The Best Way to Learn Arabic for Beginners Quick Steps to Fluency
The Arabic language has reached the highest degree of spread because of its capacity, completeness, and prestige, and left its impact on the living languages of the world. It is the language of the Noble Quran, which has been mentioned in several verses stating that the Quran was revealed in Arabic, and it is an honor for this language to be the language that God Almighty chose to address worship, where the Quran was described as being Arabic in six verses, including His saying:
Ḥâ-Mĩm (1) By the clear Book! (2) Certainly, We have made it a Quran in Arabic so perhaps you will understand (3). Az-Zukhruf.
so it was the most beautiful and greatest of what was said about Arabic.
About the Arabic Language
One of the distinguishing facts and figures of the Arabic language among other languages is that it ranks fourth among the languages of the world. It is spoken by half a billion of the world’s total population. It is the language of the Quran and the language of worship of one and a half billion Muslims. It is also the sixth language of the United Nations Organization. The official language of 26 countries. and contain
12.3 million Arabic vocabulary and this is a linguistic heritage that does not exist in any other language.
Omar Ibn Al-Khattab – may God be pleased with him – said about the Arabic language: “Learn Arabic, for it is part of your religion, and learn the religious duties, for it is part of your religion.”
He also said: “Learn Arabic, for it strengthens the mind and increases virility.” He also wrote to Abu Musa al-Ash’ari: “After that, learn the Sunnah, learn Arabic.
Therefore, in this article, you will discuss the most important tips to Learn Arabic for beginners (Quick Steps to Fluency).
How Long Does It Take to Learn Arabic for a Beginner?
On average, the period needed to learn Arabic to a good level is between 6 months and 2 years. As the matter differs according to several criteria, including the speed of a person’s learning, the time he spends learning the Arabic language on a daily basis, and the required degree of proficiency. For example, if a person spends two hours a day learning the Arabic language, that is the total time he spends on learning the Arabic language, including activities such as vocabulary review, grammar review, practice with a teacher, speaking with a native speaker and listening to the language, etc. Within 6 months the person can reach the level that enables him to read the Quran, understand media and official texts, classical works, and understand a large amount of Arabic vocabulary with the help of a dictionary.
Some may think that two hours is a lot, but this is not true, as it does not mean two hours in which a person spends on books to learn the Arabic language. but rather that includes all kinds of exposure to Arabic content, whether listening to Arabic content in your car while on the go or during playing sports. It includes any time he spends with a person who speaks Arabic whether listening to him or talking to him. Also includes Reading any Arabic text, whether the Holy Quran, journalism, or texts on social media pages. As all of this is considered from the means of learning the Arabic language and increases the person’s vocabulary and enhances his ability to understand and express the Arabic language.
The duration of learning Arabic depends on several factors, including:
The importance of the Arabic language for you
The importance of learning the Arabic language is what will determine whether you will continue to learn the language with commitment and diligence, or if you will be lazy and bored after a while. Some may begin to learn the Arabic language but may lose their enthusiasm after a while. Some may continue for a month or two, then begin to be lazy and slow down the pace of their learning of the Arabic language.
Whenever your goals for learning the Arabic language are clear and specific, and you know what exactly you will gain from learning the Arabic language, this will be a strong incentive for you to continue working hard to learn and master the Arabic language. For example, if you are learning the Arabic language in order to learn the Holy Quran and Islamic sciences, your constant remembrance of this goal will encourage you to exert more effort in learning the Arabic language.
The amount of time you spend learning Arabic
When we ask how much time we need to finish a job, we must also ask how much time we will spend to finish it. If we say that we have a job that takes 3 hours to complete, but we spend only one hour each day, then this work takes three days. Of course, it won’t take three full days, but it won’t be finished in one day either.
Your previous experience in learning languages
If you have tried to learn a second language before, this will help you in learning a third language even if the third is not related to any of the previous languages. Whereas, although the languages you know may not be related to the Arabic language, you can use the same learning techniques that you used when learning a language, such as memorizing words, understanding grammar, frequent listening and speaking with native speakers, and so on.
How proficient are you in your mother tongue?
This may come as a surprise to some as to why being fluent in the mother tongue is important for learning a different language. But in reality, it is difficult to understand the grammar in a new language if you do not already know the grammar in your own language. For example, how are you going to explain the verb rules of a new language to someone who doesn’t even know what a verb is and what a noun is? This person has to first learn what the verb is, then learn how to use it in their own language, and then learn how to use it in the new language. Of course, it is not necessary for a person to be a university lecturer in his own language, but he should know some basics. And the greater his proficiency in his original language, the easier it was for him to link the new information with the previous information, which made it easier for him to understand the rules of the Arabic language.
