Comprehensive Guide on How to get Started in Learning Arabic!

Fatima Sajid
Will I be able to familiarize myself with Arabic communication? Is it a difficult language? Which Arabic dialect would be suitable for me to learn? What about it’s articulation and composing? Many people are passionate about learning Arabic. After all, it is one of the most communicated dialects in the world. If you are a student just beginning to learn Arabic, this article will be ideally suited for you, giving significant tips, guidance, direction, and advice that will help you in learning Arabic effectively.

Content

Chapter 01

Introduction

Chapter 02

Thing to Consider Before Learning Arabic

Chapter 03

Tips on How to Learn Arabic Quickly

Chapter 04

Exploring Digital Apps to Help You Learn Arabic Faster

Chapter 05

Dictionaries to Learn Arabic and Its Words

Chapter 06

Different Effective Study Methods

Chapter 07

Don'ts When Learning Arabic

Chapter 01

Introduction

English speakers find it incredibly hard to understand and learn Arabic from its roots. It’s as hard as Chinese and Pashto for most of us. Any book that assures you mastery over Arabic in a couple of months is lying. I believe it’s more of what Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said regarding Arabic language, “Divide your life in four parts. Keep the first three for learning Arabic and the last for learning religion”
Prior to educating ourselves on some tips and assets on learning Arabic, a short outline of the Arabic language will assist us with reinforcing our point of learning it. 
Learning Arabic is difficult yet a remunerating experience. Arabic is the 6th most communicated language on the planet, with almost 420 million individuals speaking it around the world. Learning another language is consistently a major endeavor, however when the new dialect doesn't impart a root to your local tongue, it's considerably harder to get a grasp of it.
While learning any new language, there are keys to accomplishment in becoming familiar with it. You learn new words, action word formation, grammar, sentence design, and afterwards practice, practice, practice. You drench yourself in the new dialect. You watch motion pictures and pay attention to music in the new dialect, speak it as much as you can, search out local speakers and communicate with them. After a short time, you'll have a decent accent and succeed in speaking the new dialect or if nothing else that is the real trick. In any case, Arabic can introduce some remarkable difficulties for English speakers that can hinder the learning process and slow it down.
For instance:
  • Arabic uses a totally new letter system. 
  • There are basically no common words among Arabic and Latin-based languages. Arabic vocabulary is a whole bunch of new words for English speakers.
  • Arabic is an exceptionally inflectional tongue. Subject, tense, and mind-set are conveyed by how you curve your tone.
  • There are ten regular action word examples, and students should retain the formation and vocalization for the dynamic and inactive voices.
  • Plurals and their concurrences with numbers are more troublesome and complex than what we commonly utilize in English.
  • Arabic is truly unfamiliar to English speakers in every way. Sounds somewhat extreme, isn't that right?
Chapter 02

Things to Consider Before Learning Arabic

Arabic is difficult for all beginners

Unlike most other languages which become easier as we learn them, Arabic is quite different. Seems like the more you learn of Arabic, the stranger and more irregular it gets. Important grammatical principles, formations, sounds, linguistic structure… ..it's all very unique. It requires a lot of investment. Any expectation of familiarity requires commitment and a TON of discipline. If you would prefer to watch Netflix and "chill," Arabic isn't the language for you.

You need to know what sort of Arabic you want to learn

Are you interested in "fusha," which is the normal Arabic used and taught at colleges? Do you mean traditional Arabic, which is the Arabic of the Qur'an? Or are you looking for a specific dialect of Arabic, which is the language that the residents of that nation will normally speak in? This is important for you to know, on the grounds that there are huge contrasts between the standard Arabic and the Colloquial spoken normally. If you are someone interested in learning and understanding the Qur’an, then the standard Arabic will do. If you wish to converse and communicate with the locals only, then the colloquial will do the job.

What's Colloquial Arabic and Why Should You Learn It?

If you ever get the opportunity to live in any part of the Arab world or visit a particular Arabic speaking country, you ought to gain proficiency with their particular Arabic dialect. The Arabic colloquials differ greatly across all Arab countries like Egypt, Syria, UAE, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Colloquial Arabic is an ordinary form of the standard Arabic.

