Learn Lebanese Arabic with weekly transcribed podcasts exploring Lebanon and its people | تعلم اللغة العربية باللهجة اللبنانية مع البودكاست الأسبوعي والمكتوب الذي يعرفك على لبنان وشعبه
The delicious mate drink is quite popular in Lebanon and the Levant region. Mate is traditionally a Latin American drink. As Lebanese emigration to the Western Hemisphere increased towards the end of the 19th century, the culture of drinking mate took root in Lebanon. In this episode, Rana and Khaled, both mate lovers, chat about … Continue reading Episode 66 – Maté
Aya is shopping for a dress for her friend’s wedding. She is excited to check out a clothing boutique a friend recommended. The first dress she likes is beyond her budget but she is surprised by the store’s quality and affordable prices on other items. Instead of buying one dress, she ends up buying three … Continue reading Episode 65 – Skit: clothes shopping
Siham is at a house party in Beirut where she only knows the busy host who is a longtime friend from university. Another guest, Sarah, knows several people at the get-together and strikes up a conversation with Siham. The two end up chatting about their lives, interests, and plans. It turns out to be a … Continue reading Episode 64 – Skit: get-together
Sursock Museum is one of the most prominent museums in Beirut. It represents an important landmark of the city’s art scene. Not only does it have a distinct architecture, but also an impressive interior. In this episode, Rana takes us a journey down memory lane, recounting how the museum evolved from being a beautiful palace … Continue reading Episode 63 – Sursock Museum
Mariam joins forces with Leen to tell us about the grammatical concept of demonstratives, which help us differentiate objects, events, and people in relation to the speaker. We select demonstratives such as "these" and "those" based on our perceived closeness or distance to the object. So whether you want to talk about these trying times … Continue reading Episode 62 – Demonstratives (this vs. that)
Layal and Nadim go to a fancy seafood restaurant in downtown Beirut to celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary. Layal has second thoughts about going to such a pricy restaurant but Nadim convinces her that such a special occasion is worth it. They take a table overlooking the sea and discuss the extensive menu before ordering. … Continue reading Episode 61 – Skit: anniversary dinner
Layla recently finished her master’s degree in Spain and is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. program at the Lebanese University. She wants to know about the process of applying to the university and equalizing her foreign master’s degree. During a visit to the university, she talks with a professor who gives her advice on next … Continue reading Episode 60 – Skit: Ph.D. candidate
Fadi and his family decided to spend next weekend in a hotel by the beach in Byblos. He is calling to book the rooms. Farah, the hotel receptionist, answers the phone and tells Fadi about the hotel rooms options, amenities, and scheduled events. Fortunately, it turns out that the hotel has lots of options and … Continue reading Episode 59 – Skit: hotel reservation
Undoubtedly 2020 was a tough year. We faced a global pandemic, political and economic upheaval, as well as natural and man-made disasters. We hope that during these historic times you have periodically experienced moments of goodness and upliftment. In this episode, Leen and Naim recap some of the events that marked this year. As 2020 … Continue reading Episode 58 – Happy New Year!
Christmas as a holiday is celebrated around the globe but there is always room for cultural differences in celebrations, tales, and customs. Lebanese Christmas celebrations include bounteous food spreads with family, Santa visits, big lit up Christmas trees, and goodies filled holiday markets. In this episode, Rea takes us on a tour of the major … Continue reading Episode 57 – Christmas in Lebanon