The extent to which you use the Arabic language in your daily life
The more you use and practice the Arabic language the More opportunities for you have to learn new things. When you use the language daily, you will have the opportunity to practice language skills more. You will certainly make a lot of mistakes, but you will learn from them and it will be a good opportunity for you to learn practically. Where you can experience what you learn quickly and continuously.
Before You Begin Learning Arabic
Define Your Goals and Motivation
Define your goal of learning the Arabic language clearly. You can ask yourself some questions until it becomes clearer to you. For example, ask yourself
- Do you need this language or do you want to learn it just because you want to?
- What will the Arabic language benefit you and what will it add to your life?
- Do you need the Arabic language now or later?
Remember that it is necessary that your goal of learning the Arabic language be specific and clear if the goal is not important enough, you may end up stopping learning the Arabic language after a short time.
Learning the Arabic language, like any language, requires effort and time, and the matter may have some difficulties. But what makes us do it is the goal of completing learning the Arabic language. For example, your goal of learning the Arabic language may be to immigrate to a new country, as this may be a sufficient reason for you to continue learning despite the difficulties. Or your goal may be to get a new job or study in a different country or other. Or, as we mentioned earlier, if your goal is to learn the Holy Quran and Islamic sciences, then this will be a wonderful goal, especially if you remember that you will be rewarded for your effort and tiredness by God Almighty. Since you intend to learn the Arabic language with the aim of getting closer to God Almighty by learning the language in which the Holy Quran was revealed.
Create a Language-Learning Schedule
Creating an Arabic learning schedule is the best way to help learn Arabic. Setting a schedule to learn the Arabic language and sticking to it will make things go better and make you feel accomplished when a certain level is learned. What will be learned during the month, week and day must be determined so that time can be organized based on this schedule. You must also set a daily schedule for learning the Arabic language, where a certain time must be allocated for learning the Arabic language, taking into account the usual daily details, including work or study times, food, sports, and so on.
The important thing is that if the time set for learning the Arabic language is going well, for example, if you decide that you will spend an hour or two to learn the Arabic language a day, you will spend it diligently and focused, as not all hours are of equal importance. In other words, the quality of time spent is as important as the number of hours. A person may study only 2 hours a day and progress more than someone who spends 4 hours a day!
Choose the Right Arabic Language Resources
The digital world is full of platforms and applications for learning the Arabic language, as well as books, audio, and video files. Finding an online teacher has also become possible. The Arabic language is rich and needs an expert teacher to help learn it. Since you will need to follow up and evaluate constantly, which the teacher will help you with. You also need to be committed to a specific curriculum and dates to force you to commit to learning the language and not to give in to laziness and postponement. Therefore, learning the Arabic language at the hands of a teacher is one of the best ways to learn the Arabic language. The Hamil Al Quran Academy provides you with online learning Arabic language courses by the best experienced and qualified teachers who have a long experience in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers.
The Hamil Al Quran Academy allows you to communicate and interact with teachers as all sessions are live. You also have the opportunity to present any consultations or inquiries to your teacher so that you can understand everything well.
The times and intensity of the classes can be chosen based on your circumstances. Do not worry about the financial side, as Hamil Al Quran Academy allows you to learn the Arabic language for very reasonable amounts.
You can now get a free trial in which you enjoy a practical session from the Hamil Al Quran with one of its teachers, which allows you to discover more about their system and method.
Common Learning Methods and Techniques
The Arabic language is usually learned by learning the alphabet and grammatical rules in integration with learning vocabulary and learning to form sentences in the Arabic language. However, it is not enough to learn the Arabic language from books only and to know the rules of grammar and spelling alone. It is necessary to start employing what has been learned in the conversation skill, as it is necessary to practice speaking Arabic daily and this helps to establish theoretical information and not to forget the sciences related to the Arabic language. So speaking and listening are among the basic methods for learning the Arabic language in an integrated manner in addition to learning to read and write in Arabic.
Language Fundamentals Learn the Arabic Alphabet
The letters of the alphabet are the basis from which you start when learning the Arabic language. The total Arabic alphabet is twenty-eight letters. It is necessary to learn the letters of the alphabet with their vowels, then to know the letters with the madd and tanween, then the Sukoon and the Tashadeed, then the knowledge of the lunar and solar lam, and so on in scientific graduation until the Arabic spelling is mastered. We at Hamil Al Quran offer you A free trial Noorani Qaida course for the Arabic language foundation.
Master Arabic Pronunciation
Proper pronunciation is a very important part of learning the Arabic language, as it helps in improving and clarifying meanings and communicating better with others.
The following tips will help you to improve your pronunciation:
Practice correct pronunciation
You must start learning Arabic letters from the ground up, especially the difficult letters that are not used in the English language. Then, practice pronouncing the words correctly. You can repeat the words several times and record your voice to assess the improvement in your pronunciation.
