Sentence Ladder (Sullam al-Jumal) is the original printable Arabic sentence-building card and board game for non-native speakers. Combine illustrated Arabic word cards into meaningful spoken sentences and climb the 40-square board.

Included: 15-page PDF

• Updated one-page How to Play instructions.
• 40-square A3 ladder game board and card-pile mats.
• 80 illustrated, numbered word cards in four colour-coded sets, with card backs.
• Arabic-English reference sheets with transliteration.
  The board and instructions are inside this download; no separate board purchase is needed.

Four card colours

Purple: pronouns, demonstratives, question words and characters. Red: nouns and describing words, including starred cards. Green: verbs with conjugation support. Yellow: prepositions, connectors and other useful expressions. Colour recognition supports beginners without requiring grammatical terminology.

How to play

Draw four cards, one of each colour. Form a meaningful Arabic sentence using at least two cards and say it aloud. You do not have to use all four. If correct, move one space for two cards, two spaces for three cards, or three spaces for four or more cards. A correctly used starred red card earns one additional space. Count cards, not the number of individual words: choose an appropriate form from a green card and count it as one card.

If stuck, draw four more cards, one of each colour, and try again using eight. If still unable to form a sentence, pass without moving. After the turn, discard drawn cards into colour-matched piles. Shuffle and reuse a discard pile when its draw pile runs out.

Land at a ladder’s bottom to climb to its top. On a challenge square, complete an extra language task, such as forming a question, changing a pronoun or creating a longer sentence. Success earns two extra spaces; failure means staying in place. Players never move backwards. The first player to reach or pass square 40 wins.

Language support

Players may add the definite article to a suitable noun without another card when grammatically correct. Question-card hints support beginners. Consult the reference sheets after drawing; keep face-down cards hidden. Follow the updated standard rules: extra level-up or dialogue markings on some boards are not used in this version.

Preparation and classroom use

Print the rules, board and references; print and cut the cards and use their backs as appropriate. Supply playing pieces. Use for supported small-group speaking practice, sentence construction, vocabulary revision, tutoring or home learning. A teacher or competent Arabic speaker should help check sentence accuracy. This is the original general-vocabulary game, distinct from the separate themed packs. Digital PDF download; no physical items.