Secrets of self-study of the Arabic language. How I Learned Arabic

The Arabic language historically began to flourish in the world thanks to the development and spread of Islam as one of the largest world religions. It is known that Arabic language is the language of the Quran, the Holy Book of Islam. It is the main language of Muslims.

What is interesting to know for everyone who is going to learn Arabic for beginners

1. Where Arabic is spoken

Arabic is the official language of 22 countries and is the native language of over 200 million people geographically from southeast Asia to northwest Africa, better known as the Arab world.

"Classical" Arabic, known as the language of the Qur'an, is the language in which the Qur'an is written and is the base language for syntactic and grammar rules modern Arabic. It is this classical Arabic that is taught in religious schools and in all Arabic schools around the world.

"Modern Standard" Arabic is similar to classical, but easier and simpler. It is understood by most Arabs and is broadcast on TV, it is spoken by politicians, it is studied by foreigners. Most Arabic newspapers and modern literature use Modern Standard Arabic.
Arab colloquial has many different dialects. For example, a native Iraqi would have difficulty understanding local resident Algeria and vice versa, as they speak completely different dialects. But both of them will be able to communicate with each other if they use modern standard Arabic.

2. What any of us already know about the Arabic language

A lot of words came to us from Arabic, and we all know them, for example:

قطن, coton
سكر, sugar
غزال, gazelle
قيثارة, guitar
الكحول , alcohol
صحراء , Sahara
قيراط , carat
ليمون , lemon

Arabic uses the same punctuation as any other foreign language, such as, for example, English language, but Arabic has slightly different punctuation marks, such as a reversed comma (،) or a mirrored question mark (؟).

3. How difficult is it to learn Arabic

Difficulties in pronunciation

Many sounds in Arabic are pronounced in a throaty way, as if they are formed deep inside the throat - therefore, practice is required to learn how to pronounce them correctly.

Order of words in a sentence

Any sentence in Arabic begins with a verb, so to say "the boy eats an apple" you need to say "the boy eats an apple":
اكل الولد التفاحة .

Adjectives are placed after the noun:

السيارة الحمراء - red car

Sentences are written from right to left, so the first page of the book, for us Europeans, will be considered the last.

4. How Arabic for beginners can help in the future

Arabic belongs to the Semitic group of languages, therefore it has much in common with languages such as Amharic, Hebrew. Therefore, for those who can learn Arabic, other languages of the Semitic group will be more understandable.
Languages such as Persian/Farsi, Urdu, Kurdish and others use the Arabic alphabet which is used in the writing of their own languages. Therefore, those who comprehend Arabic from scratch will be able to read the written words and sentences of any of these languages, but not understand the meaning.

1. Determine exactly what your goals are for learning Arabic for beginners.

As we wrote above, there are several types of Arabic: Modern Standard, Classical and Colloquial Arabic. Each type is responsible for its own goals.

2. Master the Arabic alphabet

At first glance, the alphabet seems to be the most difficult and incomprehensible moment for those who decide to take up the Arabic language. Some even try to avoid studying it and memorize only the pronunciation or transliteration of Arabic words. This method will bring many problems in the future. It would be much more useful, on the contrary, to ignore the transcription, and to learn the spelling of words. Therefore, to learn Arabic for beginners quickly, learn the alphabet.

3. Learn to use Arabic vocabulary.

Using an Arabic dictionary is very difficult at first, but after clarifying the main points and some practice, it will not be difficult.
First, it must be taken into account that all words in the dictionary are used in their original forms, while in texts they occur in derived forms.
Secondly, the dictionary structure itself has a root system, that is, the root of the word is considered as the search word. The roots in the dictionary are located in alphabetical order. That is, to find the word istiqbaal (registrar), you need to know the three-letter root of this word - q-b-l, that is given word will be in the dictionary under the letter q.

4. We study Arabic constantly.

In order to quickly learn Arabic, you need to study it constantly. If you have internet, then you can learn Arabic online. There are many resources online for self-study Arabic. You can buy textbooks with audio recordings, listening to which you will be imbued with the language and absorb the pronunciation. Many tutorials like learning Arabic from scratch offer interesting mnemonics for memorizing Arabic words.

5. Ask a tutor for help.

Learn Arabic on your own: is it possible at home?

Difficulties in learning Arabic

It learns more easily than other European languages, but it has its own nuances that are not always clear to a Russian person. Those who begin to study it gradually face the following difficulties:

1. Arabic script (letter). For beginners, such an alphabet seems to be an interweaving of intricate patterns that connect with each other. At first, the direction of writing is from right to left.

2. Pronunciation of sounds. There are several bands out there that sound the same to many. For example, in Arabic there are three letters similar in sound to the Russian "C".

