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Arabic Language Apps
Here is a post of Arabic apps that I like. There are more apps out there, except that many are filled with ads or not that great.
Alphabet
TenguLogi Arabic Alphabet
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: The best app out there to learn the alphabet. Pronunciation is done with Syrian and Iraqi speakers to show the differences. It has quizzes and great grammar explanations.
Write with Me in Arabic
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is just a writing practice tool for the Arabic alphabet. It lets you trace the 3 forms of each letter
Write it! Arabic
Cost: Free
Link: [Android]
Thoughts: This is a writing practice tool for the Arabic alphabet as well as a quiz for the letters.
Language
ACON Arabic Verb Conjugator
Cost: $5.52
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: A great tool to help you learn how to conjugate Arabic verbs and see verb patterns. A must-have for any Arabic student.
Anki
Cost: Free for Android and computer, $25 for iOS
Link: [Android] [iOS] ; Pronunciation Trainer [here]
Thoughts: Anki is a good app to use for spaced repetition. You can find packs for the alphabet or vocabulary on the web. What I would recommend is to use it for the MSA pronunciation trainer by Gabriel Wyner if you want to use Anki to improve your pronunciation.
Araby: Learn Arabic
Cost: Free, $6.99 for all lessons
Link: [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a cute app that provides lessons like Duolingo, although it lacks audio.
Arabic Spy: Damascus Ops
Cost: Free; full app $4
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a fun way to learn Arabic. It’s a gamified app that makes you learn Arabic through a mystery game. It’s good for some basic vocabulary.
Arabic Teacher
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: Teaches the alphabet but is better at other things like prepositions, numbers, and vocabulary. It teaches you very basic Arabic, but it has a nice interface and quizzes. It is good for recognizing vocab, but doesn’t really teach grammar.
Beelinguapp
Cost: Free; pay for more stories
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is another app to be able to read Arabic texts with translation side to side. The great thing is that it has audio and you can choose the source language.
Clozemaster
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a great way to learn Arabic in contexts as it presents sentences to you with the vocabulary.
HelloTalk
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: While the apps above are nice, most are MSA which is not what native speakers speak. If you really want to learn a dialect, this is a great way to connect to native speakers from around the world and receive input and advice.
Keefak
Cost: Free for demo
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: Phrasebook app for Lebanese Arabic. Presents the Arabic in Latin, not Arabic, letters. It has conversations with texts, grammar explanations, and exercises.
Learn Arabic
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: Comes with PDF grammar explanations, reading and listening quizzes, various vocab lessons, and 100 common words. Cons - audio is not great.
Madinah Arabic
Cost: Free, Pro apps are paid
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a very cute flashcard-like way of learning phrases and vocabulary. There are no grammar explanations but there are vowels and pronunciation. Meant to be a companion to the website.
Mango Languages
Cost: Free (must have US/Canada library card)
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a great app for learning languages if you are more of an auditory learner. Their approach is more conversational and one of the few to offer different dialects as it teaches MSA, Levantine, Iraqi, and Egyptian.
Memrise
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is great if you want to learn the alphabet, vocabulary, or different dialects of Arabic. It is a highly recommended way of learning a language and there are many Arabic courses available.
Mondly Languages
Cost: $19.99 for access to all languages
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a nice app for learning languages if you like the Duolingo approach and like having an interactive app
Parallel Books
Cost: Free
Link: [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a nice app to be able to read Arabic texts with translation side to side. Great for improving your reading comprehension.
TenguLogi Arabic
Cost: $1.00
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a great grammar explanation app that comes with quizzes. It teaches the basics of Arabic.
Yallah
Cost: $4.99- $6.99
Link: [Android]
Thoughts: This app goes with the Alif Baa and Al-Kitaab textbooks. It has all the vocabulary from the books and you can use it to do practice sessions, spelling tests, or timed quizzes. It includes harakaats and audio, making it a great study tool for those using the book.
Dictionaries
Almaany
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is an Arabic-English dictionary that you can use off-line.
Arabic Almanac
Cost: Free
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: This is a digital version of the Hans-Wehr dictionary. You can look up words by the root.
Lughatuna
Cost: $1.99
Link: [Android] [iOS]
Thoughts: It’s a multi-dialect Arabic dictionary, containing dictionaries for MSA, Levantine, and Egyptian Arabic.
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Assalamu-Alaykum! This is my very first masterpost, and I wanted to make it about a subject I only know too well. Arabic is my mother tongue and I’ve been into the Arabic culture for like my entire life. I am really eager to help people get more familiar with it, as I understand it might not be easy at all. The letters are different, the spelling is different, the phonetic is different, the culture is different… Thus I really admire people who chose to learn it. You rock!
