I’m not going to sugarcoat anything here. Arabic is a difficult language to learn. In fact it was ranked in the most difficult category of foreign languages by the US Foreign Service Institute, alongside other notoriously difficult languages like Mandarin and Japanese. If you’re new to Arabic it’s going to take consistent and concerted effort to start using the language fluently. However this fact shouldn’t discourage you. While learning Arabic is hard, it’s far from impossible. In this post we outline five practical tips you can use to take some of the edge off of learning Arabic. Follow these pointers to learn the language in a way that is efficient and effective! 1. Limit yourself to no English when you practice The... Show more

Imagine yourself spending your holidays in Lebanon. You haven't gotten the hang of speaking Arabic yet. You're enjoying your time there, but you still feel strongly disconnected from where you are. Many Lebanese don't speak English, and you don't even know how to let people know that you do not speak Arabic. This is where the importance of learning basic Arabic phrases comes in. Not only will it help you communicate with the local community; it will also help you gain that connection you would otherwise be yearning for. I would highly recommend that you start by learning (at least some of) the Arabic alphabet. While using transcriptions might seem like a really nice way to get a head start, I promise you’re doing yourself... Show more

Learn all the Arabic New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join ArabicPod101 for a special Arabic New Year celebration! Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March - December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated. So, how do you say Happy New Year in... Show more

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Arabic? ArabicPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Arabic Christmas phrases! Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Arabic speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases... Show more

As salam alaykum! (Hi!) If you’ve ever visited or lived in an Arabic country, you have probably noticed the repetitive use of Arabic sayings, especially in rural areas. If that’s you, I can safely assume that it wasn’t easy for you to understand many of those Arabic sayings—even if you had someone to translate them for you. The reason why you failed to grasp the meaning of these sayings is that the translation of a certain saying in Arabic doesn’t usually mean its equivalent in English. As a learner myself, not understanding those sayings has often disappointed me and made me doubt my language skills. This made me realize that I must dive deeper into Arabic and explore the meanings of these sayings. After conducting a... Show more

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power - use these ones sincerely and often! Table of Contents 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Arabic Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases - Thank You Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31... Show more