Advanced Audio Blog 2
What are the 5 most popular sweets in the Arab world? What vocabulary do I need to know to have a conversation with Arabic-speaking locals? You'll learn all this and more in this Culture Class Series! Vocabulary is essential to mastering Arabic. In this 25-lesson series, you'll learn the *most* essential Arabic vocabulary words related to culture and daily life. These words have been hand picked by our Arabic native speakers and cover topics like popular the dishes, national holidays and cities in the Arab world.
L# | Title | Topic | Summary | Cultural Fact | Vocabulary |
1 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Khufu | Egyptian Leaders | Stern leader, he reigned from roughly 2589 to 2566 BC., built great pyramids of Giza | Comic book superhero Hawkman | ﻏﻴﺮ ﻗﺎﻧﻮﻧﻲ ﺳﻼﻟﺔ ﺣﻤﺎﻳﺔ اﻳﺠﺎﺑﻲ ﺑﺮدى ﻓﻜﺮة ﻋﺮش وﺛﺎﺋﻖ اﺷﺎﻋﺎت ﻗﺎﺳﻲ |
2 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Hatshepsut | Egyptian Leaders | Longest reigning female pharaoh of any Egyptian dynasty, very successful, reigned for 22 years | Dispute about the reigns of Hatshepsut, her husband, and their son | ﺗﺄﺛﻴﺮ إﺗﺠﺎزات ﻣﻌﺎﺗﺎه ﻳﺘﺨﺼﺺ ﺗﻨﺺ ﺑﻨﺎء إﺳﺘﻌﺎدة ﺳﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﻓﺤﺺ ﻳﻌﺘﻠﻲ |
3 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Thutmose III | Egyptian Leaders | Known for military genius, conqured 350 cities, reigned 1479 B.C. to 1425 B.C. | Rocky relationship between Thutmose III and his mother | ﻋﺒﻘﺮي ﻗﺎﻃﻊ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻨﻬﺎﻳﺔ ﺣﻜﻢ دﻟﻴﻞ ﺗﻌﻘﻴﺪ ﺷﻼل ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻣﺘﻜﺮر ﺗﻘﺎرﻳﺮ اﻟﻘﻮة اﻟﻌﺴﻜﺮﻳﺔ |
4 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Akhenaten | Egyptian Leaders | Akhenaten changed religious practices (introduced henotheism), ruled for 17 years, Egyptians returned to polytheism after his death | His portrayal in writings and drawings lead scientists to believe he had Marfan's syndrome | ﺟﺪال أﺳﻄﻮرة ﺗﺪﻣﻴﺮ ﻳﻐﺘﻘﺪ وﺟﻮد اﻟﻤﻤﺎرﺳﺔ ﻧﻘﻄﺔ ﺗﺸﻊ ﺗﻮﺗﺮ ﺗﻘﻠﻴﺪي |
5 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Tutankhamen | Egyptian Leaders | He took the throne at the age of nine or ten in 1333 BC and ruled for only 10 years, dying at age 18, cause of death is disputed, one of the most well-known pharohs due to his well preserved burial site | Mummy is on display at underground tomb in Luxor (ancient city of Thebes), area is known as the Valley of the Kings | أﻗﻨﻌﺔ إﻟﺘﻬﺎب ﺟﻴﻨﺎت ﺣﻨﻚ ﺑﺎﺣﺜﻴﻦ دﻣﺎغ ﻧﺸﻂ إﻏﺘﻴﺎل ﻣﺮوع ﻣﻠﺤﻮظ |
