Arabic Learning Tips from Rosetta Stone
About the Arabic language
Current figures estimate that between 200 and 400 million people speak Arabic as a native language. In terms of numbers, it is the largest active member of the Semantic language family and is an official language of 25 countries and the United Nations.
Arabic Learning Tips
- Arabic is read and written from right to left.
- Arabic pronunciation and spelling are regular and predictable. Letters are pronounced as they are written and much of the language is phonetic.
- There is no distinction between upper and lower case letters.
- Arabic nouns have three number forms to differentiate between one thing (singular), two things (dual), and three or more things (plural). The dual form is sometimes omitted in spoken Arabic.
- Arabic has eight vowels and diphthongs to 32 consonants.
- Arabic is a stress-timed language. Words spelt in a similar way are differentiated by short vowels which alter meaning.
- Arabic nouns have two genders; masculine or feminine. Verbs and adjectives change according to the gender used.
- The Arabic language uses one verb form for actions that have been completed and another for ongoing actions. The future tense is formed by adding a prefix to the verb form used for ongoing action.
- Arabic adjectives follow the nouns they describe; so ‘Man Happy’ rather than ‘Happy Man’.
- The Arabic language has special symbols that serve as vowels, placed above or under the word.
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