Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Arabic learning Forum

Discuss all things related to the Arabic language and culture here.

Learn and share knowledge with other DF members.

Cheers,

D

to inagurate the section i would like to translate smartd into arabic

smart = thaki

d = dal

thaki dal would be smartd in arabic

MaaaD wrote:to inagurate the section i would like to translate smartd into arabic

smart = thaki

d = dal

thaki dal would be smartd in arabic

metfayej...is my first arabic/local word to u maad

MaaaD = khabla (local) or Majnoon (general arabic)

Bleakus = i dont know whats the translation of this name

amoora is my first word to mema

Shukran

ahlaaaaaaaaa!

If I want to be a typical Western expat I should just pepper my speech with shukran, habibi, and khalas in order to fit in.

Thanks for the new forum Smartd.

How long does it typically take a westerner to learn arabic?

Doesn't it depend on the person and his/her circumstances? There are likely no statistics that say "Westerners take 2 years to learn Arabic."

kanelli wrote:Doesn't it depend on the person and his/her circumstances? There are likely no statistics that say "Westerners take 2 years to learn Arabic."

kanelli wrote:Doesn't it depend on the person and his/her circumstances? There are likely no statistics that say "Westerners take 2 years to learn Arabic."

I don't think so, it takes westerners a long time to learn arabic. I don't know why but it might be the nuances in the language where pronouncing a word differently can mean something else.

valkyrie wrote:

kanelli wrote:Doesn't it depend on the person and his/her circumstances? There are likely no statistics that say "Westerners take 2 years to learn Arabic."

I don't think so, it takes westerners a long time to learn arabic. I don't know why but it might be the nuances in the language where pronouncing a word differently can mean something else.

when i was teaching in the states, one of the students in my class learned in about 4 months -- reading, writing, speaking...the whole nine yards.

it just depends on how determined you are.

valkyrie wrote:

kanelli wrote:Doesn't it depend on the person and his/her circumstances? There are likely no statistics that say "Westerners take 2 years to learn Arabic."

I don't think so, it takes westerners a long time to learn arabic. I don't know why but it might be the nuances in the language where pronouncing a word differently can mean something else.

Thanks Bushra, good example.

wait, i cant tell if your being sarcastic or are serious.

its the internet, lol, i cant tell the differene between them sometimes.



but if you think about it, 4 months to learn a language that is completely different from the one you are brought up learning is something very very very, well, good.

oh, and his accent was amazing. if you were talking to him, you wouldnt believe that he wasnt raised with arabic as his first language.

I was sarcastic to Valkyrie, and genuinely appreciative to you. Sorry if my post was confusing.

It is absolutely down to individuality when it comes to learning a language. One cannot stereotype and say that it takes a huge group of people a long time to learn a langauge. It is individual aptitude for languages and individual circumstances that make the language easier/harder to learn or take a longer/shorter period of time to learn.