Attn Arabic Speakers - Advise on how to learn the Arabic language!

[Md Mashud]

:-[ Do you think it is possible to self-teach yourself Arabic? Im at the level of, able to read the Quran, but cannot speak/interpret or understand what it means. How long would you think it would take one on self-study basis to get somewhat fluent in the language? I know this is possible with some european languages such as French/Spanish/German, but what about Arabic?

The goal won't be to be able to interpret Quran, as I know that requires you to be a Mujtahid, however I would love to be able to atleast have basic fluency in talking, understanding and writing.

Any good ways to learn alone? You think it is possible, yes? No? How long?

 

[NoName55]

I know English speakers who became fluent in French, Spanish and German in less than a few months, listening to tapes from Michel Thomas, who shows you that english is nothing more than badly pronounced and misspelt French, Spanish and German.

I also know a person or two, who learned spoken fluency in Arabic from Pimsleur tapes in less than a month (they already were able to write and understand much of written texts)

Note: being able to converse with an Arab is no guarantee that it will also enable one to understand Quraan.

 

[Md Mashud]

being able to converse with an Arab is no guarantee that it will also enable one to understand Quraan

100% agreed, I am aware of its complexity .

Jazakallah Khair for the info!

 

[Woodrow]

Note: being able to converse with an Arab is no guarantee that it will also enable one to understand Quraan.

I will not only agree I will state that some dialects will even prove to be a hinderance in understanding the Qur'an. I originally learned Arabic in Morocco and I found that as a result of that I have a very difficult time in understanding proper pronunciation and my vocabulary is still filled with many slang phrases.

I am learning more about proper Qur'anic Arabic daily, but my pronuciation is still horrible, although my colloquial Moroccan Arabic is understandable to Moroccans.

If you are not a native Arabic speaker, I suggest you learn proper Qur'anic Arabic first and than concentrate on the vernacular spoken Arabic. I would suggest if you do desire to learn the daily spoken Arabic, Egyptian or Saudi dialects would be best.

 

[Md Mashud]

I will not only agree I will state that some dialects will even prove to be a hinderance in understanding the Qur'an. I originally learned Arabic in Morocco and I found that as a result of that I have a very difficult time in understanding proper pronunciation and my vocabulary is still filled with many slang phrases.

I am learning more about proper Qur'anic Arabic daily, but my pronuciation is still horrible, although my colloquial Moroccan Arabic is understandable to Moroccans.

If you are not a native Arabic speaker, I suggest you learn proper Qur'anic Arabic first and than concentrate on the vernacular spoken Arabic. I would suggest if you do desire to learn the daily spoken Arabic, Egyptian or Saudi dialects would be best.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[InToTheRain]

I heard that the dialect of the people of yemen is the closest to the Language of the Qur'an today, is this true?
:-\

 

[Woodrow]

I heard that the dialect of the people of yemen is the closest to the Language of the Qur'an today, is this true?
:-\

I have also heard people say that , but I have no first hand knowledge if that is true.

 

[Anwarica]

I heard that the dialect of the people of yemen is the closest to the Language of the Qur'an today, is this true?
:-\

Yemen, Egypt, Sudan .. each one claims that their dialect is the closest to official Arabic .. I might agree with Yemen .. In Egypt, the problem is that young people developed their own language with many weird expressions!

Md Mashud, Whatever happens and whatever you decide, stick to official Arabic and never care about dialects since any Arabian can understand your official Arabic and you can't understand Quran properly without that official langauge.

As for talking, you can watch Arabic Islamic videos and pronounce like them .. it will be better if there's subtitles provided.

 

[Re.TiReD]

:salamext:

I've been told that it is impossible to self teach yourself arabic, I did try and found it extremely difficult. However, I think it is possible, depending on your level of determination.

Books I used are:-

Book I need for my arabic degree:-

and I'd reccommend both, although they are slightly pricey.

 

[jzcasejz]

As-Salaamu'alaykum

Check this thread out Bro, should be of some help: http://www.islamicboard.com/arabic/36458-learning-arabic.html

 

[Ummu Sufyaan]

:salamext:

I've been told that it is impossible to self teach yourself arabic, I did try and found it extremely difficult. However, I think it is possible, depending on your level of determination.

Books I used are:-

Book I need for my arabic degree:-

and I'd reccommend both, although they are slightly pricey.

not really, but i guess you would need a teacher to help you with pronouciation of the letters. i recommed the book called "easy quran reading-For teaching the arabic alphabet, diacritics, and eading for beginners" By Moustafa Al-Gindy.
i know its teaches how to read the quran, but i actually learnt a few grammer rules that i wasn't aware of before. It also has a breif section of tajweed. the only bad thing about it really is the translation is a little funny. but you can still understand the main point.

 

[Danah]

Asalam Alykom all

I think if you want to be good in Arabic, you have to work hard first, then you have to be with a well knowen Arabic speaker because you will with him the correct pronouncation of the letters. and also, you will practice with him the speaking skills

Originally Posted by Z.AL-Rashid
I heard that the dialect of the people of yemen is the closest to the Language of the Qur'an today, is this true?

 

[Danah]

sorry but about my previuos post I want to say that about the closet to Quran, it is true I guess

 

[Re.TiReD]

not really:

i don't understand sister?


Learning how to pronounce the letters is always helpful, but if you can recite the Qur'aan you're probably all the way there masha'Allah.

I have only just begun my arabic degree, if you'd like to ask anything, or if you'd like me to post up my notes- i'd be more than happy to help Insha'Allah.

 

[Ummu Sufyaan]

i don't understand sister?


Learning how to pronounce the letters is always helpful, but if you can recite the Qur'aan you're probably all the way there masha'Allah.

I have only just begun my arabic degree, if you'd like to ask anything, or if you'd like me to post up my notes- i'd be more than happy to help Insha'Allah.

what i meant was, its not really hard to teach yourself arabic (im refering to the grammer) however, if your're teaching yourself, and your're begginer, than you may need a teacher for help with the pronounciation. i wasn't refering to brother Md Mashud, just generally speaking.

 

[Woodrow]

what i meant was, its not really hard to teach yourself arabic (im refering to the grammer) however, if your're teaching yourself, and your're begginer, than you may need a teacher for help with the pronounciation. i wasn't refering to brother Md Mashud, just generally speaking.

The pronunciation is nearly impossible to get without an instructor to correct you. Many pronunciations can not be duplicated with english letters.

 

[Ummu Sufyaan]

very true.

 

[Seeker_of_truth]

Rosetta Stone Arabic very easy to follow. You can download it from bit torrent software. Or purchase it! www.rosettastone.com

 

[Re.TiReD]

^^ quite good Masha'Allah, and also... a book called 'Al-kitaab', both available from amazon.com. I'm pretty sure our arabic worksheets are taken from there. All the best.

 

[mohammed essa]

al salam alikom
i want to add that if you want to good in arabic you should integrate with an arabic people ,talk with them , understand them.
many of the arab who are used to go to Britain and usa for many years you c that they become fluent in english
if you know any one (arabic person) in your chat list in msn or anything try to speak with him in voice so he can correnct ur mistakes and u to communicate with him

for me i am egyptian who speak with the egyptian dialect not very professional in classical arabic from the grammatical point of view

if u speak egyptian all the arab will understand you because of the softness of this dialect and the egyptian movies and songs which are popular in all the arabic countries

salam