Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
ArabicPod101.com presents Arabic Survival Phrases. This course is designed to equip you with the language skills and knowledge to enable you to get the most out of your visit to Arabic speaking countries, with particular focus on Morocco. So join us for Arabic Survival phrases. You will be surprised at how far a little Arabic will go.
Now before we jump in, remember to stop by ArabicPod101.com, there you’ll find an accompanying PDF, additional learning tools in the premium learning center, and other great Arabic language learning materials. In addition, you’ll find more information in the post. And if you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment.

Lesson focus

When you travel, staying in touch with your family and friends is a must. And unless you’re staying at an expensive hotel that has internet connection, and unless you have your own computer with you, you will need at some point to find an internet café.
Today’s lesson will help you navigate your way at an internet café.
Finding an internet café is an easy task because there are a bunch of them out there in Morocco, even though the connection is sometimes slow. But, they’re good enough for research, word processing, email, chat, scanning, and printing.
To start with, internet café in Arabic is “cyber café.”
cyber café
cyber café
It’s French, but again, Moroccan Arabic has a lot of French words in it, so make sure you don’t pronounce it the English way, cyber café, because no one will understand you.
Here again, the French way: cyber café
The sign for internet cafes in Morocco is easy to spot because it always says “cyber café” or “internet café” in Roman alphabet. You’ll recognize the words easily because they’re spelled exactly the same in French and in English, though pronounced differently.
Now, once inside, you really don’t need to say much to get a seat. Just go to the reception desk at the entrance, and say: Internet, ‘afâk (إنترنيت عفاك), which means “internet, please.”
One mor time, slowly: Internet, ‘afâk.
The first word, internet, is just how Moroccans pronounce “internet.”
The second word, ‘afâk, is Arabic word for “please.”
After that, the person will just nod and either guide you to a particular computer, or very often, will ask you to choose your own seat. Actually, almost all of the time, you can choose where to sit. Once you’ve settled, the staff will come over and put a ticket next to your computer with the time you’ve signed in. You don’t need to say anything at this point. And you won’t need a user ID or a password or anything to log on. You can start right away.
When you leave, simply bring that ticket to the counter and you’ll be charged for hours you stayed. The rate is about 80 Dh for an hour, which is roughly around 80 cents. You don’t have to stay a full hour if you don’t want to, because you will be charged per 15 minutes of stay.
Some internet cafes are open 24hr and some close late at night. In any case, it’s good to know when they close so you don’t run out of time. Here’s how you say it in Arabic:
fūqāš katsdū? (فوقاش كتسدو؟)
fūqāš katsdū?
fūqāš katsdū?
fūqāš (فوقاش) is Arabic for “when” and katsdū (كتسدو) means “you close”.
So fūqāš katsdū? means “When do you close?” or “What time do you close?”
We learned numbers in Arabic a few weeks ago, so the person will answer by saying mعa (مع), which means “at”, followed by a number.
So, mعa ṯamānyah means “at 8 o’clock.”
Or, mعa tisʿah means “at 9 o’clock.”
Another critical question for all of you laptop-packing world trekkers is "Does this store have WIFI?"
In Arabic, "Does this store have WIFI?" is kāīn internet sans fil hinā? (كاين إنترنيت هنا؟)
kāīn internet sans fil hinā?
Let’s break it down by syllable: kāīn internet sans fil hinā?
Now let's hear it once again: kāīn internet sans fil hinā?
The first word, kāīn, means “there is.”
Let's break it down and hear it one more time: kāīn
kāīn
This is followed by internet, which again, means “internet.”
This is followed by the French words “sans fil,” which means “without wires.”
We use the word sans sometimes in English to mean “without” so you probably already know that.
After here, the phrase, kāīn internet sans fil, literally means “there is internet without wires?”
This is followed by hinā, which in Arabic is “here.”
One time slowly: hinā
And, hinā
So, altogether, we have kāīn internet sans fil hinā?
Literally, it means “there is interente without wires here?” Or basically, "Does this store have WIFI?"
When you asked this question, expect to hear either “yes” or “no” as an answer. So let's learn what these basic words are in Arabic.
“Yes” in Arabic is ʾāh (آه)
ʾāh
It’s just like a sound of /a/ that you prolong and then you end it with /h/.
ʾāh
“No” in Arabic is lâ (لا)
Make sure you stress on the L sound, the beginning L.
There you go! Now you know enough Arabic to find internet access anywhere in Morocco! But don't be surprised if the answer is usually lâ.

Outro

Okay, to close out today's lesson, we'd like for you to practice what you've just learned. I'll provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you're responsible for saying it aloud. You'll have a few seconds before I give you the answer, so حظ سعيد, that means "good luck" in Arabic.
Ok, here we go!
“Internet cafe” - cyber café
cyber café
cyber café
“When do you close?” - fūqāš katsdū?
fūqāš katsdū?
fūqāš katsdū?
“At 8 o’clock.” - mعa ṯamānyah
mعa ṯamānyah
mعa ṯamānyah
"Do you have wireless internet here?" - kāīn internet sans fil hinā?
kāīn internet sans fil hinā?
kāīn internet sans fil hinā?
“Yes.” - ʾāh
ʾāh
ʾāh
“No.” - lâ
All right. This is going to do it for this lesson of Arabic Survival Phrases. Remember to stop by ArabicPod101.com. There you’ll find an accompanying PDF, additional learning tools in the premium learning center, and other great Arabic language learning materials. See you soon, which in Arabic is - ilā al-liqāʾ.

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