6 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Rameses II | Egyptian Leaders | Became pharaoh in 1279 BC, ruled for more than 65 years, known for military success and commissioning many construction projects, credited with moving the capital city to Pi-Ramessu, had more than 100 children | His was issued a passport in order to be transfered to Paris for examination | اﻧﺠﻴﻠﻴﺔ اﻟﺨﺮوج أﻫﺮاﻣﺎت ﻏﺎدر ﻣﻌﺒﺪ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﺳﻜﻨﻴﺔ اﻟﻜﺜﻴﺮ ﻗﺎﺋﺪ ﺿﺨﻢ ﺣﺪﻳﻘﺔ اﻟﺤﻴﻮان |
7 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Ramses III | Egyptian Leaders | Ruled for 30 years, last Pharaoh of the New Kingdom era, his reign was marked by turmoil and change, including environmental disaster | Murder plot lead by two of his wives was uncovered and documented, those involved went to trial but Ramses III died during trial | ﻓﺮﻋﻮن ﻳﻐﺰو اﻟﺤﺒﻮب ﻣﺸﻬﻮر ﻣﺎﻟﻴﺔ إﻋﺎدة ﺗﺼﻨﻴﻊ إﺟﻬﺎد ﺷﻚ ﻋﺎﻫﻞ ﺗﺒﺮﻳﺪ |
8 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Darius | Egyptian Leaders | Darius I came to the throne in 522 BC and ruled for 36 years, he was a Persian ruler, known for his financial policy, expanding trade, creating universal currency used throughout the Persian empire | Zoroastrian faith | ﻋﺒﺮ إﻣﺒﺮاﻃﻮرﻳﺔ ﻋﻼﻗﺔ ﻃﻘﻮس اﻟﻌﺒﻮر ﺗﺠﺎرة أﺻﻞ ﻣﻌﺘﻘﺪات اﻟﺘﺪﻳﻦ ﺗﺴﺎﻣﺢ ﻗﺒﻴﻠﺔ |
9 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Ptolemy I | Egyptian Leaders | One of the trusted generals and personal bodyguards to Alexander of Macedon, established a Greek dynasty in Egypt, founded Library of Alexandria | Succession was unclear after Alexander's death and traditional burial was impossible | ﻣﺴﺘﻘﺮة اﻟﻜﺮة اﻷرﺿﻴﺔ ﻳﻌﺰي ﻳﺘﻌﺎرك ﺣﺎرس ﺷﺨﺼﻲ تاﺟﺮ ﺗﺒﻨﻰ ﺻﻌﺐ ﻣﺪﻧﻲ إزدﻫﺎر و اﻧﻬﻴﺮ |
10 | Top 10 Egyptian Leaders: Cleopatra VII | Egyptian Leaders | Ruled 51 to 30 BC, only Greek ruler to learn Egyptian language, known for political savvy and holding off the Roman invasion of Egypt, famously romanically involved with both Caesar and Marc Antony, committed suicide after the Battle of Actium in 30 BC | Destruction of the Library of Alexandria | ﻟﻐﺔ ﺛﻼﺛﻲ اﻟﺘﺎرﻳﺦ اﻟﻘﺪﻳﻢ إﻧﺘﺤﺎر ﻏﺎﺋﻢ إﻏﺘﻴﺎل ﻗﻮة ﺰاعِﻧ ﺳﻴﺎﺳﻲ إﻏﺮاء |
11 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Amr Diab | Egyptian Musicians | Current face of pop music in Egypt, first album was in 1983, pop or rock genre is known as geel in Egypt, also has appeared in films | Appeared in a Pepsi commercial with Pink, Britney Spears, Beyonce Knowles, and Jennifer Lopez. In the American version of the commercial, Diab was replaced by Enrique Iglesias. | ﺗﺴﺠﻴﻞ ﻣﻬﺮﺟﺎن ﻓﻨﺎن ﺗﻔﺮﻗﻌﺖ ﻣﻮﺳﻴﻘﻰ أﻓﻼم ﻏﺮﺑﻲ ﻣﺮح ﺿﺤﻚ ﻣﺰج |
12 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Fairouz | Egyptian Musicians | Born in Lebanon in 1935, shy as a child but talented, sings both Arabic and Western music | Paid only one Lebanese pound for her first concert, refused to do a private show for the King of Algeria, this was very popular with fans | ﺻﺤﺔ ﻣﻠﺤﻦ إﻣﺘﻨﺎن ﺗﺪرب زواج ﺻﻮت ﺧﺠﻞ ﺗﻠﻬﻢ وﻃﻨﻲ اﻟﻜﻴﻤﻴﺎء |
