Intermediate Arabic reading

The Kind Prince in Arabic

الأمير الطيب

The Kind Prince is a Intermediate-level Arabic reading text about a prince learning to listen to the people he serves. 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 هُنَاكَ أَمِيرٌ شَابٌّ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ كَيْفَ يَعِيشُ النَّاسُ فِي مَمْلَكَتِهِ.

There was a young prince who wanted to know how the people in his kingdom lived.

ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، لَبِسَ ثِيَابًا بَسِيطَةً وَخَرَجَ مِنَ الْقَصْرِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَرَسٍ.

One day, he wore simple clothes and left the palace without guards.

فِي السُّوقِ، رَأَى اِمْرَأَةً مُسِنَّةً تَحْمِلُ سَلَّةً ثَقِيلَةً مِنَ الْخُضْرَوَاتِ.

At the market, he saw an elderly woman carrying a heavy basket of vegetables.

اِقْتَرَبَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ: «هَلْ تَسْمَحِينَ لِي بِمُسَاعَدَتِكِ؟»

He approached her and asked, “May I help you?”

شَكَرَتْهُ الْمَرْأَةُ، فَحَمَلَ السَّلَّةَ وَمَشَى مَعَهَا حَتَّى بَيْتِهَا.

The woman thanked him, so he carried the basket and walked with her to her home.

فِي الطَّرِيقِ، حَدَّثَتْهُ عَنْ بُعْدِ السُّوقِ وَصُعُوبَةِ حَمْلِ حَاجَاتِهَا كُلَّ أُسْبُوعٍ.

On the way, she told him how far away the market was and how difficult it was to carry her shopping each week.

لَمْ تَعْرِفْ أَنَّهُ الْأَمِيرُ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: «أَتَمَنَّى أَنْ يَسْمَعَ الْحَاكِمُ أَصْوَاتَنَا.»

She did not know he was the prince and told him, “I wish the ruler would hear our voices.”

عَادَ الْأَمِيرُ إِلَى قَصْرِهِ وَفَكَّرَ طَوِيلًا فِي كَلَامِهَا.

The prince returned to his palace and thought carefully about her words.

فِي الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي، أَمَرَ بِإِنْشَاءِ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ يَبِيعُ فِيهِ الْمُزَارِعُونَ مُنْتَجَاتِهِمْ.

The next day, he ordered a nearby market to be created where farmers could sell their produce.

وَصَارَ يَخْرُجُ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ لِيَسْمَعَ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ.

He began going out every month to hear what the people needed.

فَهِمَ الْأَمِيرُ أَنَّ الْحَاكِمَ الطَّيِّبَ لَا يَكْتَفِي بِالْأَوَامِرِ، بَلْ يَسْتَمِعُ وَيَعْمَلُ.

The prince understood that a good ruler does not merely give orders; he listens and acts.

New Arabic words from the story

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

مَمْلَكَةٌ Kingdom
حَرَسٌ Guards
مُسِنَّةٌ Elderly
حَاجَاتٌ Shopping / needs
الْحَاكِمُ Ruler
أَمَرَ Ordered
مُنْتَجَاتٌ Produce / products
يَكْتَفِي Is satisfied with

Reading comprehension questions

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

Score: 0 / 4

1. لِمَاذَا خَرَجَ الْأَمِيرُ مِنَ الْقَصْرِ؟

2. مَنْ سَاعَدَ الْأَمِيرُ فِي السُّوقِ؟

3. مَاذَا طَلَبَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ مِنَ الْحَاكِمِ؟

4. مَا صِفَةُ الْحَاكِمِ الطَّيِّبِ وَفْقَ الْقِصَّةِ؟

Learn Arabic from this story

لَا ... بَلْ corrects and expands an idea

فَهِمَ الْأَمِيرُ أَنَّ الْحَاكِمَ الطَّيِّبَ لَا يَكْتَفِي بِالْأَوَامِرِ، بَلْ يَسْتَمِعُ وَيَعْمَلُ.

The prince understood that a good ruler does not merely give orders; he listens and acts.

لَا يَكْتَفِي rejects an incomplete idea. بَلْ then introduces the more accurate description.

Another example: لَا أَقْرَأُ فَقَطْ، بَلْ أَكْتُبُ أَيْضًا. — I do not only read; I also write.

For parents and teachers

Ask the learner to predict the story, then read or play each Arabic segment and identify words connected with kindness, leadership and listening. 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 Kind Prince

What level is The Kind Prince?

The Kind Prince is marked Intermediate. The full tashkīl, English translation and sentence audio provide extra support for developing readers.

What can learners practise in The Kind Prince?

Learners practise connected reading, listening, comprehension and vocabulary related to kindness, leadership and listening.

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.

← Explore all 60 Arabic mini stories