Arabic Pronunciation

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Before we get familiar with how Arabic pronunciation works, let’s take a look at the differences between classical and colloquial Arabic.

Classical vs. Colloquial Arabic:

The Arabic language is a diglossic language, meaning it takes two different forms. The first is the classical, mainly written, form of the language known as (fua).

The second, known as (‘ammeyyah) or colloquial, refers to the modern spoken language. A native Arabic speaker may know (‘ammeyyah) without knowing (fua), depending on their level of schooling.

Conversely, an Islamic student from a non-Arabic speaking country (like Malaysia) may know how to read and write (fua) without being able to speak or understand (‘ammeyyah).

Classical and Modern Standard Arabic:

All classical Arabic literature has been written most notably the Quran, the holy book of Islam. 

However, it has been simplified slightly to produce a contemporary version known as Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). This is the Arabic used in formal situations like the news, broadcasts, religious speeches, etc.

Those who were educated at Islamic schools or studied Arabic formally at school and/or university will be quite capable with this form of the language, while many others struggle to speak MSA fluently, let alone understand classical Arabic literature.

Colloquial Arabic:

It has been influenced by the languages that existed before Arabic was introduced, and in many cases, by foreigners living in Arab countries over the centuries.

It has thus adopted and adapted words according to modern conveniences. That is why Arabic spoken in different Arab countries varies slightly. Sometimes it’s just the accent, but in some cases it’s the use of different words. The Moroccan dialect demonstrates this quite intensely as a large part of their vocabulary is borrowed from either French or Spanish!

Most Arabs are comfortable with the variations between the different dialects and pronunciations but as an Arabic learner you might find it difficult at first. It's similar to an American speaking to a person from the UK or Australia - everyone pronounces words differently but they all understand each other!

The good news is, the writing system stays the same across dialects. All dialects use the same Arabic letters but might read them differently. Each dialect will also have words or expressions specific to the region.