Family Guide — Session 6: I Am Big, I Am Small

A one-page guide for parents, after-school caregivers, or co-teachers. Plain English. No teaching experience required.

What we learned today

Your child can now describe themselves and other people using five pairs of adjectives in Arabic. Each adjective has a boy form and a girl form — that's a core feature of Arabic, and your child got their first taste of it today.

They also met the letter ح (Ha) — the deep, breathy "h" sound that comes from the back of the throat. It's one of the signature sounds of Arabic.

Why this matters

Adjectives are where Arabic suddenly becomes personal. Today your child learned how to point at a sibling and say kbir (big), or at the cat and say sghee-REH (small, feminine). The big idea — that you change the word's ending depending on whether you're talking about a boy or a girl — is one of the most important patterns in the whole language. Don't worry about them mastering it today. Just expose them to it, over and over, in everyday moments.

The letter ح is also a small win: it's a sound English doesn't have, and now your child has it in their mouth.

What to do this evening (3 minutes total)

You don't need to drill or quiz. Just do these three tiny things:

1. At dinner, point at something and say:

"هادا كبير!" (Hada kbir! = "This is big!")

Then point at something small: "هادا صَغير!" (Hada sgheer!)

2. Compliment them with:

"إنتَ حُلو" (Inta hilu) to a boy, or "إنتي حُلوة" (Inti hilweh) to a girl.

It means "you're sweet / cute." Watch them grin.

3. Before bed, ask:

"Are you kbir or sgheer?"

Let them choose. (Heritage parents: the answer is always "I'm kbir now!" five minutes before bedtime.)

What to do this week (5 minutes total)

Pick one of these:

• The "big and small" tour. Walk around the house. Your child labels things: kbir or sgheer. The fridge? Kbir. A grape? Sgheer. Done.
• Family adjective game. Go around the table. Each person describes another family member: Mama tawileh. Baba qasir. Teta hilweh. Lots of giggles guaranteed.
• The cat/dog test. Pick a pet, stuffed animal, or doll. Decide together: is it a "he" or a "she"? Then describe it using the right form. Hilu or hilweh?
• Mirror time. Your child stands at the mirror and says one thing about themselves in Arabic: Ana kbir! or Ana hilweh! Tiny, but powerful.

If you don't know Arabic yourself

You can absolutely do this. Adjectives are some of the easiest Arabic to throw into your day.

• Pick ONE word and stick with it. If all you say this week is hilu / hilweh when your child does something sweet, that's a win. Repetition beats variety.
• Mix it into English freely. "Wow, that drawing is hilu!" works perfectly. Your child's brain will sort it out.
• The boy/girl ending will feel weird. That's okay. If you mix them up, your child will probably correct you — and that's a beautiful moment. The learner becomes the teacher.

If you're a heritage Arabic speaker

• This is the week to flood them with adjectives. You already say habibi, hilu, sgheer without thinking. Notice it. Lean into it. Say it louder, with eye contact.
• Model the feminine forms on purpose. Heritage kids often hear the masculine default and miss the -eh ending. Point at a girl cousin and say hilweh. Point at a tall aunt and say tawileh. Make the ending audible.
• Don't translate. When you say Inti sgheer-eh! and they look confused, resist the urge to add "you're little!" Let them ask. Let them figure it out from your face and tone. That's how you heard it growing up.

What's coming next session

Session 7: My Family (عيلتي) — Your child learns Mama, Baba, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa, plus the letter خ (kha).

Materials needed: a family photo, if you have one handy. Phone photo is fine.

Questions or struggles?

Email: dabagh_safaa@smc.edu Or visit: https://learnwithoutwalls.com

Yalla Arabic · Family Guide · Session 6