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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.

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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).

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### 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).

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Sometimes, you might accidentally end up with a knot (عقدة) in your yarn.

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### 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.

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### 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.

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Knitting and Yarn Crafts

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Question	Answer
ball of yarn	بكرةbakara
wool	صوفsûf
The grandmother wants to find the ball of wool.	تريد الجدة أن تجد بكرة الصوف.turidu al-jaddatu an tajida bakarata as-sufi
to knit	حاكhâka
sweater	كنزةkanza
The boy wants to knit a sweater.	يريد الولد أن يحيك كنزة.yurîdu al-waladu an yahîka kanzatan.
knitting needle	سنارةsinnâra
The woman hopes to buy a knitting needle.	تتمنى المرأة أن تشتري سنارة.tatamannâ al-mar'atu an tashtariya sinnâratan
stitch	غرزةghurza
The young man is trying to learn a new stitch.	يحاول الشاب أن يتعلم غرزة جديدة.yuhâwilu ash-shâbbu an yata'allama ghurzatan jadîdatan
scarf	وشاحwishâh
These patterns are beautiful on the scarf.	هذه الأنماط جميلة على الوشاح.hâdhihi al-anmâtu jamîlatun alâ al-wishâh
thick (objects, materials)	سميكsamîk
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
knot	عقدة'uqdah
These knots are difficult.	هذه العقد صعبة.hâdhihi aluqadu sa'batun.
The man knitted a thick scarf.	حاك الرجل وشاحا سميكا.hâka arrajulu wishâhan samîkan.
The mother forgot the knitting needle on the table.	نسيت الأم السنارة على الطاولة.nasiyat al-ummu as-sinnârata 'alâ at-tâwilati.
There is a knot in the stitch.	هناك عقدة في الغرزة.hunâka 'uqdatun fil-ghurzah.
This pattern needs a long thread.	يحتاج هذا النمط إلى خيط طويل.yahtâju hâdhâ an-namatu ilâ khaytin tawîlin
knitting	حياكةhiyâka
craft	حرفةhirfah
Knitting is the most beautiful craft.	الحياكة أجمل حرفة.al-hiyaakatu ajmalu hirfatin
The boy learns the craft of knitting quickly.	يتعلم الولد حرفة الحياكة سريعا.yata'allamu al-waladu hirfata al-hiyâkati sarî'an
Can the woman use the knitting needle?	هل تستطيع المرأة أن تستخدم سنارة الحياكة؟hal tastatî'u al-mar'atu an tastakhdima sinnârata al-hiyâkati?
shawl	شالshâl
The grandmother sat knitting a thick shawl.	جلست الجدة تحيك شالا سميكا.jalasati al-jaddatu tahiku shâlan samikan.
My brother is still knitting the red sweater.	ما زال أخي يحيك الكنزة الحمراء.mâ zâla akhî yahîku al-kanzata al-hamrâ'a
I cannot knit a scarf from wool.	لا أستطيع أن أحيك وشاحا من الصوف.lâ astatîu an aḥîka wishâhan mina ṣ-ṣûfi
My mother bought a wool shawl.	اشترت أمي شالا من الصوف.ishtarat ummî shâlan mina ssûfi
This shawl is thick.	هذا الشال سميك.hâdhâ ash-shâlu samîkun.

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