Learn Moroccan Arabic online

[lfriedli]

I'm hoping to find a female teacher based in London who can offer moroccan arabic lessons. SOAS are not currently running moroccan arabic classes and all their tutors are busy.... I'm using the basic course in arabic MP3 by Richard Harrell and colleagues. OK it's very old and rickety but it seems better than nothing and at least you can hear someone speaking. The problem for me with the idea of on line learning is that I really feel I need help with pronounciation, which you only get face to face or from a tape. I'd be very grateful for any suggestions or recommendations for a teacher.

Lynne

[tiazza]

SoundClick's music store

[MoMo]

Hello all,

I am the originator of this thread a few years back! It was heart warming to find out that the thread I set up a few years ago is still up and has clocked up more than 20000 hist!

I am thinking of reviving the thread. What do you think?

MoMo

[Arwen]

Hi Momo...well what have you got to lose... Give it a go and I hope you get the response you hope for. Nice to see you back.... Not that I was around here when you first started this thread...myself being a relatively new additon here.

[MoMo]

Thank you Arwen. I started this thread a while back with the intention of posting 4 Moroccan Arabic words a day. I guess it was an ambitious plan. Anyway, I shall post when I can. I am assuming that Arabic is not your first language Arwen? If so, pay attention...I shall be asking questions later. Here goes:

AL' haal skhoon ; It's hot (AL' (definite article); haal (refers to weather); (skhoon: hot (masculin))
AL'haal bared: It's cold (same as above, but bared means cold)
Ghadi L' Maghrib had al aam? (Ghadi) are you going (L') to (Maghrib) Morocco (had) this (Al aam) year?
If you are addressing a female, add an a at the end of Ghadi (Ghadia)

That's all for now.

MoMo

[Arwen]

Thanks MoMo... what about some berber words too?

[MoMo]

Arwen > I wish I could speak Berber. It is such an interesting language with so much history. Berbers are the indigenous inhabitants of Morocco, so I presume that many Moroccans have some Berber heritage in them. Although I am sure than many Berbers will argue that they have maintained their ethnic integrity. I understand their political motives, but would argue that thousands of years of hybridity Africans, and later the Arabs, has culminated in the rich tapestry that Morocco is today.

Back to Moroccan Arabic:

Sh'haal f' omrak? How old are you? Literal translation: (Sh'haal (how many); f' (in), omrak (your age)
B'sh'haal l'btata? How much are the potatoes (B'sh'haal (how much); l' (the); Btata (potatoes)
M'neen anta? Where are you from? M'nen (from where) anta (you masculine); anti (feminine)

B'slama

MoMo