Hello! This is Aida with a new episode of Learn Arabic with Ease for pre-intermediate learners of colloquial Arabic. In this series, I will be speaking about a different topic every time, suitable for this specific level, and obviously at a slower pace than normal to make it easier for you to understand the content.

 

Today’s topic is going be different, as it’s not related to the typical topics usually practiced at the pre-intermediate level. Today, I’m going to talk about little gestures that make people happy.

 

Life nowadays is faster paced than it used to be. Perhaps the rapid advancements in technology over the past 20 years has led people to be more hasty and more impatient  to get quick results or answers.  The modern means of communication for instance, such as social media, allow others to immediately know what is going on in your life, make it easy to stay in touch with family and friends and rapidly send and receive messages.

 

Amid our rapid lifestyles, most of us seem to forget that making others happy does not have to consume much of our time. There are simple gestures that all of us could undertake in order to bring pleasure to others and put a smile on their faces.

 

And that’s exactly what I would like to talk about today. Here are some those gestures:

 

1. Offering compliments.

 

Most people enjoy receiving compliments. It doesn’t take much effort on our side to come up with a couple of positive words to make another person feel good. This could be related to their physical appearance or their work. It could be something as simple as telling them they have a nice smile or laugh.

 

2. Calling people

 

As I said above, our daily routines have become hectic, and we tend to text people instead of calling them. Since a conversation over the phone generally takes more time, if we call a family member or friend over the phone to chat with them, it will signal to them that we genuinely care to hear their voices and ask about them.

 

3. Buy flowers or chocolate for someone who goes out of their way to always be friendly and helpful toward others. Some of these people who are always nice toward others tend to be taken advantage of.  Others get used to receiving help and favours from them. What we need to remember is that these nice people also deserve to be appreciated. They should also sometimes receive little gifts so that they know they’re special.

 

4. Giving up your seat on public transportation to others:

 

it should go without saying that if we’re healthy, and someone steps onto the bus who looks tired or is carrying bags that we should offer them our seat. Some of these people who look tired might actually be sick.Obviously old people should always have priority.

 

5. Tell someone you are proud of them:

Everyone needs encouragement. Simple phrases like … go a long way to boost someone’s self-confidence. It’s something that takes no effort or time but can make a great impact on another person’s life.

 

6. Listening attentively to other people and being there for them:

Listening carefully to other people while they’re speaking, especially if they have a problem, helps them feel that they are not alone, and that they have people around them who care and are willing to help. Obviously, being there for people in times of need is a true sign that you care and that you’re ready to support them, at least emotionally, until they’ve overcome their difficulties.

 

7. Smile! One of the simplest things we could do to make others happy or try to lighten up their day is to smile. Smiling is a more powerful tool than we might think. It’s an expression of friendliness and kindness. It’s connected to happiness and optimism. From a medical and psychological point of view, smiling can result in a longer life, reduce stress, and improve the immune system. Smiling is contagious and is good both for the person who smiles, and the person being smiled at.

​

Of course, there are many other gestures that make other people happy, but for now, let’s stop here.  I hope you have found today’s episode useful. If you liked it, remember that listening to the same episode more than once is very helpful in remembering the new vocabulary you have learnt. It was great having you with me. I’d appreciate you leaving me a like and would love it if you could join me for more episodes.

 

This is Aida from Learn Arabic with Ease! Bye Bye!