How to Learn Syrian Arabic

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By Marie Mulrooney
eHow Contributing Writer

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Eastern or Levantine Arabic is spoken not just in Syria but also in Lebanon, the Palestinian region and western Jordan. While there are similarities between all dialects of Arabic, it's not always safe to assume that a speaker of one dialect will be able to understand someone speaking another dialect. While your options for learning Syrian Arabic online for free are nil, you can learn the language if you're willing to pay some money.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Step 1

Build a basic understanding of grammar and vocabulary. You can do this with almost any organized language learning course. See the Resources section for some possibilities.
Step 2

Practice as much as possible. Your goal should be to link the Syrian Arabic words you learn not to their English translations but directly to the concept they represent. One way of practicing this is to put sticky notes with the appropriate Arabic word on everything in your house. So the sticky note with Arabic for "table" on it would go on your kitchen table and so on.
Step 3

Enlist a native speaker, if possible, or at least another student, to let you practice back-and-forth dialog in Syrian Arabic.

Tips & Warnings

Be patient with yourself. Arabic doesn't just have different words, it also organizes those words and its concepts differently than is done in spoken English. Arabic writing is also completely different from Western writing, so you'll need time and practice to adjust. Just keep practicing and you'll get it.