Arabic Language Listening and Conversation Syllabus

Listening and Conversation syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Listening and Conversation in Arabic Language, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Listening Foundations

   3 topics

   • Distinguishing sounds and minimal pairs
   • Understanding numbers, prices, and times
   • Following slow, clear speech
2. 2

   Everyday Conversation

   4 topics

   • Introducing yourself and others
   • Asking for and giving directions
   • Shopping and ordering food
   • Making plans and appointments
3. 3

   Functional Speaking

   4 topics

   • Phone calls and messages
   • Expressing opinions and preferences
   • Agreeing, disagreeing, and negotiating
   • Handling problems and complaints
4. 4

   Understanding Real Speech

   3 topics

   • News broadcasts and interviews
   • Podcasts and audio dramas
   • Films and TV series
5. 5

   Fluency and Discussion

   4 topics

   • Narrating events and telling stories
   • Debating and presenting arguments
   • Giving presentations
   • Idiomatic and natural conversation

Listening and Conversation flashcards for Arabic Language

24 of 49 cards from the Listening and Conversation deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a minimal pair in Arabic phonology, and why is it important for listening?

   A minimal pair is two words that differ in only one sound yet carry different meanings, e.g. قَلب (qalb, 'heart') vs كَلب (kalb, 'dog'). They train the ear to distinguish contrastive phonemes.

2. Which pairs of Arabic consonants are the classic 'emphatic vs plain' contrasts that learners must distinguish by ear?

   س/ص (s / ṣ), د/ض (d / ḍ), ت/ط (t / ṭ), and ذ/ظ (dh / ẓ). The emphatic (velarized) sounds are pronounced with the back of the tongue raised, darkening the surrounding vowels.

3. How do the Arabic sounds ح (ḥ) and ه (h) differ?

   ح is a voiceless pharyngeal fricative produced deep in the throat with constriction of the pharynx; ه is a light voiceless glottal fricative like English 'h'. Confusing them changes meaning, e.g. حَبّ (ḥabb, love) vs هَبّ (habba, gust/blew).

4. What is the difference between the Arabic sounds ع (ʿayn) and أ (hamza / glottal stop)?

   ع is a voiced pharyngeal fricative made by constricting the pharynx; أ (hamza) is a glottal stop, a brief closure of the vocal cords. Both have no English equivalent and are a key minimal-pair contrast, e.g. عَلِم (ʿalima, he knew) vs أَلِم (alima, he was in pain).

5. In Arabic, how does vowel length change meaning, and give an example.

   Long vowels (ا ي و, doubled duration) contrast with short vowels and can change the word entirely, e.g. جَمَل (jamal, 'camel') vs جَمال (jamāl, 'beauty'). Listeners must attend to vowel duration.

6. What are the Arabic cardinal numbers 1 to 10?

   واحد (wāḥid) 1, اثنان (ithnān) 2, ثلاثة (thalātha) 3, أربعة (arbaʿa) 4, خمسة (khamsa) 5, ستة (sitta) 6, سبعة (sabʿa) 7, ثمانية (thamāniya) 8, تسعة (tisʿa) 9, عشرة (ʿashara) 10.

7. How do you ask 'How much does it cost?' in Arabic when shopping?

   بِكَم هذا؟ (bikam hādhā?) meaning 'For how much is this?', or كَم السِّعر؟ (kam as-siʿr?, 'What is the price?').

8. How is the time 'It is three o'clock' expressed in Arabic?

   السّاعة الثّالِثة (as-sāʿa ath-thālitha). Times use the ordinal number with السّاعة (the hour/clock); والنِّصف = 'and a half', والرُّبع = 'and a quarter', إلا رُبع = 'quarter to'.

9. What listening strategy helps a learner cope with slow, clear speech before they know every word?

   Listen for keywords (content words like nouns, verbs, numbers) and use context to infer meaning, rather than trying to decode every word. Predict content from the situation and rely on cognates and repeated phrases.

10. What is the standard Arabic greeting and its expected reply?

    Greeting: السَّلامُ عَلَيكُم (as-salāmu ʿalaykum, 'peace be upon you'). Reply: وَعَلَيكُمُ السَّلام (wa ʿalaykumu s-salām, 'and upon you peace').

