What people say
We are grateful for all your feedback. We know it helps others to get a sense of what to expect from our course. Scroll down to see what people are saying. If you'd like to add your comments, click here to send them to us. We'll upload them as soon as possible.
We are also happy to answer any questions. Please check our frequently asked questions section first to see if you can find the answer there.
What if learning Arabic were easy and fun? Check out this article What if study were fun and success easy?
Mary-Jane Liddicoat
We are also happy to answer any questions. Please check our frequently asked questions section first to see if you can find the answer there.
What if learning Arabic were easy and fun? Check out this article What if study were fun and success easy?
Mary-Jane Liddicoat
In their own words
24 April 2020, Mike Habib
Best Colloquial course available.
12 April 2020, tarifk
Best book so far for teaching colloquial Arabic.
24 Feb 2019, JH
I've been using your book on Syrian Arabic now for some time. I'm finishing up chapter 6 now and I'm so impressed with the material and how you constructed it that I just wanted to write a little note to say thank you. I'm a language teacher, as is my wife, and so I know good materials when I see them. We've been teachers for almost 20 years now. My Syrian friend...is also quite impressed with your book.
23 Feb 2017, JA
I want to personally thank you for the great work you did in the Syrian Colloquial Arabic book. When I was studying Fusha, I used it as an introduction to Levantine dialect. Although I thereafter ended up using multiple sources and lived in different places— resulting in my Lebanese/Palestinian/Syrian mutant dialect— I still go back to your book as the best starting place for 3amiyyeh. It is so intuitive and thorough— it's my #1 recommendation to people looking to learn dialect. Truly, thank you. I now work at an Arabic language and culture nonprofit in Atlanta...and we would love to use your book to structure our course on Levantine dialect.
[why the gap? I was a little BUSY with life :-!]
24 June 2013, CH
I've been going through your text with a Syrian friend who is helping me and it is fantastic. He says it is a great tool and I love it as well.
30 March 2013, JM
Your course is amazing and complete! I’m very happy to have found it.
20 August 2012, RR, UK
I would like to express my gratitude for all the wonderful resources that you and your colleagues have worked so hard to provide for Arabic learners. I have been searching the internet for a long time for resources that will enable me to improve my Syrian Arabic, and I have yet to find anything that remotely compares to your textbooks and downloads.
16 July 2012, Ahmed, Egypt [regarding Egyptian and Syrian - what are the differences? article]
Excellent comparison. You are perfect in both. I am an Egyptian native.
23 June 2012, BM
I've looked around for other Syrian (or even Levantine) books, and I haven't found anything as good as your book. Looking through the sample materials, here are some of the things I love about your book:
Mary-Jane, I use your book all the time! I love it and it's helped me tremendously in learning Arabic.. but I still have a lot to learn and reading is one... just need more practice I think! Thanks for everything... I highly recommend your book to all my friends!
October 12 2011, Gino Uguccioni, Sydney, Australia
Your book is beyond a doubt the best, most comprehensive, book around for colloquial Arabic as it includes Arabic script, romanised transliterations, and the audios, which are invaluable. I completed your book here in Australia, mostly on my own, but also using a private tutor from time to time to practice, and to improve fluency, comprehension and pronunciation. Then, since there is a complete dearth of follow-on intermediate/advanced level self-instruction books in Syrian, Lebanese or Jordanian Arabic, I actually went to Syria in May, 2011 for 5 weeks and did an intensive course in Syrian colloquial with private tutors... Talk about tough!! 3 hours a day of private tuition, 3 hours homework, instruction only in Arabic, all texts written only in Arabic etc.....but your book had me well prepared!
It was a wonderful experience, and even though I only had 5 weeks there, I think my colloquial "Shaami" Arabic also improved considerably, because when I was leaving Damascus airport, the passport control officer pulled me over to the side and asked to see my Syrian passport! He thought I might have been of Syrian origin, but was quite impressed when I told him I am 100% Italian Australian, and he said I spoke excellent Shaami!
If I were to offer any advice to students of your book who are seriously interested in continuing with Arabic, I would strongly suggest they find Syrian/Lebanese/Palestinian friend to practice with as you need to use the language not just study it, and that they get used to using the Arabic script, even if it appears very challenging at first.
Once again, I think your book is excellent, and hope that one day there will be a Book 2.
October 11 2011, PP, Cambridge, United Kingdom
I have used your book over the last 3 years and recommended it to friends. I noted that one of my language teachers in Syria was also making etensive use of it...your book is much superior to anything else I have found.
October 3 2011, HS, student, United States
The Syrian Arabic study material has been one of the most useful tools that I have encountered as of yet. It gives the student practical tools, that if applied, will help the student in real life situations. However, to get the most from the material, one must practice as often as possible and find a conversation partner.
October 1 2011, DH, student of Syrian Arabic, United States
I'm really happy with this coursework already from going through the intro and Chapter 1. This will help a lot. The pronunciation is spot on. All my grandparents were from Syria and my mother spoke Arabic well. I've been around a lot of Syrians and it's great that the recordings are done so well.
Mar 18, 2011 05:55am Name: Maureen City: England Message:
Excellent materials. I had no previous knowledge of Arabic and was using this book in my course. My first level took us to chapter 4 in the book and in the exam I passed with grade A, so I'm very pleased.
Sat Nov 27, 2010 01:32pm Name: Turfa Alsibai Shamma City: sterling, VA Message:
I loved this book. you have done a great job with the chapters, audio and dialect practice. Well done
Thu Oct 14, 2010 04:51am Name: Joel Thomas City: Istanbul Message:
It took me a year to realise by myself the correct way to view spoken vs. written Arabic. If I'd only had the introduction from your book, it would have saved me all that. Bravo! I hope to master the language with the help of your masterpiece.
Thu Sep 2, 2010 05:22am Name: Brooke City: Southern California, USA Message:
There is still no gift shop, lol. This is a good book to go along with any formal arabic class. Syrian is a colloquial form of arabic that does not deviate far from FSA, so it can be learned in conjunction with FSA.
Sun Jul 11, 2010 06:42pm Name: Gino City: Sydney, Australia Message: This is an EXCELLENT course! I am now perplexed that there are no follow-on lessons. WHY NOT??? Reading all the positive feedback I would think that a Volume II is definitely in order. I would pay more than the $35 for the first 8 lessons. PLEASE consider adding a few more lessons to your book - it is an excellent, thorough, well thought-out, and totally course that can be applied and practised in everyday life. [Note from the authors: sorry, life has intervened and we are no longer able to create new material. We encourage students to follow out lead!]
Wed May 12, 2010 07:02am Name: Brooke Kidner [HomePage] City: Riverisde, CA Message: This is a great learing tool! The audio is a little quick, so if you're an arabic novice you will definately have some trouble getting it in one shot, but it's great!
