Anybody know of any good language guides or software I could download to learn Arabic? I've heard mixed things about Rosetta Stone, just curious if you guys knew any alternatives.
أنا لست الأمريكية
The most important phrase to know in Arabic
>>1053243
figure out your purpose, dialect or standard? standard for news, dialect for travel and conversation.
Rosetta stone is ok for news, but not for dialect. For dialect you can find some decent stuff by just searching online or getting a phrase book.
>>1053249
Preferably both. I plan on saving up and going to the middle East as my dream trip. Unfortunately, it probably won't be for awhile what with how expensive it can be. In the mean time, I'd figure I'd learn how to talk the talk before I walk the walk, so to speak.
>>1053243
Arabic is fucking hard, needs dedicated study.
look up the Alif-Baa and Al-Kitaab series, they're what everyone uses in Arabic classes. finding a native speaker to work through everything with you is probably the most efficient way forward.
>>1053248
>أنا لست الأمريكية
First thing I learn in any language.
>>1053325
أنا لست يهودية
This one comes in handy too...
>>1053243
Where are you going in the Middle East? I live in Cairo and there is absolutely no need to learn Arabic. That goes for all of the Gulf countries and I'd imagine Turkey and Jordan.
>>1053361
>no need to learn Arabic
>in Egypt
Have fun getting scammed
>>1053361
This sounds legit, in Oman lots of Arabs speak English and if you really need a translator you can always find a Filipino or Sri Lankan expat worker who speaks English. Also literally every single sign in the country -- yes, literally -- is bi-lingual.
Then in the Maghreb you have French which is hella easier to learn than any Semitic language
Basically I think you'll do fine with just learning the survival phrases in MSA
>>1053361
In Turkey you'd be better off learning Turkish than Arabic anyway.
>>1053243
Have you tried Kabba Stone?
