Arabic For Dummies®
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Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006920607
ISBN-13: 978-0-471-77270-5
ISBN-10: 0-471-77270-4
Manufactured in the United States of America
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Amine Bouchentouf is a native English, Arabic, and French speaker born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco. Amine has been teaching Arabic and lecturing about relations between America and the Arab world in his spare time for over 4 years and has offered classes and seminars for students at Middlebury College, the Council on Foreign Relations, and various schools across the United States. He runs and maintains the Web site www.al-baab.com (which means “gateway” in Arabic).
Amine graduated from Middlebury College and has always been interested in promoting better relations between the West and the Middle East through dialogue and mutual understanding. Amine published his first book, Arabic: A Complete Course (Random House), soon after graduating college in order to help Americans understand Arabic language and culture. He has written Arabic For Dummies in an attempt to reach an even wider audience with the aim of fostering better relations through education.
He holds a degree in Economics from Middlebury and has extensive experience in the arena of international investing. He is a registered investment advisor and is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers. Amine is currently working on his third book, Investing in Commodities For Dummies (Wiley Publishing).
Amine is an avid traveler and has visited over 15 countries across the Middle East, Europe, and North and South America. Aside from his interest in languages, business, and travel, Amine enjoys biking, rollerblading, playing guitar, chess, and golf. He lives in New York City.
This book is dedicated to my greatest and most steadfast supporters — my family. To my mother for her infinite and unwavering support, and to my sister, Myriam, for her enthusiasm and passion — you are my greatest inspirations.
To my father and grandfather, may you rest in peace, thank you for instilling in me such a deep respect and awareness of my roots and culture. I am honored to be part of the Bouchentouf family.
And to my grandmother, who recently passed away, thanks for always believing in me.
This book would not have been possible without the guidance and input from the wonderful folks at Wiley Publishing. It has been an honor to work with a team that adheres to the highest standards of professionalism.
First, I would like to thank Kathy Cox, my acquisitions editor, whose insight into the Dummies methodology has been invaluable to me, and for her tireless dedication to this book. To Tim Gallan, my project editor, for his patient, thorough and insightful guidance. And to my copy editor, Elizabeth Rea, for her detailed and meticulous review of the manuscript. Also, thanks to Courtney Allen who helped us get the ball rolling in the early stages of the project. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with such a wonderful team.
Special thanks to Ben Smith from Harvard University’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies for agreeing to serve as technical reviewer of the text. His comments have ensured that the translation of the text adhered to the highest degree of linguistic accuracy.
I would also like to extend a special thanks to my agent, Mark Sullivan, whose dedication and hard work is exemplary. I’m proud to have someone so diligent and persistent representing me. Merci.
Also, thanks to my wonderful Arabic students at the Council on Foreign Relations: Mehlaqa, Danna, Mary, Mark, and Evan who helped me challenge myself and become a better communicator. And a special thanks to the hardworking folks at the ABC Language Exchange and to everyone at my alma mater, Middlebury College, for their enthusiasm and support of this project.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this writing period. I would not have been able to do this without your precious support.
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development
Senior Project Editor: Tim Gallan
Acquisitions Editor: Kathleen M. Cox
Copy Editor: Elizabeth Rea
Editorial Program Coordinator: Hanna K. Scott
Technical Editor: Benjamin Smith
Editorial Manager: Christine Meloy Beck
Editorial Assistants: Nadine Bell, Erin Calligan, David Lutton
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Adrienne Martinez
Layout and Graphics: Mary J. Gillot, Joyce Haughey, Stephanie D. Jumper, Melanee Prendergast, Julie Trippetti, Erin Zeltner
Proofreaders: Henry Lazarek, Joe Niesen, Christine Pingleton
Indexer: Steve Rath
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies
Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies
Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies
Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User
Composition Services
Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Title
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
What I Assume About You
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I : Getting Started
Chapter 1: You Already Know a Little Arabic
Taking Stock of What’s Familiar
Discovering the Arabic Alphabet
Speaking Arabic Like a Native
Addressing Arabic Transcription
Chapter 2: The Nitty-Gritty: Basic Arabic Grammar
Introducing Nouns, Adjectives, and Articles
Creating Simple, Verb-Free Sentences
Working with Verbs
Chapter 3: ‘as-salaamu ‘alaykum!: Greetings and Introductions
Greetings!
