Monthly Archives: May 2013

Tafaddal – Arab politeness

Posted on: Sunday, May 26th, 2013 10 comments

The Arabic word تفضّل tafaDDal is a commonly-used and highly-versatile expression. Depending on context, it: 1. Expresses an invitation to do something: تفضل اجلس واشرب شاي tafaDDal idjlis wa shrab shay – please, sit down and drink some tea. تفضل إلى الدكان tafaDDal ila d-dukkaan – please, take a look … Continue reading →

Arabic Class – for and against

Posted on: Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 2 comments

One question I get asked frequently is about the optimal way to learn Arabic. Some people insist that you can’t really become fluent in the language if you don’t attend classes at some university or institute, while others say they don’t need any formal instruction at all.   The initial … Continue reading →

Arabic Tattoos Still Popular Among Celebrities

Posted on: Sunday, May 12th, 2013 30 comments

Back in 2009 I posted about celebrities such as Rihanna and Angelina Jolie getting Arabic tattoos. While it’s still rare enough to be seen as exotic, the trend has continued since then. Let’s take a look at some of the newcomers to the Arabic tattoo scene: Zayn Malik Zayn Malik … Continue reading →

Relaunch of Arabic Genie

Posted on: Friday, May 10th, 2013 2 comments

If you’re a regular reader here you might have noticed that there have been some changes recently here at Arabic Genie. And indeed, the website now has a completely new design. Apart from overhauling the visuals completely, I hope that the re-organization of the website has made it easier for … Continue reading →