3. Meanings of words. The question of how to learn Arabic from scratch will disappear if you read more, watch movies and listen to songs in it. Keep in mind that each word can have multiple meanings.

How to learn Arabic from scratch: tips.

How to learn Arabic on your own?

This language is divided into 3 types: classical, colloquial and modern.

If a person has an interest in Islam, it is better for him to learn the first one, since the Koran is written on it. The second is suitable for those who want to live with these people. The third is the standard language spoken by all Muslims. In order to master it perfectly, certain steps will be required.

1. Find a tutor for this language and take 2-3 lessons from him. An experienced teacher will show how the speech should sound correctly.

2. Memorize the Arabic alphabet. Buy a notebook and write down different letters every day. This will help them remember over time.

3. Watch special video tutorials online. Thus, articulation is trained and pronunciation is monitored.

4. Engage in listening - perceive someone else's speech by ear. Listen to light text discs and try to understand what is being said.

How long does it take to learn Arabic? Positive result will not appear immediately, but only after daily training in writing letters and pronunciation of words.

Peculiarities. The knowledge of the Arabic language is now quite promising, as the countries of the Arab world are gradually gaining importance in the international arena and in order to deal with their attorneys, to establish contacts, experienced translators are needed. Making a decision about independent learning of the Arabic language, it is advisable to first begin the knowledge of its history, the specifics of its formation, to get acquainted with the culture and customs of the countries where it arose and was formed, since in this episode the interconnection between culture and language is very strong.

The history of the Arabic language dates back more than one century. It is one of the Semitic languages, which is officially spoken not only in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, but also in Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Djibouti and Somalia. Arabic is also quite well spoken in Malta, Israel, and the Republic of Chad.

In addition, dialects of the Arabic language can be found on the territory of such countries as Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, Cyprus. Arabic is state language Arab League, one of official languages Interpol and the United Nations. The study of the Arabic language is obligatory in Islam, since the divine holy book of the Quran was actually written in it.
In connection with all these factors, Arabic is spoken or, in any case, known and used by more than a billion people, which makes it the most relevant and promising for learning. Researchers divide the Arabic language into three types: modern, classical and dialectal.
The most modern literary language is now used by various media, in businesslike rewriting, literature, and it is most advantageous for knowledge by linguists, since this variation is actually used in businesslike conversations, at meetings, meetings, and so on.

Classical Arabic is the dialect of the Qur'an and all Arabic literature from before the Islamic age to the very late Middle Ages. It is usually known only to orientalists and those who need to be able to read divine books in the original, to understand them well and understand the classical language. To work as a translator from Arabic in any business structure or organization, there is no need for knowledge of the classical language.
The dialectal language is used in live contact - almost every state of the Arab world provides for contact in its own dialect of the Arabic language. In addition, the form of the Maltese language used by the inhabitants of the island of Malta provides for a combination of Latin and Arabic usage and is therefore considered to be a separate language.

In order to be able to work with documentation, and with people, to provide simultaneous translation services, it is desirable to learn classical Arabic and some kind of dialect, the selection of which depends on which country’s attorneys the linguist expects to work with in the future. However, as the masters say, learning dialects based on classical Arabic is not very difficult.
How long does it usually take to learn? The amount of time it takes to master this oriental language directly depends on the desire to learn the language. On average, with the presence of perseverance, one year is enough to comprehend the basic foundations. At a very good level, the language can be mastered in three years.
Know this Difficult language possible effectively and efficiently, if easy standards are observed. To do this, you need: A textbook for free learning in Arabic (preferably a couple of books), unhindered access to world wide web, notebooks (two of eighty sheets, one of twenty-four sheets).

First: Note the intention of learning the language. A clearly defined intention leads to the achievement of a result. Seeing the intention, one can divide knowledge into the necessary stages and edit the learning initiative in personal interests.

Second: start learning Arabic with its literary variation. The fact is that there are many dialects in the Arabic language, and the knowledge of any one of them will significantly reduce the circle of communication, while the literary variation is intelligible to the attorneys of all Arabic dialects.

Third: Exercise at least three times a week. Systematic, purposeful, everyday language learning gives more reliable results than learning once a week. In the absence of constant lessons, the past is quickly forgotten.
Fourth: Give special attention to the knowledge of the Arabic alphabet. With relative elementarity in learning the grammar of this language, the main obstacle that you will have to face is the barely noticeable differences in the spelling of some letters, on which the significance of the word depends.

Fifth: Get a separate notebook for grammar and assignment, as well as a huge vocabulary notebook, in which at the initial stage of learning it is worth taking notes on completed phrases and set expressions.

