Some people say that you can study a language and never learn the grammar. They’ve got some compelling points.  But the thing is, after enough time, your brain really will pick up a lot of the patterns of a language and you’ll be able to use it correctly and automatically. The key concept here is "enough time," though. As it happens, most people don’t have three years from the beginning of their studies to when they want to use it. This is especially true of Arabic, whose grammar is different from that of English in several key ways. Why wait for your brain to trial-and-error its way into Arabic grammar when you can just learn the main differences yourself? That’s why, in this article, we’re going to tell you just what to look... Show more

Arabic is a language of learning and a language of the learned.  For centuries, Modern Standard Arabic has been used by the greatest thinkers of the Middle East and North Africa to write novels, essays, plays, and speeches of the highest quality.  When you have a language with such a powerful literary history as Arabic at your fingertips, you want your own Arabic to measure up. But it can be a little difficult if you’re only starting out. In fact, it can be difficult even if you’ve been working on Arabic for a while! Arabic quotes and sayings can be a great way to remedy this, providing you with cultural insight and more opportunities for growth. The ones we’ve compiled here are ideal for more formal situations, where you need to... Show more

Are you planning a trip to an Arabic-speaking country? When do you leave? And how do you say that in Arabic? Yup, you’ll need to know about telling time in Arabic to get around very well and be on time.  You wouldn't believe how many tourists get confused and frustrated at bus stations, taxi stands, airports, and train terminals all over the world simply because they don't understand how to talk about time in the local language. That's pretty surprising, to be honest, because you'd think that time words would be one of the things you would prioritize in a new language.  But it still always just seems like something to learn later—until your taxi driver is laughing at you because you misheard what time the bus leaves, and... Show more

Many foreigners throughout the years have gotten high praise for speaking "correct" Arabic. And many others have spoken "broken" Arabic. Obviously, there are a lot of things that could go into that distinction, but one of the most important is grammatical gender. If you get those word endings wrong on nouns, adjectives, and verbs, you’ll still be understood—but it’ll sound strange. That’s not a word you want to associate with your Arabic level! If you’re not yet comfortable with word gender in Arabic, don’t worry. Simply read on, and let the knowledge come to you. Table of Contents What is Grammatical Gender? The Arabic Noun Gender System: See a Word, Guess its Gender Gender in Arabic Pronouns and Verbs Plural Nouns Noun... Show more

So, why exactly should you learn Arabic customs and etiquette? Imagine for a moment two foreigners coming to your place of work. The first one speaks your native language flawlessly—but they’re a total jerk. It’s easy to communicate with them, but it’s just words. You have no evidence that your message is actually getting through to their behavior. The second has a moderate to thick accent, and sometimes there are things you have to ask them to repeat. But they fit right in with the work culture, and every time you’re able to communicate, things work out exactly as you intended. Which one do you prefer? Someone who knows your language, or someone who knows your culture? Since you’re reading this article, it’s clear that you’re... Show more

Everybody knows that numbers are just no fun to learn in other languages. I’ve had plenty of language teachers—fluent, expressive users of English—fall back on their native tongues when quickly counting out handouts. Sorry to tell you, but the numbers are easy. It’s dates you have to worry about. Especially Arabic dates. Ever read through an article in a foreign language, and just mentally read the dates out in your head in English because you didn’t want to figure out how to really say them? Everybody has. If you’re not used to reading numerals aloud in Arabic, check out our article on numbers in Arabic for a little bit of practice. It’s good to have a strong foundation in number-reading before you tackle date-reading; this way,... Show more

Isn’t it exciting to imagine? The crashing surf of a Moroccan beach or the tall and rugged mountains of Jordan. The streetside bazaars in Cairo or the resorts in Dubai. And you’re there. Speaking in Arabic. Or rather, that’s the plan, right? You’re still working on it. And that’s okay. Arabic is a long, long journey for anybody. Speaking of journeys, there are a couple of Arabic travel phrases that tourists need to learn in the local language, no matter where they go. In this article, I’ll outline some of the most useful travel phrases in Arabic for any traveler, tourist, or expat in an Arabic-speaking country. Let’s get started. Table of Contents Using Modern Standard Arabic vs. Using Dialects The Most Essential Arabic... 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