Our basic Arabic course is over. Now, it is time to find and practise the ways to improve it. I am thinking of:
(a) Watching the Arab Channels, at least the news and not the teleseryes.
(b) Reading the broadsheets (which I have already started). Nosebleed!
(c) Talking (more) to Arabic speaking friends and colleagues.
(d) Reading Arabic comics, if available. I remember one of the better means that improved my reading before I enrolled to gradeschool was the comics, particularly the ones in Filipino. How can I forget the hahaha (ecstatic, laughing), hehehe (plainly happy and sometimes on a mischievous tone), hihihi (female, sometimes in flirtatious tone), hohoho (for Santa Claus), huhuhu (crying), hik-hik-hik (drunk), etc. Even the foreigners who want to improve their Filipino read comics.
(e) Buying a CD and book-guide for intermediate Arabic. I already did (the same day with a set for French).
(f) Reading the Twilight Saga (at least the first book, with the apple on the cover just like in the photo) which is written in Arabic. I am doubtful though that it will be effective because maybe I have memorized the English version.
0 thoughts on “How to improve my Arabic?”
onyxx
just looking at arabic writing makes my eyes swim, so i’ll probably suck big time if i even attempt to learn it. i think conversing with the natives is the easiest ’cause you’re already there and you’re familiar with their customs
.-= onyxx´s last blog ..got your starbucks 2010 planner yet? =-.
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witsandnuts
The frequent conversation in Arabic helps much. But I realized they have too many dialects, too. Sometimes the term varies from one person to the other.
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angeli
sabi nila, the best way to master a foreign language is to have a boyfriend/partner/husband who speaks it. LOL
.-= angeli´s last blog ..Alone again, naturally =-.
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witsandnuts
It’s good that I do NOT intend to master the Arabic language. LOL. 😉
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dyanie
parang mas madali ang letter C! 🙂
.-= dyanie´s last blog ..Charlie’s Grind and Grill =-.
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witsandnuts
That’s right. But I want to read well more para sa mga documents. 😉
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kayni
me too, i learned Tagalog by reading comics. when i was learning Italian, i found learning Italian songs very helpful. i wish you well with learning Arabic.
.-= kayni´s last blog ..Yearning For Normalcy =-.
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witsandnuts
Learning through songs is a good idea. Thanks, Kayni!
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jeanny
wow….goodluck wits. go go go!!!!
.-= jeanny´s last blog ..Treetop Adventure: Superman Ride =-.
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witsandnuts
Thanks, Jeanny.
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docgelo
i salute you for taking the challenge of learning arabic!
fyi, i’m always fascinated how pinoys speak in different local dialects (for i don’t know any other than tagalog) moreso to speak foreign language/s. i am easily amazed! good luck and carry on!
.-= docgelo´s last blog ..SUBLIME BURGER EXPERIENCE =-.
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witsandnuts
I had no serious intention to learn this language until I was enrolled. 😉
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docgelo
PS : ano sa arabic ang warewolves and vampires? joke lang po. 😀
.-= docgelo´s last blog ..SUBLIME BURGER EXPERIENCE =-.
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witsandnuts
Naku, I don’t know yet. Sige, ire-research ko. Heehee.
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kg
so funny that you said you might have memorized the first book of the twilight saga! 🙂 sasabihin ko pa naman that reading those books in arabic might just be the way for you to be proficient in arabic!
looking at the books, nosebleed na agad ako! it looks so hard to learn arabic!
.-= kg´s last blog ..Mean Moms =-.
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witsandnuts
Joke lang yung memorized ko yung book 1. Some lines lang siguro. Hahaha!
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chyng
very interesting yung alphabet nila! i needa lot of backreading to do para ma-absorb ko bakit may arabic lessons.. Ü
.-= chyng´s last blog ..Top 20 Healthiest Pinoy Food =-.
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witsandnuts
I forgot to link to the other post pala. I already put the related link in the first sentence. 🙂
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chyng
japanese characters ba silang nsa blogroll —>
galing! multi-lingual! Ü
.-= chyng´s last blog ..Top 20 Healthiest Pinoy Food =-.
