Language Guides
Over 500 million people speak Arabic worldwide and it is the first language of 25 countries. It is the fifth most spoken language and has approximately the same number of native and second-language speakers as Spanish. Thus, if you are planning to visit an Arabic-speaking country or would like to do business with Arabs, our videos will explain why this is such a worthy and versatile language to learn.
Our guide explores the Arab world, its rich cultures and why Arabic has multiple dialects but also connects its speakers across borders. If you are considering taking one of our Arabic language courses, then these are the videos for you!
Arab culture
Your guide will begin by explaining the Arab world. We can all name Arabic-speaking countries and point to a few countries on a map. But do you know the name of the three primary Arab regions? Similarly, many know Arab-American movie star Salma Hayek and the great footballer-cum-manager, Zinedine Zidane. But who here knew of Ibn Rushd, the impressive polymath? Or Fatima al-Fihri, the woman who founded the world’s first university? Our guide will also recommend classic movies, delicious dishes and celebrated music to enjoy. After all, becoming fluent in a language means knowing its culture.
A global language
One reason Arabic is so popular is that it is one of the world’s oldest languages still in use. But the worldwide number of speakers is far greater when you take into account one particular dialect. Classical Arabic is the official language of Islam. Therefore, an impressive 1.8 billion Muslims can read, speak or understand it to some extent.
The more common dialect, however, is Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). This is the language of education and business throughout the Arab world.
Becoming fluent
There’s no hiding from the fact that Arabic looks and sounds different to most Latin-based languages (like English). Therefore, some aspects of learning Arabic can be a little tricky; although our expert teachers will help you master them through personalised classes and specialist exercises. For instance, the alphabet is different and has 28 characters; one writes sentences right to left; pronunciation often comes from the back of the throat; etc. There are also several grammar rules which can be a challenge to get the hang of at the beginning…but we’ll get you there!
Our guide will also answer some of our most frequently asked questions. For example, how many classes should you expect to take before you reach beginner proficiency? She’ll also explain the different dialects throughout the Arab world and why, if you learn Modern Standard Arabic, you can expect to communicate with and be understood by native speakers all over the world.
