Is It Difficult To Learn The Arabic Language?
When choosing which second language to learn, I find many people consider Arabic. I am currently studying Arabic myself. What I have discovered is that, while Arabic is a rather challenging language to learn, it is also amusing and intriguing.
I have been learning Arabic for about two years now. Although you can find yourself unmotivated at times because of the difficulty, once you understand why you find it difficult, you can start focusing your energy and that seemingly insurmountable wall will soon start to crumble.
I would say the first step to take in learning the language is to learn the Arabic alphabet. Here are a few tips to make the process easier:
Have willpower
As I say, willpower is crucial to achieving anything. Before you start your journey, make sure that you are prepared mentally and understand where you need to start from.
As I say, willpower is crucial to achieving anything. Before you start your journey, make sure that you are prepared mentally and understand where you need to start from.
Focus
Very important, especially when you are studying grammar and get to points where you might feel stuck. Do not exhaust or overburden yourself. Take it one step at a time.
Learn the Arabic alphabet with the correct pronunciation
It is very important to learn how the letters are written and also pronounced. You can practice through writing drills and videos on YouTube.
REMEMBER get used to read from right to left! In Arabic, there are no upper cases and the letters have different shapes depending on where they are (beginning, middle or end). Set aside at least half an hour for each of your letter-writing practice sessions, and only focus on one set per session. Trying to learn to many in one go will just be overwhelming. Learn your vowel sings and how to connect letters.
When you are confident in writing the letters, start focusing more on your reading. Start with short stories or even small phrases. What I found easy was finding articles, stories, etc with vowel markings first so that my eyes could get used to the words. Try switching time to time from words with vowels to words that don’t have any and see if you can recognize what you are reading.
Be dedicated to your study
When learning Arabic, we need to set time aside to to absorb all the rules and whatever comes with it. So try to concentrate on learning slowly. DO NOT RUSH! Take your time and, if you need to go over a particular point or concept more than once, do so without beating yourself up about it.
Practice
Try practicing what you learn with friends, online, and by writing to people who speak Arabic. Practice is important in learning. When you make mistakes, people can correct you and you will feel more confident. As I always say, practice makes perfect.
Good dictionaries and tools are a helping hand when you learn
Here are some good examples:
In terms of dictionaries, I would also recommend Hans Wehr; al-Qamus al-Muhit; and the Arabic-English Lexicon (this one is more complex).
