Archive for 'Culture'
What can Arabic Proverbs tell us about Arab Culture? Posted by yasmine on Dec 26, 2018
You can learn a lot about a culture when you know some of its proverbs مَثل/حِكمة or wise sayings. Here are some Arabic proverbs with their English translations. I have all the English translations at the bottom of the post, so you can first try to understand the meaning in Arabic or at least the…
Jesus is born, Hallelujah! ! ولد المسيح هللويا Posted by Anastasia on Dec 24, 2018
Today is December 24th, a very special day in the Christian calendar المسيحيون, for today, Jesus (يسوع المسيح) the savior (المخلص) was born. This holiday is one of the most anticipated holidays throughout the year. During this time, all family members gather under the Christmas tree (شجرة عيد الميلاد) to share gifts (هدايا) and laughs…
Envy and the Evil Eye in Arab and Islamic Culture الحسد Posted by yasmine on Dec 19, 2018
What do you know about the “evil eye” العين الحسود in Arab and Islamic culture الثقافة العربية والإسلامية? Like many people in the Middle East, I grew up believing in the power of envy الحسد and the existence of the evil eye. That one could envy intentionally and unintentionally, therefore, it’s always best to say…
How to pronounce the letter “ق” when SPEAKING Arabic Posted by yasmine on Dec 12, 2018
So, you’ve learned to read in Arabic and you’ve practiced how to pronounce the “ق” which is a “Q” sound in the back of your throat. Then, you hear Arabic speakers talk and realize that sometimes the letter “ق” is being replaced with another sound. Why is this so? Before reading this post, did you…
Jordan’s Melting Pot Posted by yasmine on Dec 5, 2018
مرحباً! If you’re studying Arabic, then you probably have Jordan as one of the Arab countries on your list to visit. Of course, if you are interested in Arab culture, Jordanians for the most part are Arabs, yet Jordan is also home to a few non-Arab ethnic minorities (أقليات عرقية) who have adapted to Arab…
!تفضل Tafaddal! Posted by yasmine on Nov 28, 2018
Oh, the many uses of “تفضل”. If you’ve been to any Arab country, watched any Arabic shows, visited an Arab friend, you’ve most likely heard this word being used over and over again. So, what does “تفضل” mean, what is it derived from, and pragmatically speaking, how is it used appropriately and in what contexts?…
Origins of Islamic Political Ideology Posted by Ibnulyemen اِبْنُ اليَمَن on Oct 26, 2018
Following the death مَوْت of Prophet النَّبِي Mohammed (PBUH), there was never a discord about the essence of Islam. The pillars of Islam أَرْكَانُ الإِسْلام, the Quran القُرْآن, the matters of worship, and all other principles that guided and organized Muslims’ lives were all incontrovertible. Political conflicts الاِخْتِلافَات السِّيَاسِيَّة, however, began to emerge. These differences…