7 Reasons Why You Should Learn Arabic

House of Translation LLC

7 Reasons Why You Should Learn Arabic

Learning Arabic in the first place and thinking it’s the best decision  have ever made!  The writing (and the language in general) was different, it thought a non-Arab would never be able to speak Arabic fluently. Yes, you CAN become fluent in Arabic if you are not of an Arabic origin. Not only that, personally think that if you are highly motivated, you can actually speak it and write it better than a lot of Arabs.

#1 Arabic is not a common language

Translating from Arabic into a European language is rather unusual. This means you have more value on the market. This also shows people personality traits such as perseverance, determination and tolerance, which helps building trust in your relationship with your clients.

#2 The writing is different from European languages

        

To me, this was the most enjoyable part of the Arabic learning process. When I started learning the Arabic alphabet, I felt like I was learning a coded language that no one else would be able to understand. It only takes a couple of days to learn how to read. People will tell you that it’s tricky because letters are written differently when they are at the beginning, the middle or the end of the word, but,  to be frank, it’s not rocket science.

#3 Grammar is regular

Being a French speaker, I know how difficult grammar can be. French is full of irregularities, and although I am a native, it doesn’t mean I never struggle when I write in French. Arabic grammar is far from being easy, but unlike French, it is logical! The rule is the rule and you even have rules for exceptions. I love Arabic grammar as it is similar to mathematics :-). It has cases like in German, but only 3: Nominative, Accusative and Genitive.

# 4 The culture is different

Which means it’s also intriguing. In the case of Arabic, culture is closely linked to Islam. This doesn’t mean that all Arabs are Muslims (or that all Muslims are Arabs), but the majority of them are. Also, there is a great deal you can visit in the Middle-East. Mesopotamia is considered a major milestone in the history of the world, and so are cities like Cairo, Damascus or Aleppo.

#5 The Arab Spring

 Let’s face it: Arabs are going through a tough time at the moment. And not being able to go back to Syria makes me really sad. A lot of my Arab friends have fled the country, and a lot of their friends have died or been imprisoned. On the flip side, it means there are a lot of opportunities businesswise: a lot of Arabs came to Europe, and in most cases, they will have to get their documents translated. Also, the fall of dictatorships (Libya for example) will allow the Western World to build new relationships with local businesses and open offices in the region. Needless to say that these companies will require staff who are fluent in Arabic.

#6 The Sun

Okay, I won’t consider this as a USP as many other languages are spoken in sunny countries, but having the possibility to learn a language without asking yourself “how is the weather gonna be tomorrow?” is quite appealing. Ladies, in most Arabic countries you can’t just walk on the street in a mini-skirt, but still, it’s better than walking in a rainy and windy city like London.

#7 It’s Cheap

No all are aware of prices applied in Europe when it comes to Arabic classes, but shall you choose to travel to an Arabic country, it will be relatively cheap. Classes are much cheaper than in Europe and the value of money is goooooood. Accommodation is also much cheaper, which helps if you want to spend a year abroad.