Speaking Arabic in Kuwait

Hi everyone,

It is widely agreed that speaking Arabic is essential for a successful integration in Kuwait. Do you agree? Share your experience!

Do you speak Arabic? If so, where did you learn this language? Where can one attend a language course in Kuwait?

If not, how do you cope with daily activities? Is it easy to communicate in a different language with Kuwaitis?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

Hi Ms.
I wanna share since I am a teacher of Arabic for non-Arabic speakers. In addition I am a teacher of English.
Regards

Hello Priscilla
Language is important for the daily communication , but I do not think so that it is essential , I know many expats in Kuwait have no idea about Arabic language basis and their daily life is going on . If you work in Kuwait and you are aware of English language this is fair enough

Yes I speak fluently Arabic and I learn from my Kuwaiti friends..

I want to join arabic language course,  currently I am staying in block12 Salmiya. Please assist if any reliable language course is going on.

Regards,
Swati Gupta
M:***

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i worked before as a khadama.... for two years and two months... so i am good in speaking arabic... but wasn't able to learn how to read....

Yes I do
Should you need any help please let me know

I have been here 6 months and now really want to learn to speak write and understand Arabic.  I teach at a school and get tired of my students cheating and talking behind my back.

A little Knowledge of Arabic is a must. However if you can speak English, this will work.

Yes! it is good if you can manage to speak Arabic even little
I learned only through speaking little little for many years
There are many place teach Arabic Languages if you want
also you can learn from ISLAMIC PRESENTATION they teach Arabic Language
in Evening and Holidays Class as Group and Ladies for separate classes too...

I want to join arabic language course,  currently I am staying in hawally. Please assist if any reliable language course is going on.
Regards,
joseph
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Speaking ARABIC has a benefit especially for those who work in GCC countries. But if some has a talent  or expertise in a technical field HE/She does not need to know Arabic.

Learning Arabic is not a rocket science, those people who work with Arabic people where there is no chance to speck language other than the Arabic, those persons grabs the knowledge very quickly.  there are many centers who teach Arabic Language, especially IPC ( Islamic Presentation commentee).

Ahmed Al Mubarak Street,Block 4,House No. 14, Salmiya, Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait
+965 25733263
+965 25720895
+965 94533263, +965 99847624
[email protected]

I know Arabic very well, For Muslims they have benefit, they know reading and writing from the childhood, they just need finishing and arrange the vocabularies. Alhamdullah I am also a Muslim I learn very quick, as I stood Arabic in my school in Kashmir till 10th class.

Bust for those brothers who want to learn Arabic, they can easily learn, as it is easy here in Kuwait, I will suggest them, While doing shopping in supper markets, all items have names both in Arabic and English just remember them which will increase their vocabularies. just add HAZA to it.

I would also like to lean Arabic and I'm in slamiya 12 😊

Yes iknow little arabic

Well Arabic is my mother tongue. However, in Kuwait both Arabic and English are required to live struggle free. Arabic only Speakers VS non-Arabic speakers are almost at a tie. So you need both in my opinion. And I have seen many ppl struggle on both sides, not to mention the ones that speaks non of the above.

Me also don't know arabi, now only learning with my neighbors it's not very difficult easy to learn, but you used to talk that language

Dear Madam,
There is not one single country of  the Arab world or countries that belong to the Arab world whose population speaks Arabic. The people in these Arab countries or countries  belonging to the Arab world such as Algeria or Morocco, speak their own dialect but not Arabic. The dialects spoken are more or less close or far from Arabic. Arabic is the language you hear in the news broadcast. It is also  the language of instruction and business, but never used in everyday life. For non-Arabophone residents in an Arab country, they learn the dialect the population of that particular country speaks, taking it for granted it is Arabic. In fact it is not. It is just a dialect. You can for example speak of  the Kuwaiti dialect or the Syrian dialect, but not Arabic. Does the explanation make sense to you?

What you have leaned is Kuwaiti dialect , but not Arabic.

