Intermediate Arabic reading

The Moon and the Stars in Arabic

القمر والنجوم

The Moon and the Stars is a Intermediate-level Arabic reading text about Ahmad’s questions about the night sky and his dream of space travel. 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.

فِي لَيْلَةٍ هَادِئَةٍ، جَلَسَ أَحْمَدُ مَعَ أَبِيهِ فِي حَدِيقَةِ الْبَيْتِ.

On a quiet night, Ahmad sat with his father in the garden.

رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ، فَرَأَى الْقَمَرَ مُضِيئًا وَالنُّجُومَ تَلْمَعُ فِي السَّمَاءِ.

He raised his head and saw the bright moon and the stars shining in the sky.

سَأَلَ أَحْمَدُ: «أَبِي، كَمْ نَجْمَةً فِي السَّمَاءِ؟»

Ahmad asked, “Dad, how many stars are there in the sky?”

اِبْتَسَمَ الْأَبُ وَقَالَ: «النُّجُومُ كَثِيرَةٌ جِدًّا، وَلَا نَسْتَطِيعُ عَدَّهَا بِأَعْيُنِنَا.»

His father smiled and said, “There are so many stars that we cannot count them with our eyes.”

سَأَلَ أَحْمَدُ: «هَلِ النُّجُومُ صَغِيرَةٌ مِثْلَمَا نَرَاهَا؟»

Ahmad asked, “Are the stars as small as they look?”

أَجَابَ الْأَبُ: «بَلْ هِيَ كَبِيرَةٌ، وَلَكِنَّهَا تَبْدُو صَغِيرَةً لِأَنَّهَا بَعِيدَةٌ.»

His father answered, “No, they are large, but they look small because they are far away.”

تَخَيَّلَ أَحْمَدُ نَفْسَهُ رَائِدَ فَضَاءٍ يُسَافِرُ بَيْنَ النُّجُومِ.

Ahmad imagined himself as an astronaut travelling among the stars.

وَقَبْلَ أَنْ يَنَامَ، رَسَمَ قَمَرًا وَنُجُومًا، وَكَتَبَ: «سَأَتَعَلَّمُ الْمَزِيدَ عَنِ الْفَضَاءِ.»

And before going to sleep, he drew a moon and stars and wrote, “I will learn more about space.”

New Arabic words from the story

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

لَيْلَةٌ صَافِيَةٌ Clear night
الْقَمَرُ The moon
النُّجُومُ The stars
تَلْمَعُ Shine
نَعُدُّ We count
بَعِيدَةٌ Far away
رَائِدُ فَضَاءٍ Astronaut
الْفَضَاءُ Space

Reading comprehension questions

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

Score: 0 / 5

1. Why do the stars look small?

2. What did Ahmad imagine becoming?

3. Why do the stars look small?

4. What did Ahmad hope to learn more about?

5. What did Ahmad do before going to sleep?

Learn Arabic from this story

لِأَنَّ gives a reason

أَجَابَ الْأَبُ: «بَلْ هِيَ كَبِيرَةٌ، وَلَكِنَّهَا تَبْدُو صَغِيرَةً لِأَنَّهَا بَعِيدَةٌ.»

His father answered, “No, they are large, but they look small because they are far away.”

لِأَنَّهَا means “because they are” here. It introduces the reason the stars look small.

Another example: تَبْدُو صَغِيرَةً لِأَنَّهَا بَعِيدَةٌ. — They look small because they are far away.

For parents and teachers

Ask the learner to predict the story, then read or play each Arabic segment and identify words connected with space, questions and descriptive language. 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 Moon and the Stars

What level is The Moon and the Stars?

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

What can learners practise in The Moon and the Stars?

Learners practise connected reading, listening, comprehension and vocabulary related to space, questions and descriptive language.

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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