
You made the effort of going through the story — this is what makes it stick before the next one washes it out: engage with the words and patterns, then produce them out loud.
Intermediate · en→ar
1 · Vocabulary — the story's new words
The words this story used that are new at its level, sorted by meaning (Ctrl/Cmd+F to search). Save any of them to your word list — 23 new words here.
2 · Grammar — patterns from the story
habitual past with كان + imperfectكان + imperfect verb
«كان يسكن» في الرياض.
He used to live in Riyadh.
reported speech with قال إنهقال + إن + clause
قال «إنه» بيجي باكر.
He said that he'll come tomorrow.
negating a verb with ماما + verb
«ما رحت» المدرسة.
I didn't go to school.
relative clause with الليnoun + اللي + clause
الولد «اللي» يشتغل معي.
The boy who works with me.
عشان + verb (purpose 'in order to')عشان + imperfect verb
رحت الدكان «عشان أشتري» خبز.
I went to the shop to buy bread.
past of a description with كانكان + nominal sentence
«كان» الجو حار.
The weather was hot.
time clause with لما / يوملما + clause , + clause
«لما» أشوفه، أقول له.
When I see him, I'll tell him.
present/imperfect verb (I …)أ + verb stem (1sg present)
«أشرب» قهوة.
I drink coffee.
the connector بس (but)clause + بس + clause
أبي أروح «بس» تعبان.
I want to go but I'm tired.
time expressionstime word in the sentence
«باكر» عندي اختبار.
Tomorrow I have an exam.
nominal sentence (no copula)subject + predicate (no verb)
«البيت كبير».
The house is big.
attached object pronounsverb + object ending
«شفته» أمس.
I saw him yesterday.
3 · Practice A — build your own sentence
Use each pattern on your own life. Say it out loud, then peek at one valid version.
لمّا (when)
Say what happened at that moment.
اللي (that/which)
Describe something using a relative clause.
قال إن (said that)
Report what someone said.
4 · Practice B — translate, then check
Your language → the language you're learning, using the story's words and patterns.
5 · The speech — say it out loud
A ~1-minute speech, not a monologue — the arc (open → explain → example → opinion → contrast → close) is what makes it sound human. Study the one help bank first; then pick an angle and say each line in the language you're learning, out loud — no cues next to the lines on purpose. ✨ = new for these speeches; everything else is review from the story.
help bank · key vocabulary
help bank · connectors — the glue, in talk order
help bank · grammar patterns
WHEN … (past)لمّا + past
لمّا يلقون لؤلؤة كبيرة يفرحون.— When they found a pearl big they got happy
IN ORDER TOعشان + verb
يحبسون نفسهم عشان يطلعون اللؤلؤ.— They held their breath in order to bring up the pearl
SAID THATقال + إن
قال إن الحياة زمان كانت صعبة.— He said that life long ago was hard
now perform it — pick an angle · all 5 use the one bank above, no new words
Life long ago.
the speech — say each line in the language you're learning
① Open — say your topic
1.I want to talk about life long ago.
2.My grandfather used to love to tell stories about diving
② Set the scene
3.Let me set the scene.
4.Here is how it began.
③ What happened
5.The men used to go to the sea for months
6.One thing led to another.
④ More detail
7.Here is a bit more.
8.They didn't have ships modern
⑤ How it felt
9.I felt a lot that day.
10.It stayed with me.
⑥ Close — wrap up + a question
11.In the end it was worth it.
12.And you, what about you?
⚠ stuck? model answers — try first, peek last