ArabicPod101.com Blog

Before too long in your Arabic studies, people are going to ask you a simple question: "Which dialect are you going for?" Well, it sounds simple. But there’s a lot under the surface. For example, how many different Arabic dialects are there? Where are they spoken, and where are they understood? Who teaches what dialects? These questions don’t have easy answers. Learning more about this topic, though, will help you see a broader picture of Arab culture and history in general—and we’ll tell you up front that no matter which dialect you choose, you will be richer for it. Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE!(Logged-In Member Only) Table of Contents An Overview of the Arabic Language,... Show more

"You’re learning Arabic? Wow, I could never do that!" You’ve probably heard that sentiment, or something like it, dozens of times. Or perhaps you’ve become intimidated hearing it said to other people.  For English-speakers, Arabic has a reputation for being an incredibly tough language to learn. Nobody offers Arabic classes in middle school, and nobody talks about picking up Arabic from watching cartoons. But does Arabic deserve such a reputation? Is Arabic hard to learn? Could it be that there’s more to a language than its perceived difficulty? Let’s find out! Table of Contents Is Arabic Really the Hardest Language? Why Arabic is Hard to Learn Why Arabic is Easier Than You Think What Every New Arabic Learner... Show more

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to speak flawless Arabic? It’s a language that flummoxes students around the world daily. Even in Arabic-speaking countries, people are divided on what’s really "correct" and "proper" Arabic. The truth is, you really don’t have to speak Arabic by the book in order to show your respect for the cultures and languages of Arab people. A little really does go a long way! In this article, you’ll see some of the most common mistakes Arabic speakers make when learning the language, as well as the best ways to overcome them. Table of Contents Pronunciation Vocabulary Mistakes Word Order Mistakes Arabic Grammar Mistakes Uniquely Arabic Mistakes The Biggest Mistake Conclusion 1.... Show more

You can learn quite a bit of a language through questions. Whether you’re traveling or hanging out in your hometown, any conversation you have with a native speaker in Arabic is going to involve a little bit of Q-and-A. In fact, this is especially true for Arabic, since it’s a language not as commonly learned by foreigners. People are going to be rather curious about you as, in all likelihood, you’re going to be the first Arabic-speaking foreigner they’ve ever met. Check out these common Arabic questions and answers, so that you have a leg up when the conversation starts! Table of Contents What’s your name? Where are you from? Do you speak Arabic? How long have you been studying Arabic? Have you been to ___? ... Show more

Arabic is a language with a lot of prestige attached to it. In Western culture, we don’t consume a whole lot of Arabic movies, music, or TV shows, but if someone can speak Arabic as a foreign language, we tend to assume they’re ridiculously smart. If you don’t know any Arabic, though, it’s pretty easy for anybody with a decent accent to fool you into thinking their Arabic is perfect, even if native speakers would be totally lost trying to follow what they’re saying. That’s why there are Arabic tests and exams that you can take to show that your Arabic proficiency has been verified by a third party. Language exams come with certificates. Those certificates can get you a job inside or outside the Arabic-speaking world. But... Show more

Did you know that language is really just patterns? Even the most complex languages, like Arabic, can be described with a long, long list of rules and patterns. Of course, we’re talking about multiple research teams working for decades to really tease out all the patterns of a natural language. There are always some unusual things that crop up and extend the research by a couple of years. Fortunately, the inconsistencies and the exceptions don’t detract from one simple ground truth: to speak Arabic well, you need to master key Arabic sentences and sentence patterns. That’s one of the best ways to start speaking Arabic quickly, too. Once you have a deep knowledge of a single sentence pattern, you can use that understanding to... Show more

Can you say anything in Arabic—anything at all? If you’re on this website, I should hope so! But how accurately can you describe what you see, and even more importantly, what people are doing? This is a job for adverbs. Adverbs modify verbs and nouns, and in Arabic, you may be surprised how they end up coming together. Knowing just the right adverb in Arabic can take a sentence from okay to amazing, and enhance clarity. Right here, we have 100 Arabic adverbs just for you. Check them out! Table of Contents Arabic Adverbs of Time Arabic Adverbs of Place Arabic Adverbs of Manner Arabic Adverbs of Degree Arabic Adverbs for Wishes, Hopes, and Probability Get in Touch with Your Emotions Personality... Show more

You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Arabic! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Arabic keyboard. Table of Contents Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Arabic Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Arabic How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer How to Change the Language Settings to Arabic on Your Computer Activating the Arabic Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet Arabic Keyboard Typing Tips How to Practice Typing Arabic 1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Arabic Learning a new language is made so much easier... Show more

Arabic grammar has an unfair reputation of being needlessly complex and riddled with inconsistencies. A better word might be intricate. There's a lot to memorize, but also a lot of patterns that reveal themselves when examined. One such pattern is within Arabic verb conjugation. Conjugation is the umbrella term for correctly using the different forms of Arabic verbs—which is not something you can just waltz in to. How many other languages can you think of that have different verb forms for talking to women and men? This article is designed for people who are just starting out with Arabic grammar, and who want to know what makes Arabic verbs so intricate. Table of Contents Verb Roots in Arabic Arabic Verbs Love Arabic... Show more

Verbs are the meat and potatoes of language. They're in every sentence, and pretty much every fragment too. If you're putting together a dinner plate of communication, the verb is the main course. For that reason, we've put together a massive list of 100 Arabic verbs that cover pretty much anything anyone could ask for, including some examples that show how Arabic verbs work. Read this list through and watch as you slowly absorb verbs in Arabic and their structures without even having to work at it!  Let’s go! Table of Contents The Basic Tourist Set—The 20 Most Important Verbs Abstract Yet Important Interacting with Others Move Your Body Follow That Car! Hobbies and Pastimes Using Your Words ... Show more