Sixth: Apply a large number of audio materials. The collection of the Arabic language is characterized by the presence of sounds that are absolutely not typical for the Russian language, because the Arabic language is full of hissing sounds. Audio materials will help you learn the correct pronunciation.

Learning to read the Qur'an consists of 4 basic rules:

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Learning the alphabet (the alphabet in Arabic is called "Alif wa ba").
Writing training.
Grammar (tajwid).
Reading.

You may immediately think that this is easy. However, all these stages are divided into several subparagraphs. The main point is that you need to learn how to write correctly. That's right, not right! If you do not learn to write, then you cannot move on to learning grammar and reading.

2 more very important moments: Firstly, using this method, you will only learn to read and write in Arabic, but not to translate. To fully delve into this language, you can go to an Arab country and already there gnaw at the granite of science. Secondly, you need to immediately decide on which Koran you will study, since there are differences in them. Most of the old mentors teach from the Qur'an, which is called Ghazan.

But I do not advise you to do this, because then it will be difficult to switch to the modern Koran. The font is very different everywhere, but the meaning of the text is the same. Naturally, “Gazan” is easier to learn to read, but it is better to start learning with a modern font. If you do not quite understand the difference, then look at the picture below, this is how the font in the Quran should look like:

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I think that if you want to learn how to read the Quran, then you have already bought it. Now we can move on to the alphabet. At this stage, I advise you to start a notebook and remember the school. All letters must be printed separately in a notebook 100 times. The Arabic alphabet is not more complicated than the Russian one. Firstly, there are only 28 letters in it, and secondly, there are only 2 vowels: “he” and “alif”.

But it can also make understanding that language more difficult. Because in addition to letters, there are also sounds: “un”, “u”, “i”, “a”. Moreover, almost all letters (except "wow", "zey", "rei", "zal", "dal", "alif") at the end, in the middle and at the beginning of the word are written differently. Most also have problems with what needs to be read from right to left. After all, they read from left to right. But in Arabic it's the other way around.

It can also cause inconvenience in writing. The main thing in it is that the bias in handwriting should be from right to left, and not vice versa. You can get used to it for a long time, but after a while you will bring everything to automatism. Now UchiEto will show you the Arabic alphabet (yellow boxes highlight the spellings of the letters depending on their location in the word):

First, it is important that you write as much as possible. You need to get your hands on this as you are now building the foundation of your learning. In a month it is quite possible to learn the alphabet, know the spelling options and learn how to write. If you are interested, then you will meet in half a month.

Once you have learned the alphabet and learned how to write, you can move on to grammar. In Arabic, it is called "tajwid". You can comprehend grammar directly while reading. Only a small nuance - in the Koran the beginning is not where everyone is used to. The beginning is at the end of the book, but it is better to start with the first sura of the Qur'an called Al-Fatiha.

Video lessons

After graduating from 10th grade summer vacation I went to Dagestan. Usually there you are constantly surrounded by relatives. But one day I stayed in Makhachkala, left to my own devices. And went for a walk around the city. This was probably my first independent walk in a foreign city. I walked along Hamidov Avenue towards the mountains. And, suddenly, I saw a sign "Islamic shop". No matter how strange it may seem, but my first acquisition in Dagestan was the Arabic script.

Arriving at my uncle's house, I opened it. There were all types of writing letters and their pronunciation was explained in relation to the Dagestan alphabet “The letter ع approximately corresponds to the Arabic gI”, “The letter ح is similar to the Avar xI”. Together with ظ, these were the most difficult letters for me, because it was hard to imagine how to pronounce them, and the others were mostly in my language. So I started learning to read Arabic on my own. An ordinary Russian teenager, far from religion. Then I went to the mountain village of my grandfather. It was a time filled with events of transitional age, when you try a lot for the first time. Along with all this, I tried and learn Arabic. What motivated me when I bought this recipe then is still mystical for me.

Recently I found my first attempts to write in Arabic, which I started just that summer in my grandfather's village.
Over the summer I learned to read. But then he abandoned this business for many years and stalled on this knowledge. The Arabic language seemed to be something extraordinarily distant and incomprehensible. Yes, and my lifestyle was far from learning this language.

Then, already in the 4th year of university, I began to pray, began to go to the mosque, and met Muslims. One Friday in the mosque, I said hello to one of my friends:

- Assalamu alaikum! How are you? What are you doing?
- Wa alaikum ssalam! Alhamdulillah. Here, I study Arabic.
— How do you study? Are there any courses?
- No, on your own, according to the textbook "Learn to read the Quran in Arabic."

Then this brother went to Kazan to study and there he got new textbooks, and he sold Lebedev's books "Learn to read the Koran in Arabic" to me for 500 rubles when he returned from Kazan for his first vacation.

