Learning Arabic (this fall)

[kmemphis]

But seeing this site selling Muslim Toys made me wonder if I should get something similar to any of the Arabic alphabet educational toys to help me out.

Anyone learning a language with a completely different alphabet/script - have you done that?

Or should I be grown up about it?

[Dil Bert]

But seeing this site selling Muslim Toys made me wonder if I should get something similar to any of the Arabic alphabet educational toys to help me out.

Anyone learning a language with a completely different alphabet/script - have you done that?

Does Chinese count?    The set of information you're trying to memorize is quite small; perhaps start out with a free/cheaper approach and see if it works for you?

I'd recommend making flashcards on notecards, or using flashcards on your smartphone/computer instead.  Ideally, it would be something you could carry around and pull out and go through whenever you are waiting.

Once you've got your computer set up to enter/print Arabic characters, you can start printing out household Arabic words and labeling things in your room/house.

P.S. Love the Islamic/Mughal blocks on that page.

[AfgJasmine16]

But seeing this site selling Muslim Toys made me wonder if I should get something similar to any of the Arabic alphabet educational toys to help me out.

Anyone learning a language with a completely different alphabet/script - have you done that?

Or should I be grown up about it?

marhaba! kayfa halik? I also learn Arabic. I have some really good resources for learning the Alphabet if your interested in them. They are little kid things but for a beginer I think little kids methods work really well. But just make sure you get a textbook also

[bollyking]

marhaba! kayfa halik? I also learn Arabic. I have some really good resources for learning the Alphabet if your interested in them. They are little kid things but for a beginer I think little kids methods work really well. But just make sure you get a textbook also

Share that with me! I have the Rosetta Stone Arabic but i find outside resources help a lot also.

[leaf]

I wanted to take Arabic next semester, but I'm transferring and I won't be registering until August so some stupid freshman will get into the class before me. I thought I'd start over the summer and then try to take it second semester. What programs do you guys use?

[leaf]

I haven't found a good resource to learn Arabic. Anyone have any suggestions other than Rosetta Stone? I'm not sure how academic Rosetta Stone will since it's supposed to teach you conversational Arabic and I want to study in order to prepare for a class.

[LinKarish]

I haven't found a good resource to learn Arabic. Anyone have any suggestions other than Rosetta Stone? I'm not sure how academic Rosetta Stone will since it's supposed to teach you conversational Arabic and I want to study in order to prepare for a class.

The Al Kitab textbook and CD. Most likely, your class will use that book (along with videos which the prof will show you in class) anyway.  It's a pretty good book.  

ETA:  Look through the preview scans.
http://www.amazon.com/Al-Kitaab-fii-Taallum-al-Arabiyya-Beginning/dp/0878402918#reader

It doesn't show it, but the beginning should actually be the letters and numbers. The CD included would pronounce it, and as it gradually goes on has words, sentences, paragraphs, exercises, etc.

[leaf]

It doesn't show it, but the beginning should actually be the letters and numbers. The CD included would pronounce it, and as it gradually goes on has words, sentences, paragraphs, exercises, etc.

Thanks for the info, Lin. Do you know anyone who has used it? I know some basic stuff like counting and how to say hello, how are you, good bye. I'm looking for things like how to form sentences, conjugate verbs, etc. I guess if schools use them, then they probably do have that in there.

[LinKarish]

Thanks for the info, Lin. Do you know anyone who has used it? I know some basic stuff like counting and how to say hello, how are you, good bye. I'm looking for things like how to form sentences, conjugate verbs, etc. I guess if schools use them, then they probably do have that in there.

Actually I made a mistake. Sorry it's been a while. Alif Baa is the first one.  That has all the letters. It's been a few years since I cracked open those books. You can look through the table of contents and see some pages from it and how the book takes you through the letters and pronunciation, vowels, and some vocabulary etc.
http://www.amazon.com/Alif-Baa-Introduction-Arabic-Letters/dp/087840273X#reader

Then from that starts Al Kitab, which is used the second semester.  

I have used them.  It's a pretty good resource. Aside from teaching the actual language. It gives some cultural explanations as well as little tips for aspirations.  Explains differences of some words in different countries, the Egyptian pronunciation vs. standard pronunciation, They have all expressions, what is appropriate to say in which situation, etc etc.  

A prof explaining to you will make it better and easier, but it's fine by itself too, imo.  There have been times where I've crammed after slacking off.  Just studied from the book.  And yeah, it's gotten me through quite well.  

If you are taking classes and you want to get some studying ahead of time, I would recommend this.  The chances of your professor using Al Kitab is pretty high, imo.

I have the books, if you are anywhere near my area, I would have no problem passing it on for the summer.  But I don't think you are. Check you P.M.

[AfgJasmine16]

Share that with me! I have the Rosetta Stone Arabic but i find outside resources help a lot also.

For the Alphabet I liked this videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGxWTH7fO8E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km7aGIziy04&feature=related
I think this video is so cute, I think the kis are Malayasian or Indonesian.

Also I really recomend these books:
http://www.amazon.com/ARABIC-10-minutes-day%C2%AE-CD-ROM/dp/B002YX0DC6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319394646&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Arabic-Beginner-Intermediate-Living-Language/dp/1400020824/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319394687&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Alif-Baa-Introduction-Al-Kitaab-Language/dp/1589016327/ref=pd_sim_b_5

These are the books I have used in my Arabic classes. Ultimate Arabic is the best book I have seen for learning Arabic. It is expensive, but it comes with eight audio cd's and the book is thick! Very thick! It  also feautures chapters on the Egyptian dialect, Lebanese Dialect, Saudi dialect and Iraqi dialect. Very useful book. Don't touch the teach yourself Arabic, it's is more like a pharsebook then a textbook.

Also here are some sites that may be useful:
http://afl.sakhr.com//

http://www.madinaharabic.com/

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/lc/arabic/alphabet/index.html

http://www.internetpolyglot.com/lessons-ar-en



Does anyone else find learning Arabic extreamly hard? I am on my second year of Arabic classes and I feel like this language is just impossible. Even my Hindi is much better then my Arabic. My Turkish is to and I only studied Turkish a little less then a year. Arabic is soo hard

[omlick]

Can someone tell me what this letter is in arabic  ة please.  

thanks

[dr.khanna]

Hi omlick, that is the same letter as when the two dots on top are absent, or "He". The reason two dots are sometimes put on it is because some people like to pronounce it "t", especially if it comes at the end of the word. So when the two dots are on top, you have the option of pronouncing it as "t". At least that's how it is in Farsi.

[James]

Wow, that's really interesting, Dr Khanna, thanks for the explanation. I've never encountered that in Urdu, though my reading comprehension still leaves a lot to be desired.

Did you encounter the word in an Arabic text then, Omlick, or was it an Arabic word in an Urdu text that you were reading?

[MrB]

I think this is the ta marbuta, which is unique to Arabic, often occurring at the end of feminine nouns, so you wouldn't see it in Urdu. There's a little bit about its origins here and its pronounciation here.