Fluency Will Take Some Time

Like everything, the fact of the matter is somewhat more chaotic. You won't see quick advancement that keeps you propelled. You will think you are utilizing a word appropriately for quite a long time, just to be told you have been saying it wrong the whole time. These, and an entire host of different issues, are what you need to understand as you work with Arabic. I had been learning Nahu for over an year when I was told by a dear friend that I kept pronouncing it wrong.

Take The Plunge

Learning the Arabic language has been one of the most remunerative encounters of my life up to this point, and I believe it merits each second that you put in. Comprehend that it's a troublesome dialect, comprehend that you must be explicit in which Arabic you want to learn, and understand that it requires some investment for improvement and fluency. 
Chapter 03

Tips on How to Learn Arabic Quickly

Following are a few hints on how you can begin learning Arabic rapidly and effectively and develop an accent!

START WITH THE BASICS

One easily falls trap to the idea of using the Latin alphabet while learning Arabic vocabulary and it's the worst kind of start for learning Arabic. Do you remember how we learnt English back in school? Firstly, you get familiar with your letters, then, at that point, you structure those letters into words, then you figure out how to shape sentences, and afterward you study the rules of punctuation and language. Pursuing faster routes will only slow you down. This is by a long shot the best tip for an amateur.

LEARN THE ARABIC ALPHABET FIRST

If we were to stick to one rule above all else as we learn Arabic, it would clearly be this one! To have the option to read, understand and teach yourself Arabic, write in Arabic and improve your vocabulary with excellent Arabic words. The alphabet will consistently be your beginning stage. Handling the Arabic language also implies surrendering the Latin letter set that has served you for your entire life. Here, learning the Arabic language accompanies an entirely different alphabet for you to dominate. 

LEARN THE ALPHABET IMMEDIATELY AND NOT JUST RESORT TO ARABIZI / FRANCO ARABIC

Assuming you need to learn Arabic, don't get put off by the Abjad alphabet! Arabic content is really what's called an abjad which implies it's a letter set principally composed of consonants without vowels. This implies that a word like PC written in Arabic resembles this: km**b*ywtr.* 
The issue is the point at which you see a word composed this way and you've never experienced it, it's exceptionally hard or difficult to realize how it's articulated except if you can hear it. 
You can try to guess however you can't know precisely what the word or pronunciation is like (you do improve at this as you practice and can make better suppositions). I think this is one of the principle justifications for why individuals keep away from the alphabet and use materials with literal interpretations. 
This is a major misjudgement.
The thing is – yes it will be troubling and hard to peruse the alphabet from the start however as long as you have quality material with sound or potentially a local speaker to pay attention to (COVID brought some restrictions of isolation with it but thankfully things are getting back to normal and you can find many locals ready to help you!), you'll become accustomed to it. 
There have been studies which have demonstrated that when we read a text, we don't peruse each letter of each word. We see the external letters, yet the ones within can be mixed up. Odds are that we will not see any mistakes while we're reading. This means that once you gain enough expertise in Arabic language, you will stop spelling each and every letter as you read through a text. You're simply perceiving the picture of the word one might say. 
So for instance if I take a basic word like كتاب, I know in a split second by seeing this word without explaining it's singular letters what it is and what it implies. I've related the picture of that word with sound and meaning. The issue is assuming you generally resort to Arabizi/Franco Arabic, you'll never improve at this. It's a sluggish way to learn a new language and will influence you negatively later on. 
Additionally, basically all great quality resources for Arabic utilize the Arabic alphabet.
You're passing up quality material if you keep away from it.

ARABIC IS DIGLOSSIA!

In case you are new to learning Arabic, the Arabic language is usually called diglossic by the linguists: There's one structure for reading and writing Arabic and one more structure for carrying out normal conversations. The classic version (called Modern Standard Arabic, MSA, or fusha) is reliable across the Arab world, while the verbally expressed tongues fluctuate from one country to another and depend on the specific area. Instructors regularly don't specify diglossia toward the beginning—they would rather not discourage you. However, this basic detail will shape your review.