Talkin’ the Talk
Making Introductions
Talkin’ the Talk
Talking About Countries and Nationalities
Part II : Arabic in Action
Chapter 4: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk
Asking Key Questions
Talkin’ the Talk
Talking About Yourself and Your Family
Talkin’ the Talk
Making Small Talk on the Job
Talkin’ the Talk
Talking About Hobbies
Talkin’ the Talk
Shooting the Breeze: Talking About the Weather
Talkin’ the Talk
Talking Numbers
Referring to Days and Months
Chapter 5: This Is Delicious! Eating In and Dining Out
All About Meals
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Enjoying a Meal at Home
Dining Out
Talkin’ the Talk
Chapter 6: Going Shopping
Going to the Store
Talkin’ the Talk
Asking for a Particular Item
Talkin’ the Talk
Comparing Merchandise
Talkin’ the Talk
More Than a Few Words About Buying and Selling
Shopping for Clothes
Chapter 7: Around Town
Telling Time in Arabic
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Visiting Museums
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Going to the Movies
Talkin’ the Talk
Touring Religious Sites
Chapter 8: Enjoying Yourself: Recreation
Starting Out with the Verbs fa’ala (Did) and yaf’alu (To Do)
Sporting an Athletic Side
Talkin’ the Talk
Going to the Beach
Talkin’ the Talk
Playing Musical Instruments
Popular Hobbies
Chapter 9: Talking on the Phone
Dialing Up the Basics
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Making Plans Over the Phone
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Leaving a Message
Talkin’ the Talk
Chapter 10: At the Office and Around the House
Landing the Perfect Job
Talkin’ the Talk
Managing the Office Environment
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Life at Home
Talkin’ the Talk
Part III : Arabic on the Go
Chapter 11: Money, Money, Money
At the Bank
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Using the ATM
Exchanging Currency
Talkin’ the Talk
Chapter 12: Asking for Directions
Focusing on the “Where”
Getting Direction About Directions
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Discovering Ordinal Numbers
Chapter 13: Staying at a Hotel
Choosing the Right Accommodation
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Making a Reservation
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Checking In to the Hotel
Talkin’ the Talk
Checking Out of the Hotel
Talkin’ the Talk
Chapter 14: Getting from Here to There: Transportation
Traveling by Plane
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Getting Around on Land
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Talkin’ the Talk
Chapter 15: Planning a Trip
Choosing Your Destination
Talkin’ the Talk
Picking the Right Time for Your Trip
Talkin’ the Talk
Tackling Packing
Preparing Your Travel Documents
Talkin’ the Talk
Using a Travel Agency
Chapter 16: Handling an Emergency
Shouting Out for Help
Talkin’ the Talk
Getting Medical Help
Talkin’ the Talk
Acquiring Legal Help
Part IV : The Part of Tens
Chapter 17: Ten Ways to Pick Up Arabic Quickly
Watch Arabic Television
Use the Dictionary
Read Arabic Newspapers
Surf the Internet
Use a Language Tape or CD
Listen to Arabic Music
Make Arabic-Speaking Friends
Watch Arabic Movies
Eat at a Middle Eastern Restaurant
Sing Arabic Songs
Chapter 18: Ten Things You Should Never Do in an Arab Country
Don’t Shake Hands with a Firm Grip
Don’t Enter a Room Full of People Without Saying “‘as-salaamu ‘alaykum”
Don’t Start Eating Before Saying “bismi allah”
If You’re Not Muslim, Don’t Enter a Mosque Without Explicit Authorization
Don’t Enter a Mosque with Your Shoes On
Don’t Eat or Drink During Ramadan
Don’t Drink Alcohol During Ramadan
Don’t Drink Alcohol in Public
Don’t Engage in Public Displays of Affection
Don’t Refuse a Gift If One Is Offered to You
Chapter 19: Ten Favorite Arabic Expressions
marHaba bikum!
mumtaaz!
al-Hamdu li-llah
inshaa’ allah
mabruk!
bi ‘idni allah
bi SaHHa
taHiyyaat
muballagh
tabaaraka allah
Chapter 20: Ten Great Arabic Proverbs
al-’amthaal noor al-kalaam.
