Before we dive into how to learn Arabic, let’s discuss the brief history of Arabic and find out just how old the Arabic language is.
Arabic is one of the Semitic languages. It has been spoken in the Arab world for more than 20 centuries.
The noun “Arabic” is related to the ethnic group inhabiting Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, Gulf, Western Asia, and Western Indian ocean. “Arab” is derived from an ancient person called “Ya’rub”, the ancestor of the “pure Arabs”.
Islam has preserved Arabic language for over 14 centuries through the Holy book known as the “Quran” and contains all Arabic linguistic sources serving it.

Today, there are two main forms of Arabic;
Standard Arabic: The official language of Arab states, literature, books, instruction, etc.
The second form is the spoken regional dialects which differ from one region to another.

Language or Deen?

The Arabic word “Deen – دِين” is defined as religion. It refers to Islam, which is one of the major religions in the world today. Islam means submission to “Allah – الله” “the one incomparable Lord.” Islam is followed by 1.9 billion people worldwide. However, only 422 million of these followers are native Arabic speakers.

Most non-Arab Muslims have a desire to learn (MSA) Modern Standard Arabic. This is because they want to perform prayers, read and understand the Qur’an, and understand more about Islam.
It’s also important to note that MSA is required for those who want to learn Tajweed (Quranic recitation) to read the Quran properly.

Which Arabic Dialect to Learn

When searching for ways on how to learn Arabic, there is a second option. That alternative is to choose one of the colloquial spoken Arabic dialects that best suits your needs. There are four main dialects (daily spoken languages). These dialects are: Gulf, Levantine, Egyptian, and Moroccan Arabic. Each dialect is slightly different from one another.

The basics of Arabic grammar in dialects are straightforward. However, Arabic reading and writing is not available in colloquial dialects. It’s only available in MSA.
Importantly, the MSA is best for those just starting out. It’s the go-to for those with a desire to learn. That’s because MSA is the one that can be understood by all Arabic people.

Modern Standard Arabic

Most Arabic learners decide to learn Modern Standard Arabic, as it is the main official Arabic, the language of the religion, the written language, the language of Arabic culture, literature, instruction, etc. It is also understandable from most Arabs in all countries.

Learning MSA helps you communicate with most Arabs (even if they are not good enough in Standard Arabic). It also enables you to read and write, to study in Arabic, read and understand classic or modern books. It encompasses Arabic basics that are useful and set you in the right direction.
MSA is suitable for students, researchers, journalists, politicians, readers, and mass-media workers.

Spoken Arabic

One of the most important goals of MSA education is to learn how to speak Arabic.
Although daily Arabic is more related to colloquial dialects, you can also learn Arabic speaking in MSA.
Spoken MSA helps you to practice Fus-ha Arabic which is the official language of study and instruction. The Spoken Arabic course also helps you to learn how to read and write in MSA.
The Spoken Arabic course is suitable for people who want to learn Arabic for religion, politics, or studying at the university.

Business Arabic

In the Arabic language course relating to MSA, there is a sub-option to learn business Arabic.
Business Arabic helps you to contact Arabic partners in different fields of commerce, make a business trip to an Arabic country, check in the airport and hotel, know the most common terms of trade, top negotiation phrases, etc. You can also read and write Arabic advertising posts.
The course is suitable for people who want to learn to speak Arabic and who work in import/export or manufacturing in Arab countries.

Tajweed

When thinking about the best route to take on how to learn Arabic, learning Tajweed (Quran recitation) can have fruitful results in Arabic pronunciation. The rules of Tajweed are almost the same rules of Arabic phonology.

The main benefit of Tajweed is being able to read the Holy Quran properly. In addition, there are some other benefits for those who study Arabic academically and face difficulties with Arabic phonology. It also improves pronunciation skills.
Tajweed is important for all Muslims if they wish to avoid misreading the Quran.

Quranic Arabic

The term of Quranic Arabic may mean the Arabic relating to the Ayahs (verses) of Quran. It also means Arabic for Islam, i.e. learning a form of language that helps Muslims understand the language and use it in their daily life as practitioners of Islam. This includes being able to provide general linguistic tips for all.

With a Quranic Arabic course, you can learn Arabic as it relates to performing prayers and Ramadan fasting. Not to mention, it can help you attain the more common language skills.
Therefore, this would be suitable for someone who lives in, or is perhaps moving to an Islamic environment.

How Hard Is It to Learn Arabic

Although Arabic is a highly expressive language, it’s also a stenographic language (hiding many things like short vowels, for instance). Also, it’s written from right to left. Therefore, Arabic is a bit tougher to learn.

In order to learn Arabic properly, you have to spend about 2,400 hours of Arabic classes that last over 85 weeks. This doesn’t include practice time, reading and speaking skills. Some linguists consider Arabic just as tough to learn as Korean and Chinese, while the U.S. State Department classifies Arabic as a critical language.