Arabic

Why Should Learn Arabic?

• It is spoken by more than 380 million people as a first language; most of them live in the Middle East and North Africa.

• It is the official language of 28 countries and you will be able to communicate with people from more than 20 different native- Arabic speaking counties.

• It’s one of six official languages of the UN.

• It is the liturgical language of Islam since it is the language of the Qur’an, the Islamic Holy Book.

• Many people learn the language to learn about the cradle of human civilization and the main three religions in the world. The Arab World is extremely rich with archaeological site, historical events, religious sites and has a wealth of artistic, cultural, and human heritage that makes it very important to learn the language of the area and to explore it.

There Are Two Main Types Of Written Arabic:

• Classical Arabic

the language of the Qur'an and classical literature. It differs from Modern Standard Arabic mainly in style and vocabulary, some of which is archaic. All Muslims are expected to recite the Qur'an in the original language, however many rely on translations in order to understand the text.

• Modern Standard Arabic -

the universal language of the Arabic-speaking world which is understood by all Arabic speakers. It is the language of the vast majority of written material and of formal TV shows, lectures, etc.

• Nobody speaks Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as a native language, it is the form taught in schools and used in formal contexts, such as newspapers, books, radio and TV news.

• MSA is widely understood throughout the Middle East. If this the the form you learn, however, you may have difficulty understanding native speakers, who typically speak their regional dialect.

• If your interest is in a particular region, you might want to focus on learning the dialect of that region. Egyptian Arabic and Levantine (Eastern) Arabic, which is spoken in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine, are most widely understood outside their region.

• There are 30 Colloquial Arabic dialects.

• Each Arabic speaking country or region also has its own variety of colloquial spoken Arabic.

Egyptian Dialect

• spoken by about 50 million people in Egypt and perhaps the most widely understood variety, thanks to the popularity of Egyptian-made films and TV shows

Algerian Dialect

• spoken by about 22 million people in Algeria

Moroccan/Maghrebi Dialect-

• spoken in Morocco by about 19.5 million people

Sudanese Dialect -

• spoken in Sudan by about 19 million people

Saidi Dialect -

• spoken by about 19 million people in Egypt

MesopotamianDialect -

• spoken by about 14 million people in Iraq, Iran and Syria

Najdi Dialect -

• spoken in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan and Syria by about 10 million people

Gulf Dialect -

• Gulf Dialect - spoken in Gulf Countries