Arabic classses

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Rachel turner
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Arabic classses

Post by Rachel turner »

i am really struggling to find a class for learning arabic near to where i live - the nearest is manchester - and the classes are by a company called cactus.
Does anyone have any information on the courses and if they are worthwhile. I aim to spend 10 weeks from #October in a class where they speak only arabic and conversation, but because its Arabic and not Egyptian arabic would this be worthwhile?? because not cheap ... I can speak arabic quite well now and understand it more but need fluent conversation.


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Post by Angela »

I did a course in Arabic at an Adult college a couple of years ago. It was two hours once a week and we learnt basic conversation, some reading and writing. We had an assessment at the end.

I felt it was a really good basis for building on but you need real life practise to be fluent (which I am not!!!). My teacher was from Jordan and pointed out words to us that were different in some Arab countries.

Rosetta stone do an online course for just over £100 for six months. It teaches you vocab and some reading and is supposed to be very good.
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Post by stratagems »

Most western expats in Egypt learn colloquial not MSA. Most of the ones in Cairo do anyway, where if they wanted they could make themselves understood if they spoke MSA, as there's a higher level of literacy there compared to Luxor. Though beginners Standard is okay, beyond that it won't really be appropriate for conversing if you want to use it there (although technically you could do). It's a bit too formal and stilted and besides, they have their spoken dialect.

Maybe you could advertise somewhere for private lessons? I know an Egyptian who lived close to Manchester, but I don't think there's a sizeable community there, so it might be worth looking for Lebanese/Syrians who could teach you. It won't be exactly the same as Egyptian, but if you reach conversational level, you'll still be well understood by an Arab native and they'll just reply in their own dialect.

Sorry I can't offer practical help.
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Post by Rachel turner »

There are some students that teach you - for £10 per hour - this again is onlin through skype and im not sure if i can be bothered with this over the internet. I need face to face combat and situations in everyday life. seems London and the midlands but not much up north.
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Cactus learning arabic

Post by Max55 »

Hi Rachael,

Is it the 6th October you start your classes. I start mine then also, im a bit worried though my arabic not that good and they only speak arabic all the time.


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Post by Rachel turner »

See you there Max yes - only arabic conversation but thats good idea as we will learn that much quicker - and it will be fun too-
so at least we can be worried together -just think we can then understand a little more.
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Post by Max55 »

hi racheal, how did arabic class go
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Post by LivinginLuxor »

Remember before you take a course that Egyptian Arabic is a unique language, and your Arabic might not be understood here.
I might agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong!
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Post by Rachel turner »

hi max try and get there - nice class of about 10 people - teacher from Jordan but lives in UK.
The arabic is spoken in class not english- and although tough class - i enjoyed it. You actually have to write it - so not just speaking and interacting -
Stan its taking into consideration all arabic dialects - Iraq, kuwait, jodan, saudi, Egyptian is the main dominating language in class ,
It was interesting knowing how to break down the alphabet into words -quite easy when you recognise them - What astounded me was i brought back all my writing (in arabic) and my daughter picked it up read it all back to me- she can read it write it - amazing she aquired this by reading with the kids whilst in Egypt , she has this uncanny knack of being able to write it so easily.
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Post by Glyphdoctor »

Congratulations Rachel. I think a lot of people are intimidated by learning to read Arabic but it really is only 28 letters. It can be hard at first to deal with small print Arabic but with time that becomes easier (until it gets harder again with aging of the eyes!), but you will find that it gives you so many more opportunities to pick up the language when you can read signs, food packages etc.
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Post by HEPZIBAH »

[face=Comic Sans MS]I just wish there was a class or someone willing to teach near me. I have a basic phrase book and also a CD but it is not the same as interaction with other humans. When I'm in Egypt I find most people don't give me a chance to try the little I have picked up as they want to listen to my English. :roll: [/face]
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Post by Rachel turner »

i will pm you hepz later -I have to work at my arabic a little this weekend - as we are given tasks to do -but yes more interesting than a cd and phrase book-
I struggled to get a class - nearest is Manchester and thats 1.1/2 hrs by car or 35 mins by train.- so a novelty going on a train for me .
Its a language that is really popular now but very few teachers -unless you do it through internet which i didnt fancy.
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Post by Angela »

