Intermediate Arabic reading

The Lesson of the Clouds in Arabic

دَرْسُ الْغُيُومِ

The Lesson of the Clouds is a Intermediate-level Arabic reading text about a child learning the stages of the water cycle from a shrinking puddle. 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.

بَعْدَ الْمَطَرِ، خَرَجَ سَامِرٌ مَعَ أَبِيهِ وَرَأَى بُرْكَةَ مَاءٍ فِي السَّاحَةِ.

After the rain, Samer went outside with his father and saw a puddle in the yard.

فِي الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي، صَغُرَتِ الْبُرْكَةُ، فَسَأَلَ: «أَيْنَ ذَهَبَ الْمَاءُ؟»

The next day, the puddle was smaller, so he asked, “Where did the water go?”

قَالَ الْأَبُ: «سَخَّنَتِ الشَّمْسُ الْمَاءَ، فَتَبَخَّرَ وَصَعِدَ إِلَى الْهَوَاءِ.»

Father said, “The sun warmed the water, so it evaporated and rose into the air.”

سَأَلَ سَامِرٌ: «هَلْ نَسْتَطِيعُ رُؤْيَةَ بُخَارِ الْمَاءِ؟»

Samer asked, “Can we see water vapour?”

أَجَابَ الْأَبُ: «لَا نَرَاهُ دَائِمًا، وَلَكِنَّهُ يَبْرُدُ فِي الْأَعْلَى وَيَتَكَاثَفُ فِي قَطَرَاتٍ صَغِيرَةٍ.»

Father replied, “We cannot always see it, but high above it cools and condenses into tiny droplets.”

تَجْتَمِعُ الْقَطَرَاتُ فَتُكَوِّنُ الْغُيُومَ، وَعِنْدَمَا تَكْبُرُ تَهْطِلُ مَطَرًا أَوْ ثَلْجًا.

The droplets gather to form clouds, and when they grow, they fall as rain or snow.

يَجْرِي بَعْضُ الْمَاءِ فِي الْأَنْهَارِ، وَيَتَسَرَّبُ بَعْضُهُ إِلَى التُّرْبَةِ.

Some water flows into rivers, and some seeps into the soil.

ثُمَّ يَعُودُ كَثِيرٌ مِنْهُ إِلَى الْبَحَارِ، وَتَبْدَأُ الدَّوْرَةُ مِنْ جَدِيدٍ.

Then much of it returns to the seas, and the cycle begins again.

رَسَمَ سَامِرٌ شَمْسًا وَغَيْمَةً وَنَهْرًا، وَوَصَلَ بَيْنَهَا بِسِهَامٍ.

Samer drew a sun, a cloud, and a river, and connected them with arrows.

قَالَ فَرِحًا: «الْآنَ فَهِمْتُ دَوْرَةَ الْمَاءِ فِي الطَّبِيعَةِ!»

He said happily, “Now I understand the water cycle in nature!”

New Arabic words from the story

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

بُرْكَةٌ Puddle
تَبَخَّرَ Evaporated
بُخَارُ الْمَاءِ Water vapour
يَتَكَاثَفُ Condenses
قَطَرَاتٌ Droplets
تَهْطِلُ Falls as precipitation
يَتَسَرَّبُ Seeps
دَوْرَةُ الْمَاءِ Water cycle

Reading comprehension questions

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

Score: 0 / 4

1. لِمَاذَا صَغُرَتْ بُرْكَةُ الْمَاءِ؟

2. مَاذَا يَحْدُثُ لِبُخَارِ الْمَاءِ عِنْدَمَا يَبْرُدُ؟

3. مِمَّ تَتَكَوَّنُ الْغُيُومُ؟

4. لِمَاذَا رَسَمَ سَامِرٌ سِهَامًا بَيْنَ الشَّمْسِ وَالْغَيْمَةِ وَالنَّهْرِ؟

Learn Arabic from this story

فَـ can show a quick result

تَجْتَمِعُ الْقَطَرَاتُ فَتُكَوِّنُ الْغُيُومَ، وَعِنْدَمَا تَكْبُرُ تَهْطِلُ مَطَرًا أَوْ ثَلْجًا.

The droplets gather to form clouds, and when they grow, they fall as rain or snow.

The فَـ in فَتُكَوِّنُ links the gathering droplets directly to the result: forming clouds.

Another example: يَبْرُدُ الْبُخَارُ فَيَتَكَاثَفُ. — The vapour cools, so it condenses.

For parents and teachers

Ask the learner to predict the story, then read or play each Arabic segment and identify words connected with evaporation, condensation and the water cycle. 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 Lesson of the Clouds

What level is The Lesson of the Clouds?

The Lesson of the Clouds is marked Intermediate. The full tashkīl, English translation and sentence audio provide extra support for developing readers.

What can learners practise in The Lesson of the Clouds?

Learners practise connected reading, listening, comprehension and vocabulary related to evaporation, condensation and the water cycle.

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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