I worked part-time as a night security guard in a store and took this book with me on duty. I started reading it in my free moments between the fights of the local drunkards and until I was cut down by sleep. It was worth starting to get acquainted with the book, as I thought - "Subhanallah, this Arabic language is so easy to learn."

For so many years I stupidly knew how to read and memorized the verses of the Koran with difficulty - and now I began to understand the logic of the entire language!

My delight knew no bounds. I finished the first book in a month. I didn’t even memorize the words there - I just carefully studied the new rules and read the exercises for them.

Then the textbook came into my hands First Arabic lessons ". I began to trite to teach a lesson a day (they are very small there). I just memorized new words in the morning - and then repeated them all day (on the bus, when walking, etc.). After a couple of months, I already knew almost 60 lessons by heart - all the words and turns of speech that were found in them.

After 2 months of classes, I was visiting an Arab and was surprised to find that I can communicate in Arabic without speaking a word in Russian!!! It started out as a joke. I said hello in Arabic and my friend answered. Then I asked something else and he answered again in Arabic. And when the dialogue began, as if there was no turning back. As if we did not know Russian. My knees were trembling with happiness.

Previously, I needed to learn the Koran “photographically” - stupidly remembering the order of all the letters in words. For example, it took me several days to memorize Surah An-Nas. And after I have mastered the basics of grammar, you can read the translation of Krachkovsky and the Arabic text of the verse once (comparing the translation to each Arabic word), repeat a couple of times - and the verse is remembered. If so, walk through a small sura (like An-Naba "News"). After half an hour of study, I can look at the translation of Krachkovsky and read the sura in Arabic (essentially from memory). The most difficult thing is usually to remember the order of the verses.

My tragedy is that, having learned to read (it took about two months on my own and unsystematic), I simply did not imagine that it was possible to study the basics of grammar by spending the same amount of time and more, if you make an effort and develop an active vocabulary You can speak Arabic very soon.

The biggest problem for many people is that they imagine the language as an impregnable fortress, which will take many years to assault and siege. And only after that you will master it. In fact, learning a language is better thought of as a small cottage that you build piece by piece. Having studied the basic grammar (changing verbs by person and tense, changing cases, etc. - in terms of volume this is a 40-page brochure) - consider that you have poured the foundation. Further, an opportunity arose - they built a room where you can already live and moved there. Then the kitchen. Then they built a living room, a nursery, and all the other rooms. I saw how they build houses in Dagestan in this way. Instead of renting an apartment, they buy an inexpensive plot, pour the foundation and build at least one room, where they move. And then, as far as possible, they continue to build a house on an already filled foundation.

If suddenly someone wants to repeat my path, which I consider optimal for those who do it mostly on their own, for example, in their free time from their main studies or work, I have prepared a selection of materials (now they have become more accessible, and better).

1. Learn to read and write

→ Talking Tutorial (self-study on reading and writing with the voice acting of each word and many tips)

2. Fundamentals of grammar.To study grammar, it is better to arm yourself with many books and choose the one that suits you best. The same rule can be given different words in different books - so that incomprehensible moments can be considered from different angles. Start with one book, and download the rest as needed.

→ Lebedev. Learn to read the Quran in Arabic - an unobtrusive explanation of the basics of grammar using the example of verses from the Koran (I personally went through the first volume. I hated studying foreign language all my life, but I read this book as fiction, and realized that Arabic is mine).

→ Yashukov. Arabic grammar manual - a compressed volume of 40 pages gives all the basics (a short summary of any textbook).

→ Khaibullin. Arabic grammar . A new solid textbook, contains the basics of grammar with numerous examples, as well as the basics of morphology. Very accessible language and sparing volume.

→ Rules of the Arabic language in a light and simplified form . (I didn’t pass it myself, but I heard reviews from friends).

→ Kovalev, Sharbatov. Arabic textbook . (A classic of the genre. Usually it is used as a reference where you can find any question on grammar).

I think these books should be enough with a margin. If you don’t like it, google Kuzmin, Ibragimov, Frolova and others.

3. Build an active vocabulary

→ First Arabic lessons . Read the preface to this book carefully and you will understand everything. I really lived with this book for several months until I learned 100 lessons. If you repeat "my feat", feel your closeness to the Arab world - no kidding.

4. Practice the language

→ Get to know the Arabs, try to communicate with them. For example, you can search the mosque for students who have just arrived in Russia and do not speak Russian well. If you are hospitable and not intrusive, then you can establish very warm friendly relations. You will be able to learn the language directly from the native speaker. ). So you can google materials that are interesting to you, your favorite nasheeds on YouTube, etc. You will be able to immerse yourself in the Arabic Internet, participate in their forums, discussions, make friends on FaceBook, etc.