Pay attention to the way words are pronounced
You need to pay attention to details to improve your Arabic pronunciation. You should focus on the sounds and repeat the words correctly. You should also pay attention to stress and rhythm in phrases and sentences.
Listen and talk with native speakers
You can listen to people who speak fluent Arabic and try to imitate them. You can participate in the Arabic language classes offered by Hamil Al Quran Academy for teaching the Arabic language, as it enables you to speak with teachers who are native speakers of the Arabic language.
If there is an opportunity, speak with native speakers as this can help you to improve your pronunciation significantly.
Use some applications
There are many useful applications to improve your pronunciation in the language. These applications allow you to practice pronouncing words and sentences correctly.
Daily practice
Finally, you should practice pronouncing words and sentences on a daily basis to improve your pronunciation in Arabic, use available resources and applications, speak with others in Arabic, and be exposed to the language.
Learn Common Arabic Words and Phrases
Idioms and Common Arabic Words and Phrases are very useful for understanding and speaking the Arabic language. They are essential to sounding like a native speaker and developing a deeper understanding of the Arabic language. Learning common vocabulary and phrases will help you:
Understanding native speakers
Learning common Arabic terms will help you understand the Arabic language and be able to understand native speakers, as they naturally use idiomatic expressions in everyday speech without realizing it, and once you understand some of the most commonly used idiomatic phrases, you will be able to have conversations with native speakers easily.
Speak in a more natural way
Having a solid understanding of common expressions will improve your conversation and give you a sense of confidence in your speaking ability, which is a great way to eliminate repetition and add some spice to your speech.
Success in tests and interviews
Learning common Arabic terms and words gives you an advantage if you are taking an Arabic language test or a job interview because using terms makes you appear more skilled and increases your chances of success and acceptance.
Common Phrases in Arabic
There are many common words that must be learned to communicate with others in the Arabic language. For example, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, you can congratulate by saying:
عيد مبارك – eid mubarak
كل عام وأنتم بخير – kulu eam wa’antum bikhayr
By the month of Ramadan, which is the month of fasting for Muslims, you can congratulate your friend by saying:
رمضان كريم – ramadan karim
رمضان مبارك – ramadan mubarak
On the occasion of your friend’s birthday, you can use the phrase:
عيد ميلاد سعيد – eid milad saeid.
As for the success of one of your friends or acquaintances, you can congratulate him using the phrase: مباركٌ نجاحك – mbark najahik
Hamil Al Quran Academy provides you with educational materials for common vocabulary and phrases that you can download to learn and refer to at any time.
Improving Retention and Practice
Remember More With Spaced Repetition
The idea of spaced repetition is based on the scientific finding that memory can be improved by repeating information regularly and spaced out.
When information is repeated at intervals of time, the long-term memory of this information is strengthened, making it easier for the individual to remember it in the future. The spaced repetition technique is one of the most effective ways to improve memory and enhance comprehension, and it can be used in many areas, including studying and learning.
When learning Arabic, the spaced repetition technique can be used by selecting the appropriate periods between each time the information is repeated.
This allows the brain to fully rest and have enough time to consolidate the neural connections related to the new information in long-term memory. Thus, you can better remember information when you need to recall it during an exam.
The use of the spaced repetition technique promotes comprehension and effective learning.
Where students can repeat important information regularly and space, avoid forgetting and reduce the need for continuous re-study.
For example, if you have only 5 days and one lesson that must be memorized before the exam, you can apply the spaced repetition technique in your studies. This involves reviewing the lesson only on the first, third, and fifth of the next five exam days. Smartphone and laptop applications that rely on this technology can be used to schedule periods and determine how much information is repeated each time, such as Anki and Memrise. These applications iterate information repeatedly and at different time intervals according to specific algorithms.
Surround Yourself With Arabic
Try to talk to native Arabic speakers. It is also preferable that you try to do your daily things in Arabic. For example, try to make the language of your mobile phone and the language of your social media pages in Arabic, try to watch programs or movies in Arabic, follow social media pages in Arabic, and so on. The important thing is to make the Arabic language a part of your daily life.
Conclusion
In this article, we talked about The Best Way to Learn Arabic for beginners Quick Steps to Fluency. We answered some related questions such as How Long Does It Take to Learn Arabic? And we give some important tips for learning the Arabic language such as Setting Goals and Preparation, Define Your Goals and Motivation
Create a, setting Language-Learning Schedule, Choose the Right Arabic Language Resources. And we discussed the Common Arabic Learning Methods and Techniques. We discussed the Language Fundamentals such as
Learn the Arabic Alphabet and how to Master Arabic Pronunciation. We showed the importance of Learning Common Arabic Words and Phrases and we have covered some Common Phrases in Arabic. We have discussed how to
Improve Retention and Practice by Remembering More With Spaced Repetition and Surrounding Yourself With Arabic.