Fri Apr 30, 2010 01:15am Name: PAULO EDUARDO DA ROSA City: SAO PAULO Message: I THINK IT´S A MARVELLOUS WORK, MADE WITH CARE. IT HELPS EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE. GOOD LUCK.
Fri Mar 5, 2010 07:56am Name: Michelle City: Jordan Message: I'm living in Amman Jordan and I downloaded the Syrian Colloquial Arabic book last week! I am so thrilled with what I've seen so far! I've studied many Arabic books but most of them focus on the Egyptian dialect which is very different to the one they speak here. I was so excited to see the words my relatives use everyday and to finally have the words make sense! I am going to show the book to other students in my Arabic course – I'm sure they'll find it really useful too.
Mon Apr 20, 2009 05:12am Name: Mirjana City: Message: Thank you for this tremendous course!
It is very helpful and probably the best way to learn Syrian coll., especially since audio material is included. The tone and content are very nice.
Shukran katiir! Mirjana
Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:57am Name: Jose Luis [HomePage] City: Chicago Message: Great work. Very few well organized Arabic courses around, and even less colloquial. Bravo 3alayki! The only other language instruction book I've ever found that was that well composed was the Spoken Language Services Urdu course, but of course that's a completely different language, though with a similar scarcity of good instructional materials.
Sat Sep 6, 2008 05:09am Name: Asbat Primero Sierra City: Curitiba Brazil Message: I really apreciate this course, very useful for people that are trying to learn Arabic.
Thanks a lot and we are specting for new material to study
Sun May 25, 2008 08:40pm Name: Ali City: Toronto Message: Thanks for making this material available on your website. It has helped me immerse myself in the language and Syrian customs. For continuing my study of the language, could you recommend any books, audio, or other material that you think may be helpful. I'm tired of phrasebooks and their bland character.
Thanks again.
Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:05am Name: Oxana City: Rostov-on-Don Message: Thank you! It is one of the best text-books I've ever seen (and I have more than 7 years of teaching experience)!
Tue Dec 4, 2007 05:57am Name: Dara City: St.Petersburg (Russia) Message: I want to thank all the authors of this great book!You can't even imagine how you help a lot of students to learn syrian arabic!shukran gazilan!
Thu Nov 1, 2007 03:32am Name: AMADO BADRAN City: Argentina Message: THANK YOU PEOPLE VERY VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
ALL ARABIAN STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD WERE WAITING FOR THIS BOOK. MY ADMINRATION FOR ALL THE AUTHORS.
Sun Jul 29, 2007 08:43am Name: Muhammad The Roman City: Message: This is very good, a free downloadable book, that bridges my gap between my knowledge of fushaa and a spoken dialect. yahdeekumaallaah
Tue Jul 24, 2007 06:32am Name: Peter City: Message: Almost gave up after using another book. Yours the best I have come across. Now off to Damascus to hear the real thing!
Tue Jul 3, 2007 02:15am Name: Melike City: Cairo Message: I have been besotted with Syrian ever since the first time i heard it and i find this book only nourishes the love i have for this dialect more and more!
Sat Apr 28, 2007 05:09pm Name: Sara City: Damascus Message: I have found your book to be immensely useful.I have throughly enjoyed learning syrian arabic because of it.Your approach and layout is brilliant and has made learning so easy.Thank you for working so extremely hard to put together this wonderful book. I can't even express how impressed i was with it.i wished that you had the 'MSA' one available too.I have and am really struggling to learn and speak it, and i can't find any book near as good!!!!! Thank you again.Best wishes.
Mon Apr 2, 2007 08:30pm Name: Dennis R Curyer [HomePage] City: Melbourne Australia Message: Your work has been a great help to me. Thank you so much for the time money and sacrifice you have made.I wish you every good wish
Dennis
Wed Mar 14, 2007 04:25pm Name: Bartosz Szojda City: Kattowitz/ Poland Message: I learn from this book ab.1,5 years and this materials are the best that I have found in Internet and also in polish lenguage in the bookstore in Poland. So I think my skill of english is not realy hight but I CAN learn from this book so practicial and easy is this book. I MUST SAY SHUKRAN KTIR
Wed Jan 10, 2007 01:30am Name: vinz City: Message: I've not begun to study from this book yet, but at first glance I noticed it's really different from other courses I found on internet. It seems very well structured and it's very strange to find such a good work for free, but it's a valuable choice. I hope you will find the time and sponsors to carry out your beautiful work
Thanks
Vinz
Wed Nov 29, 2006 01:48pm Name: yeranui Kaloyan [HomePage] City: Tijuana Message: You don't have to spend a fortune to learn arabic. I will certanly recomend it.
Thu Sep 14, 2006 06:38pm Name: Simon City: North Yorkshire Message: Just spent quite a lot of money buying the 'al-Kitaab' course - wish I'd found you first. Excellent materials & will complement the other very well. A very big 'thank you'!
Sun Aug 6, 2006 03:36am Name: Daniel City: Miami, Florida, USA Message: Alhamdulillah, I have found this website, and I downloaded the whole book. I have started already, and it is very good, and so much fun. The combination with MP3 and appendixes make the study very practical, and complete. May Allah (sta) bless you all !
Sat Jul 8, 2006 01:26am Name: Sami Kleit City: East Esbjerg, Denmark Message: Shukran ktiir! You guys changed my life! Now I'm finally able to communicate a bit with my family (<- and I'm not even half way yet!) This is by far the best book I've found, it's very deep in explaining - and not only that, it also teaches some culture. Great job!
Fri Jun 30, 2006 02:37pm Name: Ivo Lindbergh City: São Paulo - Brasil Message: Congratulations for the initiative. Very clear and organized, direct to the point. Hope that you may find a good editor and finish more modules. Salam.
Wed Feb 8, 2006 10:34pm Name: Bartosz City: Katowice Message: Hi,
the best book for arabic learning that I have foung in Poland. Very simple and with humor. thank you very much. regards bartosz
Mon Nov 21, 2005 04:50am Name: James Sheridan City: UC Davis, California Message: More than I expected. I would suggest this to anyone interested in the subject.
Fri Nov 18, 2005 04:15pm Name: Hazem City: Message:
Mashallah. You brave people have done everyone interested in Arabic a great public service by providing this resource free. I have told countless people about this awesome resource. Allah y3teekun al 3afiyyah!
Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:56pm Name: Ashwin(Elias) City: Kuwait/ Irbid(Jordan) Message: marhaba!!!!!All I can say is Shukran ktiir.Allah ysallemkun....I was desperate to find a colloquial levantine arabic resource so i could better integrate with my Jordanian step-family.The material is excellent and exudes class and quality!I have bought other materials but this is by far the best.Thankyou for your generosity and kindness(...and for playing cupid...ive TOTALLY fallen head over heels in love with Syria and Syrian culture and plan to visit sometime soon...Inshaallah)
Thu Sep 15, 2005 05:06pm Name: Ana Carolima City: São Paulo - Brasil Message: Really great job!! I'm studying this material and practicing with native friends on net!! Congratulations for the authors, and thanks a lot for the help!! Salam!!
