Language/Tunisian-arabic/Vocabulary/Education
Hi Tunisian Arabic learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on learning Tunisian Arabic related to Education. Education plays an important role in Tunisian culture, with free primary and secondary education for all citizens, followed by university education with relatively low tuition fees.
Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Common Workplace Vocabulary & Basic Phrases in Tunisian Arabic.
Basic Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
Let's first learn some basic vocabulary related to education:
| Tunisian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| مدرسة | madrasa | school |
| جامعة | jami3a | university |
| طالب | talib | student (male) |
| طالبة | taliba | student (female) |
| دراسة | darasa | studying/education |
| معلم | mo3allim | teacher (male) |
| معلمة | mo3allima | teacher (female) |
| كتاب | ktab | book |
| قلم | qlam | pen |
| مقعد | ma3ed | desk |
| لوحة | law7a | blackboard |
Here's a dialogue to see these words in context:
- Person 1: بش نديرو دراسة ؟ (Besh ndiro darasa?) (Shall we study?)
- Person 2: نعم، بش نحضر مدرسة. (Na3am, besh n7adher madrasa.) (Yes, let's go to school.)
- Person 1: عندي جامعة اليوم. بش نحلّ عندك من بعد الدراسة ؟ (3andi jami3a lyom. Besh nehell 3andek mn ba3d el darasa?) (I have university today. Can I come to your place after school?)
- Person 2: آه، ما عليك. معلمتي ما جابتش دراية جديدة هذا الأسبوع. (Aah, ma3leek. Mo3allamti ma jabetsh daraaya jdida hadha lesbu3.) (Sure, no problem. My teacher didn't bring any new lesson this week.)
Higher Education[edit | edit source]
Tunisia has a long history of higher education, dating back to the foundation of the Zitouna University in the 8th century. Today, there are almost 50 universities and institutes across the country. Here are some words related to higher education:
| Tunisian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| قسم | qism | department |
| كلية | kliya | college/faculty |
| جامعة خاصة | jami3a khasa | private university |
| جامعة عمومية | jami3a 3omoumiya | public university |
| بكالوريا | baccalauréat | baccalaureate (high-school exit exam) |
| دكتوراه | doctora | PhD |
Here's a dialogue to see these words in context:
- Person 1: شني علاقتك بالكلية ؟ (Chneya 3lakatik b el kliya?) (What's your relationship with college?)
- Person 2: درست في كلية الأدب بجامعة تونس. (Driyast fi kliyet el adab b jami3a Touns.) (I studied at the Faculty of Literature at the University of Tunis.)
- Person 1: عادي، واحد من أصحابي يدرس في جامعة خاصة بسوسة، باش يكمّل دراستو. وأنت ؟ (3adi, wahed mn a9habi ydrees fi jami3a khasa bsoussa, bach ykammel driyasto. W enti?) (Okay, one of my friends studies at a private university in Sousse, to complete his studies. What about you?)
- Person 2: حالياً، دراسة الدكتوراه. (Halaya, daraset el doctora.) (Currently, doing a PhD.)
Classroom Items[edit | edit source]
Here are some common items you find in a classroom:
| Tunisian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| فصل | fasl | classroom |
| سبورة | sbora | whiteboard |
| حبر | 7obbr | ink |
| سبّورة ذكية | sbora dzkia | smart board |
| مكتب | maktab | office |
| شنطة مدرسية | chanta madrasiya | school bag |
| قاعة | ga3a | lecture hall |
Here's a dialogue to see these words in context:
- Person 1: شنو تستعملوا في الفصل دلوك ؟ (Chnou tst3molou fi lfsl dlouk?) (What do you use in the classroom, Duluk?)
- Person 2: تستعملوا السبورة الذكية والكتب الالكترونية كثر من الكتب الورقية. (Tst3molou sbora dzkia w lkutub elektroniyah kther mn lkutub lwarkiya.) (We use the smart board and electronic books more than paper ones.)
- Person 1: عندي شنطة مدرسية جديدة في الدار. ماركة Zara. (3andi chanta madrasiya jdida f dar. Marqat Zara.) (I have a new school bag at home. Zara brand.)
- Person 2: آه! بعد تواجدنا في قاعة الامتحان اليوم، بربّي عندك حبر إضافي؟ (Aah! Ba3d twajodna fi ga3et l'amtihan lyom, barbi 3andek 7obbr edhafi?) (After being in the exam hall today, do you have extra ink, please?)
Interesting Facts[edit | edit source]
- Tunisia is known for its outstanding education system and has become a destination for international students seeking quality education. - The country hosts the oldest operating university in the Arab world, the University of Ez-Zitouna, which was founded in 737 AD. - Tunisian students are required to pass the baccalaureate exam in order to access higher education in the country. - Arabic is the language of instruction at most universities in Tunisia. - In 2019, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research reported that female students represented 68% of total enrollment at Tunisian universities.
To improve your Tunisian Arabic Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
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➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