Study Levantine Arabic In The Middle East: Whether it’s for their career, for work, or for study, many people find that studying Levantine Arabic in the Middle East with native speakers is the most effective way to improve their skills. By surrounding yourself with native speakers, you will have perfect examples for grammar, pronunciation, and new vocabulary around you at all times.
Aside from learning vital skills, you will also learn slang, cultural references, and experiences you might not receive in the classroom. So, since learning a language is best done when you are among the natives, what are the best places to study Arabic in the Middle East?
Study Levantine Arabic In The Middle East
Many people choose Beirut, Lebanon, when deciding where to study in the Middle East. The attractions are obvious: a vibrant lifestyle in a prime location near the beach, offering a blend of Arabic and Western cultures. Beirut provides an exciting environment to begin (or continue) your Arabic learning journey.
For those interested in the Levantine dialect, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon are excellent options, as they are home to the Shami dialect. This dialect is the most widely recognized and understood across the Arabic-speaking world. Each location offers unique cultural experiences and opportunities to immerse yourself in the language.
Beirut, in particular, stands out for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, but it comes with a significant drawback: it is one of the most expensive cities in the Arab world. For this reason, it’s highly recommended to arrive with sufficient savings or be prepared to work during your stay.
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Studying Arabic In Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi can be attractive for many of the same reasons as Beirut – it is in a great location, full of interesting things to do, and with a heady lifestyle. It can be a bit of a double-edged sword though, the weather is brutally hot in summer and while the Khaliji dialect can be a profitable one to learn if you intend to find a job in the UAE, it is not quite as well and widely known as the Levantine Arabic dialect.
The Gulf countries have been growing quickly, and there is much wealth in Abu Dhabi, so if you master the language here, it could provide an economic advantage in this particular region.
Studying Arabic In Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, like Abu Dhabi, can be a rewarding place to learn Arabic when you consider the long term. Many jobs in Saudi Arabia are reserved for Saudis only, but if you make good connections while you learn Arabic there, this can lead to very lucrative work later when your Arabic and presence in the country is better established. It can be quite expensive to live in Saudi Arabia, but the biggest drawback is that the culture shock is often much more extreme than the other locations discussed in this article.
While many Gulf countries are considered conservative, Saudi Arabia will give a whole new meaning to the term. This might be manageable for a man, but most Western women will find their freedoms severely circumscribed in comparison with their home countries. Considering all of the above, Saudi Arabia is one of the best places to study Arabic in the Middle East.
Summer Intensive Levantine Arabic Programs
For students interested in studying Intensive Levantine Colloquial Arabic (Shami or Ammiya Dialect) through the summer, Engage in Palestine offers Arabic programs from June to September. These Levantine Arabic immersion courses are ideal for students on a summer break or for individuals looking to study on an extended visit.
Our Summer Levantine Colloquial Arabic courses include 4-6 hours of Arabic classes per day, which give students more time with the Arabic language immersion element. These summer Arabic immersion programs combine a language focus with full learning and engagement in Palestinian culture, politics and history.
Winter Intensive Levantine Arabic Programs
While summer study abroad programmes are indeed more popular, Engage in Palestine also offers Winter Intensive Levantine Colloquial Arabic Programs. Students who wish to improve their Arabic through an accredited study abroad experience for four weeks during the winter break will find that our December and January sessions fit the bill perfectly.
What is the Levant and Levantine Arabic?
The Levant is a region of the Middle East associated with the Eastern Mediterranean. Typically the countries included in this region are Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine, though broader definitions may also include Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt and a small portion of Iraq. The population of the Levant totals about 44.5 million people, with a rich diversity of cultures and ethnicities. These ethnicities include Arabic, Aramaic, Armenian, Assyrian, Circassian, Domari, Greek, Hebrew, Kurdish, Turkish and many others!
The Levant has been able to foster such a diverse group of peoples and cultures because of its location in the literal cradle of civilization known as the Fertile Crescent. This positioning on the globe – which also connects Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa – has made this region the original melting pot, influenced throughout history by a myriad of civilizations and empires including the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. These histories remain influential even today.
