@
al-Hasani
What is the difference between dialects of Arabic? Which would be the best to learn?
Long discussion. Some are NEARLY as distinct languages (obviously I am overreacting here) and some are much closer. Most new Arabic speakers either start with learning Egyptian or Syrian. They are somewhat in the middle of all Arabic dialects and most people understand them. Hijazi is also a good start (Urban Hijazi). It's close to Egyptian, Shami and Yemeni. But much lesser spread
Some more traditional people prefer starting with Yemeni Arabic of the Sana'a variety.
Anyway in KSA you either speak (native) the Hijazi or Najdi dialect. Hijazi makes you mutually understandable (99%) with speakers of Sham (Levant), Yemen, Egypt, Libya etc. Iraq as well although Najdi and Khaleeji is closer to the Iraqi one (Baghdadi not Northern Mesopotamian that is distinct but obviously understandable). For instance Hijazi Arabic is closer to Egyptian, Shami and Yemeni than it is to Khaleeji Arabic. Khaleeji is only spoken by 200.000 people as a native dialect in KSA but if you speak it/understand it you can make yourself understandable in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, UAE and large parts of Southern Iraq. Parts of Eastern Province of KSA as well obviously. But you have many sperate dialects within the dialect of for instance Najdi. Riyadhi Arabic (traditional one) differ slightly from the one spoken in Unaizah, Ha'il. Although those are cosmetic differences.
Overall all those Arabic dialects are somewhat similar considering the geographic distances OUTSIDE of Maghrebi. I think there is a consensus that Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian (slightly less so though) differ the most from the Arabic dialects spoken in the "traditional" ME region.
But once again each country have their own dialects again with some being very close to the "lingua franca dialect" of Arab country x or y while others are distinctive.
But start with Egyptian or Syrian. If you learn that then 99% will be understand in Hijaz and most of KSA likewise most of the traditional ME area as I called it.
Most importantly don't even start with a dialect. Start with the fus7a. MSA. From there on you can start learning a distinct dialect or more if you have any particular interest in an Arabic dialect or the country that it is spoken in.
Listen to this. She is fairly accurate.
I warned you beforehand about the complexity of the question.