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About the Arabic language

Arabic is the largest member of the Semitic group of languages and is spoken in many countries throughout North Africa and the Middle East, as well as by emigrant communities in other areas. It is closely related to Hebrew.

Estimates of how many people speak Arabic as their first language vary from between 250 million to 400 million, but there are also many millions who speak it as a second language.

The written language uses a script derived originally from Aramaic. In the spoken language, there is considerable variation across the different countries Arabic is spoken.

So why learn Arabic?

Business reasons
Arabic is the common language for many North African and Middle East countries and the ability to converse in it will facilitate your business dealings.

Tourism
A knowledge of Arabic will enable you to converse with locals in a range of North African and Middle East countries, many of which have spectacular historical sites.

Literature
A knowledge of Arabic will enable you to read classical and modern works of literature in the original.