Explained: How to learn Arabic in UAE in three months

With the right kind of dedication and passion, those learning Arabic can start speaking the language in just three months, according to Naseem Hamza Ahmed, Academic Director of language learning platform Arabic Partner.

“The key is to immerse yourself in the language and commit to the goal,” he said.

This comes as an extensive survey by an Arabic language revealed that at least three in five non-Arabic speaking residents in Abu Dhabi would like to learn it.

Having taught Arabic for over two decades Naseem pointed out that there are four basic steps to follow to learn the language.

“The first step is to listen,” he said. “I encourage people to listen to conversations, videos or whatever they can lay their hands on. Every day, it is important to pick up at least four or five words. People can do it either while driving or at the gym or in between household chores. I cannot stress how important it is to keep listening to Arabic. The more one listens, the more they will feel confident to speak."

The second step is to speak. “It doesn’t have to be grammatically right, but I encourage people to use words whenever they can,” he said.

“Even if it is a broken conversation, it is important for those learning Arabic to use what they learn. This not only reinforces the words but also builds the base for a fluent conversation later.”

The remaining two steps are reading and writing. According to Naseem, it is important to follow the steps in the right order. “Most people start with reading and writing and then move to speaking and listening,” he said. “I have seen that people who start with listening often achieve more success in learning the language.”

'It's about the journey'

While it can be easy to learn the language with right mind-set, Naseem wants people to focus more on the journey than the end goal itself.

“Learning a language is a very enjoyable experience but one that requires a lot of patience,” he said.

He also stressed that those willing to master Arabic must be prepared to dedicate their time and energies towards it.

“I have found that people who have made a resolution to learn and are ready to commit a certain number of hours every week to the goal learn better.”

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In addition to finding a good teacher and working diligently, people’s passion and skill also play a role in their ability to pick up a language. “Some people have the natural ability to learn languages,” he said. “Such people often succeed in mastering a language fairly easily.”