Arabic is one of the most commonly spoken languages that has been around for at least 2,500 years. But what makes this fascinating language unique? We’ve collated and listed below 10 aspects of the Arabic language that are unique:
Language of the holy Quran – meaning its is read by over 1bn people worldwide on a daily basis.
2. Written Entirely in Script – Arabic Script is written from right-to-left, in a cursive script with its own distinct calligraphic styles.
3. Three Letter Root System – this basically means Arabic words are derived from 3 letter roots, allowing for intricate word formations. For example, a three-letter pattern such as “ك ت ب” serves as the base for words such as كتاب (book) and مكتب (desk).
4. Diglossia – the coexistence of Classical Arabic (used in formal settings) and different colloquial dialects across the Arab world.
5. Unique Sounding Letters – Arabic has sounds that don’t exist in other languages. One of the most common examples is the ‘ح’ , which has something of an “h” sound, also referred to as a “breathy” sound.
6. No Capital Letters in Arabic – surprisingly, Arabic does not use any capital letters. Instead, quotation marks serve as a way to place emphasis on particular words.
7. Broken Plurals (جَمع التَّكْسِير) – Arabic exhibits a unique phenomenon of broken plurals, where the internal structure of a word changes when forming plurals.
Examples of Broken Plural in Arabic
8. Dual Pronouns – Arabic has a dedicated dual pronoun form to indicate exactly two people or objects. Furthermore, two males and two females have different pronouns (to distinguish between gender).
9. There are Over 24 Different Words for “Love” – you’ll be surprised by how many Arabic words are there for the word “love”. Each word for “love” describes specific stages of falling in love; from al-hawa (الهوى ), the attraction of an early romance, to al-wodd (الود) the friendly companionship.
10. Case System – another one for the grammar folks, Arabic has a robust case system, with three grammatical cases (nominative, accusative, and genitive) that influence word endings and relationships. If you are at the beginning of your Arabic learning, don’t worry too much about this.
If you find yourself saying, “I want to learn to speak Arabic,” you’ve come to the right place. Arabic is a rich and fascinating language spoken by millions of people worldwide and there are so many great reasons as to why you should learn the Arabic language. In this article, we will provide you with our guidance on how to embark on your journey of speaking Arabic with confidence and joy.
Understanding Your Goal:
Before diving into your Arabic language journey, it’s essential to define your goals. Yes, you probably just want to learn to speak Arabic, but for what purpose? Are you simply wanting to learn basic conversational Arabic, or for business or speak formally? By clarifying your objectives, you can tailor your learning approach to suit your needs and aspirations. In any case, the general guidance will centre around learning the most important vocabulary, speaking practice and as much as immersion as possible.
Spoken Arabic and Dialects:
The first and most important point to understand is that there are two broad types of spoken Arabic:
Formal or Modern Standard Arabic – this is the type you hear in the news, religious sermons and in other formal settings. Apart from formal settings, MSA is not spoken by anyone in their day to day lives.
Spoken Arabic Dialect – Arabic is a vibrant language with a diverse range of dialects. When learning to speak Arabic, it’s important to understand that spoken Arabic encompasses various regional dialects such as Egyptian, Saudi, Levantine, and North African.
Choosing a Dialect:
The question of which dialect to learn is a common, yet very important one. The answer largely depends on your interests and practical considerations. If you plan to go live in any particular country/region, then learn the local dialect there. If not, then the general recommendation is to learn the Egyptian dialect (as it is the most commonly understood dialect) OR the Saudi dialect (as it is the closest to modern standard Arabic). This is an important decision so spend some time thinking about it at the beginning.
Online Resources for Learning Spoken Arabic:
While resources for spoken Arabic may be somewhat limited compared to those for MSA, there are still valuable options available. Embracing the digital age, you can learn to speak Arabic online through group or 1-to-1 tuition, language learning apps, language exchange platforms or conversation practice websites. There are also a range of video resources on YouTube which are helpful. Finally, immerse yourself in Arabic media, such as movies, TV shows, and podcasts (specific to your chosen dialect) to expose yourself to the rhythms and melodies of spoken dialects.
Tips for Learning Spoken Arabic:
Learning to speak Arabic requires dedication, practice, and patience. Here are some valuable tips to help you on your journey:
Choose the right dialect for you, as discussed above.
Focus on everyday vocabulary and phrases: Learn common phrases and vocabulary that are used in everyday conversations. Focus on practical topics such as greetings, introductions, ordering food, and asking for directions. Building a foundation of useful phrases will boost your confidence and help you communicate effectively.
Find a tutor or language partner: Seek out opportunities to practice speaking Arabic with native speakers. Find a language exchange partner who is learning your native language and is a native Arabic speaker, or consider hiring a tutor who can provide guidance and conversation practice.
