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Arabic LANGUAGE LEARNING GUIDE

Do you want to get unique access to the fascinating Arab world and learn all about the countries that are part of it? If so, the smartest thing you can do is to learn Arabic, as it will allow you to discover many interesting things about Arab culture and get you closer to the more than 300 million native speakers who live all around the world. On top of that, being able to communicate in this language will expand your social life in Australia, as you’ll be able to make friends who are part of the local foreign-born community and have a deeper understanding of their customs and traditions.

Learning Arabic is also a great idea if you’re trying to get better jobs in Australia, as once you’re bilingual, you’ll get access to amazing, well-paid positions all over the country in local companies or multinationals. So, if you’re interested in making a career change, studying Arabic is the way to go. Alternatively, speaking this language is essential if you’re planning to move to countries with strong economies like Qatar or the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai. If you have any of these destinations in mind, you should start learning Arabic now.

Latest Articles for Arabic

1. Why Learn Arabic Today

Still hesitating to study this marvellous language? If so, take a look at some of the reasons why you should make it a priority to learn Arabic this year.

To Travel the World

Did you know that Arabic has official status in 26 countries? This means that if you become bilingual, you’ll be able to visit places like Palestine, Mauritania, Libya, Algeria, Qatar, Yemen, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and the UAE and get by perfectly well there. Once you can communicate in Arabic, you’ll start to experience these countries differently, as you’ll be able to understand their values, their traditions and the way they see the world, which will make it much easier for you to connect with the locals and build wonderful relationships with them, so if you’ve always dreamed about visiting any of these locations, start learning Arabic today and you won’t regret it. On top of that, learning this language will also open up many opportunities for you to get closer to the large Arab communities that live in countries like the United States, the UK, Chile, and Brazil, so as you can see, this language skill will come in handy all around the world.

To Connect With Relatives

Learning Arabic can be a great way to reconnect with your heritage and get closer to your relatives who live abroad, so if you happen to have family in countries like Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, or any other Arabic-speaking country, what are you waiting for to become a fluent speaker? Once you do, you’ll be able to understand your roots, have a newfound respect for your ancestors and improve your relationship with the part of your family who doesn’t speak English very well, which can be a life-changing experience. On the other hand, if it’s not you but your spouse who has an Arab family, learning the language can be a really smart thing to do, as it will open up the chance to build a solid relationship with them, and be respectful of their values and traditions.

To Increase Your Job Opportunities

If you want to become more employable in Australia, learning Arabic is the way to go, as once you master the language, you’ll become eligible for amazing job positions in top Arab companies that operate in Australia, such as SABIC, DP World or Arab Bank Australia Limited. In addition to this, if you speak the language, you’ll be able to take advantage of the successful economic relations between Australia and the United Arab Emirates, which is the country’s largest Middle Eastern trading partner, and start doing business with people from Dubai and other important locations and attract more international clients. If this wasn’t enough, learning the language will also improve your business relationships with Australians who are part of the foreign-born community, so it can be a great way to expand your business and find new employees or business partners who speak Arabic.

Interested in reading more about this topic? Then check out the ​5 Amazing Benefits of learning Arabic.

To Challenge Yourself

Studying Arabic is a great way to push yourself, test your capabilities and widen your horizons, so if you’re looking for a new personal challenge, start learning this fascinating language today. Although it can be daunting to learn a new alphabet, practise saying new sounds and read from right to left, it can also be one of the most fulfilling things you do, as you’ll exercise your brain and open your mind to a whole new culture that will change the way you think about the world.

Before you begin, it also helps to understand which form of Arabic suits your goals best. To make that decision easier, take a look at our guide on whether it is better to Learn Modern Standard Arabic Or An Arabic Dialect.

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2. Advantages of Learning Arabic with a Teacher

Now that you’ve read about all the wonderful reasons why you should start learning Arabic, you’re probably wondering if you should do it on your own or if you should find a native tutor who can guide you through the learning process. Although you might be tempted to study alone because it’s completely free and you can do it whenever and wherever you want, there are many advantages of learning with a teacher that you shouldn’t overlook. To illustrate this, let’s take a look at some of the most important ones.