Yes
مرحبا كيف حالكي

Arabic is not your mother tongue. Your mother tongue is the dialect you have learned from your environment. You would rather speak of Kuwaiti dialect, or Egyptian dialect, etc. but certainly not Arabic. You may have learned Arabic at school

هلا و الله

Hi, Ms.
I am a teacher of Arabic for non- Arabic speakers. So u can teach u privately or with others u know. There r books if 9 levels from alphabet to high levels
Call
xxx

hi   how r  u? i  can   speek arabic

what dialect do you speak? Or maybe you mean standard Arabic?

Alright, just a clarification to whoever says "your mother tongue is not Arabic"
"Dialect" or "Accent" call it whatever you want, all the Middle East speaks Arabic and we understand each other very well. It's the same words exactly as in the formal Arabic language but we have different accents that's why it may sound a bit different, but it's the same words exactly.
For example: Australian, American & British: they all speaks English but in their own accents (not including the slangs)
Same thing exactly for us... so please don't make up stories if you're not a real Arab

Arabic means Standard/classical Arabic. No Arab country population speaks Arabic. Each country population  in the Arab world speaks their own dialect. Here is one example:
Kuwatis say:            Ashlounek?
Egyptians say:          Izzayek?
Algerians say:           kideyer?
Standard Arabic is:     كيف حالك؟

Most of Kuwaitis and expats know English well.  So I don't need to speak in Arabic.
A person can easily survive here,  just with English.  Though I am planning to learn Arabic,  just for fun.  Because learning a new language is always  a fun.

the discussion above (continued)
Yes I agree with you some of the dialects n the Arab world have a few Arabic vocabulary words in them like kitaab  meaning book, or  9lam meaning pen.. But saying for example rob3i meaning my friends in
Kuwaiti  dialect is Arabic, that is wrong. Desh, meaning enter in Kuwaiti dialect , but odkhol in Arabic.
Here is one question for you sir? Is  broadcasting the news in the Arab world made in the local dialect or in Arabic. If you are a gulf citizen and want to have an official document, is that document written in your dialect or in Arabic?
For the sake of terminology:Dialect, means a low variety of a language but not a language.
                                            Accent, means the way the language is pronounced. You can in this case speak of British accent or American accent. As for English which is a language there are varieties of English . There is British English, Australian English, American English, South African English, to name a few. When it comes to Arabic, there is one and only one language that is the official language in all the Arab world and it is the language of instruction and the media. Once you are at school you learn Arabic, not your dialect and all the subjects are taught in Arabic, not in your dialect. Any other question sir is most welcome
Alvin

Hi, Yes Arabic is essential tool of communication in Kuwait. I can speak and write Arabic well as I am a graduate from Kuwait University in Arabic.(B.Ed) and also an Arabic Teacher in one of international American School.
I taught many foreigners including Filipino spoken Arabic to be easy communication in Kuwait. there are many institutes gives courses in Communication Arabic.
better to take private tuition to get ur needs of language in short time as my experience.
with regards
buamir

I'm from Syria
We say كيف حالك
What's your point?
Arabic language is an ocean.
Dude, we might speak in dialects but when we write or read it's the official Arabic no dialect or slang is included... nowadays in social media and idiotic new generation ppl are chatting with dialects but still
When want to write something, anything... Formal Arabic is the only way...

So please explain to me what's your point?


Today's generation has a mixed up languages, especially living in a region where multi nationals live...
Arabic is mixed with English
Urdu is mixed with Arabic & English
Tagalog is mixe with Arabic & English

This is happening with everyone (exception for the very old ppl)

But my point is, don't you ever say again that Arabic isn't my mother tongue...


Check Wikipedia : Arabic

Hi sir,
"we might speak in dialects but when we write or read it's the official Arabic no dialect or slang" The above are your words.  If  you don't mind my correcting one mistake to start with, it is not called official Arabic. It is called standard/classical Arabic, which is  the official language in the Arab world and is   different from any dialect spoken in the Arab world. Get this: saying that "when we  write or read it's the official Arabic no dialect or slang" you implicitly admit that you speak your own dialect in your everyday life but use standard Arabic when it comes to reading and writing only. I myself worked in Kuwait with Syrians, Egyptians, Jordanians and Kuwaitis. No one of these nationals, I repeat no one of these nationals including Kuwaitis speak standard Arabic.(Yes, Syrians might say: keef  7aalak a dialect, which is different from Kayfa haaloka or Kayfa 7aaloki when addressing a female. In fact they say: "kiifek?" which is a dialect; not standard Arabic.Fiercely  denying the Syrian dialect, your mother tongue, is vehemently denying part of the Great Syrian culture.

