Speak Arabic Instantly
Arabia
العربية/عربي
Learning a new language can be the most wonderful thing you can do in your life. Some people devote their entire lives to learning a language. Some even learn a multitude of languages. They are called polyglotts. To be able to communicate with an Arabic person in their own tongue is something you will never forget and this article will help you to achieve that goal.
Arabic
Arabic is from the Central-Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family . There are 290 million speakers and if considered a single language rises to 420 million speakers. The writing system is Arabic and where possible I will include the Arabic script.
Exercise 1 : Hello
Let's begin with saying hello. I know there are formal greetings we can learn, but we are on vacation so we will use the informal word:
marhaban مرحبا
Try these English words : bar-a-man
Whenever "a" is used as a single letter in English it is always pronounced "a" as in "apple".
Arabic Phrase : marhaban
What it means : hello
English words : bar-a-man
Pronounced : marr-habb-ban
Watch the videos to learn how to pronounce the words as there is no better way to learn than listening to native speakers. Throughout I will tell you where on the videos the particular phrases can be heard by minutes and seconds. For example in the next video the phrase begins at 0:30.
Thanks To Arabicpod101
Exercise 2 : Where Are The Toilets?
At some stage on our holiday we will need to know where the toilets are. For me it's usually when we arrive at our destination at the airport. We already know how to say hello to someone. Now find out where the toilets are.
wain it amman
Arabic Phrase : wain it ammam
What it means : where is the toilet?
English words : pain lit lamb-mam
Pronounced : wain it ammam
In the video skip to 2:33
Thanks Damas Sara
Exercise 3 : Thank You
This is just a great word that we can use for thousands of situations.
shuckran___شكرا
Arabic Phrase : shuckran
What it means : thank you
English words : duck-bran
Pronounced : shook-ran
The girl in this next video, Enas Eldabbas, speaks many phrases and her fluency is something you should listen to so you can get the feeling, sounds and rhythms of this beautiful language. For the phrase skip to 1:49.
Thanks To Easy Languages
Exercise 4 : Excuse me
Here is another phrase we are bound to use on our vacation. To attract someones attention in a shop or to pass somebody in a busy market.
afuan
Arabic Phrase : afuan
What it means : excuse me
English words : laugh-man
Pronounced : aff-wan
On the video in exercise 3 skip to 3:30.
Exercise 5 : How Much is it?
This phrase is essential for when we go shopping. We are bound to want to know the price of something sooner or later, especially on markets where you might end up bartering. It helps in shops or anywhere, where there is no price displayed.
kem say roh ha
Arabic Phrase : kem say roh ha
What it means : how much is it?
English words : gem day low a
Pronounced : kem say roh ha
On the video in exercise 3 skip to 2:12.
Exercise 6 : I Would Like
I would like or I want are always handy to know. Even if you only point to what it is that you need. The phrase to use is:
arragabboh fee
Arabic Phrase : arragabboh fee
What it means : I would like
English words : para-dab-oh pea
Pronounced : arra-gabbo fee
On the video in exercise 3 skip to 2:40.
Exercise 7 : Drinks
Obviously we can't learn every single item we might want to buy while we're on our holidays, so we will narrow it down to some drinks we may want in a cafe or a bar. Hence there is quite a few words and phrases to get through.
القهوة والشاي
البيرة والنبيذ المياه الحليب
Arabic Phrase : quawah....shy
What it means : coffee.... tea
English words : kwawah....buy
Pronounced : kwawah....shy
Arabic Phrase : birra....haleeb....nabeev....mah
What it means : beer....milk....wine....water
English words : clear-a....pal-leave....a-leave....bah
Pronounced : beera....haleeb....nabeev....mah
Exercise 8 : Numbers
When we are ordering our drinks we might want more than one so we will need to learn some numbers. Here they are one to five.
wah-head, it-naan, thalahtah, arabah-ah-a, hamsah
Arabic Phrase : wah-head, it-naan, thalahtah, arabah-ah-a, hamsah
What it means : one two three four five
English words : bah-ted, fit-barn, alarm-bah, para-shah-car-a, lamb-shah
Pronounced : wah-head, it-naan, thalahtah, arabah-ah-a, hamsah
Exercise 9 : The Bill / The Check
Unfortunately when we have finished all our drinks we are going to have to pay. So we will need the bill.
al fatohrah lou samaht
Arabic Phrase : al fatohrah lou samaht
What it means : the bill/ the check, please
English words : pal shah-you-far now dam-that
Pronounced : al fah-too-rah lou(d) sam-at
On the video in exercise 3 skip to 2:15.
Beirut, Lebanon
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Corniche_beirut.jpg
Exercise 10 : Goodbye
We began with hello so why don't we end with goodbye?
maheh salaama___مع السلام
Arabic Phrase : maheh salaama
What it means : goodbye
English words : ballet alarm-a
Pronounced : maheh salaama
On the video in exercise 3 skip to 3:13.
مع السلام
Unfortunately our time in Arabia is at an end, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to practise your Arabic language. There are many internet sites you can visit or even better you may get to know an Arabic person. You may even decide to begin learning the language in it's entirety, which will bring you a lifetime of pleasure. Good luck and until next time...مع السلام
