Arabic is a fascinating and complex language spoken in over 20 countries that opens the doors to a rich culture. Learning Arabic is recommended for anyone who wants to know more about the second biggest religion in the world – Islam – as knowing Arabic means it’s possible to read the Quran in its original form. Plus, Arabic speakers are in high demand in the job market, and not many people are learning it. So, speaking Arabic as a second language not only gives you an edge when looking for work, but you’ll even get better-paying jobs. And if you’re thinking of visiting an Arabic-speaking country soon, learning it first will be worth your effort. Arabs are known for their hospitality, but they go the extra mile for tourists who have taken the time to learn the language.
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.
Launched in 1992, Rosetta Stone has over two decades of experience in teaching students a new language. The result is one of the most thorough and effective language learning apps in the industry. The software covers over 20 languages, tackling reading, writing, listening, and speaking with an immersive approach. It’s so intuitive that we didn’t even notice we were learning new vocabulary.
While courses are on-demand, Rosetta Stone does provide 6-week personalized study plans that consider students’ goals. In addition to the usual classes and exercises, the language learning platform also offers live sessions with native speakers and expert tutors, interactive stories, an audio companion, and much more. Prices start at $13.99 per month, and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee to try out Rosetta Stone risk free.
Launched in Romania back in 2013, Mondly is a language learning app that offers a more engaging way to learn a new language than studying flashcards. Instead of focusing on individual words, Mondly teaches you commonly used phrases that allow you to learn new vocabulary and memorize sentences. Moreover, all exercises are backed up by a native speaker, enabling you to listen (and repeat) words with the correct pronunciation. There are speaking exercises available too, where the app takes advantage of speech recognition to tell you whether your pronunciation is correct or not. With over 40 language courses, there’s a lot to learn with Mondly, and due to the company’s recurrent promotions, you can get access to all of them for as low as $4 per month. You can also try the app’s premium version through the 7-day free trial.
Used by millions, Busuu is a well-known and well-loved language-learning application. Based in the UK, this platform ensures an engaging experience by providing a decent variety of exercises. There are 12 courses available, and all of them are built taking into consideration the language’s and country’s cultural aspects. In other words, besides teaching vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, Busuu also provides hints on how to properly behave when speaking with the natives. What’s more, Busuu offers a limited free plan that you can use forever. That being said, a paid subscription is necessary to have access to Busuu’s full potential, such as the ability to interact with other people using the app. The price can be as low as $5.41 per month, and there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee to test the premium plans.
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.
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.
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