Sat Jun 25, 2005 09:55pm Name: Peter Parmella City: Cambridge Message:
I am already doing a preliminary course in colloquial Syrian Arabic. I was seeking supplementary materials (other angles, other exercises and approached your site with some care. ( you can waste so much time on the Web). I found the book just what I wanted and the tapes better then those I am using ( better not say whose). Excellent work. Peter Parmella
Fri Jun 3, 2005 11:08am Name: farid patel City: mississauga,on canada Message: first of all thanks to you people ....
it helps me a lot to learn.. asw welll it makes me more confident...
really it's very very useful to people like me....
any way allah is there for every body...
wish you best of luck....
thanks again
farid
Fri Jun 3, 2005 02:38am Name: Sayed City: Berkeley Message: One word: Mash'allah.
Sat May 7, 2005 10:58am Name: Michelle S City: Concil Bluffs Ia. USA Message: I am part Syrian and my 12 year old daughter was asking about it so now she wants to learn how to speak arabic so now I guess we will both do so... Thank you so much for making a great book.
Wed Apr 13, 2005 01:59pm Name: Meredith Doeksen City: Los Gatos, CA Message: thank you so much for your website. i hope to make a donation next payday. your files are such great quality.
congrats on the new baby!!
Mon Apr 4, 2005 07:32am Name: Wanda City: ARGENTINA Message: GREAT SITE!!! THX A LOT!!! PLZ CONTINUE!!!
I have found mny sites but this is the best...conversation ...reading and transliteration...all in 1. Shoukran
Tue Jan 4, 2005 12:45am Name: Mirjana City: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Message: Thank you for this tremendous course!
It is very helpful and probably the best way to learn Syrian coll., especially since audio material is included. The tone and content are very nice.
Shukran katiir! Mirjana
Sun Sep 5, 2004 07:38pm Name: bryan yue City: singapore Message: this is like so cool!!!!
i've been looking for arabic stuff everywhere. this is the best so far and it's now so easy to learn arabic. thank you for your generosity. you guys are great!
Sat Aug 14, 2004 03:40pm Name: Daria City: Amman Message: hi! thank u so much fot this great book!!! perfect job!!!
Fri Aug 13, 2004 01:01am Name: Rafael B.R. City: Santa Maria - RS - Brazil Message: I was looking for it at 4 years, but never find nothing. I'm eternaly grateful for this opotunity to learn the arabic language !!! Thank You !!! God Bless You !!!
Mon Jul 12, 2004 06:14am Name: Shane [HomePage] City: Belfast Message: You've done a great job with this course! Thanks for making it free. It really is a great help.
Mon Mar 8, 2004 05:44am Name: Neil Karim City: Cheater, England Message: I have found your book to be the best material for learning arabic on the internet. Thank you very much for all your work and effort.
Tue Jan 13, 2004 12:48am Name: Alex Fazekas City: Sopron, Hungary Message: All I can say is thank you. I never thought bout learning this difficult language til I found your site. You've written a very useful book. Shukran. Alex from Hungary
Tue Jan 6, 2004 08:34pm Name: V.Ganesan City: Dubai Message: I have been searching for a good Spoken Arabic book for the last 8 years. Now , I found your book .. simply the best so far I have seen. Thanks
Sat Dec 27, 2003 02:37pm Name: Carlos Renato de Souza Perri City: Martinópolis - SP Message: Olá pessoal do Syrian Arabic Course.Sou do Brasil e sempre gostei muito da cultura e língua árabe, a qual sempre quis aprender.Sempre procurei em sites, mas nunca encontrei material parecido e de excelente qualidade, fiquei impressionado.Pena não tem em português!
Abraços
Wed Dec 17, 2003 10:24pm Name: Murat Tkhostov City: Vladikavkaz, Russia Message: If I only had such a book when I came to Syria some ten years ago! You've done the greatest work ever!
Tue Dec 9, 2003 04:32am Name: ROBERTO FERREIRA City: Ipameri - Goiás - Brazil Message: Thank you very much for this wonderfull oportunity to learn arabic language. You are always welcome.
Sun Nov 16, 2003 04:54am Name: Khadija City: Texas, USA Message: I have purchased several other colloquial arabic courses which are nothing in comparison
with yours! Kudos. Keep up the good work...
Tue Oct 14, 2003 07:00am Name: al [HomePage] City: Message: what is the difference between egyptian and syrian colloq arabic
(I have posted a detailed explanation on the FAQ page. Mary-Jane)
Mon Sep 8, 2003 09:50pm Name: David Martin City: Dundee Message: Deeply felt thanks to you for your hard work. This is a masterpiece. We are going to visit friends in Syria next year so I have a deadline to work to. I am grateful to you for filling a gap in Arabic language learning. I hope that you find the resources to take MSA off hold in the near future. Your methodology is excellent.
Again, thank you.
Mon Sep 8, 2003 04:25am Name: qamar City: montreal, Canada Message: Marhaban, everybody. I am wondering how long does it normaly takes to go throught all the chapiters? Let's say, if I would use it in a school, how long would the program be to go throught all 8 chapiters? And, how much time do you suggest I should study per day to finish it, in that time frame? Any suggestions from people who have completed the book? Shoukran ktiir and thanks again for the great work. Qamar, Canada. (Between 6-12 months, depending how many hours a day you studied.)
Sun Aug 31, 2003 01:53am Name: Yeranui City: Tijuana,Mexico Message: First I want to congratulate you fot your course. For a long time I was looking for arabic language course in the internet, and this is excellent. I have downloaded all mp3 files and the book.
Sat Jul 26, 2003 09:15am Name: Cory City: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Message: I just downloaded the book and I have learned several languages and I can tell that this book will be very helpful, thought I have not yet taken the big leap I am working on learning the alphabet so that I dont have to do it as I learn the vocabulary and grammar. Please let me know if the other courses you mention about Modern Standard Arabic, and Egyptian Arabic are yet available.
[Note from the authors: Unfortunately, the other modules have been put on hold indefinitely.]
CORY
Tue Jun 17, 2003 04:24am Name: Heiko von Debschitz City: Germany, currently Damascus Message: Is there any place here in Damascus (or anywhere else in Syria or Lebanon) where your book and CD can be bought?
Best wishes for your first (real) baby!
Heiko
from an Internet Cafe in Bab Tooma
Wed May 21, 2003 02:00am Name: Michael Hoffmann City: France Message: I worked few years ago after my studies in Lebanon and started there to learn colloquial arabic. When I came back to France, I started to take MSA courses. And then I found your book on internet. It is very well done and as expected, very close to Lebanese. Thank you for providing interested people like us with such high quality material, and for free!
