How to Learn Arabic

Before you begin, it is important that you decide what kind of Arabic you want to learn. You can choose from standard or classical Arabic, or a variety of different dialects depending on its location. If you are unsure or do not have any attraction to a specific Arabic nation, your best bet would be to learn Modern Standard Arabic or MSA. Although this classical or standard version may sound rather formal to native speakers, it can give you a good foundation in grasping the language, and it is also useful in the sense that it is what is used throughout the Arab world in media and politics.

Once you are more familiar with the classical or standard version of Arabic, you may then want to hone your skill by concentrating on one of the dialects, to get more of a colloquial slant when speaking the language. Of these, Egyptian and Levantine, are the most broadly known, as they are also used in Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Syria. Other dialects may be of less use, such as informal Moroccan, which is not used much beyond the Maghreb. For those who are learning Arabic for the purpose of studying Islam and the Koran, there are specific courses in Qur’anic Arabic, which may be taken simultaneously with a course of the standard version.

Transliteration >>