FOR MY FRIENDS · ENGLISH FROM DARJA

English, Round by Round.

Real English for real life, learned like a fighter trains: one round at a time. Every phrase has the Darja next to it, a simple way to say it, and a button to hear it spoken.

Dedicated to my friend in Algeria, a fighter in the ring and in the classroom. Keep your guard up and keep talking. Every round you finish makes you stronger. — Scoop

مهداة لصاحبتي في الجزاير، مقاتلة في الرينغ وفي القراية. خلّي يديك لفوق وكمّلي تهدري. كل روند تكمليه يخليك أقوى.

THE ROUNDS

Round 1

The 🔊 button uses your phone’s own English voice. “Slow” says it at practice speed. Say it out loud after it, three times, like shadow boxing.

SPARRING

Ten-question spar.

You see the Darja. Pick the English. Ten questions, from every round you’ve opened. Each right answer fills your belt.

Question 1 of 100 right

COACH’S TIPS

The sounds Darja doesn’t have.

Most mistakes come from a few sounds. Train these like footwork: slow first, then fast.

P is not B

Lips together, then a puff of air. Hold a paper in front of your mouth: P moves it, B doesn’t. Try: punch, pad, practice.

P فيها نفس: حطّي ورقة قدام فمك، مع P تتحرك.

V is not F

Top teeth on your bottom lip, and your voice ON. F is the same with the voice off. Try: very, victory, five.

V كيما F بصّح بالصوت.

TH: two sounds

Tongue between your teeth. Think, three have no voice, like Arabic ث. This, the, mother have voice, like ذ. You already have both!

think = ث · this = ذ

Silent letters

English writes letters it doesn’t say. Fight = “fite”. Know = “no”. Walk = “wok”. Learn the sound, not the spelling.

Hit the strong part

Every long word has one strong beat, like a jab before the cross: PRAC-tice, to-MOR-row, CHAM-pi-on. The big letters below show where it lands.

French helps you

Many words match: champion, training, coach, problem, important. Same meaning. Just change the sound to English.

TRAINING CAMP

A 30-day plan. Fifteen minutes a day.

Days 1–6Rounds 1 and 2. Listen, say each phrase three times. Spar once a day.

Days 7–12Rounds 3 and 4. Write five phrases in your notebook every day.

Days 13–18Round 5. Send one English message to a friend every day.

Days 19–24All rounds. Spar until you get 8 of 10, three days in a row.

Days 25–30Fight week: one short English voice message a day. Talk about your training.