COMMIT TO A DIALECT

For your convenience, most starting classes for unfamiliar students are in Modern Standard Arabic. However, for normal listening perception, you additionally need to concentrate on a dialect from an early stage. Furthermore, having some knowledge of the colloquial language will hold local speakers back from making fun of you—expressed MSA makes you sound like, indeed, a geek. I have seen a few events where the whole group turned toward me in dismay as I spoke MSA. The vast majority of the Arabs don't comprehend MSA. But which dialect should one go for? Don't overthink it; simply learn from your nearest interactions and conversations. Know that an Arabic dialect needs ample practice for familiarity and loads of significant discussions with the locals.

BUT DON'T DITCH MODERN STANDARD ARABIC

In case you are learning traditional Arabic and have a decent ear for dialects, you can get the fundamentals of one reasonably quickly without any problem. But, in case you're the kind of student who needs to see words written to recollect them, you'll face some hard times—there's a deficiency of study materials for Colloquials. In any case, some familiarity with MSA is the key for comprehension of the language in different circumstances, as it enables you to understand magazines and use word references. Furthermore, when you comprehend the rationale of the MSA, you can make more reasonable deductions in the colloquials. An immense justification behind learning MSA is that it is the way to understand the Qur'an. If you wish to understand the Qur’an or Arab history, a Quranic Arabic course will address your needs. MSA is the Arabic utilized in the Holy Qur'an, in religious, intellectual, scholarly, lawful and legal texts. The MSA is additionally the premise of present day Arabic. For an intensive learning experience, it is thus desirable to have an idea of traditional Arabic.

BUILD CRAZY MNEMONICS

Beside espresso (qahwa) and polynomial math (al-jabr), there aren't numerous English-Arabic cognates. This implies you can't speculate vocabulary the way in which you may in Spanish or French, and you need to get extra-innovative to make all the new words stick in your cerebral cortex. Build mind maps or pictures as you learn a word. It sticks quicker and remains longer in the mind. This is one of the ways of learning Arabic rapidly.

FLASHCARDS ARE YOUR FRIEND.

In addition to being Diglossic, Arabic likewise has an apparently large collection of words, and all these words change depending upon whether you're trying to read a paper or paying attention to a sitcom. Try not to accept that a word is excessively uncommon or bizarre, and you'll never see it again. Make a flash card for it as you learn Arabic. Work on it and add it into your word collection—it will be back, maybe as a joke among your friends.

