Our family is travelling to Morocco in April and these lessons are fantastic for helping us prepare for the trip! We enjoy the cultural notes in addition to the phrases, and the pace is just perfect for us. My 11-yr-old stepson Matt and I are doing a lesson every night, and thus hope to finish the whole series before we go. We’ve been practicing together, and even after a few lessons were able to understand the Arabic in “Body of Lies” which we watched last night! (Granted not a very high level, but it’s a start̷

Baaraka Allahu Fik,
Joyce & Matt

Thanks for all these lessons. I can’t tell you how much enjoyed then, and when I visited Morocco for a month it was nice to use my little Arabic knowledge too. I enjoyed your little comments and extra information across the lessons, and quite often I remembered them during my visit. I’m from Europe, lived in the USA for 10 years, but I never met people so hospitable and welcoming like in Morocco. I had such a wonderful experience, and I hope to go back there before the end of the year.
Oh, and without speaking the language you can still talk to people, it can be very funny, but could work, I experienced this when I was left with several sweet ladies without a translator and I had so much fun with them (hopefully we laughed at the same things… and not at each other.)
I admire the art of making the tea!!!
Oh well, thank you again for all these lessons.

Erika

I just got started on the first couple of lessons this morning and I’m so excited! I just want to learn very basic stuff for my trip to the UAE, because although I know a lot of people speak English, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry, plus, I think it would be a little conceited of me to travel to a country where I don’t speak the language, and expect people to cater to ME and not even try a little bit… does that make sense? lol!

I do have a question… I know Mounia already answered this question for Lebanon and Jordan, but is Arabic in Morocco very different than in the UAE? I wouldn’t want to make a fool of myself speaking the wrong language!

Also, I like to comment on:

.”When I started learning Japanese, it was important for me at the early stage to keep using the Latin alphabet to write words and sentences. Once I got used to the sounds of words and I could associate them with characters in the Japanese script, I got more fluid at writing.”

Couldn’t agree more. I’m training myself to learn my native tongue, Arabic, and Japanese and Chinese through Latin letters first. It just makes sense to use the language you already fluently speak to learn another language. You can’t reinvent the wheel so to speak and memorize stuff you don’t understand (Kanji) to teach you a brand new language. Its like learning in reverse.

However, you’ll notice a difference in romanization for the Arabic sounds that do not exist in English. For example, you’ll find the sound (خ), pronounced like the ‘ch’ in the German “Bach”, transcribed as “kh” or “x” depending on which transcription system you’re looking at. Similarly, the sound (غ), like the French ‘r’, is transcribed as “gh” or “ġ” depending on people. As for the (ع) sound, which can be approximated by pronouncing the sound ‘a’ in “fat” with the tongue against the bottom of the mouth and from as deep in the throat as possible, you’ll find it transcribed as it is “ع “, an “a” with a little “c” shape next to it, or in a different way. Same thing goes for the letter (ش) which you’ll find written as “sh” or “š”.

Now, if you see a transcription character doubled, that means that a “shedda” (an emphasis) is over that character in the Arabic scrpit.

Sometimes, you will see a hyphen used. Different romanization systems use it for different purposes but in the PDFs it indicates the definite article “the.” Another symbol you will sometimes see is the apostrophe ( ‘ ). When you see an apostrophe, it indicates a “break” between vowels as heard in the English exclamation “uh oh.”

Now, as for your second concern, whether to learn the Arabic alphabet before learning to speak it or not, I personally think that you don’t really need to do that in the very beginning. Knowing a system of transcription that uses characters you’re familiar with (the Latin alphabet) will help you learn Arabic, early on, fairly quickly. But as you move on, when you practice the different sounds of Arabic until you can reproduce them, I suggest that you start learning the Arabic script. It’ll be easier for you to learn grammar that way when you can visualize how verbs change and what letters are added/taken out and so on.

When I started learning Japanese, it was important for me at the early stage to keep using the Latin alphabet to write words and sentences. Once I got used to the sounds of words and I could associate them with characters in the Japanese script, I got more fluid at writing.

Timothy, a member of our Arabic team who learned Arabic and who now designs and plans Arabic lessons, also has a say on this for you:

“I don’t think you need to learn the Arabic alphabet before learning to speak. I did know how to write in the Arabic script when I started learning, but I learned every word that I know through listening, and I still get verification everytime I write a new word. But I do think you need to learn the sounds of the letters so that you start out realizing there are two t’s that sound very similar, two d’s that sound very similar, two h’s that sound very similar, two k’s that sound very similar…..

