Five Top Tips for Learning Arabic - Creative Word

The Arabic language is notoriously tricky to learn, but don’t let this put you off. It is a beautiful language with its roots in antiquity and has helped to shape the languages of many other regions, even some English-language words have their origins in Arabic.

If you are considering learning Arabic, the following tips won’t make you master of the Arabic language, but they will help you avoid the usual pitfalls and ensure you get the most from your learning.

 

 

1. One Language, Many Languages

The Arabic language isn’t just one language.

There are many dialects of spoken Arabic and they can be so varied that an Arabic speaker from Egypt, for instance, wouldn’t necessarily understand an Arabic speaker from Iran.

However, the common ground for the Arabic language is found in the written form, known as, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).

This is the form of Arabic used in schools, by newspapers, TV, books and so on, and it is the form that many students begin to study when learning Arabic.

It is necessary to learn MSA but it is also vital to learn a dialect.

 

 

2. Choose an Arabic Dialect

When beginning to learn Arabic it is well worth choosing a dialect to study (alongside MSA) so that you will be able to converse with native speakers.

There is no ‘right choice’ here, just choose the dialect that offers the best options for you.

This might be based on where you holiday, the dialect spoken by Arabic friends, or recommendations from other learners.

 

 

3. Keep it Simple

Learning a new language can be tough, especially as we get older (although there are numerous health benefits, including keeping our minds sharp) but one of the best pieces of advice is keep things simple.

Try the following for tricks to help retain your learning and make it relevant:

• Flashcards – create flashcards to assist with learning and add to them whenever you learn a new word. Look at them frequently, memorise and repeat!

• Create Mnemonics – it is difficult to guess at Arabic words, as English speakers can when learning languages such as, French or Spanish, so it is worth creating some memorable mnemonics to help with recall. Make these as simple as possible but add some humour as this can aid recollection too.

• Don’t over-complicate things – literally, keep things as simple as possible. Use simple vocabulary, keep writing concise and ask native-speakers to slow down if needed.

• Set achievable goals – don’t set goals that are unrealistic, as this tends to put us off learning. Instead, do a little each day, set a target of learning a few new words or phrases a week, and try to ‘use’ your new skills frequently.

 

 

4. Memorise Phrases

While it is important to learn specific words, learning well-used phrases is an essential tool in moving your learning forward.

Look at newspapers to find commonly used phrases, research common sayings or expressions, and learn phrases that have an everyday application such as, greetings, compliments and simple requests.

It is also worth ‘listening’ to some Arabic TV shows, or songs, for help with pronunciation and grammar.

 

 

5. Use your Language Skills

Learning a language should be a fun experience and should enable improved communication with others.

These new skills will enrich your friendships, encourage dialogue, generate cultural awareness, and support diversity and inclusion, so use them as often as you can.

Don’t worry too much about how you sound to a native speaker, most likely, they’ll be pleased you made the effort and will reward you with encouragement and enthusiasm!

Good luck with learning the Arabic language, let us know how it is going (or add your own top tips) in the comments section below.

You can also check out our useful Arabic phrases blog here for some inspiration.