Intermediate Arabic reading

The Fisherman and the Golden Fish in Arabic

الصياد والسمكة الذهبية

The Fisherman and the Golden Fish is a Intermediate-level Arabic reading text about a kind fisherman who frees a magical golden fish. Its fully vocalized Arabic helps learners read each word accurately, while the sentence-by-sentence English translation supports understanding. The story also includes optional Arabic audio, useful vocabulary, comprehension practice and a focused language point. It works well for independent reading, a short classroom lesson or shared practice with a parent.

Read the Arabic story with English translation

Read each Arabic sentence from right to left. Use the speaker button to hear the sentence, then check its English meaning underneath.

كَانَ صَيَّادٌ فَقِيرٌ يُدْعَى سَالِمًا يَعِيشُ مَعَ أُسْرَتِهِ قُرْبَ الْبَحْرِ.

A poor fisherman named Salim lived with his family near the sea.

كَانَ يَخْرُجُ كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ بِقَارِبِهِ الصَّغِيرِ، وَيَرْمِي شَبَكَتَهُ فِي الْمَاءِ.

Every morning, he went out in his little boat and cast his net into the water.

ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، أَخْرَجَ الشَّبَكَةَ، فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا سَمَكَةً ذَهَبِيَّةً تَلْمَعُ تَحْتَ الشَّمْسِ.

One day, he pulled up the net and found a golden fish shining in the sun.

قَالَتِ السَّمَكَةُ: «أَعِدْنِي إِلَى الْبَحْرِ، وَسَأُحَقِّقُ لَكَ أُمْنِيَةً.»

The fish said, “Return me to the sea, and I will grant you a wish.”

تَعَجَّبَ سَالِمٌ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «لَا أُرِيدُ شَيْئًا مُقَابِلَ حُرِّيَّتِكِ.»

Salim was amazed, then said, “I want nothing in return for your freedom.”

أَعَادَهَا بِلُطْفٍ إِلَى الْمَاءِ، وَرَاقَبَهَا وَهِيَ تَسْبَحُ بَعِيدًا.

He gently returned her to the water and watched her swim away.

عِنْدَمَا عَادَ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ، وَجَدَ سَقْفَهُ الْقَدِيمَ قَدْ أُصْلِحَ، وَسَلَّةً مِنَ الطَّعَامِ أَمَامَ الْبَابِ.

When he returned home, he found that his old roof had been repaired and that a basket of food stood by the door.

سَمِعَ صَدَى صَوْتِ السَّمَكَةِ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ يَقُولُ: «الْقَلْبُ الطَّيِّبُ يَسْتَحِقُّ الْأَفْضَلَ.»

He heard the echo of the fish’s voice from the sea saying, “A kind heart deserves the best.”

شَكَرَ سَالِمٌ رَبَّهُ، وَعَاشَ مَعَ أُسْرَتِهِ قَانِعًا وَسَعِيدًا.

Salim thanked God and lived contentedly and happily with his family.

New Arabic words from the story

These words all appear in the story. Listen, repeat and find each one in the text above.

صَيَّادٌ Fisherman
قَارِبٌ Boat
شَبَكَةٌ Net
ذَهَبِيَّةٌ Golden
أُمْنِيَةٌ Wish
حُرِّيَّةٌ Freedom
سَقْفٌ Roof
قَانِعٌ Content

Reading comprehension questions

Choose one answer for each question. Your score updates after every first attempt.

Score: 0 / 5

1. What did the golden fish offer Salim?

2. What did Salim find when he returned home?

3. Why did Salim refuse to ask for a wish?

4. What surprised Salim when he returned home?

5. Why did Salim return the fish without asking for a wish?

Learn Arabic from this story

قَدْ + past tense emphasizes a completed action

When he returned home, he found that his old roof had been repaired and that a basket of food stood by the door.

قَدْ before the past verb أُصْلِحَ emphasizes that the repair was already complete when Salim arrived.

Another example: قَدْ أُصْلِحَ السَّقْفُ. — The roof had been repaired.

For parents and teachers

Ask the learner to predict the story, then read or play each Arabic segment and identify words connected with the sea, kindness and reported events. Have the learner arrange the main events in order, retell the problem and resolution, answer the comprehension questions, and use two new vocabulary items in original sentences.

Questions about The Fisherman and the Golden Fish

What level is The Fisherman and the Golden Fish?

The Fisherman and the Golden Fish is marked Intermediate. The full tashkīl, English translation and sentence audio provide extra support for developing readers.

What can learners practise in The Fisherman and the Golden Fish?

Learners practise connected reading, listening, comprehension and vocabulary related to the sea, kindness and reported events.

How should this Arabic story be used?

Read one sentence at a time, listen to the audio, repeat the Arabic aloud, check the English only when needed, and then answer the questions from memory.

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