13 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Ilham al-Madfai | Egyptian Musicians | Iraqi but now lives in Jordan, known as the "Baghdad Beatle," known for his blending of guitar and traditional music, guitarist, composer, and singer, first album in 1999 went platinum | Family did not want him to persue music, upset traditionalists with new electric instuments | ﻋﺎزف اﻟﺠﻴﺘﺎر ﻣﻮﻫﺒﺔ اﻟﻬﺠﺮةِ راﺋﻊ إﻋﺼﺎر ﺣﻔﻞ ﺗﺨﺮج ﻣﻌﻤﺎري ﻣﻬﻨﺔ اﻟﺒﻼﺗﻴﻦ ﺳﻠﻄﺎت |
14 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Magida El Roumi | Egyptian Musicians | Lebanese singer, soprano, career started when she won the gold medal on the talent show Studio El Fan, has had a long a varied career | Patriotic songs and activist work | ﻣﻮﺳﻴﻘﻲ ﻋﻠﻤﺎﻧﻲ ﺟﻤﻬﻮر دﻳﻨﻲ دﻋﻢ ﻣﺮاﻋﻘﺔ اﻟﺴﺮﻃﺎن آﺑﺎء اﺳﺘﺮﺟﺎع ﻋﻠﻤﺎﻧﻲ اﻟﺸﺮق اﻷوﺳﻂ |
15 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Mohamed Abdel Wahab | Egyptian Musicians | Singer and oud player, known for his innovations and exquisite musical compositions, brought Western influences to merge into traditional music, born in 1907, lived into his 80s | Compsed national anthem for the Kingdom of Libya | ﻧﺸﻴﺪ وﻃﻨﻲ ﻳﻨﺘﻘﺪ ﺗﻜﺮﻳﻢ ﻳﺄدي ﻣﺰج ﻣﺤﺘﺮف ﻣﻘﺪﻣﺔ ﻒّأﻟ ﻣﻬﻨﺔ راﺋﺪ |
16 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Mohamed Al-Qasabji | Egyptian Musicians | Born in 1892 in Cairo, oud player, top 5 of all-time, long and successful career | Oud is one of the oldest and most traditional instruments in the Arab world | آداء ﻏﻨﺎﺋﻲ اﻟﺸﻌﺮ اﻟﻜﺘﺎﺑﺔ آﻻت إﻳﻘﺎع ﻣﻮﻧﻮﻟﻮج ﻣﻠﺤﻦ ﻋﺎزف |
17 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Riyad Al-Sunbati | Egyptian Musicians | Oud player, he was called "the Canary of Mansoura," known in Egyptian history as bringing new life into traditional Egyptian music styles | Unique differences between oud and other string instruments | ﻋﻮد ﻳﻐﻨﻲ ﻣﻌﻠﻢ ذوق اﻟﺘﺎﻧﺠﻮ ﻣﺪرﺳﺔ آﻟﺔ وﺗﺮﻳﺔ أﻛﻮردﻳﻮن |
18 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Sayed Darwish | Egyptian Musicians | Born in 1892 in Alexandria, one of the great Egyptian composers and musicians, often referred to as the father of popular Egyptian music, dies at age 31, wrote the music for the Egyptian national anthem | Darwish's famous song "Salma Ya Salama (Salma or Peace)" was written for a play and has been sung in many different languages | ﻣﻬﻨﺔ ﺷﺨﺺ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﺨﺒﺔ ﻣﺴﻠﺴﻞ ﺗﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻧﻲ اﻟﺮﻗﺺ اﻟﺘﺄﺛﺮ اﻟﺤﺮﻳﺔ ﻣﺸﻬﻮر ﻧﺸﻴﺪ وﻃﻨﻲ |
19 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Umm Kulthum | Egyptian Musicians | Born in the late 19th or early 20th century, began her career disguised as a boy, she was loved and heralded as the greatest and most distinguished Arab singer in the 20th century | Her music was banned for polical reasons for a brief time | أﺑﻨﺎء اﻟﻮﻃﻦ دﺑﻠﻮﻣﺎﺳﻲ أﺻﻮات أورﻛﺴﺘﺮا ﻋﺒﺎﻗﺮة اﻹذاﻋﺔ ﻧﺴﺎء اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ |
