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
Ziad Rahbani, the talented son of Lebanese musical icons Fairouz and Assi Rahbani, grew up to be a composer, playwright, pianist, and political commentator. He directed his first play Sahriyye when he was only 17 years old. In this episode, Rana and Khaled discuss his artistic contributions, as well their favorite songs, plays, and books … Continue reading Episode 69 – Ziad Rahbani
Masculine and feminine words are two key elements in mastering the Arabic language. Knowing the gender of Arabic words allows us to be more understood and enhance our comprehension skills as well. Mariam teamed up with Khaled in this episode to explain how to differentiate masculine and feminine words, and how to use them in … Continue reading Episode 68 – Masculine and feminine words
Every year large numbers of Lebanese leave the country to study, find new work opportunities, or escape the economic and political challenges that Lebanon faces. Many people have family and friends who have emigrated and left behind a deep void. In this episode, Leen describes her personal experience with saying goodbye to her brother Wael … Continue reading Episode 67 – Farewells
The delicious maté drink is quite popular in Lebanon and the Levant region. Maté 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 maté took root in Lebanon. In this episode, Rana and Khaled, both maté 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