Ramadan is a month of daily routines, perfect for learning words in context.
Ten words
| Arabic | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| صَوْم | sawm | fasting |
| صَائِم | sa’im | a fasting person |
| سُحُور | suhur | pre-dawn meal |
| إِفْطَار | iftar | meal to break the fast |
| تَمْر | tamr | dates |
| هِلَال | hilal | crescent moon |
| تَرَاوِيح | tarawih | night prayers in Ramadan |
| زَكَاة الْفِطْر | zakat al-fitr | charity before Eid prayer |
| عِيد | ‘id | Eid, celebration |
| عِيدِيَّة | ‘idiyyah | Eid money gift |
Two useful phrases
- رَمَضَان كَرِيم (Ramadan Karim): a common Ramadan greeting.
- عِيد مُبَارَك (‘Id Mubarak): Blessed Eid.
A girl who is fasting says أَنَا صَائِمَة; a boy says أَنَا صَائِم.
A word a day
- Week 1: سُحُور، إِفْطَار، تَمْر
- Week 2: صَوْم، صَائِم، هِلَال
- Week 3: تَرَاوِيح، زَكَاة الْفِطْر
- Week 4: عِيد، عِيدِيَّة
Spot the root
Older children: إِفْطَار and الْفِطْر share the root ف ط ر (to break the fast). Eid al-Fitr is literally “the celebration of breaking the fast”.
Teacher’s tip: label the iftar table in Arabic: a card saying تَمْر on the dates, مَاء on the water. Children read them every evening for a month.
Related: Explaining Ramadan.