Sat May 17, 2003 03:35am Name: Erik [HomePage] City: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Message: I ordered the mp3 files cd last year and it's extremely helpful. I'm quite experienced on buying books about the Arabic language, but THIS is definitely the greatest work I've ever seen. The fact that it's a 'low budget' book gives me even a better feeling. It shows that it's real stuff from real people in especially Syria. I have to say that it was very helpful that I already had a lot of knowledge of the Arabic script and pronunciation, though your book teaches it very clear, too! Erik
Mon May 5, 2003 02:00am Name: george [HomePage] City: tel aviv Message: I've been desperately looking for a text book with arabic transliteration, so this book is absolutely unique amongst others.
Why don't you put all mp3 together in one file for easy download?
(Reply from Mary-Jane: Thank you for your kind comments and suggestion. I haven't put all the MP3 files together because huge files are difficult for some people to download, and I don't have enough space to upload both individual MP3 files and a combined version. Sorry.)
Fri Apr 25, 2003 12:27am Name: Mohamed [HomePage] City: Zierikzee/ The Netherlands Message: selam aleikum, First I would like to say how pleased I am with your website! I am using the course to brush up my arabic, and so far the text material has been very (very) helpfull indeed.
I did though face the following 'technical'problem. I've tried to convert the downloadable MP3s into audio files (so that I can listen to them on my discman) after several attempts this wasnt succesfull, are they by any chance protected to work on CDs? [Reply from Mary-Jane: no]
Tue Apr 22, 2003 09:47pm Name: Timothy - an enthusiast of Semitic linguistics City: Ynys Môn, Gogledd Cymru (U.K.) Message: One thousand thank yous! With this work you have really hit the nail on the head. What a fantastic colloquial Arabic textbook! It makes all other textbooks of the same aim look like uncomfortable toilet paper.
AlHamdillah! - an English language textbook that uses Arabic script to teach an Arabic dialect! More effective than other English language Levantine Arabic textbooks, this one has the novelty of Arabic writing in addition to - but not instead of romanised translitration.
Mon Mar 31, 2003 05:27pm Name: michel City: Jerusalem Message: Really,what a gem of a course.The methodology is excellent.Certainly the best I have encountered.Moreover, there is pratically no difference with Palestinian Arabic.I tell as many people than I can ,who want to seriouly study and learn Arabic to download your course.
Many many thanks for your efforts and great results,
Michel
Wed Mar 12, 2003 06:16pm Name: JOSE BERDUGO LOPEZ [HomePage] City: BARRANQUILLA, COLOMBIA Message: Hola Amigos!!
Les escribo desde Barranquilla, al norte de Colombia. Es el mejor curso que he podido encontrar en la red. Los felicito y me gustaria estar en contacto con Ustedes. Estoy interesado en aprender vuestro lenguaje (aunque no soy de ascendencia arabe) y me ha sido muy útil su publicación.
Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:50am Name: Mohammad Tuaha Ahmad Qureshi City: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam Message: You have done a magnificent job at putting this book together and I would personally like to thank and congratulate all the authors. It has helped me tremendously and I will confidently recommend your website to Arabic learner. Lucky I stumbled across your website or else I would still be searching for comprehensive arabic tutorial courses online. Thanks a bunch :)
Sun Feb 23, 2003 04:18am Name: Ali Murtadha [HomePage] City: Washington,D.C. Message: Greetings of Paradise,
I recently downloaded your course material; however I am not able to access your folder once the downloading is complete. Would like very much to view it since this is my heritage.
With Blessings
Salaam
Thu Feb 20, 2003 07:59am Name: Kimitoshi [HomePage] City: Message: i didnt really know this place was aribic, and i just stumbled in here, but i must say, even though im not even studying this, its a great site :)
Wed Jan 1, 2003 11:56pm Name: ulf City: Message: Very, very useful! We spent three weeks in Damaskus last year and attented a language course. But we never were taught these special idioms and words. Now I know why the taxidriver didn´t understand us.... We enjoy your colloquial very much. The only critics: Some of the sentences are way too fast even for non-beginners!
Mon Dec 23, 2002 06:37am Name: Christian Sinclair City: Brattleboro, VT, USA Message: I lived in Syria for 7 years (1990-1997) and now teach Arabic (MSA). I'm about to begin a colloquial course in 'shami' and found this site. Incredible! Thanks!
Fri Dec 20, 2002 09:25am Name: Jeff Donizetti City: São Paulo, Brasil Message: Thanx friends, by this true masterpiece... .
This material will be very useful to my future classes of arabic language in University of São Paulo.
Good work, mates!
Mon Dec 16, 2002 04:03am Name: brian City: louisville Message: I think your course is extremely well put together. I can say from experience with other materials that it is next to being immersed taught by a teacher.
Mon Dec 16, 2002 03:07am Name: Jale Ozcilingir City: USA Message: There are so few resources on Syrain Arabic, and believe me - I've looked! Hopefuly this will help me learn this language so that I can better communicate with my boyfreind who is from Syria. Many thanks for you generosity, hard work and dedication.