U r totally correct. Standard Arabic is only used in official writing, but slang is used in every day life while people converse

Mother tongue is a "Language" NOT a "Dialect"

Do you say:
My mother tongue is:
Northern Syrian?
Mid Syrian?
East Syrian?
Only in Syria we have more than 5 Dialects but they're all Arabic.

When I ask you. What do you speak?
What is your answer?
British, American, Australian?
Filipino English, Hindi English, Egyptian English?

Or Just English?

Give me a proper answer please.
I'm not arguing for the sake of just talking.
My point is: My mother tongue is Arabic and not Syrian Arabic.
And I'm not denying my country culture.
So don't twist the subject or drift from it.
That's just a cheap way of proving your point. My friend.
Over and out.

You seem to be confused about dialect and language. Here is a lesson in linguistics:  A language, any language is at first a dialect. when decision-makers decide to make it a language they make it official and lexicographers (guys who write dictionaries) make dictionaries of that dialect  and grammarians describe and prescribe the rules  that govern the would be language. Here are a few examples: French for example was only a dialect descending from vulgar Latin not from literary Latin.  What has made it a language, as is the case of any dialect with power of its speakers, is the political, economic and cultural power Paris inhabitants had at that time. As a result, French which was only a dialect at that time was imposed all over France and ever since it has been made the language of France. Tagalog, the official language in the Philippines, was just a dialect like any other dialects in the Philippines. Again decision makers have decided to make it an official language. Then lexicographers and grammarians do their job.
When it comes to Arabic, it stemmed form Arabia. At that time there were different forms of dialects or varieties of Arabic spoken in Arabia. what made one variety dominant over the other is when The Holy Koran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed Peace be Upon Him in one definite variety. Because the holy text is sacred and the Arabs start to convert to Islam, well, definitely they had to learn that dialect/variety of Arabic. Again that power  and here religious and cultural power have contributed to making that dialect/ variety of Arabic dominant and becomes Arabic as we know it with its grammatical forms and vocabulary. Grammatical forms hardly ever change. Vocabulary increases thanks to continuous development
Each Arab country uses it is local dialect. These dialects are comprehensible  in the Arab world precisely  because most of these dialects  are derived from the language of the Koran. The larger umbrella is the language of the Koran, Arabic. From this Arabic are derived local dialects say Saudi Arabian dialect, Jordanian dialect, Syrian dialect and so on. Scholars in the Arab world say, " Without the revelation of the Koran, Arabic would be lost" Since Most of the Arabs are Muslims and read the Koran, their local dialect is continuously close to the language of the Koran and evolves out of it.
Any other question is most welcome.
Answers to your questions:
1. To believe you are Syrian, accept it or not you speak one of the Syrian dialects derived from Arabic except for the community who speaks Aramaic language. That community still speaks the language of Ancient Bible.  If you don't accept it, please sit down and read the text above again.
2. I speak American English.
3. There is no point of twisting nor  drifting off the subject. Language and dialect are interrelated and part of the community culture.
All the best,
Alvin Anderson

Hi, everyone,

Just moved in to Kuwait and would love to learn the language in a group. Any recommendations?

I've started before coming over with the letters, that's as far as I went. Would really love to have some conversational practical language courses.

Thanks,
Anna

I speak Good Arabic, and i learned it from my Egyptian friends.

Hello Anna
Good evening to you
Welcome to Kuwait
As long as U are interested in learning arabic I can help you
Plz let me know your time and schedule
Contact me at your free time
Enjoy ur time in Kuwait

Hi ..
I started teaching Arabic last week so If you want to have more details visit this link
https://www.expat.com/en/classified/mid … asses.html

I am a male nurse working in MOH likes to learn Arabic fluently.My accommodation is in Jahra.***

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Hi everyone,

@ Johaan143,

Please refer to the Language classes in Kuwait section of the website by contacting the posters having relevant adverts.

All the best,
Bhavna