MEMORIZE WHOLE PHRASES

Especially when reading through newspapers, you'll come across set expressions with exceptionally specific implications. Get familiar with these. Load up on fun colloquial expressions and articulations in whatever dialcet you're trying to learn. This is perhaps the most ideal method for learning Arabic quickly. Learning phrases makes you sound more familiar with the language—and it tops off considerably more conversational space than a solitary exacted word. PS: Lots of dialect expressions rhyme, so they're simpler to recall. Al-haraka baraka, as the Egyptians say—all advancement is acceptable. 
Here are some good colloquial phrases in Arabic Fusha for you to take a look and learn:
English Transliteration Arabic
My name is Ismi… …اسمي
Do you speak English? Hal tatakallamu alloghah alenjleziah? هل تتكلم اللغة الإنجليزية؟
Do you speak Arabic? Hal tatakallamu alloghah alarabiah? هل تتكلم اللغة العربية؟
Mr Assayed السيد
Mrs Assayeda السيدة
Miss Al anesah الآنسة
Nice to meet you. Motasharefon bema’refatek تشرفت بمعرفتك
Nice to meet you. Motasharefon bema’refatek تشرفت بمعرفتك
You’re very kind Anta lateef !أنت لطيف
Where are you from? Men ayna anta? من أين أنت؟
I’m from Ana men أنا من
I’m American Ana amreeki أنا أمريكي
Where do you live? Ayna taskun? أين تسكن؟
I live in A’eesho fee أعيش في
Did you like it here? Hal istamta’ta bewaqtika هل استمتعت بوقتك هنا؟
Morocco is a wonderful country Al maghrib baladun jameel! !المغرب بلد جميل
What do you do for a living? Ma mehna tuk? ما هي مهنتك؟
I work as Ana men أنا من
I’m American A’mal ka أعمل ك
I like Arabic Ohibbu allughah al arabia أحب اللغة العربية
I’ve been learning Arabic Adrusu allughah al arabia أدرس اللغة العربية
How old are you? Kam howa umruk? كم هو عمرك؟
I’m … years old Umri … sanah عمري … سنة
I have to go Yajebu an athhaba يجب أن اذهب
I will be right back Sa arje’o halan سأرجع حالا
Here is a list of colloquial phrases from Egyptian dialect that I have compiled in the form of a table and deserves a read to get the idea how a dialect can sound different from the MSA or the Fusha.
English Arabic (transliteration) عربي
Hello (basic greeting) salaam ‘aleikum سلام عليكم
Goodbye ma’a salaameh مع سلامة
How’s it going? 3aamil eh? izzayak? eh akhbaar? akhbaarak eh? عامل ايه؟ ازيك؟ ايه اخبار؟ اخبارك ايه؟
FineEverything’s good kwayyis, kullu tamaam alHamdulillah كويس،كله تمام الحمد لله
Excuse me! ba3d iznak (or iznik to a female) بعد اذنك
Sorry salaam 3aleikum سلام عليكم
Pardon me law samaHt لو سمحت
Excuse me, I want to tell you something 3yiiz a’ool lak ba3d iznak عيز اقول لك بعد اذنك
Hey, driver! ya usTa! يى اسطى
I’m from Ana men أنا من
Officer/sir! HaDritak حضرتك
What’s this, please? eh dah min faDlak? اية دة من فضلك
How much is this? bikam dah? بكم دة
I want… ana 3ayiiz… انا عيز
It’s too expensive! It’s so much! I will pay… ghaali ‘awwi! ktiir awwi! ana badfa3… غالي اوي كتير اوي انا بدفع
OK maashi Tayyib tamaam Okey ماسي طيب تمام اوكي
Yes, of course/thank you aywa, tab3an/shukran ايوى، تبعن\سكرا
No, sorry/thank you la, aasif/shukran لا، اسف\سكرا
You’re welcome ‘afwan عفواً
May I [please]? mumken [min faDlak]? ممكن؟
May I take a photo here? mumken akhud Surah hina? ممكن اخد صورة؟
May I look, please? mumken ashuuf min faDlak? ممكن اشوف من فضلك؟
May I go in from here? momken adkhul min hina? ممكن ادخل من حنا؟
I just want to look ana 3ayiiz ashuuf bas انا عيز اشوف بس
Thanks shukran شكرا
A thousand thanks alf shokr الف شكر
Where is this? fayn dah/il Hammaam, min faDlak? فين ده؟
Do I go this way? baruuH zayy kida? بروح زي كدا؟
straight ahead 3ala Tuul على طول
Finished! It’s over! I’m done! khallaS! !خلص
I don’t need this la, ana mish miHtaag dah لا، انا مش محتاج ده
I don’t know ana mish 3aarif/3aarfa انا مش عارف\عارفة
Please go ahead! Please sit! Please take this! itfaDDal/itfaDDali إتفضّـل

DON’T FORGET THE ESPECIALLY POLITE COLLOQUIAL PHRASES.

Arabic is different compared to other languages in many ways. One of them is the use of dua’s one gives to the other in their normal conversations. For example, if an Arab sees someone eat something, they will pause to cause “بالعافية” “Hope it gives you health”. Such phrases are considered polite amongst them.

SAY WHATEVER YOU CAN, NO MATTER HOW LITTLE.