‘a’mal khayr wa ‘ilqahu fii al-baHr.
‘uTlubuu al-’ilm min al-mahd ‘ilaa al-laHd.
yad waaHida maa tusaffiq.
al-Harbaa’ laa Yughaadir shajaratuh hattaa yakun mu’akkid ‘an shajara ‘ukhraa.
khaTa’ ma’roof ‘aHsan min Haqiiqa ghayr ma’roofa.
as-sirr mithel al-Hamaama: ‘indamaa yughaadir yadii yaTiir.
al-’aql li an-niDHaar wa al-kalb li as-simaa’.
kul yawm min Hayaatuk SafHa min taariikhuk.
li faatik bi liila faatik bi Hiila.
Part V : Appendixes
Appendix A: Verb Tables
Regular Arabic Verbs in the Past Tense
Regular Arabic Verbs in the Present Tense
Regular Arabic Verbs in the Future Tense
Irregular Arabic Verbs in the Past Tense
Irregular Arabic Verbs in the Present Tense
Irregular Arabic Verbs in the Future Tense
Arabic-English Mini-DictionaryEnglish-Arabic Mini-Dictionary
Appendix C: Answer Key
Appendix D: About the CD
Arabic, the official language of over 20 countries, is the mother tongue of over 300 million people. It’s spoken throughout the Middle East, from Morocco to Iraq. Additionally, because Arabic is the language of the Koran and Islam, it’s understood by more than 1.2 billion people across the world.
Due to recent geopolitical events, Arabic has catapulted to the top of the list of important world languages. Even in countries where Arabic isn’t the official language, people are scrambling to master this important and vital global language.
For people in North America and Europe, at first glance Arabic seems like a difficult language to master; after all, it isn’t a Romance language and doesn’t use the Latin alphabet. However, like any other language, Arabic is governed by a set of rules, and when you master these rules, you’re able to speak Arabic like a native speaker!
Arabic For Dummies is designed to identify and explain the rules that govern the Arabic language in the easiest and most interactive way possible. I organize each chapter in a straightforward and coherent manner and present the material in an interactive and engaging way.
Unlike most books on the Arabic language, Arabic For Dummies is designed in a way that gives you the most accurate and in-depth information available on the composition of the language. The book is modular in nature; every chapter is organized in such a way that you don’t have to read the whole book in order to understand the topic that’s discussed. Feel free to jump through chapters and sections to suit your specific needs. Also, every grammatical and linguistic point is explained in plain English so that you can incorporate the concept immediately. I took great care to explain every concept clearly and succinctly.
To provide the best foundation and the widest usage for students of Arabic, Arabic For Dummies focuses on Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is the most widely used form of Arabic in the world. There are basically three different types of Arabic: Koranic Arabic, local dialects, and MSA.
Koranic Arabic is the Arabic used to write the Koran, the holy book for Muslims. This form of Arabic is very rigid and hasn’t changed much since the Koran was written approximately 1,500 years ago. Koranic Arabic is widely used in religious circles for prayer, discussions of Islamic issues, and serious deliberations. Its usage is limited primarily within a strict religious context. It’s the equivalent of Biblical English.
The regional dialects are the most informal type of Arabic. They tend to fall into three geographical categories: the North African dialect (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya); the Egyptian dialect (Egypt, parts of Syria, Palestine, and Jordan); and Gulf Arabic (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates). Even though the words are pronounced differently and some of the everyday expressions differ dramatically from region to region, speakers from different regions can understand each other. The common denominator for the regional dialects is that they’re all based on MSA.
