In this lesson, we will build on your knowledge of clothing and hobbies to explore the vocabulary of knitting and working with wool.
Yarn and Needles
To start a knitting project, you need a ball (بكرة) of wool (صوف). Placed together, they form "ball of wool" (بكرة الصوف) using the standard Arabic possession structure.
| The grandmother wants to find the ball of wool. | تريد الجدة أن تجد بكرة الصوف.turidu al-jaddatu an tajida bakarata as-sufi |
The verb "to knit" is حاك, which becomes يحيك in the present tense for a male subject. It pairs often with items of clothing like a sweater (كنزة).
| The boy wants to knit a sweater. | يريد الولد أن يحيك كنزة.yurîdu al-waladu an yahîka kanzatan. |
Stitches and Knots
The word for "stitch" is غرزة. Because it is a feminine noun ending in a Taa Marbuta, any adjective describing it must also be feminine, such as "new" (جديدة).
| The young man is trying to learn a new stitch. | يحاول الشاب أن يتعلم غرزة جديدة.yuhâwilu ash-shâbbu an yata'allama ghurzatan jadîdatan |
Sometimes, you might accidentally end up with a knot (عقدة) in your yarn.
| There is a knot in the stitch. | هناك عقدة في الغرزة.hunâka 'uqdatun fil-ghurzah. |
Describing Materials and Plurals
When describing warm winter clothing or yarn, you will often use the adjective for "thick" (سميك).
Remember that in Arabic, non-human plural nouns are treated grammatically as feminine singular. When talking about plural sweaters (كنزات) or plural balls of yarn (بكرات), matching adjectives take the feminine singular form.
| The new sweaters are very thick. | الكنزات الجديدة سميكة جدا.alkanazâtu aljadîdatu samîkatun jiddan. |
| The girl bought many balls of wool. | اشترت البنت بكرات صوف كثيرة.ishtarati l-bintu bakarâti sûfin kathîratan |
The Craft of Knitting
The noun for "knitting" is حياكة, which is considered a traditional "craft" (حرفة). You can use the present tense verb alongside other actions to describe how someone spends their time.
| Knitting is the most beautiful craft. | الحياكة أجمل حرفة.al-hiyaakatu ajmalu hirfatin |
| The grandmother sat knitting a thick shawl. | جلست الجدة تحيك شالا سميكا.jalasati al-jaddatu tahiku shâlan samikan. |
