With an estimated 186 million native speakers, Arabic belongs to the Semitic group of languages. Although this language can take many years to learn, it is up to you determine the way that suits you best. We hope that the following five ways will help you do just that.
1. Listen closely
Listening to Arabic news is one example of how you can get used to the language quickly, and hear the words you are learning being used in context. You could even find some Arabic songs to listen to. Put simply: the more you hear, the more you will begin to understand. The process may be frustrating at times, but with patience and consistency, you will only become more familiar.
2. Speak slowly
Begin by making small talk. Greetings and familiar topics such as sports, hobbies, and family are a good place to start.
You have so much at your disposal online and can easily find websites and videos that will help you practice the language. Immerse yourself in the language and you will find yourself making progress. Practice is key.
3. Read often
How are you? shukran. wa ant?
Now, without any knowledge of the language, you would pronounce the above translation how you believe it should be pronounced. However, you need to be able to pronounce it how you know it should be pronounced.
When learning Arabic, you need to familiarise yourself with the physical aspects of the language just as often as you practice the technical aspects.
Seeing the words on the page and pronouncing them will help your learning process.
4. Write regularly
While beautiful, the Arabic alphabet can be daunting to learn to write. Unlike Latin, Arabic writing starts from right to left so it will take some getting used to. Begin with letters, then progress into forming words. Once again, this ability can take years to learn, so don’t be disappointed with your efforts and keep practising.
5. Practice daily
This goes without saying, but will still be said!
Your environment can play a big part in your ability to learn this language. Even if you don’t live in an area where you can interact with others who speak the language, consider taking the time to visit an Arabic-speaking country. Having the opportunity to use the language consistently will make all the difference.
Arabic in Business
The ability to speak Arabic, particularly Modern Standard Arabic, is always of benefit to major companies that have a presence in the Middle East. Billions of dollars worth of trade, minerals, and commerce are represented here.
Many companies are always advertising for interpreters. From settling disagreements among workers to helping with negotiating, possessing the ability to speak the language is a skill of benefit.
Remember that although learning the language is a timely process, once acquired, it will last a lifetime.
At Today Translations, we like to actively get involved with all things involving languages and the role they play in international business. We would love to see more people speak more languages, but understand that the time and effort involved can often be a discouragement. Fortunately, a professional translation agency such as Today Translations is always at hand to provide a range of language services to both corporate and private clients. To find out more, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected]