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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