Name the seven days of the week in Arabic and use them in sentences
F4Lesson 2 of 12◇ Core language
The School Timetable — Days and Times
الجَدوَل المَدرَسي — الأَيَّام والأَوقات
School Life · Education
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Learning Objectives
Focus on these outcomes rather than trying to memorise everything at once.
Read and say clock times using the 12-hour Arabic system
Describe a school timetable using يَوم + day + subject + time expressions
Lesson outline
- 8 minStarterDays of the week song/chant
- 15 minMain 1Clock times — the Arabic system
- 15 minMain 2Timetable building and description
- 12 minMain 3Questions about the timetable
- 10 minPlenaryTime challenge quiz
Exam connection: Listening: school conversations and descriptions | Reading: timetables, newsletters, notices | Writing: email/article (Paper 4 Q3 format, 80–100 words) | Speaking: role play (school setting) and topic conversation
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Vocabulary
Tap each card to reveal the meaning, category and example.
Three-step recall
- Say the Arabic aloud.
- Cover the meaning and recall it.
- Use six items in your own spoken or written sentences.
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Quizzes
Use the two short checks. Errors show you what to revise next.
Quiz 1 — Meaning check
0 / 61. What does الخَميس mean?
2. What does الأَرْبِعاء mean?
3. What does الدَّرْس يَنتَهي mean?
4. What does في يَوم mean?
5. What does الثُّلاثاء mean?
6. What does الأُسبوع mean?
Quiz 2 — Match Arabic and English
العربية
English
Matched: 0 / 6
Stretch challenge
Choose three matched items and combine them into one accurate sentence or short exchange.
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Grammar
Read the rule, notice the pattern and then produce your own examples.
Core rule / strategy
Days of the week: all masculine, take في for "on": في يَوم الاثنين (on Monday). Clock times: السَّاعة الواحدة (1 o'clock), السَّاعة الثَّانية (2 o'clock) etc. — ordinal numbers used for times. Half past: والنِّصف. Quarter past: والرُّبع. Quarter to: إِلَّا الرُّبع. The week in Arab countries often starts on Sunday — cultural note. Friday is the day of Jumu'ah prayer.
Notice the pattern
- في يَوم الأَحَد
- في يَوم الاِثْنَيْن
- في يَوم الثُّلاثاء
- في يَوم الأَرْبِعاء
Accuracy checklist
- Check the subject and verb or noun/adjective agreement.
- Check gender, number and tense or time frame.
- Use the lesson structure in a complete, meaningful sentence.
- Read the sentence aloud and correct anything that sounds incomplete.
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Skills Practice
Practise listening, reading, speaking and writing with the same lesson language.
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Listening
Listen twice: first for the main idea, then for details.
في يَوم الأَحَد. في يَوم الاِثْنَيْن. في يَوم الثُّلاثاء. في يَوم الأَرْبِعاء. في يَوم الخَميس.
- What is the main topic?
- Write three Arabic words you recognise.
- What one detail can you hear or infer?
Teacher/partner guidance and possible answer
Read the Arabic text naturally twice. A successful answer identifies the lesson topic, any three accurate key words and one relevant detail from the text.
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Reading
Underline known words before answering.
في يَوم الأَحَد. في يَوم الاِثْنَيْن. في يَوم الثُّلاثاء. في يَوم الأَرْبِعاء. في يَوم الخَميس.
- What is the main topic of the text?
- Find two words or phrases connected with “The School Timetable — Days and Times”.
- What specific detail can you identify?
- Which grammar structure from this lesson appears, or could be added?
Reading support
Start with names, numbers, repeated words, connectors and familiar verb patterns. You do not need to translate every word.
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Speaking
Build your answer, then ask a follow-up question.
- Explain the topic “The School Timetable — Days and Times” in your own words.
- Use at least five items from the vocabulary section.
- Give an opinion or personal example and justify it.
- Ask and answer two follow-up questions with a partner.
Useful frame:في رَأيي... لِأَنَّ... أَيضاً... وَمِن جِهَةٍ أُخرى...
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Writing
Plan, write, check and improve.
Task: Write about The School Timetable — Days and Times. Use at least eight vocabulary items, the lesson grammar and two connectors. Target: 40–60 words.
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Activities
Complete the activities in order, or choose the one that addresses your weakest area.
