Learning Arabic can be challenging. This language, considered exotic by most westerners, has a number of sounds not familiar to native speakers of English, and its vocabulary is mostly unrecognizable. In addition, there are a number of different dialects spoken throughout the world, although Egyptian Arabic is the dialect that is most widely understood. There is also a unique writing system which is written right to left like its cousin Semitic language, Hebrew. The written form of Arabic is relatively consistent throughout the Arabic speaking world, and like Chinese or Japanese, this writing is considered more than just a form of communication, it is an art form. For anyone learning Arabic, these challenges are worth facing, as Arabic is a language steeped in culture with a long written history. Here are some of the options for learning Arabic.

Internet/Free For a great way to begin learning Arabic for free, Transparent Language offers a free vocabulary trainer. Download a limited edition for free or Upgrade to Before You Know It Deluxe™

Book/Audio Combo. PDQ Arabic  This method from Transparent Language is a good way to get started learning Arabic. There are four audio cds and a 64 page workbook with transcriptions of the audio and exercises to work further. The audio, spoken in Egyptian Arabic, is based around dialogue and real-life conversation, the best way to prepare yourself for using a language.

Audio Only/Expensive
Pimsleur Arabic Comprehensive
As far as ease of use and quality of the material and method, Pimsleur is the best. You learn to speak Arabic in a natural and comfortable way. It's the same for all Pimsleur language programs, but Arabic with its different alphabet and writing system requires extra effort when it comes to reading. Pimsleur provides a reading booklet and accompanying cd but their focus is clearly on speaking skills, and this is where they shine. The Pimsleur Comprehensive is my favorite method and would be my first choice, but also note that Pimsleur's Arabic program is only offered for Level 1. These 30 lessons on 15 cd's are a great way to begin speaking Egyptian Arabic with good pronunciation and a good accent, but in order to fully study Arabic, additional materials will be needed to improve reading skills and to advance in the language.