Colloquial Arabic or ‘Ammiyya’
‘Ammiya refers to the regional varieties or vernaculars across the Arab world used for everyday speaking situations. In fact ‘Ammiya or Darija is the first language of every Arab, as they later acquire Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in school.
Unlike MSA, ‘Ammiya does not adhere to the strict rules of grammar and word order and often loses other structured linguistic features. ‘Ammiya uses many Farsi and Turkish terms in the Arab countries that were under the Ottoman rule.
What are the Levantine Sub-Dialects?
The sub-dialects of Levantine Arabic (Shami) are predominantly divided into two main subgroups: Northern and Southern Levantine.
Also known as Syro-Lebanese Arabic, North Levantine Arabic is spoken in the northern countries of the Levant such as Lebanon, in specific territories such as Turkey’s coastal regions of Adana, Hatay and Mersin, and in the regions of Syria bordering Aleppo, Damascus and the Mediterranean.
Southern Levantine Arabic is the other subdialect, and is spoken in Palestine and across most of Jordan. It is also spoken in Syria’s southern region, particularly in the Hauran.
Studying Levantine Arabic In Palestine
Palestine can be an interesting and unique choice for studying Arabic. The cost of living is much lower than in Lebanon, but you can still learn the all-important Levantine dialect. There is nightlife to be found here as well, depending on where you go. Ramallah, Jericho, and Bethlehem are not only home to vibrant communities and filled with things to do at night.
Beyond that, this is the Holy Land, and there are a plethora of important historical and cultural sights to behold- none greater than the city of Jerusalem. There is much talk in the media about the bouts of violence that can explode from nowhere, but these incidents are often exaggerated. Palestine is a relatively safe place to live. Despite the Israeli Occupation, it is also fairly easy for foreigners to travel around and explore this fascinating country.
Study Arabic With Engage in Palestine
Engage in Palestine’s center in Hebron (or Al Khalil as the locals call it) is one of the proven best places to study Arabic in the Middle East. Engage in Palestine runs intensive Arabic courses, involving between two and five hours of tuition per day to rapidly improve your Arabic levels. Courses are offered in the local dialect or Modern Standard Arabic (or both in a mixed program), depending on your needs.
You will be assigned a dedicated Arabic tutor to oversee your development, and you will make friends with the local Palestinian population who will be vital to your continuing language learning. Students find one of the best things about the program is the fact that they make lifelong friends with whom they can practice their Arabic via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger long after they have left Palestine.
Top Organizations Offering Intensive Levantine Arabic Programs
If you’re considering combining your Levantine Arabic language learning journey with culture, history, and adventure, Arabic programs in Palestine are the perfect choice. Below, we highlight six of the best organizations and language schools offering intensive Levantine Arabic programs. These programs are highly regarded for their affordability, high-quality instruction, and unique immersive learning experiences, allowing students to learn Arabic while engaging with Palestinian culture and daily life
1. Travel to Palestine
The Travel to Palestine organization aims to enable tourists to come to Palestine and experience its rich culture. This is a land rich with history, hospitality, and generous people, and you can experience all of that through the Travel to Palestine organization. They offer summer intensive Palestinian Arabic courses as well as online lessons.
2. Excellence Center
The Excellence Center in Palestine has the experience of more than 13 years of offering summer Arabic programs (Levantine Arabic, Modern Standards Arabic as well as Ammiyya Arabic) for nonnative speakers in the West Bank, founded in Hebron in 2011, serves as a language school offering Arabic language education to international students, interns, and volunteers. It also provides cultural immersion activities and community development services to Palestinian children, refugees, youth, women, and community members in Hebron.
3. Salam Palestine
Salam Palestine, a community project in Hebron, Palestine, works with international volunteers to facilitate social and community development initiatives. Through workshops, events, and outreach programs, volunteers collaborate with residents to promote cultural exchange and improve social cohesion. The Center offers summer super intensive, intensive, and non-intensive Arabic courses for people who would like to stay for 1-13 weeks
4. Engage in Palestine
Engage in Palestine, based in Hebron, offers immersive experiences for international students who would like to go to Palestine and study Arabic in the West Bank, it is known for its Levantine (Shami) and Palestinian Arabic intensive lessons. Through diverse Arabic programs, participants engage in educational, social, and cultural initiatives, working alongside residents to support youth empowerment, women’s initiatives, and the well-being of Palestinian refugees.