*** You are magnificent...thanks a lot. This is a big job. Aziz Acar, Turkey, 7 Jan 2002
***Congratulations on your book. I decided to learn Arabic a week ago and was appalled to see how few resources were available on the internet if compared to (as you do in the preface to the book) Chinese or Japanese. So it was great to have found your book online. Frederico Meinberg, Germany, 3 Feb 2002
***Your book it is very complete and detailed. Thanks for your work. Manuel Jiménez, Spain, 2 April 2002
*** This is a very good book to read. Syed Sabir Hussain, Pakistan, 6 April 2002
***This book is great. I enjoyed a lot. Rubem E. Ferreira, Brazil, 8 Apr 2002
***I want to say to all of u thanks........this book is helping me a lot on learning......its great...THANKS! Sulayka Hamed, Spain, 26 April 2002
*** I downloaded the book and I liked it a lot because I've learned a lot of things I didn't know there. Rogerio Castellano, Brazil, 27 April 2002
*** The book is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Janine, France, 2 May 2002
*** This book is excellent. Ismail Saleh, UK, 3 May 2002
*** Congratulation, It's a very good course. Juan Manuel Jadue Jadue, Chile, 7 May 2002
*** Thank you very much for your book. It is very useful. I think I will benefit very much. I want to say to you THANKYOU VERY MUCH for your generosity.Ferhat Demiralp, Turkey, 8 May 2002
*** I want to congratulate you for the present work. I loved the book and I am studying it hard...Congratulations!!!! Leonardo Caldas Vieira, Brazil, 9 May 2002
*** The material you have posted at your site is excellent. You have indeed put in a lot of effort. Ismail Saleh, New Zealand, 9 May 2002
*** I was happy to find your course Syrian Arabic on the internet...Thank you for making the book available to the general public. Ron Passchier, The Netherlands, 10 May 2002
*** Congratulations I think this is a very useful Arabic book for people who visit Syria frequently...Congratulations. Luis Abraham Viveros Abdala, Mexico, 15 May 2002
*** I really appreciate this site and the freely downloadable book! You fill an excellent void...I heard about this site (and book) from a fellow student here at Brigham Young University who told me that all of his (non-native) friends who speak Arabic *really* well have used this book as an integral part of their studies. Congratulations on such an excellent book. Ensha'allah I will gain much from this book as well! Jon Safari, USA, 20 May 2002
*** I was lucky enough to find your website after I did an internet search for Syrian Colloquial Arabic. It looks like this will help me tremendously - thank you for making this available. Nashawati, Melissa, USA, 21 May 2002
*** EXCELLENT!!!!! Leo, China, 1 June 2002
*** Your book is just great!!! Thank you for making available for free. I am a professional translator and a second-year Arabic student...Mexico has a terrible shortage of Arabic language learning materials -- and I don't know of anything similar your book today in Spanish. Héctor Vicencio, Mexico, 8 June 2002
*** Thank you so much for the work you have done, I will recommend it to all my english speaking friends... Wonderfull job! Thank you so much. Malaz Mamoun, France, 15 June 2002
*** Thank you very much. I am studying Arabic and Turkish, but all we can learn during the studies is MSA. This book will really improve my Arabic and when I go to Syria...I will not feel myself lost. Vuksan Zecevic, Yugoslavia, 18 June 2002 *** You are doing a wonderful work with your Syrian Colloquial Arabic. The written material is easy to use and very well done....I feel very happy indeed. Please don't give it up such great work. Congratulations. Sânzio Moreira Barreto, Brazil, 15 Aug 2002
*** Your course of Syrian Arabic is fantastic. My best compliments. It becomes easier to learn spoken Arabic...Thanks. Enrico Cerulli, Italy, 8 Aug 2002
*** I was thrilled to find your online Arabic course. It is the best I have found on the internet and I am working my way through it...Shukran! Emmy Barth, Germany, 27 July 2002
*** I am really grateful. You have contributed a lot to my life. "The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." Aregbesola Kassim Mayowa, 2 July 2002
*** I have been doing some volunteer medical work with the Palestinians and Jordanian Bedouins and have been struggling with Arabic for years. I have had little luck finding resources for Levantine Arabic in particular. I want to thank you for making this available. It is one of the best Arabic learning resources I've come upon and I find it very useful and easy to use. Thanks, Steve Anderson, 15 Sep 2002
*** Hi, my name is Douglas and I'm from São Paulo city Brazil. Me and my girlfriend Heloisa are learning syrian arabic here at CENTRO CULTURAL ARABE SIRIO (or in english: Syrian Arabic Cultural Center) and here in Brazil arabic souces are very difficult to find out...I wanna thank you for this amazing book, because it'll be very useful for Us! We print 2 books, one for me and one for her and we are using this a lot...A Big thank you from Brazil. Douglas R. Nascimento, 20 Sep 2002
*** I would firstly like to congratulate you on such an excellent book. Nothing compares to it on the net or elsewhere. I can speak Syrian arabic to a great extent now, all thanks to your book. It benifited me greatly before I went to Syria and helped me a lot. Thankyou. M. Zubair, England, 29 Sept 2002
*** I can't express how grateful I am to you for offering a noble service such as this to the public. In the day to come, I will be frequently visiting your website and will definitely learn a lot from your website. Mohd. Tuaha Ahmad Qureshi, 14 Oct 2002
*** Thanks a lot !!!! I am from Belgrade, Serbia. I am studying Arabic and Turkish at the Belgrade University. My MSA is quiet good, but this was the thing that I really needed. THANKS AGAIN!!! Vuksan, Belgrade, 29 Oct 2002
*** I was very surprised and pleased when I found your book on the web. It's really great. The book is very detailed, everything is explained. I watch Arabic satelite programs. I enjoy them very much. I know Arabic fusha, so I have no problems to follow most TV programs. But I am lost when people speak in amiya. If I face problem with fusha, I can solve it easilly - just I need to open grammar book or dictionary. But what to do with amiya: no dictionaries, no books. Actually there are some, but they are usually for beginners. I have book "Lebaneese Arabic" by M. Feghal, but I should say that for those who know fusha such books are not enough. Your book is something diferrent. I am really surprised...I am mostly interested in Levantine Arabic. Thank you once again for the free book on the web. Valdas, Lithuania, 5 Nov 2002
*** I have downloaded your book and tapes and have offered the course to my Church, primarily 1st-3rd generation people of Lebanese, Syrian, Palastinian origin. All I want to know is when does more of your work become available, people cannot get enough of it. Stephen Kouri MD, USA, 8 Nov 2002
*** Thanks!! I no have words ..it's amazing ..too easy, it has changed the concept "complicated" about Arabic... Luis Gutierrez, 8 Nov 2002
*** Since I love Arabic, I'm always trying to find out any new resources all over the world to keep in contact with this wonderful, but difficult, language. One day I was looking at internet and I couldn't believe to find your Syrian Arabic method!! Reading it was like being back in Damascus, listening to Syrian people. I write you for thanking you for your kindness for sharing your big effort with us. I will recommend your method and I would like to encourage you to continue with a MSA and an Egyptian Arabic methods as you say, because I agree with you there are few good methods for learning Arabic...Congratulations from Spain!!! Joana Hernández, Spain, 17 Nov 2002
*** Great work !! Your book is absolutely the best I have come across in the last years!! Thank you and please go on!! My country is Spain but I live in Germany, Ignacio Gutierrez-Canas 22 Nov 2002
Best Colloquial course available.
12 April 2020, tarifk
Best book so far for teaching colloquial Arabic.
24 Feb 2019, JH
I've been using your book on Syrian Arabic now for some time. I'm finishing up chapter 6 now and I'm so impressed with the material and how you constructed it that I just wanted to write a little note to say thank you. I'm a language teacher, as is my wife, and so I know good materials when I see them. We've been teachers for almost 20 years now. My Syrian friend...is also quite impressed with your book.
23 Feb 2017, JA
I want to personally thank you for the great work you did in the Syrian Colloquial Arabic book. When I was studying Fusha, I used it as an introduction to Levantine dialect. Although I thereafter ended up using multiple sources and lived in different places— resulting in my Lebanese/Palestinian/Syrian mutant dialect— I still go back to your book as the best starting place for 3amiyyeh. It is so intuitive and thorough— it's my #1 recommendation to people looking to learn dialect. Truly, thank you. I now work at an Arabic language and culture nonprofit in Atlanta...and we would love to use your book to structure our course on Levantine dialect.
[why the gap? I was a little BUSY with life :-!]
24 June 2013, CH
I've been going through your text with a Syrian friend who is helping me and it is fantastic. He says it is a great tool and I love it as well.
30 March 2013, JM
Your course is amazing and complete! I’m very happy to have found it.
