One of the basic issues that face learners of Arabic as a foreign language is that it largely deals with formal topics. I know many students who can talk about freedoms and rights, yet who do not know how to say fork or knife! I think that it is very important to learn this basic vocabulary, as it relates to everyday life and to actually living in the culture and experiencing it.

Image by Daniel Carbom on Flickr

I will begin by presenting the vocabulary items, then I will present examples of some words in context. dining table = مائدة cutlery = أدوات المائدة napkin = فوطة fork = شوكة knife = سكين spoon =ملعقة tea spoon = ملعقة شاي soup spoon =  ملعقة شوربة plate = طبق cup  (e.g. of coffee)  =  فنجان tea pot = أبريق الشاي glass (e.g. of water) = كوب glass (e.g. of wine) = كأس bottle = زجاجة

هل يمكن أن تساعدني في إعداد المائدة؟

Can you help me set the table?

نحتاج المزيد من الأطباق.

We need more plates!

كوب ماء، من فضلك.

A cup of water, please!

أريد شوكة نظيفة.

I want a clean fork.

ما أجمل الوجبة!

What a lovely meal!