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What's the best way to start learning Arabic?
Jul 16, 2014 9:01 AM
Comments · 11
4

Start to learn alphabet then try to learn simple sentence to comunicate with people. Also, you may find this helpful

 

http://www.madinaharabic.com/

 

Finally, try to find a serious language Arabic partner. Good Luck

July 16, 2014
3

Hello,


I assume you want to focus on reading / writing / speaking. Reading and writing is in Modern Standard Arabic. Spoken Arabic tends to be in dialect. You can speak in MSA of course but you'll get a lot of people looking at you funny cos you sound like a newscaster (true story) but they'll generally understand you. If you want to speak, I'd recommend landing on a dialect and focusing on that. Most people pick Egyptian but it's up to you.

 

Like others, my suggestion is to go through the challenge of learning the alphabets to have a foundation for the language then move on to practising speaking like there's no tomorrow.
Once you know the letters, you can pick up grammar and learn new words to develop your vocabulary. Try an app like 'memrise' (if you're not already using it) - I think it's very useful in familiarising yourself with the letters and later on with vocabulary. Once you know the letters, work on some basic grammar.


As soon as you do have some basic knowledge, then practise speaking, even if it's basic conversations. People here on italki have been surprisingly helpful in my experience. My mistake in learning this language was focusing too much on lessons and grammar and technical rules. That's why years on, I could barely string a sentence but once I started to really practise speaking and overcome my shyness, it got much much better. I wish I had not focused on technical rules so much now and had just given it a bash so to speak.


Have you gone to fluentin3months.com or iwillteachyoualanguage.com ? They give practical advice about language learning generally.

 

I'm no expert in the language but I'm happy to help if you have any questions. Despite all the struggles, I'm in love with this language now and I'm really enjoying it. Hope this helps and good luck!

July 17, 2014
1

I am also doing that question to myself! I am lit bit disappointed, It has been so difficult to talk with native arabian in Italki, I feel they don't wanna teach, I don't know! :/ sad!

July 17, 2014
1

Thank you Comandante! Never heard of that site, but seems good so far! I appreciate it!

July 16, 2014
1

TOTAL IMMERSION! Multifaceted learning. That's the key.

Try Youtube, there are some good channels on there. For example, Maha. She is a really good teacher, and an effervescent personality to boot. I just completed her alphabet series.

I agree on the importance of finding a language partner.

I have and am constantly on the lookout for poetry and short prose pieces to read in English, and look up in Arabic as well.

https://www.youtube.com/user/LearnArabicwithMaha

July 16, 2014
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