  • In addition to learning grammar, and vocabulary and working on your pronunciation, a big part of learning a language like Arabic, which is so different from English, is to understand the cultures of the places where it’s spoken. That’s why it’s so important that you look for a tutor who can help you understand the way the different Arab communities see the world, and how that impacts the way they use their language. What’s more, having a native speaker teach you about the Arab traditions and customs will help you feel more comfortable around Arab people, as you’ll know how to act and what to say without accidentally being disrespectful to their culture.
  • Another big benefit of studying with a teacher is that it’s key to staying motivated throughout your whole learning process, especially in moments when you feel frustrated and want to give up. A tutor will always know what to say to help you overcome any stumbling block you encounter along your journey to fluency, and they’ll help you reach your language goals much faster than you would alone.
  • When learning a challenging language like Arabic, it’s really important to use updated and engaging materials that keep you invested in studying the language, and there’s nobody as qualified to find these as a language professional. This means that if you book a language course, you won’t have to spend hours online trying to find good-quality resources, and instead, you’ll get to relax and simply focus on enjoying the lessons that your tutor has created for you.
  • As much as you can study on your own, there’s nothing like putting your skills to the test with a speaker, and if you study with a teacher, you’ll get a lot of opportunities to do so. This will help you develop your speaking skills and give you the confidence you need to talk to native speakers in any social situation, so if you want to boost your conversational skills, learning with a tutor is the way to go.

After reading about all the incredible advantages of learning Arabic with a tutor, what are you waiting for to get started? Check out all the different Arabic courses we offer and contact us so we can pair you up with one of our excellent tutors.

3. Useful Tips to Learn Arabic

Commit to a Dialect

Although most learners start with Standard Modern Arabic, you should know that this variant is mainly used in the Arab world to read and write. This means that if you want to sound more like a native speaker, you should learn the phrases and expressions of a particular Arabic dialect, like Libyan Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, Egyptian Arabic or Gulf Arabic. Which one you choose depends on your language goals and your plans for the future, but make sure you commit to learning one so you don’t end up using a mix of different variants.

Use Flashcards and ​​Mnemonics to Learn New Vocabulary

English and Arabic don’t share many cognates, so it will be pretty hard for you to guess the meaning of words like you could do in languages such as French, Spanish or German. Because of that, you should use different tools like flashcards and mnemonics to remember Arabic words and phrases. If you don’t feel like making your own deck of flashcards, there are great apps you could use, such as Anki or Quizlet. If you prefer to use mnemonics, try to be as creative as you can when making associations and create funny or strange mental images that help you remember new words, for example, if you want to remember how to say “I have no money”, which in Egyptian Arabic is mafeesh fulus, you could pat your pockets and say aloud “My fish feel loose”, which sounds really similar to the Arabic version and it’s such a strange mental image that you’re not likely to forget it.

Don’t Be Afraid to Talk to Natives

Native Arabic speakers are really enthusiastic about students of Arabic, so don’t be afraid to speak the language around them, even if you can’t say much. As you’ll quickly find out, they love it when foreigners try to learn their language and are really open to helping people improve their pronunciation and correct their mistakes, so next time you have the chance, don’t hesitate to engage in a little conversation with a native.

Immerse Yourself in Arabic Culture as Much as You can

In order to achieve fluency, you should immerse yourself in Arab culture as much as possible. There are many ways you can do this, like watching films and TV shows in Arabic, listening to podcasts and music, and watching Youtube videos that teach you the language. Don’t know where to start? Here are some ideas.

