This is likely one of the first confusing questions that a learner of the Arabic language will encounter. This is especially true after they hear the experiences of other learners, some of whom say quite frankly that they regret learning Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) because it isn’t used in daily conversations. As a result, you find them trying to avoid it as much as possible and even shunning it.
As a native Arab with a deep understanding and interest in the Arabic language and its dialects, let me clarify that Modern Standard Arabic is no less important than the colloquial dialects. In fact, it is the origin from which all these dialects emerged. Each geographical region has a specific way of pronouncing certain letters, which led to the multiplicity of Arabic dialects. However, Modern Standard Arabic remains the language of media, politics, and religion.
So, what is the solution? In my opinion, the solution is for the learner to have a good grasp of Modern Standard Arabic. It is not necessary for them to master every single rule of grammar or parsing, but they should be familiar with it to understand it when listening to the news, cultural interviews, and so on. They should start with the letters of the alphabet, which you can learn how to pronounce from here.
Then, they can move on to the basic rules of grammar. It is not necessary to master advanced grammar rules unless they wish to specialize in the Arabic language and its literature. You can find a book on grammar here, which includes all the rules of the Arabic language explained in an accessible and simple way.
After getting to know all the sounds in Modern Standard Arabic and how to construct sentences, they can then focus on a specific dialect to learn how to speak. However, I believe that an Arabic learner shouldn’t limit themselves to one dialect, nor are they required to master it like a native speaker. The goal is to understand it and speak in a general Arabic dialect—one that isn’t as formal as Modern Standard Arabic but also isn’t overly local. This is the approach I adopt when writing books: focusing on what is called the “white dialect,” which is used in TV series where actors are from different Arab countries and a dialect that is easy for everyone to understand is used.
I hope this article is useful for anyone who feels confused at the beginning of their Arabic language journey. The next article will be a more detailed description of a roadmap for studying Arabic effectively.