This is probably the most ideal method for becoming familiar with Arabic.I started learning Arabic at a time when amazing applications like italki didn't actually exist. I was unable to hop online to Skype lectures for two or three bucks 60 minutes. That would have been a little glimpse of heaven for me in those days! 
Whenever I got the chance to communicate with the Arabs, I found it easier to speak less rather than speak more and let them teach me. The main reason behind that was I was shy to commit mistakes in front of them. In case I wasn't too sure of my vocabulary or sentence structure, I would simply switch to English language and communicate in it. 
Nowadays when I become familiar with another dialect I talk as much as I can regardless of whether my language structure is awful. Errors have a method of working themselves out after some time. However you should take each risk you can to rehearse the little that you do know. 
This applies to any new language you are trying to learn, however it's particularly valid for Arabic, in which all the punctuation rules and unusual words can without much of a stretch startle you into quietness. Luckily, local Arabic speakers are potentially the world's most energetic allies of language students. Indeed, even a couple of words will get you enough encouragement from them to keep you afloat.
Chapter 04

Exploring Digital Apps to Help You Learn Arabic Faster

In the digital age, you can imagine that many smartphone and tablet applications have been created to allow you to learn Arabic quickly. There are many advantages of apps for learning Arabic, and for those who do not necessarily prefer the "private tutoring" option, apps are often the preferred option for students who want to learn Arabic on their own. There are many, but to make your life easier, we have selected some for you.

Duolingo

Learning Arabic by giving 5 minutes a day to their game-like lessons is a good start. While the app assumes you are somewhat aware of the Arabic alphabets beforehand, it will challenge your language learning capacity! Whether you’re a beginner starting with the basics or looking to practice your reading, writing, and speaking, Duolingo is scientifically proven to work.

Learn Arabic - AccelaStudy

Learn Arabic - AccelaStudy is super well designed. It has a vintage feel to it, feeling almost like paper flash cards. You can select the topics you want to learn and study from flashcards afterwards. The flash cards also translate from English or Arabic. AccelaStudy has much more to offer than just this though; from audio, written and vocabulary quizzes to pictures, verbs and favorite words, they have it all! Upgrades are available for $9.99 only.
Some of its other features include:
  • PRONOUNCING each word correctly after listening to a NATIVE SPEAKER audio
  • A fully functional version of the app
  • A subset of its 2,400 professional translations
  • It includes commonly used VERBS
  • A SPACED REPETITION feature helps quickly memorize new words
  • Automatic STATISTICS help track your learning progress
  • Searchable DICTIONARY of all vocabulary
  • Flashcards
  • Multiple Choice Quiz
  • Audio Quiz
  • A Completely HANDS-FREE mode allows you to study vocabulary alongside your other daily activities.

Learn Arabic - Phrase book

The “Learn Arabic'' app has many common Arabic phrases that are used in daily conversation like ‘What is your name?’ and ‘Thank you!’. There is no guessing how to pronounce the words. To listen to the app speak the phrase, tap on it. Another cool feature is that if you feel the audio is too fast, all you have to do is tap on the snail icon to lower the speed. You can also listen to the pronunciations recorded by native Arabic speakers as well as record and playback your own voice to further enhance and compare your Arabic speaking skills!
A fascinating feature of this app is that as a traveler to the Gulf countries, if you are a weak speaker of Arabic, this is just the app for you! You can use its voice feature and play the words or phrases to the local Arabs and they will know what you want.
Some other features of this app include:
  • Many useful Arabic phrases & words
  • Pronunciation recorded by native Arabic speakers
  • Voice recording & playback
  • No Internet connection required
  • Instant search by keywords
  • Customizable font size