5. Volunteer in Palestine
Volunteer in Palestine offers summer Levantine, Palestinian, and Modern Standard Arabic courses at different levels such as super-intensive, intensive immersion as well as non-intensive programs for anyone interested in studying Arabic in the West Bank, Palestine. The organization has a lot of reviews and it is known for its community development programs.
6. Study In Palestine
Study In Palestine offers a broad range of options to include intensive Arabic courses and summer Arabic programs at multiple levels. These summer Arabic programs cover super-intensive, intensive immersion, and non-intensive Arabic choices, designed for those looking to study Levantine (Shami Arabic), Palestinian dialects, and Modern Standard Arabic in the West Bank, Palestine.
Hebron, West Bank, Palestine
Hebron is situated on the frontline of the Israeli Occupation, with part of the city given over to a settlement, which many international observers (particularly people who have studied international affairs or international relations) consider a fascinating dynamic. The city itself is safe, however.
You can walk the streets at night in the H1 area (Palestinian only) without fear, and when there are clashes and demonstrations these are always restricted to a small section of the H2 part of the city (where Palestinians and Israelis live alongside each other in fractious disharmony). It’s therefore easy enough for foreigners to avoid any outbreaks of violence, so long as they are sensible, as in any country.
Your Time With Engage in Palestine
As part of your program, Engage in Palestine provides accommodation and breakfast, along with organized trips to the sights of Hebron like the famous Ibrahimi Mosque here, the glass factory, and the kuffiyeh factory (Arabic neck scarves). There is also plenty of free time to organize your trips so that you have the opportunity to explore with the new friends you will undoubtedly make here.
The combination of permanent Palestinian staff as well as the temporary international volunteers and students makes for a fantastic melting pot of different cultures and influences which ensures all the Arabic students thoroughly enjoy their time. To research the program further, go on to our website or look at our many reviews and testimonials on GoAbroad or Go Overseas. We look forward to receiving your application for one of our intensive Arabic courses at Engage in Palestine soon!
Reviews and Awards
Engage in Palestine has been honored with several prestigious Community Awards, and it has been recognized as the Best Language School and Top Volunteer and Internship Program Provider for the years 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. For more details, please visit our profiles on GoOverseas.com and GoAbroad.com.
- +840 Reviews and ratings (96.8%) on gooverseas.com
- +170 Reviews and ratings on goabroad.com
- Participants’ video testimonials
Conclusion
In conclusion, studying Levantine Arabic in the Middle East offers a wealth of opportunities to immerse yourself in the language and culture, whether you’re in Lebanon, the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, or Palestine, as there many places that could be said to be the best places to study Arabic in Middle East.
Each location presents its unique benefits and challenges, from the vibrant, Western-influenced lifestyle of Beirut to the more conservative environment of Saudi Arabia. For a deep cultural experience paired with practical language skills, Engage in Palestine’s Arabic courses in Hebron provide an ideal balance of affordability, safety, and cultural immersion, ensuring a rewarding experience for any Arabic learner.
Related Links
| Super-Intensive, Intensive & Non-Intensive Arabic Immersion Courses | Individual Levantine Arabic Courses |
| Colloquial Palestinian Arabic Lessons | Study Arabic Courses for Arabs |
| Modern Standard Arabic Programs | Shami (اللهجة الشامية) Arabic Programs |
| Ammiya Intensive Arabic Programs | Palestinian & Levantine Online Arabic Courses |
| Mixed Arabic Courses (Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial Palestinian Arabic) | Arabic Language Course for Reading and Understanding the Quran |
Contact Us
Should you have any questions about the best places to study Arabic in the Middle East, please do not hesitate to contact us at:
WhatsApp:+972 599 479 880
Website: https://ecpalestine.org/
EC Website: https://excellencenter.org/
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