FAQs

Frequently asked questions.....

1. How common is Arabic?

Arabic is the fourth/fifth most spoken language in the world. There are many countries that speak Arabic as a first language. One of the first things that a person does when he or she becomes a Muslim is to learn some basic Arabic words. Arabic is also the language of many Christians in the Middle East who are very proud of their language. There are many Arabic words used in other languages like English, you may even speak words of Arabic origin without even realising.

2. How many Arab countries are there in the world?

According to the Arab league (which is made of countries that have Arabic as an official language), there are 22/23 nations (if you count the western Sahara as a nation) 

On the Arabian peninsular alone there are seven nations which are: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain & Kuwait.

3. Who is the site for?

The site is for anybody. From beginners to advanced learners of Arabic or anyone with an interest in languages generally. 

4. Why Arabic Daily?

The phrase 'Arabic Daily' is meant to inspire and motivate people to learn Arabic on a daily basis. Like any language the vital skills need to be applied everyday. 

5. Should I study Colloquial Arabic or Classical?

That really depends on what you want to use Arabic for. If it is for interacting with News media, Literature, Poetry, Religious books, and Business etc then your safest bet is Classical or Modern Arabic. If your just dabbling in a regional dialect then choose the colloquial of the area you are focusing on. Beware of studying colloquial Arabic of the Maghreb, you might find that Arabs in other regions will have a hard time understanding you.

6. How different is colloquial from classical?

Generally speaking vocabulary overlaps in many areas of nouns, verbs and particles but there are serious issues of grammar and occasionally even pronunciation and use of words.

7. Can I learn Arabic on my own?

Yes and no. For simple words and phrases and even the Alphabet most people can use audio's, videos and basic books, but there comes a point when everyone needs help. Getting to grips with the four disciplines of reading, writing, speaking and listening is no easy task. Not only does it take time and a lot of effort but if you do not have the right support it can also cost a lot of money. 

8. Isn't Arabic just for Muslims?

Of course Arabic is important to Muslims because of the Quran and hadeeth literature, but there are also Arab Christians that read the Bible in Arabic. They also use it for weddings and funerals, amongst other things. But Arabic is increasingly being studied by political science and business students in universities. Linguists as well as people who just want a basic understanding of Arabic for a holiday, business transactions, marriage or just out of interest. So Arabic is for anyone and everyone.

9. Is Arabic hard?

This is an oft repeated question and you may get a yes or a no for an answer, depending on who you talk to. Mathematics or Physics for some people is the hardest thing in the world but even those who thought they would never get through it will tell you its not always hard. Simple answer is 'it becomes easier the more you get to grips with it'. 

10. What books do you use?

Many Arabic books but the main books are;
1) Easy steps in Quran reading published by MELS. This book is useful for Muslims as well as non Muslims. It starts from a zero knowledge of Arabic and takes the learner through basic letter recognition, joining letters, letters with vowels, reading words and sentences. Gateway to Arabic book 1 is also used.
2) Medina Arabic books 1-3. Gets you started on using words and sentences for conversation. 
3) Gateway books.
5) Your Arabic Friend, 2008 Edition, Published by mm books.
This book is used at GCSE and AS Level. 
6) Al Arabeya bayna Yadayk.

As well as other books...

---