That way you can ask when you’re not sure which sound you heard. Since you’re a visual-type, I would recommend writing the words. If you have to spend effort learning a romanization, you might as well learn the Arabic script instead.”

Good luck Erik and keep us posted of your progress.

The word for 100 is “mya.” For 200, there is a dual form of “myatayn.” For 300 through 900, we use the numbers 3 through 9 (without the ‘a’ sound at the end) plus “mya.” For numbers such as 104 or 351, we use the appropriate multiple of 100 followed by the word “and” (u) and then the rest of the number.

Some examples:

One hundred: mya
one hundred twenty-one: mya u tnayn u عshrin
literally: one hundred and two and twenty

one hundred ninety-nine: mya u tsعud u tsعin
literally: one hundred and nine and ninety

Two hundred: myatayan
two hundred thirty-one: myatayn u wahd u tlatin
literally: two hundred and one and thirty

Three hundred: tlt mya (not tlat mya)
three hundred fifty-one: tlt mya u wahd u khmsin

Four hundred: rbaع mya
Five hundred: khms mya
Six hundred: stt mya
Seven hundred: sbaع mya
Eight hundred: tman mya
Nine hundred: tsaع mya

The word for “thousand” has the singular form “alf”, the dual form “alfayn” and the plural form “alaaf.” The plural form is used with numbers 3 through 10 to form “three thousand” to “ten thousand.” Some examples:

One thousand: alf
one thousand five: alf u khmsa
one thousand three hundred: alf u tlt mya

Two thousand: alfayn
two thousand thirty three: alfayn u tlata u tlatin
literally: two thousand and three and thirty

Three thousand: tlt alaaf
three thousand two hundred and sixty: tlt alaaf u myatayn u sttin

Remember Jim, when shopping, you need to know your numbers and how to haggle

The word for 100 is “mya.” For 200, there is a dual form of “myatayn.” For 300 through 900, we use the numbers 3 through 9 (without the ‘a’ sound at the end) plus “mya.” For numbers such as 104 or 351, we use the appropriate multiple of 100 followed by the word “and” (u) and then the rest of the number.

Some examples:

One hundred mya
one hundred twenty-one mya u tnayn u 3shrin
literally: one hundred and two
and twenty

one hundred ninety-nine mya u ts3ud u ts3in
literally: one hundred and nine
and ninety

Two hundred myatayan
two hundred thirty-one myatayn u wahd u tlatin
literally: two hundred and one
and thirty

Three hundred tlt mya (not tlat mya)
three hundred fifty-one tlt mya u wahd u khmsin

Four hundred rba3 mya
Five hundred khms mya
Six hundred stt mya
Seven hundred sba3 mya
Eight hundred tman mya
Nine hundred tsa3 mya

The word for “thousand” has the singular form “alf”, the dual form “alfayn” and the plural form “alaaf.” The plural form is used with numbers 3 through 10 to form “three thousand” to “ten thousand.” Some examples:

One thousand alf
one thousand five alf u khmsa
one thousand three hundred alf u tlt mya

Two thousand
two thousand thirty three alfayn u tlata u tlatin
literally: two thousand and three
and thirty

Three thousand tlt alaaf
three thousand two hundred
and sixty tlt alaaf u myatayn u sttin

Remember Jim, when shopping, you need to know your numbers and how to haggle

Martin and netto! Shukran. Thanks a lot for stopping by and enjoy learning Arabic. Let us know if you have any questions.

كيفك ؟ أثمنى ان جوابي ما يكون معطل كثير. إدا دخلت ثخصص انجليزي، ممكن تصبحي مدرسة، كاتبة، صحفية… وبعدين ممكن ثثعلمي
لغات اخرى وتصيري مترجمة بأحد المنضمات العالمية. انت شنو هدفك؟

I was wondering about one thing; how do I say “I’m from Norway” and “I’m Norwegian” in arabic?

Thanks for you help!
Best regards,
Nina from Norway

It would be interesting to hear your comments re the romanisation. I have seen so many different ways of translit Arabic into English!

I have also heard different opinions about the imortance of first learning the Arabic alphabet and then start to speak it. What is your take on that?

Shukran Jazilan.

Erik

I am throughly enjoying the lessons. It is fun to learn a little Arabic. I was wondering if you put together numbers after 100 the same way. For example, is 351 = wahd u khmsin u tlatmya or something similar. Oh yeah, what is the word for thousand. (I plan on doing some serious shopping).
The course has helped get psyched for the trip. I think we will have a more enjoyable vacation.