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witsandnuts
Yes. But somebody else converted those links for me. 😉
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eds
congrats. galing naman natapos mo na yong basic arabic course mo. looking at that arabic writing, parang ang hirap matutulog nalang ata ako kaysa magtake ng arabic course. hehehe
and twilight in arabic?! ahhh…good luck wits. kaya mo yan!
.-= eds´s last blog ..my new baby! =-.
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witsandnuts
Nosebleed pa rin ako hanggang ngayon. Haha!
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upto6only
hahaha goodluck. pag uwi mo dito turan mo ako 😛
.-= upto6only´s last blog ..PHOTOHUNT: Bulky =-.
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witsandnuts
Sure. See you soon!
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caryn
coolness! hey jo, i think that’s a pretty neat idea. i brushed up on my kanji by reading the manga (comic book) of my fave j-doramas 😉 good practice that!
.-= caryn´s last blog ..pan de sal! =-.
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witsandnuts
I’ll scout for comics this weekend. 🙂
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BlogusVox
Wow, now you can read Arabic as well! You know what, speaking and reading Arabic will be a big plus for you (work wise)! Employers in the Middle East value more those who have that kind of extra knowledge.
.-= BlogusVox´s last blog ..Educating Bea (Part III) =-.
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witsandnuts
I think so. I just hope I’ll be consistent with my practice. Otherwise, makakalimutan ko uli. 🙂
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dyosa
Watch the teleseryes. They’re much fun than Arab news. 🙂
Have fun and good luck with your Arab language mastery!
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witsandnuts
Hmmm, I might consider watching series in Arabic. Let’ see. 😉
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SleeplessInKL
I wish you luck! I know how tough Arabic can be. You’re right about the dialects — it just makes it all the more confusing 😛
Me? I get by with ‘shukran’, ‘afwan’, ‘khalas’, ‘wahid’, ‘khamsa’, ‘ashara’, ‘tuffah’, ‘burtuqal’ and ‘mauz’ hehe.
.-= SleeplessInKL´s last blog ..A.W.O.L. =-.
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witsandnuts
Yes, the dialects are painful. Btw, you know a number of terms. That would help. 🙂
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forfuitous faery
you’ve memorized the twilight book, you say? that should help you absorb the arabic version easier, then!
how do you say “lion” and “lamb” in arabic? 😛
.-= forfuitous faery´s last blog ..Tree’s A Company =-.
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witsandnuts
No, I haven’t memorized the entire book. Some lines/dialogues lang. 😉
Lion = asad (pronounced ase’d)
Lamb = hamal (pronounced ham-i-l)
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lalei
I’m wanting to learn another language but Arabic is not one of them. Parang ang hirap mag-sulat at bumasa ng pabaligtad.
Good luck!
.-= lalei´s last blog ..Walktober Challenge =-.
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witsandnuts
Until now I still struggle to read and write from right to left. 😦
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Nebz
That’s one of my dreams: to be able to speak (and write and read too) in Arabic. Hirap!
Whenever I’m on the road, I keep memorizing their alphabets (via the vehicles’ plates). For example, our ‘e’ appears as capitalized E in Script font in Arabic. Their ‘a’ is a vertical line that resembles our small letter ‘l’. Pero kapag dikit dikit na ung sulat, hindi ko na alam basahin.
I would honestly recommend to you Steps C and D. I think mas mabilis kang matututo dun.
Good luck, Jo.
.-= Nebz´s last blog ..Half-cooked =-.
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witsandnuts
Before I was doing like that, too. Yung tipong each letter tinatranslate ko lang into Arabic. But when I took the course/classes, only then I learned that the form of most of the letters/syllables change depending on which part of the word you will use it (as first, middle or last letter of the word). Hence, almost times 3 yung kelangang i-memorize per letter equivalent sa alphabet.
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sandpail
I’m using Kid’s Read-Along Books to help me out. I was wondering what things others are doing, and you seem to have some good ideas with the comic books etc. How did you work on improving your vocabulary?
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