Describe common illnesses and symptoms in Arabic
F5Lesson 5 of 12◇ Core language
Health and Illness — At the Doctor's
الصِّحَّة والمَرَض — عِند الطَّبيب
Food, Health & Body · Everyday activities
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Learning Objectives
Focus on these outcomes rather than trying to memorise everything at once.
Use هَل عِندَك...؟ and أَشعُر بـ to ask about and describe health
Role play a doctor-patient consultation in Paper 3 transactional format
Lesson outline
- 8 minStarterSymptom charades
- 15 minMain 1Illness and symptom vocabulary
- 20 minMain 2Doctor-patient role play — Paper 3 format
- 8 minMain 3Health advice — imperatives in context
- 9 minPlenaryGet well soon card
Exam connection: Listening: food and health descriptions (Paper 1 all formats) | Reading: restaurant blog, health article, doctor's leaflet (Paper 2 R1–R4, Q1/Q2 matching, Q4 gap-fill) | Writing: 80–100 words food and health article/email (Paper 4 Q3) | Speaking: restaurant role play (transactional) + doctor-patient role play + topic conversation on food and health
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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 خُبز mean?
2. What does النِّظام الغِذائي المُتَوازِن mean?
3. What does الاستِماع للمُفرَدات الغِذائِيَّة mean?
4. What does جُبن mean?
5. What does دَجاج mean?
6. What does بَيض 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
أَشعُر بـ (I feel — Form I, root ش-ع-ر) + noun: أشعر بالتعب، أشعر بالغثيان. هل عندك + indefinite noun?: هل عندك صداع؟ (do you have a headache?). منذ for duration: "عندي زكام منذ ثلاثة أيام" (I have had a cold for three days — present tense + منذ, revisited from D1). Imperatives for health advice: استرح، اشرب، كل، نم (sleep) — these are all Form I imperatives already introduced in F4 classroom commands. Extension: لا تأكل (don't eat — negative imperative).
Notice the pattern
- آكُل الخُبز كلَّ يوم.
- أُحِبُّ الأُرز مع الدَّجاج.
- أخي يَأكُلُ اللَّحم.
- تَأكُلُ أُختي الدَّجاج.
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.
آكُل الخُبز كلَّ يوم. أُحِبُّ الأُرز مع الدَّجاج. أخي يَأكُلُ اللَّحم. تَأكُلُ أُختي الدَّجاج. السَّمَك مُفيد.
- 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.
آكُل الخُبز كلَّ يوم. أُحِبُّ الأُرز مع الدَّجاج. أخي يَأكُلُ اللَّحم. تَأكُلُ أُختي الدَّجاج. السَّمَك مُفيد.
- What is the main topic of the text?
- Find two words or phrases connected with “Health and Illness — At the Doctor's”.
- 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 “Health and Illness — At the Doctor's” 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 Health and Illness — At the Doctor's. 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
Symptom charades
You act out a symptom (no words, no sound) — classmates guess in Arabic: "هل عندك صداع؟ / هل أنت متعب/ة؟" After each correct guess, teacher or partner writes the Arabic term on board. This kinaesthetic activity immediately activates prior vocabulary from Lesson 4 (body parts) and introduces the semantic field of illness through TPR before any formal teaching. You naturally start using عندك/عندي in their guesses.
Main 115 min
Illness and symptom vocabulary
Present 10 illness/symptom terms. For each: name → use in a sentence with أشعر بـ or عندي. Note: some symptoms take بـ (أشعر بالتعب، أشعر بالدوار — the فـ because they follow أشعر بـ). Others use عندي + indefinite noun (عندي صداع، عندي زكام، عندي حمى). Drill both structures. Then: منذ for duration of illness — "عندي حمى منذ يومين." Write 5 symptom sentences using both structures and at least 2 منذ expressions. Connect to body parts: "عندي ألم في حلقي. أشعر بصداع شديد."
Main 220 min
Doctor-patient role play — Paper 3 format
5 prompts (Paper 3 role play format): 1) Greet the doctor and say you feel unwell. 2) Describe your main symptom using أشعر بـ. 3) Answer the doctor's question about how long you have been ill (منذ). 4) Describe a second symptom when the doctor asks. 5) Thank the doctor and ask about the medicine. Role: half the class are doctors, half patients. 5-minute practice, then swap roles. teacher or partner listens to 4 pairs and scores on the Paper 3 role play mark scheme (0/1/2 per prompt = max 10). Give immediate feedback: "You communicated all 5 pieces of information clearly — full marks."
Main 38 min
Health advice — imperatives in context
Study a list of 8 symptoms. Write the health advice for each using imperatives: "عندك صداع؟ → استرح واشرب الماء. عندك زكام؟ → كُل الخضروات الطازجة ولا تخرج في البرد." This combines illness vocabulary with imperative structures from F4. Cross-unit retrieval: You recall اشرب (drink!), كُل (eat!), نَم (sleep!). teacher or partner checks: are the negative imperatives (لا + present) formed correctly?
Plenary9 min
Get well soon card
Write a short get-well-soon note (بطاقة تعافٍ سريع) to an imaginary sick friend in Arabic: describe what illness they have (using vocabulary from today), give 3 pieces of health advice (imperatives), and wish them well (تعافَ سريعاً / بالشفاء العاجل). 5–6 sentences. Share 3 with class. teacher or partner highlights: these sentences combine present tense (describing illness), imperatives (advice), and wishes — three different grammatical structures in one short text.
Useful resources
- Symptom flashcards
- Doctor-patient role play scenario card
- Health advice imperative reference strip
- Illness description reading task (short)
Stretch / heritage-reader challenge
Heritage readers: write a health advice article (80+ words) in the style of an Arabic health magazine — covering 3 common illnesses, their symptoms, and traditional Arab/Islamic remedies (العلاج بالأعشاب، العسل، الحبة السوداء). Use formal MSA register, أشعر بـ/عندي structures, and imperative advice throughout.
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Plenary
Finish with a quick check and one clear next step.
Key takeaways
- Describe common illnesses and symptoms in Arabic
- Use هَل عِندَك...؟ and أَشعُر بـ to ask about and describe health
- Role play a doctor-patient consultation in Paper 3 transactional format
- Grammar focus: أَشعُر بـ (I feel — Form I, root ش-ع-ر) + noun: أشعر بالتعب، أشعر بالغثيان. هل عندك + indefinite noun?: هل عندك صداع؟ (do you have a headache?). منذ for duration: "عندي زكام منذ ثلاثة أيام" (I have had a cold for three days — present tense + منذ, revisited from D1). Imperatives for health advice: استرح، اشرب، كل، نم (sleep) — these are all Form I imperatives already introduced in F4 classroom commands. Extension: لا تأكل (don't eat — negative imperative).
Exit ticket
Symptom sentences (collected — أشعر بـ vs عندي structure accuracy). Role play (teacher or partner-scored on Paper 3 mark scheme). Health advice imperatives (spot-check).
Optional follow-up
Write a short story (50–60 words): you wake up feeling ill, call the doctor, describe your symptoms, receive advice, and feel better. Use أشعر بـ، عندي، منذ، and at least 3 imperatives in the advice section.
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.