20 August 2012, RR, UK
I would like to express my gratitude for all the wonderful resources that you and your colleagues have worked so hard to provide for Arabic learners. I have been searching the internet for a long time for resources that will enable me to improve my Syrian Arabic, and I have yet to find anything that remotely compares to your textbooks and downloads.
16 July 2012, Ahmed, Egypt [regarding Egyptian and Syrian - what are the differences? article]
Excellent comparison. You are perfect in both. I am an Egyptian native.
23 June 2012, BM
I've looked around for other Syrian (or even Levantine) books, and I haven't found anything as good as your book. Looking through the sample materials, here are some of the things I love about your book:
- I love that you use the Arabic script, because I believe it needs to be learned along with the language.
- I also love that you've tried to make it as error free as possible. Other curriculum I've gone through has been chock full of errors, things that are obvious to even a beginning student such as myself.
- The audio quality is great. I love that you use native speakers, that you have multiple speakers, and have some background sounds to make it sound more authentic.
I do have a few suggestions...[Note from Mary-Jane - thank you for the great suggestions! We are working on that!]
Mary-Jane, I use your book all the time! I love it and it's helped me tremendously in learning Arabic.. but I still have a lot to learn and reading is one... just need more practice I think! Thanks for everything... I highly recommend your book to all my friends!
October 12 2011, Gino Uguccioni, Sydney, Australia
Your book is beyond a doubt the best, most comprehensive, book around for colloquial Arabic as it includes Arabic script, romanised transliterations, and the audios, which are invaluable. I completed your book here in Australia, mostly on my own, but also using a private tutor from time to time to practice, and to improve fluency, comprehension and pronunciation. Then, since there is a complete dearth of follow-on intermediate/advanced level self-instruction books in Syrian, Lebanese or Jordanian Arabic, I actually went to Syria in May, 2011 for 5 weeks and did an intensive course in Syrian colloquial with private tutors... Talk about tough!! 3 hours a day of private tuition, 3 hours homework, instruction only in Arabic, all texts written only in Arabic etc.....but your book had me well prepared!
It was a wonderful experience, and even though I only had 5 weeks there, I think my colloquial "Shaami" Arabic also improved considerably, because when I was leaving Damascus airport, the passport control officer pulled me over to the side and asked to see my Syrian passport! He thought I might have been of Syrian origin, but was quite impressed when I told him I am 100% Italian Australian, and he said I spoke excellent Shaami!
If I were to offer any advice to students of your book who are seriously interested in continuing with Arabic, I would strongly suggest they find Syrian/Lebanese/Palestinian friend to practice with as you need to use the language not just study it, and that they get used to using the Arabic script, even if it appears very challenging at first.
Once again, I think your book is excellent, and hope that one day there will be a Book 2.
October 11 2011, PP, Cambridge, United Kingdom
I have used your book over the last 3 years and recommended it to friends. I noted that one of my language teachers in Syria was also making etensive use of it...your book is much superior to anything else I have found.
October 3 2011, HS, student, United States
The Syrian Arabic study material has been one of the most useful tools that I have encountered as of yet. It gives the student practical tools, that if applied, will help the student in real life situations. However, to get the most from the material, one must practice as often as possible and find a conversation partner.
October 1 2011, DH, student of Syrian Arabic, United States
I'm really happy with this coursework already from going through the intro and Chapter 1. This will help a lot. The pronunciation is spot on. All my grandparents were from Syria and my mother spoke Arabic well. I've been around a lot of Syrians and it's great that the recordings are done so well.
Mar 18, 2011 05:55am Name: Maureen City: England Message:
Excellent materials. I had no previous knowledge of Arabic and was using this book in my course. My first level took us to chapter 4 in the book and in the exam I passed with grade A, so I'm very pleased.
Sat Nov 27, 2010 01:32pm Name: Turfa Alsibai Shamma City: sterling, VA Message:
I loved this book. you have done a great job with the chapters, audio and dialect practice. Well done
Thu Oct 14, 2010 04:51am Name: Joel Thomas City: Istanbul Message:
It took me a year to realise by myself the correct way to view spoken vs. written Arabic. If I'd only had the introduction from your book, it would have saved me all that. Bravo! I hope to master the language with the help of your masterpiece.
Thu Sep 2, 2010 05:22am Name: Brooke City: Southern California, USA Message:
There is still no gift shop, lol. This is a good book to go along with any formal arabic class. Syrian is a colloquial form of arabic that does not deviate far from FSA, so it can be learned in conjunction with FSA.
Sun Jul 11, 2010 06:42pm Name: Gino City: Sydney, Australia Message: This is an EXCELLENT course! I am now perplexed that there are no follow-on lessons. WHY NOT??? Reading all the positive feedback I would think that a Volume II is definitely in order. I would pay more than the $35 for the first 8 lessons. PLEASE consider adding a few more lessons to your book - it is an excellent, thorough, well thought-out, and totally course that can be applied and practised in everyday life. [Note from the authors: sorry, life has intervened and we are no longer able to create new material. We encourage students to follow out lead!]
Wed May 12, 2010 07:02am Name: Brooke Kidner [HomePage] City: Riverisde, CA Message: This is a great learing tool! The audio is a little quick, so if you're an arabic novice you will definately have some trouble getting it in one shot, but it's great!
Fri Apr 30, 2010 01:15am Name: PAULO EDUARDO DA ROSA City: SAO PAULO Message: I THINK IT´S A MARVELLOUS WORK, MADE WITH CARE. IT HELPS EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE. GOOD LUCK.
Fri Mar 5, 2010 07:56am Name: Michelle City: Jordan Message: I'm living in Amman Jordan and I downloaded the Syrian Colloquial Arabic book last week! I am so thrilled with what I've seen so far! I've studied many Arabic books but most of them focus on the Egyptian dialect which is very different to the one they speak here. I was so excited to see the words my relatives use everyday and to finally have the words make sense! I am going to show the book to other students in my Arabic course – I'm sure they'll find it really useful too.
Mon Apr 20, 2009 05:12am Name: Mirjana City: Message: Thank you for this tremendous course!
It is very helpful and probably the best way to learn Syrian coll., especially since audio material is included. The tone and content are very nice.
Shukran katiir! Mirjana
Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:57am Name: Jose Luis [HomePage] City: Chicago Message: Great work. Very few well organized Arabic courses around, and even less colloquial. Bravo 3alayki! The only other language instruction book I've ever found that was that well composed was the Spoken Language Services Urdu course, but of course that's a completely different language, though with a similar scarcity of good instructional materials.
Sat Sep 6, 2008 05:09am Name: Asbat Primero Sierra City: Curitiba Brazil Message: I really apreciate this course, very useful for people that are trying to learn Arabic.
Thanks a lot and we are specting for new material to study
Sun May 25, 2008 08:40pm Name: Ali City: Toronto Message: Thanks for making this material available on your website. It has helped me immerse myself in the language and Syrian customs. For continuing my study of the language, could you recommend any books, audio, or other material that you think may be helpful. I'm tired of phrasebooks and their bland character.