Anyway, here are the basics (in my own opinion) for learning the language and the culture. I tried to give all the information I had, but I’ll edit this post and eventually add more stuff :
free websites + apps
madinaharabic (the best website really)
salaam arabic (really handy for spelling and phonetic!)
myeasyarabic (the best website to get familiar with grammar & letters)
arabickeyboard (introduces you to not only the language, but also the history and culture of the arabic world)
alison (contains evaluation tests that can help you progress in your learning)
digitaldialects (funny games to help you memorize animals, numbers and colors)
firdaous (really great for vocab!)
as for apps (on itunes), we have AlphaBet Arabe (for alphabet learning), Astrid (motivational app), and Arabic Dictionary
specific arabic learning
egyptianarabiccourse (helps you get familiar with the egyptian dialect)
speakmoroccan (learn to speak the moroccan dialect, aka mine!)
abjadiye (learn lebanese arabic for free)
useful links/docs
arabic verbs
arabic pronouns
arabic alphabet (but also here)
language exchange sources
arabic proverbs (translated in english)
arabic survival phrases here & here
5 beautiful arabic expressions
arabic conjugator
arabic keyboards
lexilogos (i’ve been using it myself for all my essays and presentations)
arabic-keyboard
dictionaries
lexilogos (yup again, but different section)
arabic etymological dictionary (with torrent & word document download links)
arabic dictionary + translator
islamic references
Okay, i hesitated to put that one, but if you want to get into the arabic culture, it is very important to get to know the islamic side of it. (be careful, islamic culture does not necessarily mean arabic culture, but the two can easily be linked)
searchtruth (helps you with grammar and vocab using qur’an sentences)
legacyfordham (it’s the islamic section of the university of fordham website. it gives you a general look on the islamic world eras)
music
maghrebspace (the website is in french though)
hibamusic
arabic radio stations
my top 3 classics (with free download links & online listening)
fairouz
oum kalthoum
abdelhalim hafez here & here
top 10 arabic songs of january 2016
short history of arabic music + top arabic songs of 2015 here
my personal favorite songs
ya rayah - rachid taha (music video + lyric video + english translation)
aatini nay - fairouz (lyric video + english translation)
fi madrasat al hob - kadem saher (lyric video + english translation)
books
easy short arabic stories
popular arabic novels
5 recommended arabic books
YA arabic books listed by genre
my top novels :
al ayyam (trilogy) - taha hussein (pdf of the first tome here)
rihla jabaliyya rihla sa’ba - fadwa touqan
arabic art resources
historiansofislamicart (contains links to each type of art)
metmuseum (history of calligraphy and useful links)
arabartgallery (my personal favorite : all types of art listed by era, and description of each)
a native speaker tips
as I said before, arabic is a tricky language, because it does not originate (like most other popular languages) from latin roots. therefore when you come accross arabic words or names written in latin letters, you’ll find out different ways of writing the same word. any version is correct as long as the pronounciation is correct.
there are no vowels in the arabic alphabet. (well, not really, we have letters referring to “o”, “a” or “i” but we only put them when we stress on those vowels) so arabic letters are referring to consonants, with some of them only existing in arabic (for ex: ض pronounced Ḍād). you’ll probably learn it throughout the websites I gave, but bear in mind that the vowel sounds of arabic are put by tiny symbols above or under the letters called chakl. chakl helps you know how to pronounce a letter, if you should say “a” or “o” or “i” after that letter. in most texts you’ll come accross - apart from language learning websites - you’ll find words and sentences without chakl. and that’s because we, as native arabic speakers, have gotten so used to how a word is pronounced that we kinda know what chakl should normally be put. you should get used to it as well, it will be so much easier for you to read any kind of text.
practice arabic pronounciation and listening A LOT. it will be very useful for writing and reading, trust me.
oh and most importantly, i’m open to anyone desiring to speak with a native arabic speaker! really, you can just message me, or email me (at [email protected]) or whatever you like. i’ll be glad to give you additional tips along the way!
I think I said it all. I may or may not add stuff in the future, so feel free to follow me, or suggest me other things!
I’ll probably do a moroccan masterpost later, ideas are welcome here as well!
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Thought these two were worth putting together. Quote from "Cyberspace and the Lonely Crowd" by Greg Van Alstyne.
"Man shouldn't be able to see his own reflection - there's nothing more sinister. Nature gave him the gift of not being able to stare into his own eyes. Only in the water of rivers and ponds could he look at his face. And the very posture he had to assume was symbolic. He had to bend over, stoop down, to commit the ignominy of beholding himself. The inventor of the mirror poisoned the human heart."
-Fernando Pessoa
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I know most of us don’t use this app much anymore - but @partytilfajr needs to atone for his sins. He is a serial abusive partner - thief and liar. Do not let him manipulate your communities and take advantage of innocent women.
Read the account of his ex wife - a beloved community member who always poured her heart into those around her. Instagram: @shamiyan
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Please share and unfollow @partytilfajr.
For full story see his ex-wives account (IG: shamiyan). He also has many debts to pay off, which we as a community should help encourage and help.
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“In the evenings, before I went to sleep, and in the mornings, in the moment I woke up, I realized I was praying for rain.”
— The Garden of Words (2013)
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