Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

Does it take to...

On a serious note; how many Expats in this Forum for whom Arabic is not their "native" tongue speak Arabic fluently? I've noted that a few on this forum have been lived in the UAE for a while.

I am determined to learn the language (languages come easy to me) but noticed that I have yet to meet a "non arab" expat who has learned the language (there are some merchants/trades - notably Asians - who speak it but their vocabulary seems limited to their specific trade).

Anyone?

I dont live in UAE, but I know Arabic (I m not very fluent in speaking, but am good at reading and compehension). It s not my first language but as Arabic share the same alphabet and lots of similar words with persian, so it was much easier for me to learn it. well I started a little Spanish and German before (didnt have the opportunity to improve them yet), but I think Arabic is one of the most difficult languages to learn , lots of grammar, pronunciations, even alphabet! but it s really beautiful language.

melika969 wrote:I dont live in UAE, but I know Arabic (I m not very fluent in speaking, but am good at reading and compehension). It s not my first language but as Arabic share the same alphabet and lots of similar words with persian, so it was much easier for me to learn it. well I started a little Spanish and German before (didnt have the opportunity to improve them yet), but I think Arabic is one of the most difficult languages to learn , lots of grammar, pronunciations, even alphabet! but it s really beautiful language.

Danke ich offe, es zu lernen. Gracias, espero poder aprender.

موفق باشی

melika969 wrote:موفق باشی

با تشکر.

I won't say fluently but I speak it well enough, maybe 60 to 70% but have the accent dead on. I've had many Locals and Arab ask me where I'm from and have complimented me on my Arabic skills So I guess its good enough.

BUT formal language, I don't get much of. And can't read very well either.

DD, we can make a team, I will read and u will talk!

-- Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:01 pm --

Ambassador wrote:

melika969 wrote:موفق باشی

با تشکر.

You are doing good with persian already!

I am fluent in Arabic with the Khaleeji accent.....and I use Arabic whenever I can understand the speaker's accent, i.e. as long as its not moroccan, solid Egyptian etc.

Funny you should say that BBR. I was going to tell Ambassador that he has to consider dialect. I remember when we first came to the region I had purchased tapes to learn Arabic. My husband told me that if I learned it and spoke it no one would understand me. Apparently I had purchased tapes for classic Saudi Arabic.

@BBR and BB,

I undestand that Moroccan Arabic is quite different and Algerian Arabic is to Arabic as Japanese is to Chinese!

I will learn Arabic in the UAE...So it maybe be like a mix o f Scottish/American /Australian English accent.

BTW what is the "neutral" Arabic accent. In comparison to the neutral English accent which is American English (Just listen to all the UAE or multinational in the UAE who speak with an "American" accent).

Amny people said its the Iraqi acent which is nuetral, but I dunno for sure, but I do know whats on the other end of the spectrum. Egyptian, Its terrible. specially mixing the G with the J.

Morrocan has a lot of french mixed in with it. Like kitchen they call cuisienah derived obviouslly from the cuisine in french. Same with Algerian but a bit more heavily.

Lets say Canadian French Vs Parisian French.

I took arabic lessons for quite a while, but it's frustrating to try and practice because everyone wants to speak to you in English.

Learning the right dialect is essential. You need Gulf Arabic/Lebanese or Egyptian as these are the most widely spoken. Formal - people will understand you but no one speaks it.

Ambassador, do you have any local friends? that's probably the best way to learn the language.

I guess no one here other than Arabs speaks it

@BM Yes.

Ask them to teach you!

I'm not Arab

Ambassador wrote:I guess no one here other than Arabs speaks it

I told u it s a very difficult language! U know the alphabet is the same with persian, but for example we have four different "Z", which in persian all those letters would be pronounced "Z", but in Arabic each of them has different pronounciation! it goes for "s", "t" , "h" and some other letters as well!

as for the grammar, 14 conjugations for verbs! and lots of rules and structures.
I think it has a beauty of math.

Its hard but not that hard, once you grasp basic knwolege of how the grammar works. I have no formal traning in the language. The compulsory classes we recieved in junior school were were totally useless. Just picked it up by observing the language. It does help a bit knowing spoken Urdu though as it has some elements and common words. As Urdu is a mish mash of Arabic, Farsi and a whole lot of other languages spoken in that region. A bit like swahili. Oh and Urdu does use farsi alphabets aswell.

desertdudeshj wrote:I'm not Arab

sorry must have missed where you stated that you speak Arabic. It is just that everyone - who does not speak Arabic - keeps posting how it is "different" (yet without speaking the language one would not know). Every language is difficult (so is calculus)... (am joining the "obvious statement club" )

Where you born in the UAE and speak it from childhood?

desertdudeshj wrote:Its hard but not that hard, once you grasp basic knwolege of how the grammar works. I have no formal traning in the language. The compulsory classes we recieved in junior school were were totally useless. Just picked it up by observing the language. It does help a bit knowing spoken Urdu though as it has some elements and common words. As Urdu is a mish mash of Arabic, Farsi and a whole lot of other languages spoken in that region. A bit like swahili. Oh and Urdu does use farsi alphabets aswell.

