Learning Arabic... Finally.

[Awesome]

So after spending 30+ years in the UAE, I've finally decided to learn some Arabic. Unlike other Arabian countries, English and Urdu have a very strong presence here and people like me just never felt the need to learn Arabic.

Of course its a massive asset, you can get by without knowing a word in Arabic as 99% of UAE's non-Arab expats do everyday, but you can't excel in the core governmental departments without knowing Arabic.

Unlike in most other countries, in UAE anything governmental is always the best. Like Government hospitals, Government Universities (not so much for schools) and even Government run organizations. They give the biggest pay checks too.

Now the CDs I got for learning are very good. The instructor is some western accent woman but she explains it very nicely. The emphasis is on spoken Arabic (I can read Arabic obviously because of the Quran) and getting you conversant really fast. Although the instructor mentions that she's teaching Egyptian Arabic, since that's understood everywhere. I don't know how true that is. She says that since the cinema is mostly Egyptian, all Arabs have been exposed to Egyptian Arabic thoroughly.

Coming from an Urdu background, I picked up a lot of the foundation things really fast like grammar rules.

So has anyone else tried to learn Arabic and what were their experiences?
@Mosamania @BLACKEAGLE @nuclearpak @Imran Khan @JonAsad

 

[Jango]

Haven't tried learning it in that way...only a very basic understanding.

When we were in Oman, there were much more Arabs everywhere, the shopkeepers, taxi drivers and all. So I learned the basic stuff, like haza, hua, fuloos, gib, bukra etc from there just for getting my basic point across.

As you said, didn't feel the need for learning or understanding more Arabic in UAE...abhi to do saal huay hain!

You have done 30! If you had done 30 Oman, you would have been fluent!

The best thing IMO is to be talking with Arabs...CD's etc only get you somewhere, but fluency and correct accent comes from interaction in real life. That majorly depends on your working environment.

Good luck!

 

[Developereo]

I downloaded free stuff from this site.
Learn Arabic Free, Arabic Tuition, Speak Arabic, Online Arabic Course, Arabic Tutors - Classes, Tajweed - Quran

They have a section for vocabulary cards on the mobile (haven't used it though).
Categories

 

[khanboy007]

I studied arabic at school, it was very interesting and i got an understanding of some words but i cant phrase a sentence !!!!...I was learning here since gr1 but due to the lack of English skills in teachers i was unable to get full command over it...its good to see that you have an instructor with complete command on both languages so it will be good

i've seen those CD's they are very helpful....dont forget them, they are vital for learning as well

Best of Luck

 

[Awesome]

I studied arabic at school, it was very interesting and i got an understanding of some words but i cant phrase a sentence !!!!...I was learning here since gr1 but due to the lack of English skills in teachers i was unable to get full command over it...its good to see that you have an instructor with complete command on both languages so it will be good

i've seen those CD's they are very helpful....dont forget them, they are vital for learning as well

Best of Luck

Even I learned Arabic from grade one. The Arabic teachers were abysmal. The emphasized mugging up questions and their answers. We'd just by heart them and regurgitate it all out on the exams and pass them the exams!

 

[hunter_hunted]

I also want to learn Arabic. I feel im not living in Arabian peninsula at all. Because I only know basic Arabic. I really want to learn Arabic

Im tired of speaking English when Im leaving in Arabian Country. This makes no sense. Knowing language is the first step in understanding the culture.

 

[Edevelop]

i was born in Middle East but still i don't know Arabic....

 

[Awesome]

I downloaded free stuff from this site.
Learn Arabic Free, Arabic Tuition, Speak Arabic, Online Arabic Course, Arabic Tutors - Classes, Tajweed - Quran

They have a section for vocabulary cards on the mobile (haven't used it though).
Categories

Hmmm from your link I can make out a few differences, hopefully a native Arabic speaker can point out if its correct or not.

"The phrase haadhaa which means 'This is..'."

I'm guessing this is Haza, as in Shu Haza? As in What is this?

Now according to what the instructor taught me, you can use Da instead of Haza as contemporary Arabic... Is that correct? Instead of Shu, she said use "ay". So Shu Haza would become "Da Ay?"

Is this correct and would be understood by GCC speakers?

 

[khanboy007]

Even I learned Arabic from grade one. The Arabic teachers were abysmal. The emphasized mugging up questions and their answers. We'd just by heart them and regurgitate it all out on the exams and pass them the exams!

