What is the best way to learn Arabic vocabulary?
Arabic is a Semitic language, like Hebrew and Aramaic. Around 292 million people speak it as their first language. Many more people can also understand it as a second language. The Arabic language has its own alphabet written from right to left, like Hebrew. Since it is so widely spoken throughout the world, the language is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, the others being English, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. It is the liturgical language of 1.8 billion Muslims, and Arabic is one of six official languages of the United Nations. All varieties of Arabic combined are spoken by perhaps as many as 422 million speakers (native and non-native) in the Arab world, making it the fifth most spoken language in the world. The ISO assigns language codes to thirty varieties of Arabic, including its standard form, Modern Standard Arabic, also referred to as Literary Arabic, which is modernized Classical Arabic. This distinction exists primarily among Western linguists; Arabic speakers themselves generally do not distinguish between Modern Standard Arabic and Classical Arabic, but rather refer to both as al-ʿarabiyyatu l-fuṣḥā or simply al-fuṣḥā. Modern Standard Arabic is an official language of 26 states and 1 disputed territory, the third most after English and French. Arabic is widely taught in schools and universities and is used to varying degrees in workplaces, government and the media. Arabic, in its standard form, is the official language of 26 states, as well as the liturgical language of the religion of Islam, since the Quran and Hadith were written in Arabic.
So what should you do? How should you learn Arabic vocabulary? Well, there are a few ways as under:
Learn as many words as you can! Hunt for them!
The Arabic language contains over 80,000 words. You should never stop learning new words because there are so many. If you are unsure where to begin, simply select one of the dialects and begin exploring it!
Never skip to practice
Your studies are progressing, but every now and then you need some extra practise with previously learned basic words and phrases. Everything from memory techniques to dictionaries can be used.
Internet will serve as your best friend
Surf online and find a lot of relevant online literature to read, or search for interesting audio/video resources, YouTube videos, articles, magazines, blogs anything that can introduce you to new words, apps,
Get your hands-on authentic Arabic literature
Read newspapers, children’s books, magazines, anything that can introduce you to new words.
Listen to the news in Arabic.
Chances are you will find appropriate pronunciations on a channel broadcasted internationally!
According to research, the following two methods are highly effective methods of learning vocabulary. Students generally perform better on tests and can recall words more easily and for longer periods of time. There is also a social aspect to it where you can share ideas and debate the meaning of certain words.
- Look for Spaced Repetition Systems, or SRS, systems online that work to remind you of previously learnt information, right at the point you begin to forget it. Anki is a very popular standalone program that helps you recollect a lot of information in your head in the shortest amount of time by repeated practice. Another great flashcard app that can lead you ahead is Memrise. Websites such as Anki and Memrise allow you to create your own decks, or learn and play around with some pre-existing decks on your phone or desktop, ensuring that you always have the cards on hand. Even when you don’t have time to go over your notes! You from practising during your commute or even while waiting in line at the grocery store. For beginner students, ten to fifteen minutes per day is sufficient.
- Write a journal, diary or maintain a notebook Capture and record new words and phrases as and when you come across any that you haven’t known before. Typically you put the Arabic word or phrase and then the English to match up with it with a romanized pronunciation. You can also add pictures or sentences to serve you relevance and context.
Listen to authentic Arabic audio resources
Look to study from and practice with relevant error-free, credible audiobooks audio clips, music, podcasts, news, narration, online.
Watch Arabic videos
Watch Arabic movies, documentaries, talk shows, chat shows, video games, YouTube, and much more.
Join Arabic classes
There are plenty of benefits to studying Arabic vocabulary with a teacher. A teacher can help you catch patterns, help you pronounce words properly, apprise you of synonyms of words you’ve learnt before; you also learn to use the right synonym with the right context, given there may be many for a single word, correct your usage then and there, provide feedback, making your learning process smoother thereby increasing your confidence. With a teacher, you can practice your vocabulary and expressions as often as needed, in order to be comfortable with your understanding. To develop more confidence, substitute new words or use new vocabulary in a more complex manner with your teacher. Therefore, learning with a teacher is a great and effective way to learn vocabulary.
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