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ewmoda

Question for foreigners married to Emirati's (gulf arabic lessons)

230

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 16:44

First time posting here, hello everyone!

Looking for somewhere to begin arabic lessons. DH wants me to learn from a gulf arab teacher, but I am finding this very difficult. Does anyone have any confact information on where to find an instructor?

As a side note, foreign woman married to emiratis - do you speak arabic fluently? If so, how did you learn?
Many thanks!

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308

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 22:36

Hi Wbusy I am married to a national and to be honest when I went for lessons it didn't help me that much, I learnt so much more from being around his family and being around other locals. DUCTAC sounds great as often when I communicate in Arabic in blackberry messenger I type using numbers and letters. Please let me know how you get on if you decide to take lessons Xxx <em>edited by Birchy on 10/04/2011</em>

11

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 22:31

I have recently started an Emirati arabic course at DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates and can highly recommend it. It's called "Learn to speak Emirati" and as per the title focuses on the verbal part. Shaima, the teacher, uses "3rabish" (Arabic words written with Western letters, also commony used in chat rooms) to teach us the proper pronunciation of the words and have to say compared to the course I took in the DWTC when I first arrived in Dubai 5 years ago this is way more useful to me. Am not married to an Emirati but figured if I live here I want to learn the arabic dialect spoken here. Not sure if I am allowed to post websites here, just google "Dubomedy Learn to Speak Emirati" and you'll find all details there.

desertprincess9542

371

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:39

I have a question too! If anyone knows of a good place to learn Levant Arabic (Lebanese/Syrian) please let me know! Thanks :)

1996

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:11

Oops I did? This is my first post, I don't think I am doing it right....I thought I just hit the big reply button ..no? You are doing fine-she just commented because you said thanks Wuffles and not thanks Wuffles AND Natalie!!!

230

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:10

Thank YOU NATALIE! for your information and your welcome! (did I respond correctly??....) Hi wbusy and welcome to the forum. I've often wondered that myself. :) There are a few ladies on the forum who are married to Emiratis and I'm sure they'll pipe in soon. I'm not married to an Emirati or to an Arabic speaker, but I did pick up a Learning Arabic set from Magrudy's. It's a book and CD set and it comes in a red box. Sorry I can't give you the exact name of it because I've lent it to a friend. Magrudy's has a good selection of Learning Arabic kits and they do come in regional sets. Mine is for the Gulf region. There are ones for other regions too, which I found good. I have friends who are Lebanese and Syrian and I asked them if their style of Arabic was like North American English compared to British English and they said yes. So, it would be more useful to you to learn the Gulf regional Arabic, then once you become strong, you can pick up the other versions. Good luck.

230

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:09

Oops I did? This is my first post, I don't think I am doing it right....I thought I just hit the big reply button ..no?

1996

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:07

This is what my husband keeps telling me, that he wants me to be able to speak with a gulf accent like his family to avoid confusion and struggling - what he doesn't seem to understand is what a struggle it is to find someone to teach it! :-) Natalie, what about you? confused...:-) The cultural centre should have native speakers-Natalie was confused because you thanked her and not me!

230

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:02

This is what my husband keeps telling me, that he wants me to be able to speak with a gulf accent like his family to avoid confusion and struggling - what he doesn't seem to understand is what a struggle it is to find someone to teach it! :-) Natalie, what about you? confused...:-)

1996

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:02

What about me? :( You're wonderful too:)

619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:00

What about me? :(

1996

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 17:00

Wonderful, thank you so much wuffles! No worries-Gulf Arabic has quite a different sound to Arabic spoken elsewhere-even my husband who is a native speaker finds it hard to follow at times-I have picked up more slang watching the soapies! The written and clasical are of course uniform across the region

230

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 16:56

Wonderful, thank you so much wuffles!

619

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 16:55

Hi wbusy and welcome to the forum. I've often wondered that myself. :) There are a few ladies on the forum who are married to Emiratis and I'm sure they'll pipe in soon. I'm not married to an Emirati or to an Arabic speaker, but I did pick up a Learning Arabic set from Magrudy's. It's a book and CD set and it comes in a red box. Sorry I can't give you the exact name of it because I've lent it to a friend. Magrudy's has a good selection of Learning Arabic kits and they do come in regional sets. Mine is for the Gulf region. There are ones for other regions too, which I found good. I have friends who are Lebanese and Syrian and I asked them if their style of Arabic was like North American English compared to British English and they said yes. So, it would be more useful to you to learn the Gulf regional Arabic, then once you become strong, you can pick up the other versions. Good luck.

1996

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 10 April 2011 - 16:53

I learnt Arabic at university back in Australia for two hears and picked up "kitchen Arabic' from my husband's family. I am working on my Gulf slang from the soapies on TV here as my husband is not an Emirati but a Palestinian. Here is the link for Gulf language lessons down by the Creek at Sheikh Mohammed's Centre for Cultural Understanding-haven't tried them so no idea what they are like-hope that helps. http://www.cultures.ae/spoken_arabic.php Forgot to add-welcome to the board <em>edited by wuffles on 10/04/2011</em>

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