A story
Mia, Rashid and Zaatar Count the Camels to Ten
At the edge of the desert, Mia and her friend Rashid sat on the farm fence. Rashid's father had a job for them. "The camels are coming home. Count them as they come through the gate. There should be ten."
Flap-flap! Zaatar the green parrot landed between them. "Squawk! Counting? In Arabic? That's my favourite game!"
"I only know how to count in English," said Mia.
"Then hold up your fingers," said Zaatar. "Each finger gets an Arabic number. Ready?"
Clip-clop, clip-clop. A tall brown camel walked through the gate.
"واحد, wahid. One!" said Rashid. Mia held up one finger. "Wahid!"
Clip-clop, clip-clop. Two camels side by side.
"اثنان, ithnan, two! ثلاثة, thalatha, three!"
Can you say it too? Wahid, ithnan, thalatha!
A mother camel walked by with her baby.
"أربعة, arba'a, four! خمسة, khamsa, five!"
"Half way!" cheered Mia, waving five fingers. "High five, Zaatar!" Zaatar gave her a high-feather instead.
A camel with a bell went ding-ding. "ستة, sitta, six!"
A sleepy camel yawned a giant yawn. "سبعة, sab'a, seven!" Zaatar yawned too. "Yawns are catching," he giggled.
A curious camel sniffed Mia's hat. "ثمانية, thamaniya, eight!"
A jolly camel trotted in. "تسعة, tis'a, nine!"
Here is Zaatar's camel counting song. Hold up your fingers!
Wahid, ithnan, camels in a line,
Thalatha, arba'a, walking fine,
Khamsa, sitta, sab'a too,
Thamaniya, tis'a, who is new?
They waited for number ten. And waited. And waited.
"Oh no," said Mia. "Only tis'a!"
Zaatar flew up high and looked around. "Squawk! Behind that dune! Two tiny ears!"
A little camel was resting in the shade, watching a butterfly. Mia and Rashid walked slowly and softly, so she wouldn't be frightened. Rashid hummed his grandmother's camel song. The little camel stood up and followed them home.
"عشرة, ashara, TEN!" shouted everyone.
Rashid's father smiled. "Shukran, you three. Counting is easy. Caring for every single one, that is what makes a good helper."
Words we learned:
واحد — wahid — one
اثنان — ithnan — two
ثلاثة — thalatha — three
أربعة — arba'a — four
خمسة — khamsa — five
ستة — sitta — six
سبعة — sab'a — seven
ثمانية — thamaniya — eight
تسعة — tis'a — nine
عشرة — ashara — ten
Let's practice:
1. Match the number to the word: 3 / 5 / 10 → عشرة / ثلاثة / خمسة
2. Fill in the missing number: wahid, ithnan, _____, arba'a.
3. Say it aloud: count your fingers from wahid to ashara!
4. Find and circle the word سبعة: ستة — سبعة — تسعة — سبعة
Answers: 1) 3 = ثلاثة, 5 = خمسة, 10 = عشرة. 2) thalatha (ثلاثة). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
Flap-flap! Zaatar the green parrot landed between them. "Squawk! Counting? In Arabic? That's my favourite game!"
"I only know how to count in English," said Mia.
"Then hold up your fingers," said Zaatar. "Each finger gets an Arabic number. Ready?"
Clip-clop, clip-clop. A tall brown camel walked through the gate.
"واحد, wahid. One!" said Rashid. Mia held up one finger. "Wahid!"
Clip-clop, clip-clop. Two camels side by side.
"اثنان, ithnan, two! ثلاثة, thalatha, three!"
Can you say it too? Wahid, ithnan, thalatha!
A mother camel walked by with her baby.
"أربعة, arba'a, four! خمسة, khamsa, five!"
"Half way!" cheered Mia, waving five fingers. "High five, Zaatar!" Zaatar gave her a high-feather instead.
A camel with a bell went ding-ding. "ستة, sitta, six!"
A sleepy camel yawned a giant yawn. "سبعة, sab'a, seven!" Zaatar yawned too. "Yawns are catching," he giggled.
A curious camel sniffed Mia's hat. "ثمانية, thamaniya, eight!"
A jolly camel trotted in. "تسعة, tis'a, nine!"
Here is Zaatar's camel counting song. Hold up your fingers!
Wahid, ithnan, camels in a line,
Thalatha, arba'a, walking fine,
Khamsa, sitta, sab'a too,
Thamaniya, tis'a, who is new?
They waited for number ten. And waited. And waited.
"Oh no," said Mia. "Only tis'a!"
Zaatar flew up high and looked around. "Squawk! Behind that dune! Two tiny ears!"
A little camel was resting in the shade, watching a butterfly. Mia and Rashid walked slowly and softly, so she wouldn't be frightened. Rashid hummed his grandmother's camel song. The little camel stood up and followed them home.
"عشرة, ashara, TEN!" shouted everyone.
Rashid's father smiled. "Shukran, you three. Counting is easy. Caring for every single one, that is what makes a good helper."
Words we learned:
واحد — wahid — one
اثنان — ithnan — two
ثلاثة — thalatha — three
أربعة — arba'a — four
خمسة — khamsa — five
ستة — sitta — six
سبعة — sab'a — seven
ثمانية — thamaniya — eight
تسعة — tis'a — nine
عشرة — ashara — ten
Let's practice:
1. Match the number to the word: 3 / 5 / 10 → عشرة / ثلاثة / خمسة
2. Fill in the missing number: wahid, ithnan, _____, arba'a.
3. Say it aloud: count your fingers from wahid to ashara!
4. Find and circle the word سبعة: ستة — سبعة — تسعة — سبعة
Answers: 1) 3 = ثلاثة, 5 = خمسة, 10 = عشرة. 2) thalatha (ثلاثة). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