20 | Top 10 Egyptian Musicians: Zakariyya Ahmad | Egyptian Musicians | Born in 1896, famed as a composer, known for his use of traditional Egyptian folk styles, wrote many songs for Umm Kulthum | He attended Al-Azhar University, the second oldest surviving degree granting university in the world, founded around 970 | فرﻗﺔ ﺗﺮاﺗﻴﻞ ﻓﻠﻜﻠﻮر ﻋﺒﺎدة ﻣﻘﻄﻊ ﺻﻮﺗﻲ ﻣﻨﻮﻋﺎت ﻧﻔﻲ أب |
21 | Top 10 Egyptian Movies: Al-Ard (The Land) | Egyptian Movies | Directed by Youssef Shahine, released in 1969 and is considered a great Egyptian classic, based on a 1954 novel written by Abdel Rahman al-Sharqawi | Throughout history, Egypt has often been targeted by invaders for its strategic location and resources. | ﻋﺎﻣﺔ اﻹﺿﻄﻬﺎد ﻧﺰﻳﻒ اﻟﺪم إﻧﺠﺎزات إﺣﺒﺎط ﻓﺴﺎد ﺗﻌﻘﻴﺐ دﻣﺞ |
22 | Top 10 Egyptian Movies: Al-Haraam | Egyptian Movies | Directed by Henry Barakat, released in 1965, dramatic Egyptian film based on a novel by the author Yusuf Idris | Yusuf Idris was a famous Egyptian writer known for his novels, short stories and plays. | إﻧﺠﺎب ﻃﻔﻞ ﻏﺎﻣﻀﺔ ﻣﺜﻴﺮ ﻟﻠﺠﺪل أﻓﻼم اﻟﺮﻋﺐ ﻗﺒﺮ ﺗﻌﺒﻴﺮ ﺗﻘﻠﻴﺪي ﺷﺮوط |
23 | Top 10 Egyptian Movies: Al-Mummia (The Night of Counting the Years or the Mummy) | Egyptian Movies | Released in Egypt in 1969, still credited by Egyptian critics as one of the best ever Egyptian films, Directed by Shadi Abdel Salam, explores the search for an Egyptian identity that has been usurped, conquered, and colonized | While today mummies are prized for the historical knowledge that they provide us with, during the Victorian era, mummies were used and abused by a mesmerized English public. | ﻋﺎﻟﻤﻴﺔ ﻣﺘﺠﺮ ﺷﺎﻣﻞ ﺑﻄﻮﻟﻲ ﻣﻮﻣﻴﺎء ﺣﻜﻮﻣﺔ ﺻﺮﻳﺢ أﺟﺎﻧﺐ أﻓﻼم |
24 | Top 10 Egyptian Movies: Bab El-Hadid (The Iron Gate) | Egyptian Movies | Released in 1958, Directed by Youssef Shahine, banned for 12 years in Egypt, this film tackled the provocative and taboo topic of sexual obsession | Sexual harassment was an issue in the 1950s and still an issue that is on the rise in modern society. | ﺟﺮﻳﺪة ﻏﺮﻳﺐ اﻷﻃﻮار ﻣﺜﻴﺮ ﻟﻺﺿﻄﺮاب ﻫﻮس ﺟﻨﻮن ﻣﻔﺘﺮس إﺗﺤﺎد |
25 | Top 10 Egyptian Movies: Bidaya wa Nihaya (A Beginning and an End) | Egyptian Movies | Released in 1960, based on the novel by Nobel Prize winning writer Naguib Mahfouz that looks at the lives of an Egyptian family in Cairo after the death of the family patriarch | A famous Egyptian actor, Omar Sharif is known for his pivotal roles in a number of classic Hollywood pictures, including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand | اﻟﺘﺄﻗﻠﻢ ﻣﻮت دﻋﺎرة ﻣﺨﺮج ﻣﺆﻟﻒ إدﻣﺎن ﻣﺴﺮﺣﻴﺎت ﻣﺄﺳﺂه |