Lesson 48
From Walid's Diary
من يوميات وليد
A personal diary in fuṣḥā Walid's reflections integrate all Level Three grammar and vocabulary into a natural, flowing narrative. This is both the final unit and an invitation: you now have the tools to write your own diary in Arabic.
Diary and Reflection Vocabulary
ArabicTransliterationMeaning
يَوْمِيَّاتyawmiyyātdiary / daily journal
تَأَمُّلtaʾammulcontemplation / reflection
خَاطِرَةkhāṭirathought / reflection (pl. خَوَاطِر)
مَسِيرَةmasīrajourney / path (through life)
Sample Diary Entry
الثُّلَاثَاء، السَّادِس مِنْ رَمَضَان كُنْتُ الْيَوْمَ أُفَكِّرُ فِي مَسِيرَتِي مَعَ الْعَرَبِيَّة. لَقَدْ قَطَعْتُ شَوْطاً بَعِيداً
Ath-thulaāthāʾu, as-sādis min Ramaḍān Kuntu l-yawma ufakkiru fī masīratī maʿa l-ʿarabiyya. Laqad qaṭaʿtu shawṭan baʿīdan
Tuesday, the sixth of Ramadan Today I was thinking about my journey with Arabic. I have come a long way.
بَدَأْتُ لَا أَعْرِفُ حَرْفاً وَاحِداً، وَالْيَوْمَ أَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَأَفْهَمُه
Badaʾtu lā aʿrifu ḥarfan wāḥidan, wa-l-yawma aqraʾu l-Qurʾāna wa-afhamuhu
I started not knowing a single letter, and today I read the Quran and understand it.
- كُنْتُ أُفَكِّر: "I was thinking" the imperfect past (kāna + present) expressing an ongoing thought at a past moment.
- لَقَدْ + past: لَقَدْ قَطَعْتُ the lam al-taʾkīd with qad strengthens the assertion of a completed action.
- قَطَعَ شَوْطاً بَعِيداً: "Cut a long stretch" a kinaya meaning "made great progress."
- The real ending: The goal of this series was never the book it was the Quran. بَدَأْتُ لَا أَعْرِف... وَالْيَوْمَ أَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ this is the transformation the entire series was designed to achieve.