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### Visiting the Cobbler

When your favorite pair of shoes starts to break down, it's time to visit the cobbler. Let's learn the vocabulary needed to describe wear and tear, and the repairs you might need.

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When a shoe is worn out, the cobbler can patch it to extend its life. 

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Here is how you can describe a cobbler in the middle of this action. Notice how using كان before a present tense verb (like يرقع) indicates an ongoing past action ("was patching").

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### Shoe Parts and Problems

Different parts of a shoe require different fixes. You might need to repair the sole or the heel.

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When you describe a shoe's condition, you may want to use negative statements. Remember that when negating a nominal sentence with ليس, the predicate takes the accusative case (often indicated by an *alif* and two *fatha*s for indefinite adjectives, such as زلقا).

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If the damage is too severe, the cobbler might need to replace the part entirely.

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### Shoelaces, Fit, and Glue

Sometimes the fix is much simpler, or the issue is just about the fit of the shoe.

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For sealing gaps or fixing a hole, the cobbler relies on strong glue.

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Notice how the preposition بـ (with/by means of) attaches directly to the tool being used to repair the shoe.

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Now you have all the essential vocabulary to describe exactly what is wrong with your shoes and how they can be fixed!

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The Cobbler's Shop

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
cobbler	إسكافيiskâfî
to patch	رقعraqa'a
worn out	مهترئmuhtari'
The cobbler was patching the worn out shoe.	كان الإسكافي يرقع الحذاء المهترئ.kâna al-iskâfiyyu yuraqqiu al-hidhâ'a al-muhtari'a
sole	نعلna'l
slippery	زلقzaliq
This sole is not slippery.	ليس هذا النعل زلقا.laysa hâdhâ an-na3lu zaliqan
to replace	بدلbaddala
heel	كعبka'b
Fatima wants to replace the heel of this shoe.	تريد فاطمة أن تبدل كعب هذا الحذاء.turîdu fâtimatu an tubaddila ka'ba hâdhâ al-hidhâ'i
The new heel is higher than the old heel.	الكعب الجديد أعلى من الكعب القديم.al-ka'bu al-jadîdu a'lâ mina al-ka'bi al-qadîmi
shoelace	رباطribât
Maryam's shoelace is worn out and she will replace it.	رباط مريم مهترئ وسوف تبدله.ribâtu maryama muhtari'un wa sawfa tubdiluhu
The old sole is very worn out.	النعل القديم مهترئ جدا.an-na'lu al-qadeemu muhtari'un jiddan
tight / narrow	ضيقdayyiq
The cobbler was replacing the tight shoelace.	كان الإسكافي يبدل الرباط الضيق.kâna al-'iskâfiyyu yubaddilu ar-ribâta ad-dayyiqa
glue	غراءghirâ'
Ahmad patched the hole with strong glue.	رقع أحمد الثقب بغراء قوي.raqa'a ahmadu th-thaqba bighirâ'in qawiyyin
The new glue is better than the old glue.	الغراء الجديد أفضل من الغراء القديم.al-ghirâ'u al-jadîdu afdalu mina al-ghirâ'i al-qadîmi.
The shoe is not tight, but it is slippery.	ليس الحذاء ضيقا، لكنه زلق.laysa al-hidhâ'u dayyiqan, lâkinnahu zaliqun