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How to Get Started with Hob Learning

Are you completely new to the language? Check out our guide to getting started. We will link directly to videos from our platform and our Instagram! This list is by no means exhaustive, and be sure to check out our “Beginner Essentials” section on our platform as well!

Let’s get into it!

Let’s start with reading and writing:

Reading section on our platform: 

  1. Reading Introduction 

  2. The Alphabet - from Alif to Yaa

  3. Short Vowels

  4. Specific letter videos (there are 8! - go in the order that’s on our website)

Objective:

  • Memorize 28 letters, their shapes, sounds, and how they connect in words.

  • Recognize the Arabic letters in a text.

  • Be familiar with special letters and short vowels

Tips: 

  • Learn 3-4 letters every day.

  • Watch videos and read transcripts on our Instagram highlights and platform and try to recognize the letters that you learn.

  • Give yourself 10 days to get to know the alphabet well. 

  • Don’t stress if you can’t read quickly at the beginning. 


Now, let’s start building a base of grammar and vocabulary. : 

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Mealtime in Jordan

The video “Mealtime in Jordan” in our “Speak Like a Native” section on our platform discusses how to say "to have" breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Arabic, using the verbs بيفطر (biftar), بيتغدّى (betgadda), and بيتعشّى (betasha).

Breakfast/ فطور (ftoor)

In Jordan, فطور (ftoor) is the first meal of the day. For people who work in the morning, it can be a light snack on the way to work or a falafel sandwich from a nearby hummus restaurant.

On Fridays, فطور is a sit-down meal that usually consists of small plates of various types of food, such as za'atar w zeit, labneh, jebneh (cheese), beid (eggs), zeitun (olives), mrabba (jam), hummus, ful (fava beans), falafel, fatteh, and khubez (bread). The most important component is khubez.

Everyone sits down together to have breakfast on Fridays or on holidays between 10am and 12pm. The drink with this meal is usually hot tea with mint (shai bna3na3) or other herbs.

Every neighborhood has its own hummus restaurant, which is usually a take-out only place that sells hummus, ful, falafel, and other dishes made of chickpeas and fava beans. These small restaurants are packed on late Friday mornings, and restaurants that have a seating area would have a waitlist.

Lunch/ غدا (ghada)

The second meal of the day in Jordan is called غدا, which translates to "lunch" in English. However, it is often the largest meal of the day. When someone says "تعال/تعالي تغدّي عنا’, they are usually inviting you to a feast.

On Fridays and other holidays, غدا is eaten around 5pm. Many families in Jordan eat Mansaf for غدا on Fridays. Mansaf is considered the national dish of Jordan and consists of rice, meat, and a hot yogurt sauce. Other famous dishes for this meal are: Maqlubeh, (dawali) grape leaves, sayadiyeh, and mjaddara.

Some households drink soda or juice with this meal, while others prefer to drink another cup of tea after food.

Dinner/ العشا (el 3asha)

For many people, a heavy lunch, or الغدا, is the final meal of the day. It is sometimes followed by a dessert such as knafeh, kullaaj, baklava, and a small cup of Turkish coffee.

For many families, a late-evening meal, or العشا, is a small snack before bed or leftover breakfast food. Because the word translates to "dinner" in English, some people have adopted the English connotation of the word and use العشا to refer to the largest meal of the day.



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10 Ways to Address Someone in Jordanian/Palestinian Arabic

One of the more stressful situations when learning a new language is knowing how to address someone! In this blog post, our resident Jordanian teacher, Lina, breaks it down.

Ammo/Khalto (عمو/خالتو)

In Arabic culture, it is customary to show additional respect to individuals of older age. Calling someone older than you by their first name is considered offensive. To address an older lady, people use the word "Khalto," which means "maternal aunt," and to address an older gentleman, people use the word "Ammo," which means "paternal uncle." "Ammo" and "Khalto" are also used to address aunts and uncles, as well as parents-in-law. "Ammo" and "Khalto" both end with "o," the singular masculine form "his," and this is very common in Jordan, although some people might use "Ammi" and "Khalti."


Teeta/Sitto/Jiddeh (تيتا/ستّو/جدّة)

Depending on the exact dialect you use, these are ways to address a grandmother. "Teeta" is what small children would use, "sitto" is used by Palestinians and Jordanians of Palestinian origin, and "jiddeh" is used by Jordanians.

Seedo/Jiddo (سيدو/جدّو)

"Seedo" is what Palestinians and Jordanians of Palestinian origin would call their grandpa, and "jiddo" is used by Jordanians.

Law samaht! (لو سمحت)

To get someone's attention on the street or at a restaurant, you can say "law samaht" or "law samahti," which means "please/excuse me."

Madaam, Aaneseh (مدام/آنسة)

Although less common, this is a polite way to address a woman you don't know. It is usually used on the phone by customer service or at a nice restaurant. "Aaneseh'' means "miss."


Sayyed/Ustaz (سيّد/أستاذ):

This is a formal way to address a man. It is also used on the phone by customer service or at a nice restaurant.

Ya akhi, ya ukhti (yakhti)(يا أخي/يا أختي):

This literally means "my brother/my sister," and while it sounds friendly, it is not a very polite way to address someone. It is usually used in very informal situations, such as in street markets or by bus or taxi drivers.

Ya shabb, ya m3allem, ya habibi (يا شب/يا معلّم/يا حبيبي)

These are used informally to address a young man, usually someone who works at a small restaurant or a small shop. Recognize these phrases, but I recommend against using them, as they might sound a bit rude depending on the context.

Ya shaater/ya shaatra, Ya walad/ya benet (يا شاطر/يا شاطرة/يا ولد/يا بنت)

This is a colloquial way to address a child. It is also common to say "habibi" or "habeebti" to call a child.


Habibi/habeebti, 3omri, hayaati (حبيبي/حبيبتي/عمري/حياتي):

These are terms of endearment that people usually use to address their significant others.

Note: Keep in mind that “ya/يا” is used in front of a person’s name or in front of words discussed above to get that person’s attention, for example “ya Ahmad!”, “ya khalto!”.

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