Learning a foreign language can be a life-changing experience as you open the doors to new people, places and ideas. Almost all Muslims want to learn Arabic (the language of the Holy Qur'an) so that we may improve our understanding of Islam and communicate with foreign-born Muslims. Many Muslim women from all over the world marry into Arabic families and thus have extra motivation to learn Arabic.
Once you have decided which Arabic you want to learn, it is time to get started. The ideal way to learn any language, of course, is to travel to a country in which the language is spoken and to immerse yourself in it. Whether you travel or not, classes are usually helpful and can at least provide a foundation for basic vocabulary acquisition and a general understanding of the language's grammatical structure (i.e. adjectives before nouns or vice versa.) But true language learning is not a process that happens in the classroom: in order to speak a language fluently, you must be willing to speak it with others in the real world and to learn from your mistakes.
Fear is probably the biggest obstacle to learning any language; after all, no one wants to look silly or to offend someone by saying the opposite of what he intends. But no one is expecting you to be an instant expert in Arabic. In fact, most people will likely admire you for your efforts. Think about all the Arabs who have come to the US and had to struggle to learn English in order to work, study and survive. Surely they have made mistakes along the way and had their share of misunderstandings with others. But this was never a good reason for anyone to abandon English and give up trying to communicate in the language of the land.
It is important to have confidence when speaking a new language. Suppose you ask someone a question and he replies with "huh?" This does not mean that you made any mistakes in your question: sometimes the person just did not hear you, and you should not feel shy to repeat yourself. Try to speak slowly and distinctly and use sign language if necessary. A lot of communication is processed by means of body language and sheer instinct. If you have children, you have certainly seen how this works in the early years of language development. Consider yourself like a child, and allow your instincts to help you speak as freely as you like.
Once you have decided which Arabic you want to learn, it is time to get started. The ideal way to learn any language, of course, is to travel to a country in which the language is spoken and to immerse yourself in it. Whether you travel or not, classes are usually helpful and can at least provide a foundation for basic vocabulary acquisition and a general understanding of the language's grammatical structure (i.e. adjectives before nouns or vice versa.) But true language learning is not a process that happens in the classroom: in order to speak a language fluently, you must be willing to speak it with others in the real world and to learn from your mistakes.
Fear is probably the biggest obstacle to learning any language; after all, no one wants to look silly or to offend someone by saying the opposite of what he intends. But no one is expecting you to be an instant expert in Arabic. In fact, most people will likely admire you for your efforts. Think about all the Arabs who have come to the US and had to struggle to learn English in order to work, study and survive. Surely they have made mistakes along the way and had their share of misunderstandings with others. But this was never a good reason for anyone to abandon English and give up trying to communicate in the language of the land.
It is important to have confidence when speaking a new language. Suppose you ask someone a question and he replies with "huh?" This does not mean that you made any mistakes in your question: sometimes the person just did not hear you, and you should not feel shy to repeat yourself. Try to speak slowly and distinctly and use sign language if necessary. A lot of communication is processed by means of body language and sheer instinct. If you have children, you have certainly seen how this works in the early years of language development. Consider yourself like a child, and allow your instincts to help you speak as freely as you like.
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