Shukran Jazilan,

Jim

بس ما اعتقد ان في حد يقول “شكراً جزيلا” هاذي الايام هههه
على اي حال كنت ابي اسأل سؤال….أنا وايد أحب الانجليزي بس مادري اذا دخلت تخصص انجليزي في الجامعه ايش ممكن اشتغل بعدين فاايش رأيك؟؟ ادخل انجليزي ولا ادخل شي ثاني؟؟

I am considering getting all 60 lessons of survival phrases arabic. I really likes the lessons I listened to so far. But before that I have one last question. I won’t be going to Morocco, but to Jordan, or Libanon. Now sometimes you mention that some words that you teach are moroccon arabic. But if you don’t mention anything, can I assume that you teach modern standard arabic, and that I will be understood in Jordan as well?

Best regards
Sophie

Was Mehdiya Beach a surfing paradise back then too? I know I’m waiting for the water to get warmer to hit that beach for some surf.
Glad to know you haven’t forgotten all about your trip to Morocco.

Brigid, thank you for taking the time to drop me a comment. good luck with the rest of your Arabic learning.

This, thus far, appears to be a great way to dust off my memory and add to my knowledge! Shukran Jazilan!

-Jim

Good luck Ali!

Many Thanks

Why not? Hopefully by the end of my lessons you’ll be convinced of visiting Morocco
Thanks for listening though.

Thankyou so much for the lessons! As has been observed before there is a lot of information on Arabic in terms of Grammer and far less of the actual spoken word which is how i learn best. I want to learn Arabic in the hope it will be useful in my later career as an Archaeologist as I’m enchanted by the history of Egypt and Mesopotamia and it would be great to converse with people whilst im there. Thanks again.

Tom

I’ll definitely be subscribing!

I admire what you do and your willingness to volunteer at clinics and schools in Morocco. Many poor regions are in definite need of medical help. If there is ANYTHING that you would like to know about the language or the local customs before embarking on your trip, do let me know. I hope you have a rewarding experience.

Mounia

Thank you all so much for your enouraging comments! You’re terrific Kevin for wanting longer podcasts. Some lessons are just so full of information I go a bit too fast to fit in as much as I can, but I’ll remember to slow down.

Jessica, I can’t tell you how good it feels to know that my lessons are a step for you to become a translator at the navy! All the best in your work.

If you are interested in learning Arabic, French, Spanish or English the fun way, be sure to visit http://www.speakitall.com.

Thank you sooo much.

Thank you so much for putting out this series. I have signed up for the premium account just so I can get all the lessons. You are very easy to understand and your comments make it easier to remember.
My wife and I will be going to Morocco this fall to be medical volunteers in schools and clinics for the poor in conjunction with the ministry of health. I hope to be able to use your lessons to help communicate with the people we meet on a daily basis.

Looking forward to many more lessons.

-Neil-

Thank you so much for putting out this series. I have signed up for the premium account just so I can get all the lessons. You are very easy to understand and your comments make it easier to remember.
My wife and I will be going to Morocco this fall to be medical volunteers in schools and clinics for the poor in conjunction with the ministry of health. I hope to be able to use your lessons to help communicate with the people we meet on a daily basis.

Looking forward to many more lessons.

-Neil-

From a beginners point of view in learning Arabic, I find the tutor goes just a little too fast at times - another sixty seconds on the length of the podcast should not be too much of a problem but would allow for slightly longer gaps after a phrase is spoken, just to let it sink in and give me a moment to absorb it before being spoken to again.

But other than that I would highly recommend anyone to look at your material. I will certainly be back for a second course.

Keep up the good work,

best wishes,
Kevin

I really enjoy learning these survival phrases. I don’t know too much, at all, YET, but I can impress my friends with a few words here and there.

It’s nice that you don’t just teach the “survival phrases” but you explain them too. It’s great.

Thank you!

Erika

Thanks a lot for the nice comment and encouragements, I’m glad you’re finding the lessons quite useful. Yes, Spoken Arabic is what you need to learn to interact with locals and it’s not very common in textbooks.

Enjoy the rest of the series (there’s a lot more coming :smil and do leave us more posts.

Mounia

I’m finding these lessons quite useful, as there are not much resources in the Web concerning spoken Arabic, and most of them focuse on grammar issues rather than the usage of everyday language.

Definitely, you are doing a great job

Carlo