Starter8 min
Days of the week song/chant
Teach days of the week as a rhythmic chant: الأَحَد، الاِثنَين، الثُّلاثاء، الأَربِعاء، الخَميس، الجُمُعة، السَّبت. Repeat 3 times increasing speed. Then: teacher or partner says a day, Write the number (1st day of the week = الأحد for Arab countries). Cultural note: in most Arab countries the working/school week is Sunday–Thursday, Friday is the holy day. Compare to UK Monday–Friday week. Ask You: "What is the significance of Friday in Islam?" Heritage You may know the Jumu'ah prayer context well.
Main 115 min
Clock times — the Arabic system
Explain: Arabic uses ordinal numbers for hours (السَّاعة الأُولى = 1 o'clock, الثَّانية = 2nd = 2 o'clock, etc.). Write the pattern: السَّاعة + ordinal. Look at 8 clock faces — You say the time in Arabic. Then introduce: والنِّصف (half past), والرُّبع (quarter past), إِلَّا الرُّبع (quarter to). Drill with 12 clock faces (Write the time in words). Important: السَّاعة الثَّانية عشرة (12 o'clock), السَّاعة الواحدة (1 o'clock — special form). Complete time-telling worksheet.
Main 215 min
Timetable building and description
Study an authentic-looking Arabic school timetable. Read and answer questions: "ما الدَّرس في يوم الثلاثاء السَّاعة التَّاسِعة؟" Then You fill in a blank timetable grid with their own school timetable, writing all subjects in Arabic and times in Arabic. After completing, pairs describe their timetable to each other: "في يوم الاثنين، عندي العربية السَّاعة التَّاسعة صباحاً، ثم الرياضيات السَّاعة العاشرة." Partner listens and marks their grid.
Main 312 min
Questions about the timetable
Introduce question structures for timetables: مَتى (when)، في أَيِّ يَوم (on which day)، كَم حِصَّة (how many periods). Model: "مَتى عِندَك العَرَبِيَّة؟" "عِندي العربية يَوم الاثنين والأربعاء." You practise asking and answering in pairs (4 exchanges each). Then write 5 sentences about their timetable using at least 3 different days and 2 different times. Connect to Paper 2: timetables are a named text type in the reading syllabus.
Plenary10 min
Time challenge quiz
teacher or partner shows clock faces rapidly — Write the Arabic time on mini whiteboards. 10 rounds in 3 minutes. Then: teacher or partner says a time in Arabic — You draw the clock face. 5 rounds. This dual-direction practice (Arabic → clock and clock → Arabic) builds automaticity essential for listening comprehension. You add days and times vocabulary to vocabulary books.
Useful resources
- Days of week flashcards
- Clock faces (analogue — A4 printed or drawn)
- School timetable grid (blank)
- Time-telling practice worksheet
- Authentic Arabic school timetable image
Stretch / heritage-reader challenge
Heritage readers: write a comparison of the school week structure in an Arab country they know (e.g. Egypt: Sunday–Thursday; Saudi: Sunday–Thursday until recently, now Monday–Friday) vs UK. Include cultural commentary on Friday as Jumu'ah. Write 6–8 sentences in Arabic.
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Plenary
Finish with a quick check and one clear next step.
Key takeaways
- Name the seven days of the week in Arabic and use them in sentences
- Read and say clock times using the 12-hour Arabic system
- Describe a school timetable using يَوم + day + subject + time expressions
- Grammar focus: Days of the week: all masculine, take في for "on": في يَوم الاثنين (on Monday). Clock times: السَّاعة الواحدة (1 o'clock), السَّاعة الثَّانية (2 o'clock) etc. — ordinal numbers used for times. Half past: والنِّصف. Quarter past: والرُّبع. Quarter to: إِلَّا الرُّبع. The week in Arab countries often starts on Sunday — cultural note. Friday is the day of Jumu'ah prayer.
Exit ticket
Time-telling worksheet (collected). Timetable grid completion (peer-checked). Pair timetable questioning (teacher or partner observation).
Optional follow-up
Write out your full school timetable in Arabic (all days, all subjects, all times). Write 6 sentences describing when you have your favourite and least favourite subjects. Practise telling the time in Arabic until fluent.
Confidence check
How secure do you feel after this lesson?
Remember: quick revision works best when you revisit weak vocabulary and correct errors, not when you try to complete everything in one sitting.