SimplyArabic Academy

Since its inception in 2006, SimplyArabic Academy pioneered Arabic language programs in Singapore and Malaysia, and grew to be a recognised Arabic language educational service provider. Through meticulous selection of Arabic language experts & a diversity of Arabic language programs & innovative services, the organisation has grown from strength to strength over the years.
SimplyArabic Academy believes in information diversity. Their unique online and physical courses are designed for specific individual, group & even corporate needs, to serve people of all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity & religion.
The courses offered in SimplyArabic Academy are also tailored for learners of all levels of proficiency: from true beginners to intermediate & highly advanced.
Some of their popular courses include:
Arabic Course for Non-Native Speaker
A very nicely organised course for beginners who want to learn how to read, write and speak Arabic well.The course content consists of a series of 12 online classes, each explaining a unique topic under the guidance of a well experienced native Arabic instructor. The Simply Arabic team provides recorded videos of the lectures in case one misses them along with downloadable notes for each class. You can enroll in this program for as little as 75 USD under their special discount offer!
Conversational Arabic
If you are looking forward to learning conversational Arabic and developing a good Arabic accent, this is just the course for you! The course is divided into 6 online classes, each focusing on conversational skills in particular places. The last class is a practice session where students apply the basic understanding of conversational skills in Arabic that they have learnt throughout the course. You can get enrolled in this course for as cheap as 39.2 USD!
Chapter 05

Dictionaries to Learn Arabic and Its Words

In order to learn to speak Arabic or any language, it is important to first establish a base vocabulary of about 200 words. Getting familiar with the phonetics can also help you read and pronounce Arabic proficiently. To help you, here are a few English Arabic dictionaries available:
Al-Mawrid: A Modern Arabic-English Dictionary
Al-Mawrid is the most widely used Arabic-English dictionary. It is a valuable tool for students, researchers and translators alike. Unarguably its best feature is that it is arranged alphabetically for easy usage and contains about 67000 entries.
The depth of diction across disciplines makes this reference by Arabic-native contributors extremely valuable. Organized according to the Arabic alphabet, each entry features a central word along with its synonyms followed by its respective English translations and their synonyms as well.
This dictionary also includes the different terms used for the male and female gender as well as brief corresponding notations signifying the same in English. Where needed, contextual explanations of Arabic and English language terms are also provided and these also include word modifiers. The relatively streamlined simplicity of this reference work may be appropriate for the novice and beginner students of Arabic language.
Oxford English–Arabic Dictionary
This dictionary is the most authoritative English to Arabic and Arabic to English dictionary. Whenever publishers come up with a new Arabic dictionary, the Oxford Dictionary is used as a comparison.
In conclusion, the benefıts of Arabic dictionaries to language learners should not be ignored in classes. Much to everyone's dismay, tough classroom schedules do not allow time for regular dictionary use. However, it is an established fact that any learner who uses a dictionary efficiently will continue to learn outside the classroom. This will give him/her considerable autonomy about the decisions he/she makes about his own learning. In a teaching/learning situation, dictionary training is a vital part of the syllabus.
Almaany
Almaany has been my best friend for the longest time I remember. It’s availability online makes it a much desirable learning tool for Arabic language students. It offers a complete meaning of the word along with its other forms like verbal or noun form. It progresses to give you meanings of the same term from some very authentic dictionaries and saves one the time and place for carrying, skimming or keeping such big books.
STUDYING ARABIC BY YOURSELF THANKS TO MOOC
MOOC (meaning Massive Open Online Course) are online classes free of cost to everyone. The lessons are made by certified teachers or researchers from prestigious places like the French and Ivy League Schools. Even if you’re an outsider, it is relatively easy to gain access to the MOOC courses without having any prior knowledge about Arabic language. The course also contains revision worksheets so you check whether you’re making any progress. Virtual schools like these also allow students to get in touch with their teachers directly or even other students to discuss the academic difficulties that they faced during their language lessons.
MOOC courses sometimes handout students the opportunity to pass a language certification. While this certificate is not equal to a formal diploma, it can be a huge asset on your CV depending on where you are applying! All you have to do is ensure you are meeting all the MOOC deadlines. If you need more information about the course, please visit our website. This might be a way for you to learn Arabic free of cost along with connecting with other students doing the same!
Chapter 06

Different Effective Study Methods

PRACTICE SPEAKING WITH AN ARABIC SPEAKER

Thanks to the internet, you no longer have to search for a partner who can help you enhance your language skills. Instead of putting up ads in the newspaper, you can have a long distance language pen-pal! You can chat online with your friend which will help you improve your grammar skills or converse with them which will enhance your speaking skills. Verbal communication will also help you gain an upper hand by giving you the chance to learn modern terms and phrases more commonly used in daily conversation rather than the traditional Arabic that mostly old people or professors are familiar with. Arabic is a widely spoken language; in fact it is the official language of 22 countries. Learning Arabic gives you the chance to discover and explore the culture and dialects of all of those countries.

