salam,
u people r doing a very good job and may Allah give u more advancement in ur arabic experience of teaching and learning skills,but there is a problem i often feel that is the clear pronounciation.

While I may still, be a beginner, or perhaps even a lower intermediate type I did understand much of what was being said...especially between you to great teachers. Of course, it helped that I have gone through all the lessons ten or more times and will immediately start from scratch again.

Yes, I have questions, but those ahead of me on the 'join the discussion' table always seem to ask them first...and, for that I thank them. One thing though, along the way I have seen or heard the adv. 'yes' in four different ways. Are there more ways that I have missed?

I'm certain there will many more questions as time and progress allows. Oh, I almost forgot! I love the Arabic for Zoo...Garden of Animals. I do belive I will introduce that beautiful sentiments to my wife by hanging a LARGE poster over the desk in my study Perhaps then' she will not remind me that...and I quote: "When are you going to clean up this room? It looks like a zoo!"
Have to go now. I have some tidying up to do. What's the Arabic word for it....'Afff?' Whatever' you probably know the drill.

Keep up the good work.

Regards.

MC

Dear Mario,

Have you included ﺃﻜﻴﺪ and ﺒﺎﻠﺘﺎﻜﻴﺪ in the list of Arabic words that correspond more or less approximately to Engl. “yes”? ﺃﻜﻴﺪ is, as you probably know, an adjective meaning “sure” or “certain”, and ﺒﺎﻠﺘﺎﻜﻴﺪ is an adverb meaning “certainly” or “absolutely”, but both these words often function like affirmative particles.

I suppose the lexical items in question are often substituted for ﻨﻌﻡ because they are longer and consequently more expressive. A similar phenomenon can be observed in contemporary French, where “oui” is often replaced by “absolument”, “tout à fait” or even “affirmatif” (used mainly by machos and by members of the armed forces).

Thank you for your imput. Learning Arabic is an experience...and, I love it. Love it even more when I learn to use the pop-up keyboard. I have learned to master it...more-or-less...on the internet, but on the one above,it is the diacritical (Those mischievous 'Peskies'...not sure I spelled that correctly...that enjoy testing my resolve. However, sooner-or-later I will corral them and 'voi-la' the sweet smell of success will be mine!

Learned French when I was very young. My parents spoke it frequently...especially when they wanted to hide the'goodies'. And, they were lah-zeez! When it comes to goodies, cunning is my name and craftiness my game. Now, if I can only find where my wife concealed that last sheh-fan-jah. "The game is afoot."

Keep up the great work. My daughter has even decided to learn arabic. And, of course, unless she asks, don't reveal the word for donut.

Regards,

MC

Salaam

Did you make up these jokes? or are they from a joke book? first time ive ever some accross this sort of stuff was funny and interesting