Fusha is the formal and standardized variety of Arabic that serves as a lingua franca for formal communication and education across the Arab world. Learning Fusha Arabic means that you need to know how to read, write, and speak in a formal form. The language has three types which are: Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and Colloquial Arabic.
Once you have decided to learn Fusha Arabic, you either start with Classical or Modern Standard Arabic as they are the forms that Arabs use in official writing and speaking.
Colloquial Arabic or slang is an informal type that varies from one Arab country to another.
Choosing between two formal types of Arabic relies on your purpose of learning. In this article, we’ll walk you through the tips for learning Fusha.
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What is Fusha?
“Fusha” or “Fuṣḥā” (فصحى) is an Arabic (singular) articulate feminine that refers to Classical Arabic is the language of the Qur’an and Arabic literature. Fusha means the pure and the thing that is free of all defects, and is not mixed with other external elements.
“Fusha” is also an Arabic term that refers to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Fusha is the linguistic norm that allows communication between speakers of various regional dialects, which can differ significantly in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.
What is Fusha Arabic?
Fusha Arabic is the formal type of language that includes Classical and Modern Standard Arabic. Beginners should begin with Arabic basics to be familiar with the language in writing, reading, and speaking.
Unlike the various spoken Arabic dialects, Fusha Arabic maintains a high level of mutual intelligibility among Arabic speakers. It is based on the classical Arabic of the Quran and classical literature and has been adapted to suit modern communication needs. Fusha is the version of Arabic taught in schools and universities and is used in official government documents, international conferences, and media broadcasts.
Online educational resources are indispensable to improve linguistic skills such as Arabic-English dictionaries, news websites, and learning Apps. Attending an online course is one of the best and most effective methods to learn Fusha.
Every grammatical language is subject to the rules of morphology, grammar, and the origins of linguistic structure. Fusha is the language of literature, science, media, prayer, and so on. And its opposite is the “colloquial language”, which is the spoken language.
While Fusha serves as a unifying and standardizing form of Arabic, it is important to note that it is not the language of daily conversation for most Arabic speakers. People in different Arab countries typically speak their regional dialects for everyday communication, but they switch to Fusha when engaging in more formal or official settings.
How to Learn Fusha Arabic?
What matters to non-Arabs who are interested in Arabic is the learning method from scratch. It’s one of the hardest languages to learn. Here are the practical tips for learning Arabic for beginners:
1. Learn Arabic Basics
At the elementary level, you should start with learning the language fundamentals. So, begin with the Arabic Alphabet, identify each sound of every letter, and practice pronouncing.
Moreover, learn how to write letters from right to left and differentiate between similar letters.
Learning the Arabic Alphabet requires knowing the different forms of letters, which are the beginning, the middle, and the end.
Arabic basics include learning primary words that Arab use formally. You should master greeting, thanking, and further basic phrases that you’ll use in conversations.
2. The Way You Master basic Arabic grammar
Arabic grammar is inevitably crucial and fundamental as you learn how to say basic Arabic phrases with correct grammar.
Arabic is rich in grammatical rules, but the most prominent grammatical basics are:
- Nouns, verbs, and particles.
- Nominal sentences.
- Verbal sentences.
- Singular and plural.
- Adjectives and adverbs.
- Arabic Numbers.
- Genitive cases.
3. The Type Of Arabic Dictionary You Depend On
Learning a new language means using translation to comprehend the words’ meanings in English. So you can use an online dictionary that helps you grasp and retain new Arabic words.
For instance, one of the best Arabic-English dictionaries is the Almaany dictionary which displays the word’s translation and examples of it in different phrases.
4. Learn how to read Arabic News
If you want to be familiar with Fusha Arabic phrases, you should read as much as you can Arabic news. This tip is effective to learn different words in various fields and develop reading skills.
You can read the Middle East and All the world news through online websites such as Al-Arabiya, BBC Arabic, RT Arabic, and CNN Arabic.
5. The Type of Arabic Audio You Listening to
Arabic learning should be for improving all linguistic skills, so besides reading, you have to focus on listening to Arabic natives who speak Fusha Arabic.
It’s recommended to listen to Arabic broadcasting on TV and Radio. This tip will help you to sharpen your speaking skills if you do it constantly.