LOL...exactly well for me upto grade 6 we had to by heart every thing but then in gr7 we had a male egyptian teacher he was very kind and always told us whats coming in the paper so since gr7 i didnt have to mug up much....I was his favorite student , but he was so poor at maths he once gave me 27/25 (leave English aside)...

but im in for learning it too probably this summer ill give it a try.....hopefully or some other course

 

[JonAsad]

So after spending 30+ years in the UAE, I've finally decided to learn some Arabic. Unlike other Arabian countries, English and Urdu have a very strong presence here and people like me just never felt the need to learn Arabic.

Of course its a massive asset, you can get by without knowing a word in Arabic as 99% of UAE's non-Arab expats do everyday, but you can't excel in the core governmental departments without knowing Arabic.

Unlike in most other countries, in UAE anything governmental is always the best. Like Government hospitals, Government Universities (not so much for schools) and even Government run organizations. They give the biggest pay checks too.

Now the CDs I got for learning are very good. The instructor is some western accent woman but she explains it very nicely. The emphasis is on spoken Arabic (I can read Arabic obviously because of the Quran) and getting you conversant really fast. Although the instructor mentions that she's teaching Egyptian Arabic, since that's understood everywhere. I don't know how true that is. She says that since the cinema is mostly Egyptian, all Arabs have been exposed to Egyptian Arabic thoroughly.

Coming from an Urdu background, I picked up a lot of the foundation things really fast like grammar rules.

So has anyone else tried to learn Arabic and what were their experiences?
@Mosamania @BLACKEAGLE @nuclearpak @Imran Khan @JonAsad

well after i started working professionally soon i found out written/ spoken arabic is a must if you are serious about progressing your career-
before no one had the need to learn arabic- every where you go- shops- malls- etc we had asian people communicating in urdu/hindi mostly except some proud keralites speaking english- fcuk them- but thats besides the point-

I am learning arabic by communicating with my arab colleagues mostly in arabic- although some times its hard and quite embarrassing when you fail to make your point clear but it is helping me gradually improve my conversation skills- Reading was never a problem-

I speak arabic the way they speak english- so that even things out a bit- Lol-

and I take notes- and some times watch Arabic documentaries specially for learning process-

 

[RazPaK]

I don't know Arabic and I'm a happy man.


I can say Salam.

Yallah.

Habibi.

Where is my chummus?

Where is my chummus habibi?

Bebsi.

Where is my chummus and bebsi habibi?

Yallah, yallah, where is my chummus and bebsi habibi?

Yup.

 

[Mosamania]

Hmmm from your link I can make out a few differences, hopefully a native Arabic speaker can point out if its correct or not.

"The phrase haadhaa which means 'This is..'."

I'm guessing this is Haza, as in Shu Haza? As in What is this?

Now according to what the instructor taught me, you can use Da instead of Haza as contemporary Arabic... Is that correct? Instead of Shu, she said use "ay". So Shu Haza would become "Da Ay?"

Is this correct and would be understood by GCC speakers?

Western Arabian speakers say "Esh Hada?" To say "What is this?", Eastern Arabia say "Shino Hatha?" For the same word. "Shu Haida?" Is Shami accent, "Eh Da?" Is the Egyptian accent.

"Da ay" means "This which..." An incomplete question.

 

[Awesome]

I don't know Arabic and I'm a happy man.


I can say Salam.

Yallah.

Habibi.

Where is my chummus?

Where is my chummus habibi?

Bebsi.

Where is my chummus and bebsi habibi?

Yallah, yallah, where is my chummus and bebsi habibi?

Yup.

Repeat after me.. hummmmmmmmmmmm mussssssssssss

Chummus sounds like it must be some dirty word.

 

[RazPaK]

Repeat after me.. hummmmmmmmmmmm mussssssssssss

Chummus sounds like it must be some dirty word.

with english accent it comes out Khummus. True story.

 

[Awesome]

Western Arabian speakers say "Esh Hada?" To say "What is this?", Eastern Arabia say "Shino Hatha?" For the same word. "Shu Haida?" Is Shami accent, "Eh Da?" Is the Egyptian accent.

"Da ay" means "This which..." An incomplete question.

One of the things the instructor said was the question words can be substituted either in the beginning or at the end and its better to put it in the end - like Da Eh?

What is this Shami accent? To get by in UAE, I'm guessing if I speak Egyptian accent, Arabs will be ROFL right?

Also what Arabic does Google Translate use?

If I say Ana aawiz shayi! Is that normal to be used in the Gulf Region to say I want Tea?