Thanks again.
Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:05am Name: Oxana City: Rostov-on-Don Message: Thank you! It is one of the best text-books I've ever seen (and I have more than 7 years of teaching experience)!
Tue Dec 4, 2007 05:57am Name: Dara City: St.Petersburg (Russia) Message: I want to thank all the authors of this great book!You can't even imagine how you help a lot of students to learn syrian arabic!shukran gazilan!
Thu Nov 1, 2007 03:32am Name: AMADO BADRAN City: Argentina Message: THANK YOU PEOPLE VERY VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
ALL ARABIAN STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD WERE WAITING FOR THIS BOOK. MY ADMINRATION FOR ALL THE AUTHORS.
Sun Jul 29, 2007 08:43am Name: Muhammad The Roman City: Message: This is very good, a free downloadable book, that bridges my gap between my knowledge of fushaa and a spoken dialect. yahdeekumaallaah
Tue Jul 24, 2007 06:32am Name: Peter City: Message: Almost gave up after using another book. Yours the best I have come across. Now off to Damascus to hear the real thing!
Tue Jul 3, 2007 02:15am Name: Melike City: Cairo Message: I have been besotted with Syrian ever since the first time i heard it and i find this book only nourishes the love i have for this dialect more and more!
Sat Apr 28, 2007 05:09pm Name: Sara City: Damascus Message: I have found your book to be immensely useful.I have throughly enjoyed learning syrian arabic because of it.Your approach and layout is brilliant and has made learning so easy.Thank you for working so extremely hard to put together this wonderful book. I can't even express how impressed i was with it.i wished that you had the 'MSA' one available too.I have and am really struggling to learn and speak it, and i can't find any book near as good!!!!! Thank you again.Best wishes.
Mon Apr 2, 2007 08:30pm Name: Dennis R Curyer [HomePage] City: Melbourne Australia Message: Your work has been a great help to me. Thank you so much for the time money and sacrifice you have made.I wish you every good wish
Dennis
Wed Mar 14, 2007 04:25pm Name: Bartosz Szojda City: Kattowitz/ Poland Message: I learn from this book ab.1,5 years and this materials are the best that I have found in Internet and also in polish lenguage in the bookstore in Poland. So I think my skill of english is not realy hight but I CAN learn from this book so practicial and easy is this book. I MUST SAY SHUKRAN KTIR
Wed Jan 10, 2007 01:30am Name: vinz City: Message: I've not begun to study from this book yet, but at first glance I noticed it's really different from other courses I found on internet. It seems very well structured and it's very strange to find such a good work for free, but it's a valuable choice. I hope you will find the time and sponsors to carry out your beautiful work
Thanks
Vinz
Wed Nov 29, 2006 01:48pm Name: yeranui Kaloyan [HomePage] City: Tijuana Message: You don't have to spend a fortune to learn arabic. I will certanly recomend it.
Thu Sep 14, 2006 06:38pm Name: Simon City: North Yorkshire Message: Just spent quite a lot of money buying the 'al-Kitaab' course - wish I'd found you first. Excellent materials & will complement the other very well. A very big 'thank you'!
Sun Aug 6, 2006 03:36am Name: Daniel City: Miami, Florida, USA Message: Alhamdulillah, I have found this website, and I downloaded the whole book. I have started already, and it is very good, and so much fun. The combination with MP3 and appendixes make the study very practical, and complete. May Allah (sta) bless you all !
Sat Jul 8, 2006 01:26am Name: Sami Kleit City: East Esbjerg, Denmark Message: Shukran ktiir! You guys changed my life! Now I'm finally able to communicate a bit with my family (<- and I'm not even half way yet!) This is by far the best book I've found, it's very deep in explaining - and not only that, it also teaches some culture. Great job!
Fri Jun 30, 2006 02:37pm Name: Ivo Lindbergh City: São Paulo - Brasil Message: Congratulations for the initiative. Very clear and organized, direct to the point. Hope that you may find a good editor and finish more modules. Salam.
Wed Feb 8, 2006 10:34pm Name: Bartosz City: Katowice Message: Hi,
the best book for arabic learning that I have foung in Poland. Very simple and with humor. thank you very much. regards bartosz
Mon Nov 21, 2005 04:50am Name: James Sheridan City: UC Davis, California Message: More than I expected. I would suggest this to anyone interested in the subject.
Fri Nov 18, 2005 04:15pm Name: Hazem City: Message:
Mashallah. You brave people have done everyone interested in Arabic a great public service by providing this resource free. I have told countless people about this awesome resource. Allah y3teekun al 3afiyyah!
Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:56pm Name: Ashwin(Elias) City: Kuwait/ Irbid(Jordan) Message: marhaba!!!!!All I can say is Shukran ktiir.Allah ysallemkun....I was desperate to find a colloquial levantine arabic resource so i could better integrate with my Jordanian step-family.The material is excellent and exudes class and quality!I have bought other materials but this is by far the best.Thankyou for your generosity and kindness(...and for playing cupid...ive TOTALLY fallen head over heels in love with Syria and Syrian culture and plan to visit sometime soon...Inshaallah)
Thu Sep 15, 2005 05:06pm Name: Ana Carolima City: São Paulo - Brasil Message: Really great job!! I'm studying this material and practicing with native friends on net!! Congratulations for the authors, and thanks a lot for the help!! Salam!!
Sat Jun 25, 2005 09:55pm Name: Peter Parmella City: Cambridge Message:
I am already doing a preliminary course in colloquial Syrian Arabic. I was seeking supplementary materials (other angles, other exercises and approached your site with some care. ( you can waste so much time on the Web). I found the book just what I wanted and the tapes better then those I am using ( better not say whose). Excellent work. Peter Parmella
Fri Jun 3, 2005 11:08am Name: farid patel City: mississauga,on canada Message: first of all thanks to you people ....
it helps me a lot to learn.. asw welll it makes me more confident...
really it's very very useful to people like me....
any way allah is there for every body...
wish you best of luck....
thanks again
farid
Fri Jun 3, 2005 02:38am Name: Sayed City: Berkeley Message: One word: Mash'allah.
Sat May 7, 2005 10:58am Name: Michelle S City: Concil Bluffs Ia. USA Message: I am part Syrian and my 12 year old daughter was asking about it so now she wants to learn how to speak arabic so now I guess we will both do so... Thank you so much for making a great book.
Wed Apr 13, 2005 01:59pm Name: Meredith Doeksen City: Los Gatos, CA Message: thank you so much for your website. i hope to make a donation next payday. your files are such great quality.
congrats on the new baby!!
Mon Apr 4, 2005 07:32am Name: Wanda City: ARGENTINA Message: GREAT SITE!!! THX A LOT!!! PLZ CONTINUE!!!
