Download PDF
Back to stories list

زَامَا المُمَيَّزةْ! Zama is great! Zana dey great!

Written by Michael Oguttu

Illustrated by Vusi Malindi

Translated by Heba Tesheh, Maaouia Haj Mabrouk

Read by Mashael Muhanna

Language Arabic

Level Level 2

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


يَنامُ أَخِي الصَّغِيرُ مُتَأَخِّرًا جِدًّا. أَنَا اَسْتيْقِظُ بَاكِراً لِأَنَّنِي مُمَيَّزَةٌ.

My little brother sleeps very late. I wake early, because I am great!

My small brother sabi sleep well well. I dey quick get up as bigger boy!


أَنَا وَاحِدَةٌ مِنَ اَلَّذينَ يَسْمَحُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ أَن تَدْخُلَ.

I am the one who lets in the sun.

Na me dey let sun enter inside.


مَامَا تقُولُ لِي: “أَنْتِ نَجْمَتِي اَلصَّباحيّةُ”.

“You’re my morning star,” says Ma.

You be my shine shine bobo mama go say.


أَنَا اَسْتَحِمُّ وَحْدِي، أَنَا لَا أَحْتَاجُ لِمُسَاعَدَةِ أَحَدٍ.

I wash myself, I don’t need any help.

I sabi bath mysef nobody dey help me.


أَنَا يُمْكِنُنِي أَنْ أَتَعَامَلَ مَعَ المَاءِ البَارِدِ وَالرَّائِحَةُ اَلكَرِيهَةُ لِلصَّابُونَةِ الزَّرْقَاءِ.

I can cope with cold water and blue smelly soap.

I no dey fear cold water and blue soap wen dey smell


مَامَا تُذَكِّرُنِي: “لَا تَنْسَيْ أَسْنَانَكِ”، فَأُجِيبُهَا: “أَنَا مُسْتَحِيلْ!”

Ma reminds, “Don’t forget teeth.” I reply, “Never, not me!”

Mama go say no forget your teeth o! I go tell am say no shaking.


بَعْدَ اَلاِسْتِحْمَامِ، أُسَلِّمُ عَلَى جَدِّي وَعَمَّتِي، وَأُوَدِّعُهُمْ.

After washing, I greet Grandpa and Auntie, and wish them a good day.

Wen I don bath finish, I go salute grandpapa and aunty, and tell dem say make today beta oo.


ثُمَّ أَلْبِسُ ثِيَابِي بِنَفْسِي، وَأَقُولُ: “أَنَا الآنَ كَبِيرَةٌ”.

Then I dress myself, “I’m big now Ma,” I say.

Den I go wear my cloth by myself, “I tell mama say I be bigger boy.


أَنَا اَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أُغْلِقَ أَزْرَارِي وَأَرْبِطَ حِذَائِي.

I can close my buttons and buckle my shoes.

I fit do my buttons and tie my shoe.


أَنَا أَتَأَكَّدُ مِنْ أَنَّ أَخِي اَلصَّغِيرُ يَعْرفُ كُلَّ أَخْبَارِ اَلمَدْرَسَةِ.

And I make sure little brother knows all the school news.

I dey tell my small brother all the gist from school.


أَبْذُلُ جُهْدِي فِي الصَّفِّ لِأَقُومَ بِالأفْضَلِ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ.

In class I do my best in every way.

For school, I dey try as my power gree me


أَنَا أَقُومُ بِكُلِّ هَذِهِ اَلأفْعَالِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ. لَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ الأَشْيَاءِ التِي أُحِبُّهَا اللَّعِبُ. ثُمَّ اللَّعِبُ.

I do all these good things every day. But the thing I like most, is to play and play!

I dey do plenty things everyday. But na play I like pass.


Written by: Michael Oguttu
Illustrated by: Vusi Malindi
Translated by: Heba Tesheh, Maaouia Haj Mabrouk
Read by: Mashael Muhanna
Language: Arabic
Level: Level 2
Source: Zama is great! from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
Options
Back to stories list Download PDF