Best Apps To Learn Arabic

Why learn Arabic with language learning software

There are some languages that you can study by yourself with no help whatsoever. For example, Portuguese people have an easy time learning Spanish because both languages are very similar. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for Arabic. As a Semitic language, Arabic is almost impossible for Western students to learn without any assistance or prior knowledge. By offering meticulously detailed Arabic courses, language learning software is a big help.

These apps let you learn Arabic at your own pace as you’re able to repeat exercises whenever you want, and some even offer intuitive reports that tell you what needs to be reviewed. With language learning software, you can also get reminders of your daily exercises via email and learn pronunciation through speech recognition software. Plus, you can focus on your specific language learning goal. For example, if you just want to master spoken Arabic, it makes more sense to go for a solution that centers its exercises around pronunciation and handling common conversations. Finally, several language learning platforms provide official certificates once you’ve completed their Arabic course – essential when looking for a job.

Recommended language learning apps for Arabic

The challenges of learning Arabic

Arabic is considered one of the most challenging languages to learn – especially for native English speakers. It all starts with the Arabic alphabet and its cursive script. You’ll have to learn how to write 28 letters and their four different forms, as the characters change depending on whether they’re standing alone or at the beginning, middle, or end of a word. Vocabulary is also tricky because Arabic is part of the Semitic family, meaning that there are only a few English cognates.

Written and spoken Arabic are completely different too, and there isn’t a universal agreement on how to translate Arabic into English. This will make it even more challenging to learn the correct pronunciation. And let’s not forget that Arabs omit short vowels when writing, making it hard to understand what is written when you don’t have a good understanding of Arabic vocabulary. Additionally, most Arabic courses teach Modern Standard Arabic and, although natives will understand what you’re saying, no one actually uses this version of Arabic. Instead, each country has its own dialect. So, it’s advisable to learn the specific regional version of Arabic that you’re interested in.

Best ways to learn Arabic online

To maximize your learning efforts, you should mix your Arabic exercises with some extra resources. The best way to learn a new language is through immersion, and you can only do that if you surround yourself with Arabic content. The easiest way to achieve this is by watching Arabic movies and TV shows or listening to Arabic music. Of course, what you choose will ultimately depend on the country you want to visit. For example, if you’re going to travel to Egypt, watching Jordanian Netflix shows isn’t going to help you. Reading Arabic books is also a great way to learn new vocabulary. And if you enjoy stories like Aladdin, we highly recommend reading One Thousand and One Nights in its original form.