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
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
Marwan and Katia are chatting when an incoming phone message alert interrupts their conversation. The interruption sparks a discussion about how smartphones affect in-person meetings and conversations. During their debate, the two explore the upsides and downsides of the super computers in the palms of our hands and make a plan to reduce how often … Continue reading Episode 56 – Skit: debate about smartphones
Join Mariam and Naim as they travel through Lebanon noting the art and slogans on cars, buses, trucks, and vans. Learn about this cultural and artistic display on Lebanese roads. What is the purpose of the art and writings? What do some of these phrases mean, and what do they tell you about the life … Continue reading Episode 55 – Art on vehicles
On a Sunday morning, a new married couple, Nabil and Samar are having coffee in the kitchen and discussing their plans for the day. They have lunch plans with friends later in the afternoon but want to get a few chores done before leaving the house. The couple negotiate and barter chores and then get … Continue reading Episode 54 – Skit: sharing household chores
Khaled is waiting outside the office of the Director of the National Theatre of Lebanon to be called in for a job interview. He applied a few weeks ago for the Communication Manager position at the organization. He is a communications professional and loves theatre. It is his dream job. As he waits, he is … Continue reading Episode 53 – Skit: job interview
Rami and Tala are walking in Beirut on a Sunday morning and decide to explore one of Beirut’s old neighborhoods, Zoqaq El Blat. Tala went to school there when she was young but it has been a long time since she was last there. As they walk through the neighborhood, they discuss its history and … Continue reading Episode 52 – Skit: exploring a neighborhood
Karim and Ola are meeting for the first time in a cafe. A mutual friend set them up on a blind date. Karim is already waiting for her inside the cafe. Ola walks in and looks around to find him. Karim sees her and waves his hand and says hello. Lebanese Arabic Transcript and English … Continue reading Episode 51 – Skit: first date
Rail transport began in Lebanon in the 1890s while it was part of the Ottoman Empire. Over time, rail lines were built along the entire length of the Lebanese coastline. Additional tracks ran east across the country connecting Beirut and the Syrian capital Damascus. The rail system operated for close to a hundred years but … Continue reading Episode 50 – Lebanon’s defunct train system