Advice On Learning Arabic

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Recently, I've bought program/book intensive guide to learning Arabic. So far, I'm afraid to begin because I don't know what to expect. As a student who already knows Latin, about a year of Greek, fluent in Vietnamese, and obviously English, can any of those languages help me out a little with learning Arabic.

 

Is Standard Arabic hard? What are the difficulties? What are the similarities to Latin and Greek that might help?

 

Main question: Is the degree of difficulty ok enough for me to learn all the grammar and how long will it take to learn?

 

Hope someone knows the answers.

[Antiochus of Seleucia]

Ack, don't be afraid. If you already know something as complex as latin and greek, and vietnamese, it shouldn't be too hard for you now. I bet you'll do just fine!

[Gaius Octavius]

From: Manual of Foreign Languages, Geo. F. von Osterman; 4th Ed.,Central Book Co., N.Y., 1952.

 

"The Arabic verb has but two tenses: Perfect and imperfect."

"There are two declensions of nouns in the singular and only two genders, masculine and feminine."

 

Easy enough for little Arab kids to learn!

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Wow only two tenses and two declensions...but what about sentence construction and verbs.

[Gaius Octavius]

Wow only two tenses and two declensions...but what about sentence construction and verbs.

 

That was taken from a book and is all I know about Arabic. I would guess that just as with Greek, the first hurdle is the alphabet. Listening to the language on short wave radio and TV (along with learning songs), would be a great help.

[docoflove1974]

Generally speaking, learning a new language is something that is a skill...and like any other skill it takes a lot of hard work and practice...and accepting that you will make plenty of mistakes at first. I usually tell my students that they should find a conversation partner--someone to practice with and who can give them instant feedback. Even if it's just a couple of hours, or an afternoon, per week, it's something. As much aural input as possible--tv is best, because you can get the visual cues at the same time, but radio is a possible option as you get further along. Bottom line, do as much work as possible, and put the time in...you will be rewarded.

[Andrew Dalby]

Generally speaking, learning a new language is something that is a skill...and like any other skill it takes a lot of hard work and practice...and accepting that you will make plenty of mistakes at first. I usually tell my students that they should find a conversation partner--someone to practice with and who can give them instant feedback. Even if it's just a couple of hours, or an afternoon, per week, it's something. As much aural input as possible--tv is best, because you can get the visual cues at the same time, but radio is a possible option as you get further along. Bottom line, do as much work as possible, and put the time in...you will be rewarded.

 

How right the Doc is. And face up to the alphabet at the beginning, and be prepared to put in several days practising it. It is hard work, but it's worth it, because it's the most beautiful alphabet in the world ...

 

Well, all right, the Tibetan alphabet is beautiful as well. But Arabic is also very fast and smooth to write. For Tibetan, you must take all the time in the world.

[Ursus]

I discovered I could learn languages very quickly. Unfortunately, I also forget them very quickly if I am not in a constant state of practice. I took Russian and German in college and was head of the class .... a year out of college, with no opportunities to speak it, I had forgotten almost everything. Every few months I pick up a Latin textbook and study the declensions and conjugations - then I get sidetracked and busy, and fall out of practice. It's a curse.

 

I say your best bet is to get the basics down, and then immerse yourself completely in the new language. Either hang out with Arabic speakers somewhere, or buy plenty of language tapes. Always keep it on the tip of your tongue.

[tflex]

Recently, I've bought program/book intensive guide to learning Arabic. So far, I'm afraid to begin because I don't know what to expect. As a student who already knows Latin, about a year of Greek, fluent in Vietnamese, and obviously English, can any of those languages help me out a little with learning Arabic.

 

Is Standard Arabic hard? What are the difficulties? What are the similarities to Latin and Greek that might help?

 

Main question: Is the degree of difficulty ok enough for me to learn all the grammar and how long will it take to learn?

 

Hope someone knows the answers.

 

Arabic is very hard, the grammar is overly complicated, the alphabet is written in a different way once you connect two letters together they change, and the pronounciation of many words requires a lot of practise, but the fact that you learned vietnamese is very encouraging. I can speak arabic fluently plus read and write, but I remember back at school I dreaded my arabic class, and loved my english class, because english is so much simpler especially reading and writing, it's more organized and structured, and thats from a person with arabic as their first language.

 

If you want to learn just to speak arabic, then it will be much easier, but if you want to learn to read and write, then it will require a lot of work, but you're still young and seem to have a special ability for languages, so I think you will have no problem grasping it. Not many non-arabs speak arabic, so that would be a great motivation for you, you will be a rare breed . Also arabic is very similar to hebrew, if you learn one of them it's much easier to learn the other, like spanish and french.

Edited August 27, 2006 by tflex

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Thank you tflex and all...guess it seems that from a common concensus that the biggest hurdle I would face is basically the writing and pronunciation.

 

Just wondering, are the sentence constructions hard?

[tflex]

Just wondering, are the sentence constructions hard?

 

Yes it is, but it only means you need to spend an extra hour or so, and you'll be fine. I think the verbs will be the easiest part for you, it's very similar to English and direct. For example I want would be, Ana=I and bade=want, you pronounce the e at the end of the word.

Edited August 28, 2006 by tflex

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Just wondering, are the sentence constructions hard?

 

Yes it is, but it only means you need to spend an extra hour or so, and you'll be fine. I think the verbs will be the easiest part for you, it's very similar to English and direct. For example I want would be, Ana=I and bade=want, you pronounce the e at the end of the word.

 

Thank God. You should see classical Greek and Latin, the verbs are unbearable, easily in Greek with a bunch of tenses and moods.

[tflex]

Cool, should be easy then, if you succeed, the CIA and FBI might need your services

[Rameses the Great]

Hi, I obvioulsy don't know as much as tflex on Arabic but it is my second language. What you must understand is that there are different dialects around the Middle East. The pure Arabic called Al balady, the form of dialect is Al fulany. What I would do is get acostumed to the sounds and try to repeat it. Arabic is very easy to speak but reading and writing is hard as they mentioned above.

 

Egyptian films tend to be the best for learning since they are the most at making films. The rest of the Middle East understands our dialect so we are clear to them. Either way, become familiar with the sounds and alphabet. Try to pronounce some words. Leave reading and writing for last because it is a rich language. To this day I still can't fully read and write.

 

I found this comparison in Greek and Arabic:

 

Aleph: Alpha

Be: Beta

Th: Theta

 

See, it's not all too different. I can tell your a very cultured and smart kid so it will not be hard at all.

 

Good Luck.