Practice speaking from day one: Don’t be afraid to start speaking Arabic right away, even if you’re just a beginner. Practice speaking aloud, even if it’s with yourself or in front of a mirror. The more you practice speaking, the more comfortable you will become.
Practice active listening: Train your ear by actively listening to native speakers. Watch Arabic videos (with sub titles to begin with), listen to Arabic podcasts or audiobooks. Pay attention to pronunciation, intonation, and the flow of conversation.
Embrace language immersion opportunities: If possible, immerse yourself in an Arabic-speaking environment. If possible, travel to an Arabic-speaking country such as Egypt, participate in language immersion programs, or engage with local Arabic-speaking communities. Immerse yourself in the language and culture to accelerate your learning.
Join language exchange groups or conversation clubs: Look for language exchange groups or conversation clubs in your area (or online) where you can meet with other Arabic learners or native speakers. Participating in group discussions and conversations will provide valuable speaking practice and opportunities to learn from others.
Use language learning apps and resources: Take advantage of language learning apps and websites that offer Arabic language courses and exercises. These resources often provide interactive lessons, pronunciation practice, and vocabulary drills to help you learn and reinforce your speaking skills.
Record and listen to yourself: Use a voice recorder or a language learning app with recording features to practice speaking Arabic. Record yourself speaking and listen to the recordings to identify areas for improvement, such as pronunciation, intonation, and fluency.
Seek feedback from native speakers: Whenever possible, seek feedback from native Arabic speakers or your tutor. They can provide insights and corrections that will help you improve your speaking skills.
Be consistent and practice regularly: Like any skill, learning to speak Arabic requires consistent practice. Set aside dedicated time each day or week for language study and practice. Consistency is key to building and retaining your speaking abilities.
Stay motivated and have fun: Learning a language can be challenging at times, but remember to have fun along the way. Celebrate your progress, set realistic goals, and find joy in the process of learning to speak Arabic.
Balancing Dialects and MSA:
While dialects are essential for day-to-day conversations, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) remains significant for formal settings and media. In the long run, we recommend learning both. Allocating time for both dialects and MSA in your learning process allows you to develop a well-rounded proficiency in Arabic. For Muslims, learning MSA and Quranic Arabic is imperative in fully understanding the Quran and Islamic books.
End Note:
Learning any new language comes with challenges. When faced with difficulties, remember that perseverance is key. When you start speaking Arabic, you may sound silly to begin with but everyone’s goes through the same journey. You can overcome most of the common challenges by re-reading and implementing the tips above. Embrace the challenges, celebrate your achievements, and remember that with dedication and practice, speaking Arabic fluently is definitely possible.
This is one of the most common questions we encounter: why is Arabic so hard to learn? The simple answer to this is it is neither easy nor too difficult to learn. We do know that in general, Arabic is considered one of the more difficult languages to learn and in this article we explore the main reasons.
To begin, it is important to lay out a general principle – learning a new language properly is always a challenge, and requires effort and time. We stated the word ‘properly’ for a reason. If you are simply wanting to learn a few common sentences and converse with natives in a basic manner, then this is more or less possible for all languages. However, to fully comprehend a language requires much more dedication. When it comes to Arabic, several specific factors contribute to its reputation as a challenging language.
The Complexity of Arabic
Arabic encompasses a distinct set of characteristics that add to its complexity. The Arabic alphabet, with its consonants and diacritical marks, presents a significant departure from many other writing systems. Pronunciation in Arabic can also pose challenges, with its guttural sounds (produced in the throat; harsh-sounding) and emphasis on specific letters. Additionally, the grammatical structure of Arabic, based on a system of roots and intricate verb conjugation patterns, requires dedicated study and practice. Let’s break this down.
Leveraging our Arabic tutors diverse and long history in teaching Arabic, we’ve summarised these findings:
Top 8 Reasons Why Arabic is Hard to Learn
Arabic is Generally Unrelated to Most Languages
It is common knowledge that English speakers pick up Spanish relatively quickly – this is because they are both part of the wider Indo-European family. Arabic on the other hand, stands out as a language with distinct origins, part of an entirely different primary family. This unfamiliarity can initially make Arabic appear complex and challenging for learners, especially those whose first language is from the Indo-European family.
2. Different Writing System – Arabic is read from right to left.
Firstly, the Arabic alphabets’ letters change shape based on whether they’re in the beginning, the middle, or the end of a word. Secondly, language is written from right to left. This is difficult both conceptually and technologically — most computer systems were developed for left-to-right languages like English. Finally, Arabic script is cursive-only – making it quite tough at the beginning to read and write fluently!
3. Relatively Tricky Pronunciation system
Arabic pronunciation can be somewhat daunting for non-native speakers. The language contains distinct phonetic sounds that may not exist in their native languages. The presence of guttural sounds, such as ق “qaaf” and غ “ghayn,” and the emphasis on certain letters like ض “daad” (a unique letter that is not found in any other language) require dedicated practice to master.
