Guest Author - Julie L Baumler

So you want to learn Arabic. The Middle Eastern Culture site is an excellent resource for beginning your study of the beautiful and useful Arabic language – so much so that it can be overwhelming. Here's a road map through your first steps in learning Arabic at BellaOnline.

Inspiration

If you are still considering your decision to study the Arabic language, or just want some additional inspiration, check out Why Study Arabic?

You can also check out all the places where Arabic is used, as well as the other languages used through out the Middle East in Languages of the Middle East.

Preparation

There is an old saying that well begun is half way done. Before you start studying, there are a few steps you should take. If you want to use your computer for studying, you may want to check out How to Setup Windows XP for Middle Eastern Languages. Put your study time to maximum use by checking out
Utilize Your Learning Style To Master Middle Eastern Languages to choose an optimal language learning method. And gain some important background information on how gender is used in Arabic with Gender in Language Learning

Learning the Alphabet

Unless you have chosen an oral/aural only language program, like Pimsleur, your first step in learning Arabic will be to learn the alphabet. Start slowly with Learning Another Alphabet, which is full of tips and resources for learning another alphabet. Then move on to a gentle introduction to the Arabic alphabet with A First Look At The Arabic Alphabet. Then you can start learning the sounds and forms of the Arabic letters with
Letters of the Arabic Alphabet - First Half and Second Half.

From there, take an in depth look at the letters and their forms, as well as start learning a few words with my series on Arabic letters in words:

Arabic Letters in Words I
Arabic Letters in Words II
Arabic Letters in Words III
Arabic Letters in Words IV
Arabic Letters in Words V
Arabic Letters in Words VI
Arabic Letters in Words VII
Arabic Letters in Words VIII

Now that you know the alphabet – and a few words – it's time to learn the numbers with
Numbers in the Middle East - Understanding Arabic Numbers

Moving Forward

At this point you should be well prepared to start learning Arabic conversation and grammar.

Whether you plan to travel to the Middle East, talk to your neighbors, or are more interested in understanding the Koran talking to other Arabic speakers is an excellent way to speed up your learning. Be prepared by studying
Basic Words and Phrases in Arabic.

For further study, you can check out my review of href='http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art53388.asp' >Arab Academy, an online and onsite Arabic school based in Cairo, Egypt. This would also be a good time to go back to the article on learning styles and checking out the links to free lessons.

Keep studying and good luck!