11. How do you introduce yourself by name in Arabic (male and female forms)?

    اسمي... (ismi..., 'my name is...'). To say 'I am' you can use أنا (anā). Gender does not change 'ismi', but describing yourself does, e.g. أنا طالِب (ṭālib, male student) vs أنا طالِبة (ṭāliba, female student).

12. How do you ask someone their name formally in Arabic, addressing a man versus a woman?

    To a man: ما اسمُك؟ (mā ismuka?). To a woman: ما اسمُك攏؟ (mā ismuki?). The pronoun suffix changes: -ka (masc.) vs -ki (fem.).

13. How do you introduce a third person, e.g. 'This is my friend Ahmad' in Arabic?

    هذا صَديقي أحمد (hādhā ṣadīqī Aḥmad). هذا (hādhā) = 'this' for a male; هذه (hādhihi) = 'this' for a female.

14. How do you ask for directions to a place, e.g. 'Where is the bank?' in Arabic?

    أينَ البَنك؟ (ayna al-bank?). أين (ayna) = 'where'. To ask how to get there: كيفَ أصِلُ إلى...؟ (kayfa aṣilu ilā...?, 'how do I reach...?').

15. What are the key Arabic direction words: right, left, straight, near, far?

    يَمين (yamīn) = right, يَسار / شِمال (yasār / shimāl) = left, عَلى طُول / مُباشَرة (ʿalā ṭūl / mubāshara) = straight ahead, قَريب (qarīb) = near, بَعيد (baʿīd) = far.

16. How do you politely order food in a restaurant, e.g. 'I would like...' in Arabic?

    أُريد... (urīd..., 'I want...') or more politely أُريدُ أن ... / مِن فَضلك أُريد (min faḍlik urīd, 'please, I would like'). To ask for the bill: الحِساب مِن فَضلك (al-ḥisāb min faḍlik).

17. What phrase asks 'Do you have...?' when shopping in Arabic, for a male and female shopkeeper?

    To a man: هَل عِندَكَ...؟ (hal ʿindaka...?). To a woman: هَل عِندَك攏...؟ (hal ʿindaki...?). عِند (ʿinda) expresses possession ('to have').

18. How do you propose making plans, e.g. 'Shall we meet tomorrow?' in Arabic?

    هَل نَتَقابَلُ غَدًا؟ (hal nataqābalu ghadan?) or ما رَأيُكَ أن نَلتَقي غَدًا؟ (mā ra'yuka an naltaqī ghadan?, 'What do you think of meeting tomorrow?'). غَدًا (ghadan) = tomorrow.

19. What are the Arabic days of the week?

    الأحَد (al-aḥad) Sunday, الإثنين (al-ithnayn) Monday, الثُّلاثاء (ath-thulāthā') Tuesday, الأربِعاء (al-arbiʿā') Wednesday, الخَميس (al-khamīs) Thursday, الجُمُعة (al-jumʿa) Friday, السَّبت (as-sabt) Saturday.

20. What is a common Arabic phrase for answering the phone?

    آلو (ālū, 'hello') is the standard telephone opener, often followed by مَن مَعي؟ (man maʿī?, 'who is with me / who is speaking?').

21. How do you say 'Can I leave a message?' in Arabic on a phone call?

    هَل يُمكِنُني تَركُ رِسالَة؟ (hal yumkinunī tarku risāla?). رِسالة (risāla) = message/letter.

22. What phrases express an opinion in Arabic, e.g. 'In my opinion...' and 'I think that...'?

    في رَأيي (fī ra'yī, 'in my opinion'), أَعتَقِدُ أنّ... (aʿtaqidu anna..., 'I believe that...'), and أَظُنُّ أنّ... (aẓunnu anna..., 'I think that...').

23. How do you express preference in Arabic, e.g. 'I prefer tea over coffee'?

    أُفَضِّلُ الشّاي عَلى القَهوة (ufaḍḍilu ash-shāy ʿalā al-qahwa). The verb أُفَضِّل (ufaḍḍil, 'I prefer') + عَلى (ʿalā, 'over') marks the comparison.

24. What are the common Arabic expressions for agreeing?

    أَتَّفِقُ مَعَك (attafiqu maʿak, 'I agree with you'), مُوافِق (muwāfiq, 'agreed'), صَحيح (ṣaḥīḥ, 'correct/true'), and بِالتَّأكيد (bit-ta'kīd, 'certainly').

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