photo credit: Puccaso

So, you want to learn Arabic? Can I get you your tranquilizers now or should I wait until after you’ve had your nervous breakdown. I don’t mean to scare you or anything like that, but you’ve decided to take on one of the toughest languages out there. I’m not sure which is harder, Arabic or Hebrew. I’ve tackled them both and let me tell you, neither of them is a picnic. But okay, you’ve made up your mind that this is one language you want to learn, so it’s best you’re forewarned and forearmed before tackling this beast. This article will give you the 2-cent tour.

There’s a Whole New Set of Characters

For starters, you’re dealing with a WHOLE new set of characters here. If you’ve been doing nothing but learning Latin based languages like English, German, French and Spanish, good luck with this monster. Arabic uses the Arabic Alphabet which is nothing like its Latin counterpart. The symbols, to the untrained eye, will literally look like chicken scratch. I kid you not. There is nothing in this alphabet that even remotely resembles our Latin characters that we so take for granted.

There are Many Dialects & Variations

Aside from that, you’re dealing with a language that has many dialects and variations. The alphabet itself can be written with vowels either written out or implied, meaning they’re left out but they’re there. If you think that’s confusing enough, combine that with the different dialects and you’re heading for a class A nervous breakdown. I sometimes wonder why anybody would voluntarily want to tackle this monster. Of course I understand that in some college curriculums, it’s required. My condolences to you and your family if you’re one of them.

Learning Arabic Will Take Some Time

Finally, and this may be the most important thing of all, when dealing with a language like this, it is CRITICAL that you put in a great deal of time into learning it. This isn’t something that you’re going to be able to do casually when the mood strikes you. Remember how tough it was to learn German? Well baby, that was a cake walk next to what you have ahead of you. At least with German you recognized your alphabet. Here, it’s like you’re five years old and learning to read for the first time.

Don’t Worry. There’s Help

If all this sounds daunting, don’t fret. On this website you’ll find reviews of great resources that will actually make learning Arabic tolerable. No, it’s not going to be a piece of cake, but it’s going to be easier than trying to go it alone with the “standard” tools you have available to you.

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photo credit: Damon | Photography

Okay, so you’ve decided that you want to learn to speak and read Arabic. Well, you certainly have a challenge ahead of you. No, I won’t lie. It’s not going to be easy, especially if you’re used to a Latin based language such as English. However, if you put the time into it, you can master this language just like somebody who was born into it. This article is going to give you a few tips to get you on your way.

Know Which Countries You Have in Mind

For starters, it’s probably a good idea to know what countries you’re going to be using this language for. Arabic is spoken in many Asian and African countries. A brief list includes Kurdish, from Northern Iraq, Arwi, which is known as Arabic-Tamil, from Sri Lanka and Hausa from Africa. Trust me, this is a very brief list. And while these are not Arabic languages per say, they are based on the Arabic alphabet and understanding that alphabet can greatly help you when going to these and other countries that use it.

Master the Symbols First

As for learning the language itself, the best thing to do is to first understand the symbols of the language. As they are not like our standard Latin alphabet (A-Z) they can take some time to understand. Unlike a language like German, where all you need to learn is the words, with Arabic, you have to learn a whole new nomenclature. This can be quite challenging as we get older. This is why American born Jewish children learn the Hebrew alphabet at such a young age. Trying to do so when they’re older can be problematic at best.

Record Yourself Speaking

Finally, it is best to record everything so that you can actually hear the words. This will give you the best indicator of how you’re progressing with the language itself. Things in our head don’t sound the same as when they’re actually spoken out loud. So get yourself a cheap tape recorder or even use your computer to tape your lessons and practice. Trust me on this, you’ll find it quite helpful.

If you’ll check out some of our recommended products on this site, you’ll find reviews of great resources that will teach you Arabic easily and effectively. With a language this difficult (no, it’s not easy) you want to have the best training available. You’ll find it here.

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photo credit: Doctor Yuri

Do you have any idea how many different languages and dialects there are in the world? Well, if you don’t, you sure picked one of the more fascinating ones by wanting to teach yourself Arabic. But before you jump headfirst into this language, there are a few things you need to know. This article is going to fill you in on some of what you have ahead of you. Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll be prepared.

It’s Not as Simple as “ABC” or “123″

For starters, and this is probably the most important thing for you to realize, unlike many languages like German, French and Spanish, the Arabic Alphabet is not like our standard English, or Latin alphabet. The symbols are quite different and quite complex. For somebody who has been reading nothing but English their whole life, this can be quite a culture shock. This is why American born Jewish children are taught Hebrew at such a young age. The Herbrew alphabet, also made of symbols quite different from the Latin, is not easy to grasp as you get older. One mark can totally change the meaning of a word and how it’s pronounced.

Another thing you need to know is that the Arabic alphabet is used for quite a few languages in Asia and Africa, including Arabic itself. Actually, next to the Latin alphabet, it is the second most used alphabet in the world today. Not many people know this. If you’re looking to read the holy book of Islam, then this alphabet is the one you’re going to want to learn because that’s what it’s written in. And trust me…it’s not light reading.

Don’t Let the Tricky Reading Get You

Another thing about Arabic like Hebrew, is that it is written from right to left just like the Hebrew alphabet. So if you grew up in a Hebrew home, you might have a bit of an advantage when learning Arabic, as opposed to somebody growing up in an English speaking house. Then you’ve really got your work cut out for you. However, as with Hebrew, some of the vowels are optional symbols. This can make reading a bit tricky at times.

If you check out the product reviews on this website, you’ll find recommendations for the best ebooks, audios, and softwares for learning to speak and read Arabic. Whatever you preference, I think you’ll find them all quite helpful.

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Added: June 23, 2009

COUNTING: Join Tareq wa Shireen on their magical journey back in time and learn how to count by meeting famous historical pioneers who made counting simple.

The Theme aims to introduce children to counting and numbers by acknowledging the history of numbers, recognizing numbers from one to ten, visualizing the value of each number and sequencing numbers in ascending order.

Tareq WA Shireen consists of 13 themes that have been developed, and researched by a team of specialist with clear objectives that address key factors of a children’s development, through reinforcing constructive cognitive, social, emotional and physical attributes. In each episode the group of friends tackle exciting attributes, which focus on refining there problem solving skills through discovery learning , imagination and active interaction with the characters and themes.

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Author: LearnQuranicArabic

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Added: June 27, 2009

Engaged in this rich multimedia experience, you may never feel like you’re studying, and the fact that you are actually using another language becomes transparent.

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Keywords: arabic saudi arabia jeddah

Added: December 30, 2007

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Keywords: Chanda Aur Bijli(1969)

Added: June 25, 2009