That s true, that s why I never learned to speak, it is important to be in the environment.

Ambassador wrote:

desertdudeshj wrote:I'm not Arab

sorry must have missed where you stated that you speak Arabic. It is just that everyone - who does not speak Arabic - keeps posting how it is "different" (yet without speaking the language one would not know). Every language is difficult (so is calculus)... (am joining the "obvious statement club" )

Where you born in the UAE and speak it from childhood?

Well almost was six months old when I came here, and no I never spoke it from childhood. In fact didn't speak it at all until my late teens

I really picked it up was when I started to hang almost every evening at a friends shop which dealt in car accesories and 90% of their customers were Arabs or Emaratis and he spoke Arabic aswell. I basically just observed his conversations and transactions. Making mental translations and picking up new words along the way, and asking a few question once in a while to tie up some loose ends ( BTW I still do this to this day ) Wasn't or is a conscience effort but it justs the way my mind works I guess.

Slowly, slowly I was almost able to understand complete converations, then I also started speak whenever I could and then started to actually make an effort to get good at it. Trying to speak it at every oppurtunity I could get. And making a good effort not to get skewered by weird accents like Egyptian etc etc. And in this region you need to speak Khaleeji ( Gulf )

I have a friend, American born pure made in the USA, adopted Islam in his 20's and later went to study Arabic and Islamic studies at places like the Azhar University in Cairo and then some place in Syria has spent around 15 years studying and working in such places. And is true blue certified academic and scholar. But he has more trouble being understood speaking his pure Arabic ( although does reek of American ! Ever heard an American speak arabic and you'll know what I am talking about ) out in the streets here than I do with my broken up self taught Arabic.

desertdudeshj wrote:

Ambassador wrote:

desertdudeshj wrote:I'm not Arab

sorry must have missed where you stated that you speak Arabic. It is just that everyone - who does not speak Arabic - keeps posting how it is "different" (yet without speaking the language one would not know). Every language is difficult (so is calculus)... (am joining the "obvious statement club" )

Where you born in the UAE and speak it from childhood?

Well almost was six months old when I came here, and no I never spoke it from childhood. In fact didn't speak it at all until my late teens

I really picked it up was when I started to hang almost every evening at a friends shop which dealt in car accesories and 90% of their customers were Arabs or Emaratis and he spoke Arabic aswell. I basically just observed his conversations and transactions. Making mental translations and picking up new words along the way, and asking a few question once in a while to tie up some loose ends ( BTW I still do this to this day ) Wasn't or is a conscience effort but it justs the way my mind works I guess.

Slowly, slowly I was almost able to understand complete converations, then I also started speak whenever I could and then started to actually make an effort to get good at it. Trying to speak it at every oppurtunity I could get. And making a good effort not to get skewered by weird accents like Egyptian etc etc. And in this region you need to speak Khaleeji ( Gulf )

I have a friend, American born pure made in the USA, adopted Islam in his 20's and later went to study Arabic and Islamic studies at places like the Azhar University in Cairo and then some place in Syria has spent around 15 years studying and working in such places. And is true blue certified academic and scholar. But he has more trouble being understood speaking his pure Arabic ( although does reek of American ! Ever heard an American speak arabic and you'll know what I am talking about ) out in the streets here than I do with my broken up self taught Arabic.

Sounds like trying to have a conversation with someone with a Glaswegian accent...English allegedly

Most of the Arabic you will hear here is laced with 'Yanni's and 'Tayyeb's' along with a smattering of French and English.

Never try and learn from a Lebanese!



Knight

Dubai Knight wrote:Most of the Arabic you will hear here is laced with 'Yanni's and 'Tayyeb's' along with a smattering of French and English.

Never try and learn from a Lebanese!



Knight

+1 seems like you speak from experience.

On a side note, I've been almost 34 years now and have yet to see a westerner who came to the middle east and picked up conversational Arabic. Even if they've been here for decades, some even second gen. The few I've seen are usualy converts to islam and have studied the language.

You would do better to learn Hindi or Malayalam!

Atcha tikka!



Knight

Achar Tikka !

You must be hungry mate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tikka_masala

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_pickle

Chicken tikka masala!

Yummmmm!



Knight

desertdudeshj wrote:
On a side note, I've been almost 34 years now and have yet to see a westerner who came to the middle east and picked up conversational Arabic. Even if they've been here for decades, some even second gen. The few I've seen are usualy converts to islam and have studied the language.

That was my point -topic - and experience here in the UAE.