In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving

My adventure in learning the wonderful religion of Islam has brought me upon many paths. For so many years, since embracing Islam, I have had a deep desire to learn Arabic. It is the language of the Noble Qur’an, the last revelation from God to mankind. My adventure is an ongoing process and with the help of Studio Arabiya teachers, it has become a very exciting and interactive journey. I am definitely a baby when it comes to knowing much Arabic. I can read Arabic, but to comprehend what it is, to really  know what I’m reading has been an uphill battle.  With Studio Arabiya, I’ve been able to gain a partner in my efforts to learn Arabic.  Whenever I’m stuck on something that I really cannot translate easily into English, my Studio Arabiya teacher, Reem, helps me with an expertise that makes it quick and clarifying.

I’ve been learning with Studio Arabiya for a while now, and I’ve been fortunate to have a few Arabic teachers along the way. These changes came about due to my schedule and now I’ve settled down with my teacher Reem, I can see how great she is.  In fact, I cannot say enough about all of my Studio Arabiya teachers.  They are all polite and pleasant and really delightful to interact with and learn from, Alhumdulillah.

These are the best tips I can give you if you want to learn Arabic:

• Try your best to keep the new Arabic words in your mind and on your tongue

• Say it to yourself over and over on a daily basis, so that it becomes second nature

• Write down whatever you’re learning in Arabic and read it back to yourself often

• Try to place sticky notes on items with the Arabic names and repeat that every time you pass by

• Get your family involved with learning the new words.  My kids love to speak any other language with me.  My daughter goes to Muslim school and tells me what she is learning about in Arabic and I tell her what I’m learning here with Studio Arabiya. We compare notes and try to test one another.  It’s like a game and it feels good whenever we can communicate successfully only between one another and keep her Dad or brothers out of the conversation. Then they get curious and start asking us, “What are you guys talking about?” In this way, we interest them in learning Arabic just so they can keep up with us!