Rachel turner wrote:hi max try and get there - nice class of about 10 people - teacher from Jordan but lives in UK.
The arabic is spoken in class not english- and although tough class - i enjoyed it. You actually have to write it - so not just speaking and interacting -
Stan its taking into consideration all arabic dialects - Iraq, kuwait, jodan, saudi, Egyptian is the main dominating language in class ,
It was interesting knowing how to break down the alphabet into words -quite easy when you recognise them - What astounded me was i brought back all my writing (in arabic) and my daughter picked it up read it all back to me- she can read it write it - amazing she aquired this by reading with the kids whilst in Egypt , she has this uncanny knack of being able to write it so easily.
I did an evening course a few years ago and my teacher was Jordanian as well! In fact, she left Reading to move up north to teach. Her name isn't Nancy is it? That would be a coincidence!

Good luck Rachel, sounds like you're making a great start.
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Post by Rachel turner »

Name was
yousef Ahmed a guy Angela - quite a character - i have also devised a way of reading the tiny arabic writing that i struggle with - besides it being written backwards, which doesnt come easily fluetnt to write.
If i go to Google translate and maek up a few phrases - or names then tranlate to Arabic but in a larger font - - good for flash cards - so i will print some off and play games with them with my daughter - so im going to pop to work to laminate them
:roll:
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Post by Goddess »

Glyphdoctor wrote:Congratulations Rachel. I think a lot of people are intimidated by learning to read Arabic but it really is only 28 letters. It can be hard at first to deal with small print Arabic but with time that becomes easier (until it gets harder again with aging of the eyes!), but you will find that it gives you so many more opportunities to pick up the language when you can read signs, food packages etc.
Very true.
I'm a firm believer in learning a language from the ground up. It's all very well being able to say "I live here" blah blah blah, but being able to move past that and actually know the difference between the different sounds of the alphabet will give you a great advantage. Being able to read it is amazing. I nearly keeled over with excitement the day I first read the word 'pizza' on a shop front of excitement - and it wasn't just because there was a pizza shop I never knew about just around the corner ... but that I was now able to read menus, street signs, newspapers etc.
Keep it up Rachel! It'll be tough - but it does get easier.
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Post by SoCalledEgyptologist »

I stil find the reading difficult, although I learned the alphabet 2 years ago. I still have my books, which I always mean to keep using, but I dont' :oops:

I can read shop signs etc, and usually products in the supermarket when I can sort of guess what the word is going to be. But I still can't differentiate the more similar sounds from each other. And spelling out what someone says - not a chance!!!!

I feel embarrassed by my arabic really, I know a lot but I' lazy to use it somehow. Its so easy and convenient to use english in Luxor. When you speak arabic you inevitably get the "you speak arabic?? very good! Where you from? you have husband here" talk :roll:

I think I learned and used more arabic in 2 months in Cairo than I have in 5 years in Luxor... going to the museum in a taxi every day, I learned to fluently direct driver ANYWHERE and could name anything in a supermarket in its container. But now I hardly remember half of it :(
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Post by Rachel turner »

My lessons are getting more difficult but i am hanging in there - i am struggling with the vowels and the change in the actual formation of writing the words. As when you have learned where to put them you actually lose these vowels and you have to deduce the meaning of the word, from the context.
So you seem to grasp one concept and then it changes - but its practice practice.
I will crack this.
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Post by stratagems »

What are the main differences between Cairene and Saidi (Luxor) dialects?
What are the main differences between Egyptian and Lebanese/Jordanain/Syrian or Khaleeji Arabic?

I'm leaving out North African Arabic because of the influence of French, Berber languages etc.
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