4. Arabic is a Derivative Language –
Arabic words are primarily derived from a three-letter root system, where additional letters and vowel patterns are added to create different meanings and forms. This derivation system can be challenging for English speakers who are not accustomed to such linguistic structures. Understanding how words relate to their roots and how different patterns shape their meanings requires diligent study and memorisation.
5. Grasping Arabic Grammar
Arabic grammar (nahw) is characterised by intricate noun and verb forms, agreement rules, and case endings. The intricate system of declensions, verb conjugations, and the use of dual and plural forms adds complexity. In English for example adding an ‘s’ at the end of the singular noun makes it plural (almost always), but this isn’t the case in Arabic and you need to learn a set of principles. A lot of students struggle at the beginning and this is why it is important to introduce and integrate grammar progressively – not too much at the beginning!
6. Different Arabic Dialects
From our experience, this is probably the biggest challenge students face. Most learners typically start studying formal Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic or Classical Arabic) and they start slowly building their vocabulary. But the problem is 99% of native Arabic speakers do not converse in formal Arabic in every day life, but rather in one of the various regional dialects, such as Egyptian Arabic. Each dialect has its unique vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammatical nuances. Navigating between the formal language and understanding regional dialects can be challenging for learners and limits practice opportunities.
7. Aimless Learning
Another factor that contributes to Arabic learners finding the language difficult is the notion of ‘aimless learning’. The phrase ‘if you fail to plan, plan to fail‘ comes to mind and is relevant here. Many students have a desire to learn the language but start eagerly without much thought to the book/curriculum, and dialect to learn (for spoken Arabic). This is why it is imperative to have an experienced and qualified tutor who can guide you in the best way.
8. Lack of Immersion and Speaking Practice
Ultimately, learning a language requires you to practice and speak with natives directly in Arabic. A lot to learners go too deep in academic/language theory and not enough of actually speaking to native speakers. The best way to really learn a language is to constantly be exposed to that new language and speak with native speakers. Ideally, you can travel to an Arabic speaking country to fully immerse yourself, or you can find a conversation partner (online/physical) wherever you are.
Tips on Overcoming these Challenges:
From the above we can gather that Arabic is not the most straightforward language to learn. At the same time, there are so many great reasons why you should learn Arabic. Below are some strategies on overcoming these challenges mentioned above:
Develop a structured learning plan, including specific goals and milestones. The plan should be personalised for you and according to your situation.
Find a good tutor – there is no substitute to a great teacher who has the passion of teaching Arabic and also acts as a mentor to help you achieve your goals.
Seek opportunities for immersion, such as interacting with native Arabic speakers, watching Arabic movies or TV shows, and listening to Arabic podcasts.
Practice speaking Arabic regularly, even if it’s with fellow learners or language partners.
Stay motivated and persistent, embracing the challenges as part of the language-learning journey.
In summary, while Arabic presents its share of difficulties, it is a language well worth learning. Hopefully we’ve answered this frequently asked question – why is Arabic so hard to learn. Next time you’re asked that question, refer them to this post!
With dedication, practice, and exposure to the language, the rewards of mastering Arabic are within reach. Embrace the journey and unlock the rich cultural and linguistic world of Arabic.Take advantage of the opportunities available online, and start learning Arabic today!
People often ask why learn Arabic? For the entire Muslim world, the Arabic language holds a special place as the chosen language of the Quran and therefore, the language of the religion. Learning Arabic is vitally important and a person cannot truly comprehend the Quran (or religious texts) without first learning the language. This is the fundamental reason why we should learn Arabic but not the only reason, as we have listed below:
Arabic is the language of the Quran, and as such, it is read by over 1 billion Muslims worldwide. Learning Arabic enables individuals to understand the religious text and gain a deeper understanding of Islamic traditions and culture.
Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world, with over 420 million people speaking it as their native language.
Arabic is an official language in 26 countries, making it one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
Arabic is an official language of the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The Arabic language has contributed significantly to the fields of science, mathematics, and literature, with famous scholars such as Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Razi, and Ibn Rushd writing in Arabic.
The Arabic language has a rich history and culture, with thousands of years of literature, poetry, and art.
Learning Arabic can open up job opportunities with demand for Westerners fluent in Arabic is high and supply is low.
Arabic is a phonetic language, meaning that each letter has a unique sound, which makes it easier to learn pronunciation.
Offers greater travel opportunities – knowing Arabic will expand your travel horizons to include the Middle East and Africa.
Choose the dialect that most interests you – Arabic has several dialects, with some variations in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar across different regions. What’s more, you’ll find it easier to learn other related languages such as Farsi (Persian) and Urdu.
These reasons are on top of the general benefits of learning an additional language such as developing stronger cognitive skills and opening new doors. Arabic8020 can help you get started in learning the important language of Arabic. We aim to make the journey of learning Arabic a smoother, more efficient one.