EDUCATIONAL GAMES

Learning a language is a tedious task as is so why not do it in a playful way? Children as well as adults can use free online educational games that allow people who speak nothing but their mother tongue to learn alongside enjoying. Educational games need not be just about the Arabic language; but also cover Arabic geography by making you find the capitals on virtual maps or help you discover Arabic first names that are common in North Africa. Online games not only allow room for improvement but also give your brain a workout through memory training, linguistic analysis, and phonetics.
On educational Arabic websites specializing in games, several activities are proposed to students including:
  • Memo-letters to improve writing,
  • Memory games to learn colors,
  • Online games to memorize the names of animals,
  • A calculator for memorizing Arabic numbers,
  • Musical games to remember Arabic sounds.
The main objective of all these games is to increase your final score. Thanks to these activities, most children end up memorizing the Arabic vocabulary and improving their translation easily. This is perfect for parents who want their child to be fluent in English and Arabic. It is strongly recommended that you start training your child before the age of 10 as this is the perfect time for them to learn a new language.

CAN YOU LEARN ARABIC THROUGH VIDEOS?

Everyone has access to Youtube and Dailymotion and both these sites have hundreds of videos which can help you learn Arabic. Many great professors have recorded and filmed their lectures and lesson plans and uploaded them on these sites. Now it is your choice to choose whichever channel you feel most compatible with while learning Arabic.
One of the extremely famous YouTube channels; ArabicPod101.com, caters to all the different learner stages of beginner, intermediate and advanced. Boasting 250+ videos, their most unique feature is that they upload weekly videos in a range of different dialects like Moroccan and Egyptian Arabic. They even have bilingual subtitles to further aid your learning experience.
If you’re interested in learning about the Arabs and their culture, you will thoroughly enjoy the videos on their cultural and local festivities.

WHAT ABOUT TRAVELLING?

For those of you who love an adventure, there is always the option of learning Arabic abroad. It might sound a bit over the top but what better way to learn a language than to live in an Arab country itself? This method is fool-proof no matter which language you are learning. It is highly recommended to learn the basics of the language before leaving so you don’t feel stranded upon your arrival.
Try to focus more on the alphabets and their pronunciation so you can have a head start when you land. By being forced to interact with native speakers in all aspects of your life whether social or work; your Arabic abilities will sky rocket quicker than any other method.

LEARNING THE ARABIC LANGUAGE BY LISTENING

Anyone who has had a similar experience of learning a language will tell you that the first step to learning any language is listening attentively to it. Then gradually you can grasp the actual meaning of things rather than just having a vague idea in your mind.

THE BEST ARABIC SERIES TO LEARN ARABIC

In many North African countries; families enjoy their evenings by watching a series. All members come together to enjoy different shows that are broadcasted on Hertzian cable channels. This is not only an ideal start to learning the Arabic language but also has room for improving your skills as you gain more proficiency in the language. You can also watch the series on VO with English subtitles to better remember the dialogues and phrases used by the characters. This will also help you to immerse yourself and enjoy the plot of the series.
As you progress you can switch to the original subtitles to increase your memorization. A few Arabic series are only shown during the season of Ramadan. You can also learn the culture and values of the Arabs along with their traditions by following the storyline. Two highly recommended shows that are loved widely by native and non-native Arab speakers are :
Omar (Saudi Arabia)
 افتح يا سمسم (Iftah Ya SimSim)
Chapter 07

Don'ts When Learning Arabic

While we are talking about learning the Arabic language, there are some DON’Ts that we have to observe! Here are some of them for you:

SETTING UNACHIEVABLE GOALS

A thing that confuses numerous Arabic students is defining objectives that are unreasonable or impossible. Contemplate the time, energy and assets you have available to you prior to focusing on something you may not be able to accomplish. We are not trying to demotivate you at all! However you are much more likely to achieve your goal – and perhaps surpass your expectations – in case you're practical and SMART with regards to your objectives.

