ArabicPod101.com Blog

Did anybody ever tell you that grammar is beautiful? Not the sounds of a language, nor the calligraphy on a page, but the grammar itself? Then clearly nobody has told you about Arabic grammar. In this lesson, we're going to show you the ins and outs of Arabic pronouns—the words for saying "I," "you," "this," "that," "he," "she," and so on. English only takes it a little bit beyond there. Arabic, by contrast, takes it significantly further. There are subtle distinctions and possibilities in Arabic that go well beyond what English is capable of. Did you know, for instance, that in Arabic there's a special pronoun for talking to just two people? It's called the dual pronoun, and it's just one of the surprises waiting for you. ... Show more

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with languages? Do you desire to learn or advance in Arabic quickly and effectively? Then you need a Arabic tutor. A common question that first-time language-learners ask is "Where do I begin?" The answer? Guidance. For native English-speakers who want to learn Asian languages, for example, timelines provided by the U.S. Foreign Service Institute can appear discouraging. However, defeating these odds is not unheard of. If you want to beat the odds yourself, one of the best learning options is a subscription to Premium PLUS from Innovative Language. As an active Premium PLUS member of JapanesePod101.com and KoreanClass101.com myself, I have an enjoyable experience learning at an accelerated... Show more

Imagine a profile in a world-class international journal. The subject? You. "Speaks near-perfect Arabic," reads the article. "Listeners remark not only on the rich word choice, but also the extremely accurate pronunciation." "The only flaw is that the actual order of words is incomprehensible, requiring all listeners to rack their brains in order to understand the intended meaning." Would that be very flattering? No. And that's why you absolutely must study Arabic word order if you want to be remembered for your Arabic. As in every question about learning Arabic, the differences between Modern Standard Arabic and colloquial varieties do pop up here. Word order is yet another one of the distinctions, with some pretty hefty... 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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/QsT9VmOZvOE A popular saying about the Day of Arafah goes: "There is no day on which Allah sets free more slaves from Hell than He does on the Day of `Arafah." In this article, we’ll focus on the importance of the Day of Arafah for Muslims, go over how it’s celebrated, and introduce you to some useful Arabic vocabulary.  Let’s get started! 1. What is the Day of Arafah? The word Arafah comes from the word Ta'aruf, which means "to know one another." However, there’s no definite information about why this day was called Arafah. Some researchers say it’s because people get to know one another on this day. Others say it’s because Arafah was where Adam and Eve met for the first time... Show more

Did you ever just kinda…skip over the directions chapter in a language book? Sitting at home or in your classroom, it’s hard to imagine yourself in the position of actually needing to know how to say these phrases. But I actually just went traveling to a new country where I barely spoke the language, and I noticed right away that I needed to talk about directions if I wanted to find out where anything was. Now, just for you, we’ve arranged the most critical directions in Arabic: right to left, the cardinal directions, and handy phrases you’ll be glad you know! We’ve also included some ways you can expand your knowledge and end up speaking more Arabic than you thought possible! Table of Contents Basic Cultural Notes and... Show more

I’ve always found that naming whatever I can see is a huge motivation boost. First, it’s easy. If I learn the word for something I see or use all the time, it sticks really easily in my mind because I always see it. Second, it feels very cool when I can use a foreign language to list and describe anything at all in my immediate environment. In order to get to that level, you don’t have to do a lot of work. You just need to be familiar with your Arabic nouns. Hence, you should find our list of common Arabic nouns and grammar explanations very helpful. Table of Contents A Few Quick Notes on Arabic Nouns List of Basic Arabic Nouns by Category Conclusion 1. A Few Quick Notes on Arabic Nouns When it comes to nouns in... Show more

When was the last time you thought something was unfair? How did you react? Most people see fairness and justice as necessary elements of daily life, especially at the governmental level. But these elements don’t always exist or shine through the clouds of politics! The 2012-2013 Egyptian protests marked a period of immense dissatisfaction toward Egypt’s government and leaders of the time. In this article, you’ll learn about the events leading up to the June 30 uprising in Egypt, the انقلاب (enqelāb), or "coup," that brought it to an end, and how the country commemorates these events. Looking at this important, and quite recent, moment in Egypt’s history will help you better understand its culture and values. Let’s get... Show more

Have you gotten a nice compliment recently? The right compliment, delivered genuinely, can make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. That's exactly the feeling you want to be giving locals when you're speaking to them in Arabic. A polite and well-placed compliment in Arabic is going to be an absolute hit anywhere, from the boardroom to the hotel lounge. So why is a word of praise in Arabic so highly valued? First, Arab culture values expansive and literary-sounding compliments. If you can take care of the language side, you'll come across as very well-read and educated. Second, a foreigner who can speak good Arabic is still a rarity in today's world. You'll very much stand out from the crowd and make yourself remembered. So how do you go... 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