  • Netflix has some great shows you can watch in Arabic, like Al Hayba, a drama series that tells the story of two powerful clans that live in Al Hayba, a small town on the border that connects Syria and Lebanon. On the other hand, if you’re interested in Egyptian culture, you might want to check out Secret of the Nile, a series set in the 1950s that follows a man named Ali who is trying to find out what happened to his sister, who disappeared while working at a hotel. If neither of these interests you, another thing you can do is watch an Australian show you like, but with Arabic subtitles. This will help you learn new words and phrases in Standard Modern Arabic in an entertaining way while watching some of your favourite shows.
  • A great way to develop your listening skills is to listen to podcasts like ArabicPod, which offers free episodes for beginners, and Salis - Learn Egyptian Arabic, which is ideal for those who prefer to listen to the Egyptian variant. Alternatively, if you find podcasts too intimidating, you can start by listening to music in Arabic. Although there are many incredible singers out there, you could start by checking out artists like Mohamed Mounir, Nancy Ajram, Nassif Zaitoun, and Ahlam.
  • There are many interesting videos on YouTube that cover different aspects of the language, so whenever you have some free time, you should take a look at channels like FC Lang Media, Learn Arabic with Qasid, Emirati Arabic and Mohamed Teaches Arabic.

4. Free Resources To Learn Arabic

Although nothing can replace a good teacher, there are many resources you can use in your free time to improve your skills on your own. Here are some of the most useful ones you can start using right now.

Resources to Learn the Arabic Alphabet and Script

The Arabic alphabet, which is the second most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world, has 28 letters and is written from right to left. If you need help learning it, there are wonderful websites you can check out, such as:

Resources to Learn Arabic Grammar

Want to master Arabic grammar? if so, take a look at some of these websites that have a lot of free information on the matter that can help you understand some of the most challenging grammar topics.

Resources to Immerse Yourself in Arab Culture

As you probably know, an important part of learning the language is to explore Arab culture, so if this is what you want, here are some useful YouTube channels and websites you can check out.

Free Apps to Learn Arabic

In addition to taking Arabic lessons, there are plenty of apps you can use in your free time to expand your vocabulary and work on your grammar. Here are some of our top picks.

  • Drops is a perfect app to learn Arabic, especially if you don’t have a lot of free time. When you begin using the app, you can pick the learning path that most suits your needs, like Basic Arabic Vocab, Business Arabic or Conversation Starters.
  • Memrise is another great option where you can pick your level and say why you’re learning the language, be it for work, relocation, education or just brain training. It starts by teaching you the Arabic alphabet, so it can be a great option for beginners.
  • Duolingo is one of the most popular apps to learn languages, and it offers a great Arabic course you should check out. It starts by teaching you how to recognise letters and sounds in Arabic and then moves on to more complex words and sentences.

Free Arabic Dictionaries

5. Survival Phrases in Arabic

Travelling to an Arab country soon? If so, you might want to learn some of these useful words and phrases in Arabic, which will help you get by more easily and have basic conversations with locals.

Phrases in English Transliteration Phrases in Arabic
Hello as-salām 'alaykum السلام عليكم
How are you? kayfa ḥālak كيف حالك؟
What’s your name? mā ismak? ما اسمك؟
My name is… ...ismee ...اسمي
Where are you from? min ayn anta? من أين أنت؟
I’m from… anā min... أنا من...
Pleased to meet you motasharefon bema'refatek متشرف بمعرفتك
Good morning ṣabāḥul kẖayr صباح الخير
Good afternoon masā' al-khayr مساء الخير
Good evening masā' al-khayr مساء الخير
Good night tuṣbiḥ 'alā khayr تصبح على خير
Goodbye tosbeho ‘ala khair تصبح على خير
Good luck! bit-tawfīq بالتوفيق!
I don’t understand lā afham لا أفهم
Please speak more slowly takallam bibuṭ' min fadlak تكلم ببطء من فضلك
How do you say…in Arabic? kayfa taqūlu kalimah... bil-'arabīyah? كيف تقول كلمة ... بالعربية؟
How much is this? bikam hādhā? بكم هذا？
Where’s the toilet? ayn al-ḥammām? أين الحمّام؟

If after learning these phrases you feel like you want to learn more about the language, why don’t you start a language course? This way, you’ll become a proficient Arab speaker in no time, and you’ll be able to communicate as fluently as you want. All you need to do to get started is to send us a quick enquiry so that one of our team members can contact you as soon as possible to help you find the Arab course that you need.

Want more tips to learn Arabic? Check out our social media accounts, where some of our most popular Arabic teachers share useful content to help you learn any language more efficiently.