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Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world. In fact, there are almost 300 million people who use it as their mother tongue. It belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family and is related to Maltese, Hebrew, and Aramaic. It is also the official language of many countries in North Africa and Asia Minor, including Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.
Finally, its international weight is also important: it is one of the official languages of the Arab League, the African Union, NATO, and the United Nations. Furthermore, it is the sacred language of Islam.
Despite its widespread use, Arabic is not a language with defined contours according to our traditional parameters. In fact, it is divided into a great variety of dialects and, as we will see, it differs in its spoken and written form. Enrolling in an Arabic Learning Course can make this process easier. Learning Arabic from scratch can be a challenge, even discouraging at first, but it is certainly possible with the right approach.
Learning Arabic from Scratch: Is It Difficult?
In reality, once you get over the initial natural disorientation, learning Arabic is no more difficult than learning other languages. Of course, there are many differences to take into account, but once you learn them, you will proceed quickly. Furthermore, as with other languages, there are tricks and methods to get around the difficulties.
What You Will Learn in an Arabic Learning Course
In this article, we will cover:
- Where to start to learn Arabic from scratch
- Some tricks to make learning easier
- Some false myths about this language
But first, let me remind you that learning a language is easier if you immerse yourself in it completely. What does that mean? In the case of Arabic, using games to learn Arabic, reading books, watching movies, and talking to native speakers. In short, testing yourself.
Arabic Learning Course: What You Need to Know
Let’s start with the fundamental aspects of Arabic, which differentiate it from other languages. These include:
- The variants of Arabic
- The alphabet
- The vowels
- The flow of writing
- The syntactic order
The Variants of Arabic
There are three main variants of Arabic, which differ greatly from each other:
- Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): Spoken throughout the Arab world but only in formal and written contexts, such as literature, print, television, education, and politics. If you are not interested in a particular country, this is the type of Arabic you should focus on.
- Classical or Quranic Arabic: The foundation of modern Arabic, used in Quranic texts, classical literature, and religious or legal contexts.
- Colloquial Arabic: This includes dialects divided into five major families:
- Gulf Arabic
- Mesopotamian Arabic
- Levantine Arabic (common in Jordan and nearby countries)
- Egyptian Arabic
- Maghrebi Arabic
Each of these dialect families has numerous sub-dialects that vary by country, city, and even religion. If you are interested in living in a particular country, find out which dialect is spoken and focus on that.
The Alphabet and Vowels
Contrary to what one might expect, Arabic has only 28 letters. We advise against using transliterations, as they may initially help but will delay true mastery of the alphabet.
Key characteristics of the Arabic alphabet:
- Each letter represents a consonant. Vowels exist but are indicated by signs placed near the other letters.
- Some letters change shape depending on their position in a word—beginning, middle, or end.
The Flow of Writing
One of the unique and intimidating aspects of learning Arabic is its writing direction—right to left. However, once you familiarize yourself with it, this becomes second nature.
The Syntactic Order
According to the World Atlas of Language Structures, Arabic follows a Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) structure, unlike English, which typically follows Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). However, Arabic is flexible, and reordering sentences does not drastically alter meaning.
Debunking Myths About Learning Arabic
Arabic is often perceived as difficult due to many misconceptions. Let’s clear up a few:
- Pronunciation: While Arabic has some unique sounds, only three sounds are entirely unfamiliar to non-Arabic speakers. Once mastered, pronunciation becomes much easier.
- Vocabulary: Though ancient Arabic has an extensive vocabulary, modern Arabic has a similar number of words as other languages. Most words derive from common root patterns, making learning easier.
- Grammar: Arabic grammar is not as complex as many believe. The verb system is quite simple, with only two tenses, and irregular verbs are minimal.
Tricks to Learn Arabic Quickly
Enrolling in an Arabic Learning Course is a great step, but here are additional strategies to speed up the process:
Use Word Lists
A simple yet effective technique is to identify and memorize the 500 most commonly used Arabic words. This is based on the Pareto Principle, which suggests that 80% of daily conversations consist of just 20% of the language’s vocabulary.
You can find useful word lists on Wikibooks or similar resources. Memorizing 10 words a day will make you conversationally independent in under two months!
Leverage Familiar Words
Did you know that over 200 English words originate from Arabic? Words like “coffee,” “sugar,” and “algebra” have Arabic roots, making them easy to remember.
Enroll in an Arabic Learning Course at Lisaan Academy
While these tips are helpful, they are not enough to make you fluent in Arabic. If you want to use Arabic professionally or move to an Arabic-speaking country, you need a structured Arabic Learning Course tailored to your goals.
At Lisaan Academy, learning Arabic is both easy and enjoyable. You can:
- Customize your course based on your needs
- Choose a native Arabic teacher based on your budget and schedule
- Receive guidance to find the best study method for your availability
With our support, you will learn Arabic effectively and reach fluency in no time. Start your Arabic learning course today at Lisaan Academy!