APPROACHING ARABIC LIKE A EUROPEAN LANGUAGE

So you communicate in Bosnian, Italian, German, French… Learning another ought to be easy, isn't that so? Well not really. The grammar and sentence structure of the Arabic language is totally different to most other languages especially those that use Latin alphabet, including European ones. So while you may think that it is simpler to learn Spanish if you by chance communicate in French now which is maybe true since the two languages share some similarities, know that this doesn’t apply to Arabic.
Truth be told, if you approach learning Arabic the way you took up learning European languages, this can really confuse you much more and be an obstacle to your learning, especially with regards to the Arabic language grammar. On the other hand, assuming you've generally struggled learning new languages or if you have never learnt any new language, you may find this actually benefits you – you will not be attempting to compare between different languages and Arabic or find any grammatical rules that don't exist in other languages! The most ideal method for moving toward learning Arabic is to keep an open mind.

UNDERESTIMATING THE POWER OF READING

This may seem like a conspicuous one, but the most ideal method for learning Arabic is through reading. Indeed, we find it hard to decide what's the best available option to help us learn Arabic with the numerous resources we have now – YouTube channels,language applications, Facebook groups – yet there isn't anything all the more impressive (or basic) than reading in Arabic to step up your abilities. Reading opens you to normal expressions and enlightens you of the grammatical sentence structures, gets you familiar with the Arabic content, and assists you with seeing and learning new words in writings. Reading loudly is additionally a superb method for working on your accent if you don't have numerous chances to rehearse.
If you want to be consistent with any one method of learning your Arabic, read something – anything! – in Arabic continuously. It may be a section of a book, a news story, or even only two or three sentences! It will make a great difference in some time with the way you will carry your language vocabulary and express yourself in conversations.

NOT BEING CONSISTENT

To gain continuous progress with Arabic, one has to form the habit of sitting down with their resources and giving the vocabulary and reading some time everyday. This doesn't mean you have to go through a long stretch of time each day learning – it’s preferably much better to go through your study material 10 minutes daily learning in Arabic or learning some new words than to study a longer period one day every seven days doing everything in one go.
If you incorporate your language learning time into your daily schedule, you'll really get to know the language all the more rapidly by keeping it fresh in your mind as opposed to failing to remember everything and relearning it every week! With regards to learning a language – and especially a troublesome one like Arabic – consistency truly is vital.

NOT HAVING A VOCABULARY STRATEGY

You gain proficiency with a new word in Arabic; You write it in your diary; It vanishes into the void never to be heard again. After a month you see the word once more; Revise; Repeat. We've ALL been there – and we get it,vocabulary can be one of the scariest pieces of learning another language since, indeed, there are simply SO. MANY. WORDS. In any case, learning Arabic vocabulary doesn't need to be this hard – all you really want is a smart, reliable technique that works for you.
Having a vocab journal is a great idea, provided that you use it right. Ensure you revise new words at least 5 to 10 times over a time of 5 days daily to guarantee they really stick in your mind over the long run. Testing onerself by translating new words both from English (or their local language) into Arabic, as well as the other way around. Read new words out loud and in the company of someone who has a good pronunciation. That will help you remember the word longer and keep a decent accent too. It can likewise be useful to set yourself an objective of a specific number of new words daily to gain proficiency. Get clear on what your procedure is and stick to it!

LASTLY, NEVER STOP LEARNING

These methods are the beginning to a good start. It's not difficult to start learning Arabic but it’s challenging to consistently work on getting it better. Dominating the language will require long periods of study, but acquiring conversation abilities can come rapidly in the event that you devote yourself to the pursuit.
Prepared to try out Arabic?
Also, best of luck! Or as most Arabs wish you when they see you start a task, bit-tawfīq!

Get instant access to our helpful guides!

Join 800 others in getting exclusive insights on becoming a better version of Muslim.
Thank you!
Created with