Word for the Travel Wise (12/08/06)

Here is an easy Arabic word for the day without all the coughing sounds people tend to add in when they think of learning the language.

Today’s word is an Arabic word used in Egypt:

yom – day

My Language Exchange is an excellent site in making friends across the globe while zoning in on the areas that give you the most trouble in your language of choice. While most services are free, contacting other members does cost a very small fee. Other learning tools for free standard Arabic online include this Learn Arabic site which has some remarkable lessons. The audio sounds a bit off for me, but they’ve got both the Naskh script (easy to read when learning the alphabet) and the Latin spelling of the letter. Babel Arabic is another good source. Planet Edu has an online listing of Arabic schools all over the Middle East, Africa and the U.S. Lastly, for purchase and a quick pocket guide there’s the Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook.

Past Arabic words: wafin, akhdar, taeadol, shwiya, la bas, filoos, khwaga, hegab, aktar

Word for the Travel Wise (11/06/06)

It is said that Doha, Qatar is one of the dullest places on the entire planet Earth. There is little to do, little to see, and did I mention little to do already? According to LP you’ll have a hard time finding anyone who thinks the place is an exciting desert oasis or diamond in the rough, but if you’re flying into the country you’ll learn it is also the only city with hotels and an airport. So dull or not you haven’t much choice in experiencing Doha. If you want more you’ll have to step out beyond the city.

Today’s word is an Arabic word used in Qatar:

aktar – more

My Language Exchange is an excellent site in making friends across the globe while zoning in on the areas that give you the most trouble in your language of choice. While most services are free, contacting other members does cost a very small fee. Other learning tools for free standard Arabic online include this Learn Arabic site which has some remarkable lessons. The audio sounds a bit off for me, but they’ve got both the Naskh script (easy to read when learning the alphabet) and the Latin spelling of the letter. Babel Arabic is another good source. Planet Edu has an online listing of Arabic schools all over the Middle East, Africa and the U.S. Lastly, for purchase and a quick pocket guide there’s the Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook, which should be the closest to that spoken in Qatar verses Moroccan Arabic.

Past Arabic words: wafin, akhdar, taeadol, shwiya, la bas, filoos, khwaga, hegab

Word for the Travel Wise (10/20/06)

Ramadan ends in just a few days and to keep up with cultural understanding and terminology of things we see in the Muslim world I provide you with this word. It’s an easy one and many of you probably already know it, but I’m sure there are a few stragglers out there not hip to the vocab.

Today’s word is an Arabic word used in Egypt:

hegab – woman’s headscarf

My Language Exchange is an excellent site in making friends across the globe while zoning in on the areas that give you the most trouble in your language of choice. While most services are free, contacting other members does cost a very small fee. Other learning tools for free standard Arabic online include this Learn Arabic site which has some remarkable lessons. The audio sounds a bit off for me, but they’ve got both the Naskh script (easy to read when learning the alphabet) and the Latin spelling of the letter. Babel Arabic is another good source. Planet Edu has an online listing of Arabic schools all over the Middle East, Africa and the U.S. Lastly, for purchase and a quick pocket guide there’s the Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook.

Past Arabic words: wafin, akhdar, taeadol, shwiya, la bas, filoos, khwaga

Photo of the Day (9/25/06)


I love Arabic and Persian writing even if it’s written on a dusty piece of masking tape or label on a jar. While I think I can make out the words pronunciations I couldn’t tell you whether it’s paint or condiments in those jars. I’m sure evanr would have a clue. He took this photo while in Islamic Cairo right outside of the Khan Al-Khalili Market. So telling, yet not so telling.

Word for the Travel Wise (09/19/06)

How I’ve managed to forget this wonderful travel site often loaded with photography from some lesser explored places – I do not know. TravelAdventures.org has an amazing photo set of Yemeni people, the Haraz Mountains, qat, and other Yemeni things. I’m going to bookmark this one for future reference and so I don’t forget it again.

Today’s word is an Arabic word used in Yemen:

khwaga – foreigner

My Language Exchange is an excellent site in making friends across the globe while zoning in on the areas that give you the most trouble in your language of choice. While most services are free, contacting other members does cost a very small fee. Other learning tools for free standard Arabic online include this Learn Arabic site which has some remarkable lessons. The audio sounds a bit off for me, but they’ve got both the Naskh script (easy to read when learning the alphabet) and the Latin spelling of the letter. Babel Arabic is another good source. Planet Edu has an online listing of Arabic schools all over the Middle East, Africa and the U.S. Lastly, for purchase and a quick pocket guide there’s the Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook.

Past Arabic words: wafin, akhdar, taeadol, shwiya, la bas, filoos