In this lesson, we will learn how to name household appliances and plumbing fixtures to describe everyday domestic life or report faults.
Large Appliances and the Verb أخذ
Let's start with two common appliances: the refrigerator (ثلاجة) and the washing machine (غسالة).
You already know the verb أخذ as "to take." However, when أخذ is followed by a subject and a present tense verb, it acts as a "verb of beginning," meaning "began to" or "started to."
| Maryam began to clean the refrigerator. | أخذت مريم تنظف الثلاجة.akhadhat maryamu tunazzifu ath-thallâjata. |
| The female engineer began taking apart the washing machine. | أخذت المهندسة تفك الغسالة.akhadhati-l-muhandisatu tafukku-l-ghassâlata. |
Plumbing, Heating, and Leaks
Next, let's explore fixtures related to water: the heater (سخان), the faucet (صنبور), the sink (حوض), and the drain (بالوعة).
When describing plumbing issues, you might need to talk about water boiling, leaking, or blockages.
| The water began to boil in the heater. | أخذ الماء يغلي في السخان.akhadha-l-mâ'u yaghlî fi-s-sakhkhân. |
| The water is leaking from the faucet into the sink. | يتسرب الماء من الصنبور إلى الحوض.yatasarrabu al-mâ'u mina s-sunbûri ilâ l-hawdi |
| This drain is completely blocked. | هذه البالوعة مغلقة تماما.hâdhihi al-bâlû'atu mughlaqatun tamâman |
Small Appliances and Breakdowns
When an appliance stops working, we use the verb تعطل (to break down). Let's see this with smaller household items like a fan (مروحة) and an iron (مكواة).
| Aisha bought a fan when the air conditioner broke down. | اشترت عائشة مروحة حينما تعطل المكيف.ishtarat 'â'ishatu mirwahatan hînamâ ta'attala al-mukayyifu. |
| She burned the shirt when she used the iron. | حرقت القميص حينما استخدمت المكواة.haraqati l-qamîsa hînamâ istakhdamati l-mikwâta. |
Utilities and Safety
Finally, let's talk about the utilities that keep our homes running. A meter used for measuring water or electricity consumption is called a عداد, and an electrical outlet is a مقبس.
| One of the workers read the water meter. | قرأ أحد العمال عداد الماء.qara'a aĥadu al-'ummâli 'addâda al-mâ'i. |
| Put the wire in the electrical outlet. | ضع السلك في المقبس.da'i is-silka fi al-miqbasi |