What You Need to Know Before You Start to Learn Arabic

Asmaa Akl

28 Oct 2019

Arabic is the fifth most commonly used language in the world. It is spoken by more the 290 million people around the world and is the official language of the Quran.

Why should you learn Arabic?

You can use Arabic for communication with a wide range of Arabic speaking people around the world and to learn more deeply about Islam, the second most popular religion in the world. For non-Arabic speaking Muslims and for second generation Arabs that have immigrated to the West, there is the additional benefit of connecting to their roots culturally and religiously.

What types of Arabic are  there?

For those who are seriously trying to learn Arabic, it is important to understand that Arabic is classified into three categories:

• Classical Arabic (Fusha), which is an ancient form of Arabic that is no longer used except for religious purposes.
• Modern standard Arabic is the language that was standardized in the 19th and 20th century and is still used until present day. It is a formal form of the Arabic language and is the form accepted in professional and academic institutions.
• Local colloquial dialects are the Arabic dialects that are used in everyday life in many Arabic speaking countries. Each country has its own dialect that is spoken.

When I start to learn Arabic which type should I begin with?

If you are looking to learn Arabic, you need to know exactly what you'll be using the language for. If you want to communicate with Arabic speaking natives, you should take the local colloquial Arabic dialect of the country you are looking to communicate with. Modern standard Arabic is usually beneficial in professional and academic settings and is the universally acceptable mode of Arabic writing. If you want to understand the holy Quran and more traditional Islamic texts, you should start with Modern standard Arabic classes and transition from there to classical Arabic (fusha).

What are the difficulties faced by non-natives when trying to learn Arabic?

Many non-Arabic speakers face difficulties using the language even after taking Arabic classes, because they don't research their objective well and end up choosing the wrong course or try to take the arduous path ahead alone with little guidance. It is necessary for a foreigner to bear in mind the challenges they will have to face to learn Arabic.

The Arabic alphabet is fundamentally different from most western alphabets which use Latin letters. Additionally, text flows from right to left in Arabic as opposed to most languages in the west. There are many dialects and categories to choose from and there are sounds that have absolutely no equivalent in European languages. Understanding these difficulties beforehand helps you gather the resolve you’ll need to take on the challenge. It also increases the importance of choosing the right teacher to guide you.

(The Arabic Alphabet)

How can Nour Academy make it easier to learn Arabic?

Contrary to what most online academies do, we at Nour Academy use our own syllabus which we have compiled and developed internally. We are the first online Academy to make a syllabus that is intended first and foremost for online students. We use video samples and animations throughout our courses bolstered by many activities to test that the students have fully understood the course' content and can apply what they've learned correctly. All our instructors are native speakers of the language, so you can trust that the learning experience is genuinely Arabic.

In our Arabic courses we do not use a mediating language; this means that we teach Arabic in Arabic! The course is designed to teach students from scratch by heavily relying on multimedia and teaching guides. Since only the Arabic language is used throughout the course, the learning experience is more authentic and leaves a deeper impression of the language in the student's mind. You can try a free session by applying to our Arabic Course Here.