How to Learn Arabic Online for Free

Some are drawn to learn Arabic simply for the sound or the beauty of Arabic calligraphy, while others need it for business reasons. Because Arabic is such a popular language, there are plenty of online resources for learning it. Find out how you can learn Arabic using only free online resources.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Internet access
• Arabic fonts
• Microphone and headset

1. Decide what type of Arabic you want to learn. Most online Arabic courses offer Modern Standard Arabic, which is understood by Arabic-speakers all over the world. This Arabic language is used in most written material and many TV and radio programs. For most spoken Arabic, however, there are different dialects in different geographic area such as Egypt or the Levant. If you want to learn one of these dialects, you'll need to look carefully for material that teaches this.

2. Download Arabic fonts. Not all Arabic language websites will display correctly on computers without Arabic fonts. To be able to read Arabic script online and type with Arabic characters, you'll need to download and install an Arabic font.

3. Choose an online Arabic language course. There are lots of free Arabic courses online, so take some time to look through what's available before you choose one. If you're a beginner, make sure the course offers basic vocabulary, useful phrases and grammar. If you don't yet know how to read and write Arabic, choose a course that dedicates several lessons to this complex topic.

4. Find Arabic language media online. In addition to the free Arabic language course you choose, you'll need authentic material in the language to help you get used to Arabic the way native speakers use it. Look for newspapers, ebooks, comics, radio stations, Podcasts and movies to help you learn Arabic online for free.

5. Find a language exchange partner. To learn how to speak Arabic, you'll need someone to talk to. First, download an Internet telephony (VoIP) program like Skype or Yahoo! chat and set up your microphone and headset so that you can speak with someone through the Internet. Then join a language exchange site. At these sites you can find a native Arabic speaker to help you learn Arabic in exchange for help learning your native language.

Tips & Warnings

• Get out and practice your Arabic in the real world. At first, it might be just going to a Middle Eastern grocery store and trying to read product labels in Arabic. Once you know the basics, though, look for native speakers to practice with in person.
• Some people find learning to write Arabic harder than learning to read it. You'll probably need to spend a month or so with it, learning just a few letters at a time. Until you can read Arabic script, you can learn Arabic words written in the Latin alphabet. Don't keep doing this once you can read Arabic letters, though, or you'll slow down your progress and end up pronouncing words incorrectly.

[joomp]

on 4/16/2009 Learn Arabic online at http://www.Arabic.org, it's free and a great site.