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](https://blogs.transparent.com/arabic/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/04/4531902594_76716ea8fc_z.jpg)
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!