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the most widely used and understood form of Arabic in the world. It’s less rigid than Koranic Arabic but a bit more formal than the local dialects. MSA is the language that Arabic anchors use to present the news, professionals use to discuss business and technical issues, and friends and families use to socialize with one another.
Throughout the book, each new Arabic word appears in boldface, followed by its proper pronunciation and its English equivalent in parentheses.
Because this is a language book, I include some sections to help you master the linguistic concepts with greater ease. Here’s a description of the specialty sections you find in each chapter:
Talkin’ the Talk dialogues: Here’s where you get to see Arabic in action. These common Arabic dialogues show you how to use important vocabulary words and terms you should be aware of. Select Talkin’ the Talk dialogues have accompanying audio versions on the book’s CD.
Words to Know blackboards: An important part of mastering a new language is becoming familiar with important words and phrases. Key terms that I recommend you memorize are included in these sections, which present the transcription of the Arabic word, the pronunciation, and the translation.
Fun & Games activities: The aim of Arabic For Dummies is to help you master the Arabic language in an interactive and engaging way. With that in mind, each chapter ends with a Fun & Games that lets you review the key concept covered in the chapter in a fun but effective way.
In writing Arabic For Dummies, I made the following assumptions about my likely readers:
You’ve had very little exposure (or none at all) to the Arabic language.
You’re interested in mastering Arabic for either personal or professional reasons.
You want to be able to speak a few words and phrases so that you can communicate basic information in Arabic.
You’ve been exposed to Arabic but are interested in brushing up on your language skills.
You’re not looking for a dry book on Arabic grammar; you want to discover Arabic in a fun and engaging manner.
You’re looking for a practical course that will have you speaking basic Arabic in no time!
Arabic For Dummies is organized into five different parts, with each part divided into chapters. The following part descriptions give you a heads-up on what to expect in each part.
The first part of Arabic For Dummies is a must-read if you’ve never been exposed to Arabic. I introduce the Arabic script and present the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet before explaining the difference between consonants and vowels, which have a very peculiar relationship in Arabic. In addition, in this part you get a detailed and thorough overview of Arabic grammatical and linguistic constructs; for instance, you find out how nouns, verbs, and adjectives interact with each other to create phrases and sentences. Finally, you discover some of the most basic forms of greetings and are introduced to basic words and phrases.
This part exposes you to key words and phrases that allow you to interact with Arabic-speaking folks in a variety of different settings (such as in a restaurant, around town, at the office, or even at the mall). You discover how to make small talk and how to ask for basic information about people you speak to, such as their names, where they’re from, and their occupations.
This part gives you the tools you need to take Arabic on the road with you. Find out how to open a bank account, how to plan a trip, how to make a reservation at a hotel, and how to ask for directions.
The chapters in this part share some of the nonverbal methods of communication that help you to better interact with Arabic-speaking people. For example, you discover ten of the greatest Arabic proverbs, and you find out proper ways to interact with people if you’re in an Arabic-speaking country. I also share my recommendations on the best ways to acquire Arabic as quickly as possible.
This part is a useful reference if you need information quickly. One of the appendixes in this part is a detailed list of regular and irregular verbs to help you conjugate verbs in the past, present, and future tenses. I also include a mini-dictionary in both Arabic–English and English–Arabic formats for quick reference. Finally, you find an appendix that guides you through the audio tracks on the CD.
In order to help you get in and get out of this book easily and efficiently, I use icons (little pictures) that identify important pieces of information by category. The following icons appear in this book:
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This book is organized so that you can jump around from topic to topic. You don’t have to read the whole thing. Want to know how to ask for directions in Arabic? Jump to Chapter 12. Need to exchange money in an Arabic country? Check out Chapter 11. Care to venture into the realm of Arabic grammar? Chapter 2 is for you.
In this part . . .
I introduce the Arabic script and present the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet before explaining the difference between consonants and vowels, which have a very peculiar relationship in Arabic. In addition, in this part you get a detailed and thorough overview of Arabic grammatical and linguistic constructs. You find out how nouns, verbs, and adjectives interact with each other to create phrases and sentences. Finally, you discover some of the most basic forms of greetings and are introduced to basic words and phrases.