Start Learning Arabic!

On this page, I will show you where to start learning Arabic, how to differentiate between Classical Arabic and Modern Arabic and the many different Arabic Dialects used in different Arabic countries.

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First up, please read the following examples, where I've demonstrated how Arabic speaking people communicate with each other in different situations.

After reading the examples you will understand more about...

How Arabic language works....

And you will be in a good position to start learning Arabic.

Here are the examples:

Example 1: Speaking Arabic

If I'm visiting an Arabic country, for instance, Lebanon, and want to speak to a taxi driver, I will use my dialect (that could be any dialect, say the Egyptian dialect), and he will use his dialect (Lebanese dialect); we will understand each other, we will communicate easily, with the advantage of throwing some jokes on the spot.

This is Colloquial Arabic.

Example 2: Reading Arabic

If I want to read Arabic newspapers, well, they will all be written in Modern Standard Arabic, or (MSA for short). That's a higher level in Arabic language, it is above all dialects... It is the Standard, and should be easy for anyone who could read Arabic.

But it's not the highest level.

Example 3: Watching Arabic TV

If I want to watch Arabic Television, say Al-Jazeera Arabic TV, which is not a local TV channel, but more regional, directed to all Arabic countries....This is what is going to happen on the TV screen:

1. The commentator will read the news in modern standard Arabic (that's level-2). Why? Because classical Arabic (level-1) is extremely difficult, grammatically, for the average person; and it is also difficult for the all people preparing the up-to-date news.... (just imagine the people working in the BBC or CNN if someone ask them to use the language of Shakespeare in preparing the news and other programs!).

2. The commentator, after finishing reading the news, might quickly interview a politician, say from Arabic Emirates. The conversation will be conducted 'naturally' in both, modern (level-2) and dialects (level-3). Both the commentator and his guest might also uses verses from Qur'an(level-1)..... They will keep modulating between the three levels.... INTERCHANGEABLE.

3. After the commentator thanks his guest, he might take us to a summary of sports news, in which he is going to ask the soccer player from Qatar about his feelings when he scored that goal from a fabulous shot! All the conversation here, will be conducted in the local dialect, or two different dialects if they are from two different Arabic countries (level-3).

Example 4: Learning Arabic at school

At any Arabic school, this is the usual scenario:

The teacher will speak to the students in the local dialect, then he will read the text in modern Arabic. Then, depending on the subject...If it is about Arabic grammar, Islam...etc, he will go to classical Arabic, if it is about Arabic Numerals as applied in science, maths, or physics the teacher will stay in dialect mixed with a bit of modern.

However...

when you start learning Arabic don't think that the Arabic language is just a language of science!

As we all know, the principles of 'algorithms', on which the modern computer technology such as Google is built, was first invented by Al-kawarizmi (around 825 AD) as a calculation method, and named after him.

Al-kawarizmi became Algorism became Algorithm.

And, in Arabic (from right to left)

Al-kawarizmi (who also invented Algebra) wrote all his works in the fields of astronomy and mathematics in classical Arabic.

As you can see, the Arabic person uses three levels of the Arabic language. He will modulate between these three levels ONLY if he has command over each of them, and that is not the common.

Generally speaking:

• The average person will only use a dialect.

  He will understand modern Arabic.

  He will only use classical Arabic when he is praying or reading verses of Qur'an.




• The educated person will speak a dialect, will read and write in modern Arabic and will use classical Arabic with reasonable command.




• The specialist, who might be working in media, a writer or a religious authority; will speak a dialect, will have a high command on modern Arabic, and should have a reasonable command of classical Arabic.

Mastering classical Arabic is a life time work.

Conclusion:

As you can tell from the examples above, if you want to start learning Arabic, you have to decide first, do you want to learn Arabic to:

1. Talk in Arabic with Arabic people?

   Go to: Colloquial Arabic

2. Read and write in Arabic.

   Go to: Modern Arabic

3. Master the Arabic language.

   Go to: Classical Arabic

To Answer the question: Where should I start learning Arabic?

Just choose one of the above:

1 .... or 2 .... or 3

And you will find the right way to start learning Arabic .

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