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Should I study Colloquial or Classical Arabic or both? The decision to study Colloquial Arabic, Classical Arabic, or both together depends on how you intend to use the Arabic language. Don't waste your time learning a part of the language that ultimately you do not intend to use. If your aim is to interact with Arabs as Arabs interact in their homes, on the streets, and in the offices then you should learn Colloquial Arabic. Colloquial Arabic reflects popular culture which appears in movies and music. However, if your aim is to read the newspapers, novels, write and read research papers, speak with Academics or persons well read, as well as attend formal seminars, then you should learn Classical. Students who opt to study both Colloquial and Classical simultaneously get the best of both worlds and are the most integrated into Arab society.
What would happen if I used my Classical Arabic to interact informally? If you spoke Classical Arabic with friends and colleagues you would sound standoffish. Speaking Classical Arabic in a non formal setting is like speaking old formal English! You just appear out of place. With that in mind this website is for both those who wish to speak Arabic in both a formal and informal setting because the
site offers both Colloquial and Classical Arabic. Is Colloquial Arabic totally different than Classical Arabic? No, Colloquial Arabic is not totally different from Classical Arabic with an overlap in the syntax of the sentences and semantics. Frequently, students studying one catch on to the other easily because of similarities in patterns of formation of sentences and phrases. Similarities include the Idaafa construction, the noun-adjective phrase, and vocabulary. On the other hand, differences include voweling (i.e. pronunciation); demonstrative, presentational, and interrogative particles; and vocabulary. Is learning to read Arabic challenging? Learning to recognize the 28 letters in Arabic can be done in a weak but that does not mean learning to read is as quick. The journey in learning to read Arabic is significantly shortened if you learn to read syllables properly and not entire words in the beginning. Students who are not comfortable with dealing with shaddas, sequoons, doubled consonants, and short and long vowels, take forever to learn to read the language because they never stopped to create rules to follow. Start properly and you will take flight much more quickly. Is learning to pronounce Arabic challenging? Arabic has sounds that are unique to the language that are more guttural (i.e. from the throat) than dental or at the roof of the mouth. These sounds just take awhile to capture. They don't come overnight. Listen carefully to these heavy sounding letters in the audios provided in this website. The more you listen to the section of unique sounds in Arabic the quicker you begin to sound like a native. English speakers are not familiar with guttural sounds. How long does it take to learn Arabic? You should generally dedicate at least two sessions in a week or you will be going at it forever. Students who choose to study Arabic once a week make progress but should not expect to use the language with fluency within three years. You should aim to be able to use the language within three years if having to function within an Arabic speaking environment. Generally, a study session should last for 1.5 hours to be effective but this is totally up to you. 30 minute sessions daily are also effective. What makes learning Arabic easy? There are no silent letters, gender is predictable because of a simple rule taking the guess work out, and learning new words can become intuitive because of the root system (i.e. the appearance of a trio of consonants in a word generally falls under a possible meaning). This site rates each chapter from easy to hard. If it's easy you will know. What makes learning Arabic hard? If you want to learn Arabic you simply will. Probably the hardest part of learning Arabic has little to do with the language itself and more to do with study habits. Language students need to be creatures of habit in which they go ahead with their lesson routine no matter what. But still some of the more challenging aspects include: the unique Arabic script, new sounds, long versus short vowels, the use of active participles in place of verbs, and the wide usage of the Idaafa construction (i.e. a means of showing possession in Arabic) can require a little of an imagination. But it's all fun. Once you are aware of what you need to give extra attention to you are less alienated during the learning process controlling more of the learning process. This site rates each chapter from easy to hard.
Chances are if you are on this site you know the answer to this question. But still for potential students who are contemplating you might have a general interest in the region regarding the people and culture. You might be considering to work for a government or non-government agency; you might be a political science student or international studies; you might be personally involved with an Arab or you might be keen on having a better understanding of your heritage, religion, and family ties. Learning the Arabic language opens up a vast body of arts and literature that is both contemporary and classical. Interest in the Arabic language has grown significantly after 9/11 with enrollment doubling in Arabic language classes in both in the United States and in the Arab world. The belief is that students will undergo a positive experience while learning the language that will translate to favorable interactions and friendships. What's up with all of the dialects? There are many Arabic dialects but this is no reason to be overwhelmed. Generally you learn the dialect that you expect to use the most depending on your academic and personal goals. Also, the Egyptian dialect is understood throughout the Arab world and is frequently used as the dialect of choice for academics and travelers. In general there are four main dialect groups in the Arab world:
1- Egypt and Libya From the above groups it can safely be said that speakers of the Egyptian dialect will understand easily the Libyan, the Levant, and the Gulf dialects. However, the Maghreb region is arguably a more challenging dialect for a speaker of the Egyptian dialect to understand. Should I study the Egyptian dialect? The Egyptian dialect is the dialect of choice for academics and travelers in the region because it is the widely understood and respected. Egypt is thought of as the cultural, academic, and political hub of the region similar to New York in the United States.
This site is made for you - the language student eager to learn Arabic. After realizing that there is a serious shortage of valuable learning materials to study Arabic this audio site was made. The goal of this site is for Arabic language learners to experience simplified lessons and share and exchange information with fellow students. Subscription cost is meant to be minimal to not make it an obstacle for potential students to join in. Why are pictures useful in the language learning process? Learning a language is as much auditory as is visual. Unfortunately, frequently we find ourselves while learning a language not in the country that speaks the language. Therefore, using pictures that are coupled with audios, as this site does, helps reinforce words still floating in short term memory. The more senses we use in the learning process the better. This site is meant as one of your tools to learn the Arabic language but not the be-all-end-all to your learning game. Learning a language requires both learning materials and people who speak the language! Unfortunately, native speakers don't speak to language learners who are still struggling with the fundamentals - so you need to dedicate time to a site like this before you can take off. Why does this site color code the words? Arabic is a language that frequently uses prefixes and suffixes attached to the main stem of the word instead of having many separate words. For instance, what can be said in five words in English might be said in one or two words in Arabic. Therefore, color coding the prefixes and suffixes makes the learning process easier so that you can see the main stem and reoccurring patterns. Why use transliteration when learning Arabic speech? Transliteration can significantly speed up the learning process if you wish to just speak Arabic and not learn Classical. Students who are just interested in communicating to fellow Arabs through speech need to focus on auditory skills and not multitask with literacy skills.
Why are answers given to all drills? This site is meant to empower you and without answers to drills you can not go far. Many language learning materials do not provide answers to drills making students overly dependent on language learning programs and instructors. Should I use transliteration or learn Arabic script? It is best to choose between transliteration or Arabic script and stick to it but not use both. If you wish to learn to read Arabic then do not cheat and proceed to recognize the letters and words without the help of transliteration. However, if your sole purpose is to speak Arabic then why learn to read Arabic script? Learning to read Arabic script is much more challenging then reading the transliteration. Arabic has unique sounds and stresses and the audios are what make this site so beneficial. Reading words on paper or a screen are no where as useful as listening to single words, phrases, and entire sentences and passages. The audios on this site will prove as useful as the grammar descriptions. In fact, the audios distinguish the site from purchasing a regular Arabic language book off the shelf. How is each chapter organized? The chapters are intentionally short covering a specific topic and ensuring users with a quick sense of knowledge gained. Each chapter presents the material in the same order so that students can focus on what is being said and not where it is being said. The lesson begins with a brief grammar snap shot, followed by drills and answers, and possibly a picture exercise. All of the Arabic can be listened to in swf audio format. Important and tricky points are given the yellow street warning sign and your encouraged to take a break at the end of each chapter.
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