Over 220 million people speak Arabic worldwide, and it is also the religious language of Islam. In recent years, Arabic has become an increasingly popular language to study, but many people become discouraged at the length of time and the amount of study needed to master this difficult language. Although it can take years to achieve fluency in the Arabic language, you can speed up the learning process if you go about studying the language in the right way.

How to Learn Arabic Quickly

Figure out how much time you have. Learning a language is a big commitment, so make sure that you have enough time to really learn the language before you start.

Choose a dialect of Arabic to learn. Most courses teach Modern Standard Arabic, which is the formal language used for business, in writing and in the media. Depending on your language needs, you might want to learn an Arabic dialect for a specific region instead.

Find a good basic textbook. You need a resource that explains the rules and structure of the Arabic language. Ask others and check online reviews before you make a purchase.

Learn the Arabic alphabet. Spend a few days memorizing the Arabic letters and practice writing them. You might think this will slow you down, but a solid knowledge of the Arabic alphabet will speed up your language learning in the long run.

Check out online Arabic resources. There are many Web sites devoted to students of the Arabic language that are available free of charge. University language departments are especially good resources for the language learner.

Get a good teacher. You can look for a private tutor or sign up for a group class. You can study Arabic on your own, but a good teacher will speed up the process immensely.

Practice what you learn. Read, write, speak and listen to Arabic on a regular basis. Constant use of the language is the only way to master Arabic.