6. Arabic Documentaries
You can watch a documentary film with Fusha voice-over and English subtitles. Try to find content that interests you to watch it fully.
7. How to Never stop Practicing
If you want to level up in learning Arabic, you should practice all the skills to reach a stage where you can write, read, and speak in Arabic fluently.
While you learn Arabic, you’ll notice many mistakes you make in pronunciation, grammar, writing, and so on. So select your weaknesses and work hard on them to master all the skills.
8. Make a daily schedule
Set a time ranges from 15 minutes to one hour for learning and revising in your day. Try to manage other tasks and responsibilities to find an available period every day.
Do Arabs Speak Fusha With Accent?
Arabs don’t speak Fusha in their daily dealings. They talk in Colloquial Arabic in different situations and places.
Some categories speak Fusha Arabic such as new settler anchors, preachers, and Quranic reciters. Moreover, Arabs use Fusha in official documents and speeches.
How Do You Say Numbers In Fusha Arabic?
Numbers are one of the basics you should include in learning Arabic. You can identify how to pronounce them in Fusha form:
- 0 = صفر (sifr).
- 1 = واحد (wahid).
- 2 = إثنان (itnan).
- 3 = ثلاثة (talata).
- 4 = أربعة (arba’a).
- 5 = خمسة (ḫamsa).
- 6 = ستة (sitta).
- 7 = سبعة (sab’a).
- 8 = ثمانية (ṯamāniya).
- 9 = تسعة (tis’a).
- 10 = عشرة (‘ashra’).
- 11 = إحدى عشرة (aḥada ‘sshar).
- 12 = إثنى عشرة (Iṯnā ‘Ashar).
- 13= ثلاثة عشر (tālatha ‘ashar).
- 14 = أربعة عشر (arba’a ‘ashar).
- 15= خمسة عشر (ḫamsa ‘ashar).
- 16= ستة عشر (sitta ‘ashar).
- 17= سبعة عشر (sab’a ‘ashar).
- 18= ثمانية عشر (ṯamāniya ‘ashar).
- 19= تسعة عشر (tis’a ‘ashar).
- 20= عشرون (‘ishrun).
Other courses you could be interested in:
- Learn Quran Online With Tajweed For Kids And Adults
- Best Arabic Online Course
- Islamic Studies Online Courses
- Best Noorani Qaida Online Course
Is the Quran Arabic Fusha?
Quranic Arabic is one of the most prominent examples of Fusha. It’s a Classical Arabic form that represents the old version of the language. Quran’s writing was in the 6th century A.D.
Quranic Arabic is a fundamental source of learning Classical or Fusha Arabic. It’s related to medieval dialects that Arab tributes spoke.
Although both Quranic Arabic (classical) and Modern Standard Arabic are Fusha, they are not the same in punctuation and grammar.
If you’re proficient in Fusha Arabic, you will manage to read Quranic verses but not correctly. You’re missing learning Tajweed rules to read the Quran fluently, besides being familiar with Quranic words that are complicated to pronounce.
It’s noteworthy that Modern Standard Arabic is the current formal type that is common in Arabic Media, formal speeches, books and formal documents.
Learn Fusha Arabic – Arabic Learning App
Through mastering the Arabic journey, you’ll need more online resources to support learning. Here are the best apps that are available on Android and IOS phones:
- BravoBravo.
- Arabic Alphabet.
- I Read Arabic.
- Duolingo.
- English Arabic Dictionary.
- Drops Learn Arabic.
- Memrise.
- Simply Learn Arabic.
- Mondly.
- Learn Languages.
Learn Fusha Arabic Online
To make sure that you learn in an effective method online course with a professional tutor will help you achieve your goal. You can enroll in an Arabic online course at Bayan-Al Quran Academy.
This academic and training course guides you to be proficient in all linguistic skills. It includes interactive activities for practicing Fusha Arabic with your instructor in different conversations.
Your tutor in this course will teach you how to recite Quran and read Arabic literature as they represent Classical Arabic.
Furthermore, you’ll learn Modern Standard Arabic through different resources such as Arabic media to know how to differentiate between Classical and Modern Standard Arabic.
