School Activities

School activities in Arabic

This topic is about the activities you do at school - lessons, sport, music, clubs, trips and homework. Every word comes with its Arabic script, a transliteration in brackets to help you say it, and the English meaning. Remember: Arabic is read from right to left.

Words for school activities

Here are six to learn first. Each shows the script, how to say it, and what it means.

What riyada means in Arabic

What does رياضة (riyada) mean?

• Sport
• Music
• Homework
• A library

Match each word to its English meaning

How Arabic works

Two things to remember about the script. First, Arabic is read from right to left - the opposite of English. Second, the little prefix ال (al-) at the start of a word means the: نادي (nadi) is "a club", and النادي (an-nadi) is "the club". Spot the ال and you have spotted "the".

Which are activities?

Select the THREE words that are school ACTIVITIES, not objects.

• رياضة (riyada)
• موسيقى (musiqa)
• رحلة (rihla)
• كتاب (kitab)
• قلم (qalam)

More activity words

Four more, including the places where activities happen.

Match the script to how it is said

Where are you?

You go to the مكتبة (maktaba). What is it?

• The library
• The sports field
• The music room
• The exam hall

How do you say it?

A lesson درس is said _____. Homework واجب is said _____. Sport رياضة is said _____. A trip رحلة is said _____.

Putting it together

Now you can talk about a whole school day. At school (مدرسة) you sit in a lesson (درس), you might do sport (رياضة) on the field or music (موسيقى) in class, and there may be an exam (امتحان). After lessons come clubs (نادي) and school trips (رحلة), and at home there is always the homework (واجب).

Arabic needs no word for is

Once you can attach ال (al-), the words go straight into sentences. Arabic needs no word for "is": - الدرس في المدرسة = "the lesson is at the school". Two things placed side by side, joined only by في (fi - in, at). Nothing stands for "is". - أحب الرياضة والموسيقى = "I like sport and music". A verb sentence, opening with أحب (uhibbu - I like). To negate the first one, use ليس: ليس الدرس في المدرسة.

Arabic has no word for "is"

Arabic has no word for "is". Which of these says "the lesson is at the school"?

• الدرس في المدرسة (al-dars fi al-madrasa)
• الدرس يكون في المدرسة (al-dars yakun fi al-madrasa)
• المدرسة في الدرس (al-madrasa fi al-dars)
• أحب الرياضة والموسيقى (uhibbu al-riyada wa-al-musiqa)

Order the school day

Put a normal school day into a sensible order. (Each step tags its Arabic word.)

• You arrive at school (مدرسة)
• You have your first lesson (درس)
• You do sport on the field (ملعب)
• After lessons you go to a club (نادي)
• At home you do your homework (واجب)

Pick the word

For each situation, choose the right Arabic word.

• You want to talk about your PE and sport at school.
• Lessons are over and you want to join an after-school club.
• The teacher gives you work to finish at home.

Read the script

Three questions about the Arabic script itself.

• In which direction is Arabic written and read?
• The prefix ال (al-) at the start of a word means...
• Which word is the Arabic for "school"?