I have found mny sites but this is the best...conversation ...reading and transliteration...all in 1. Shoukran
Tue Jan 4, 2005 12:45am Name: Mirjana City: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Message: Thank you for this tremendous course!
It is very helpful and probably the best way to learn Syrian coll., especially since audio material is included. The tone and content are very nice.
Shukran katiir! Mirjana
Sun Sep 5, 2004 07:38pm Name: bryan yue City: singapore Message: this is like so cool!!!!
i've been looking for arabic stuff everywhere. this is the best so far and it's now so easy to learn arabic. thank you for your generosity. you guys are great!
Sat Aug 14, 2004 03:40pm Name: Daria City: Amman Message: hi! thank u so much fot this great book!!! perfect job!!!
Fri Aug 13, 2004 01:01am Name: Rafael B.R. City: Santa Maria - RS - Brazil Message: I was looking for it at 4 years, but never find nothing. I'm eternaly grateful for this opotunity to learn the arabic language !!! Thank You !!! God Bless You !!!
Mon Jul 12, 2004 06:14am Name: Shane [HomePage] City: Belfast Message: You've done a great job with this course! Thanks for making it free. It really is a great help.
Mon Mar 8, 2004 05:44am Name: Neil Karim City: Cheater, England Message: I have found your book to be the best material for learning arabic on the internet. Thank you very much for all your work and effort.
Tue Jan 13, 2004 12:48am Name: Alex Fazekas City: Sopron, Hungary Message: All I can say is thank you. I never thought bout learning this difficult language til I found your site. You've written a very useful book. Shukran. Alex from Hungary
Tue Jan 6, 2004 08:34pm Name: V.Ganesan City: Dubai Message: I have been searching for a good Spoken Arabic book for the last 8 years. Now , I found your book .. simply the best so far I have seen. Thanks
Sat Dec 27, 2003 02:37pm Name: Carlos Renato de Souza Perri City: Martinópolis - SP Message: Olá pessoal do Syrian Arabic Course.Sou do Brasil e sempre gostei muito da cultura e língua árabe, a qual sempre quis aprender.Sempre procurei em sites, mas nunca encontrei material parecido e de excelente qualidade, fiquei impressionado.Pena não tem em português!
Abraços
Wed Dec 17, 2003 10:24pm Name: Murat Tkhostov City: Vladikavkaz, Russia Message: If I only had such a book when I came to Syria some ten years ago! You've done the greatest work ever!
Tue Dec 9, 2003 04:32am Name: ROBERTO FERREIRA City: Ipameri - Goiás - Brazil Message: Thank you very much for this wonderfull oportunity to learn arabic language. You are always welcome.
Sun Nov 16, 2003 04:54am Name: Khadija City: Texas, USA Message: I have purchased several other colloquial arabic courses which are nothing in comparison
with yours! Kudos. Keep up the good work...
Tue Oct 14, 2003 07:00am Name: al [HomePage] City: Message: what is the difference between egyptian and syrian colloq arabic
(I have posted a detailed explanation on the FAQ page. Mary-Jane)
Mon Sep 8, 2003 09:50pm Name: David Martin City: Dundee Message: Deeply felt thanks to you for your hard work. This is a masterpiece. We are going to visit friends in Syria next year so I have a deadline to work to. I am grateful to you for filling a gap in Arabic language learning. I hope that you find the resources to take MSA off hold in the near future. Your methodology is excellent.
Again, thank you.
Mon Sep 8, 2003 04:25am Name: qamar City: montreal, Canada Message: Marhaban, everybody. I am wondering how long does it normaly takes to go throught all the chapiters? Let's say, if I would use it in a school, how long would the program be to go throught all 8 chapiters? And, how much time do you suggest I should study per day to finish it, in that time frame? Any suggestions from people who have completed the book? Shoukran ktiir and thanks again for the great work. Qamar, Canada. (Between 6-12 months, depending how many hours a day you studied.)
Sun Aug 31, 2003 01:53am Name: Yeranui City: Tijuana,Mexico Message: First I want to congratulate you fot your course. For a long time I was looking for arabic language course in the internet, and this is excellent. I have downloaded all mp3 files and the book.
Sat Jul 26, 2003 09:15am Name: Cory City: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Message: I just downloaded the book and I have learned several languages and I can tell that this book will be very helpful, thought I have not yet taken the big leap I am working on learning the alphabet so that I dont have to do it as I learn the vocabulary and grammar. Please let me know if the other courses you mention about Modern Standard Arabic, and Egyptian Arabic are yet available.
[Note from the authors: Unfortunately, the other modules have been put on hold indefinitely.]
CORY
Tue Jun 17, 2003 04:24am Name: Heiko von Debschitz City: Germany, currently Damascus Message: Is there any place here in Damascus (or anywhere else in Syria or Lebanon) where your book and CD can be bought?
Best wishes for your first (real) baby!
Heiko
from an Internet Cafe in Bab Tooma
Wed May 21, 2003 02:00am Name: Michael Hoffmann City: France Message: I worked few years ago after my studies in Lebanon and started there to learn colloquial arabic. When I came back to France, I started to take MSA courses. And then I found your book on internet. It is very well done and as expected, very close to Lebanese. Thank you for providing interested people like us with such high quality material, and for free!
Sat May 17, 2003 03:35am Name: Erik [HomePage] City: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Message: I ordered the mp3 files cd last year and it's extremely helpful. I'm quite experienced on buying books about the Arabic language, but THIS is definitely the greatest work I've ever seen. The fact that it's a 'low budget' book gives me even a better feeling. It shows that it's real stuff from real people in especially Syria. I have to say that it was very helpful that I already had a lot of knowledge of the Arabic script and pronunciation, though your book teaches it very clear, too! Erik
Mon May 5, 2003 02:00am Name: george [HomePage] City: tel aviv Message: I've been desperately looking for a text book with arabic transliteration, so this book is absolutely unique amongst others.
Why don't you put all mp3 together in one file for easy download?
(Reply from Mary-Jane: Thank you for your kind comments and suggestion. I haven't put all the MP3 files together because huge files are difficult for some people to download, and I don't have enough space to upload both individual MP3 files and a combined version. Sorry.)
Fri Apr 25, 2003 12:27am Name: Mohamed [HomePage] City: Zierikzee/ The Netherlands Message: selam aleikum, First I would like to say how pleased I am with your website! I am using the course to brush up my arabic, and so far the text material has been very (very) helpfull indeed.
I did though face the following 'technical'problem. I've tried to convert the downloadable MP3s into audio files (so that I can listen to them on my discman) after several attempts this wasnt succesfull, are they by any chance protected to work on CDs? [Reply from Mary-Jane: no]
Tue Apr 22, 2003 09:47pm Name: Timothy - an enthusiast of Semitic linguistics City: Ynys Môn, Gogledd Cymru (U.K.) Message: One thousand thank yous! With this work you have really hit the nail on the head. What a fantastic colloquial Arabic textbook! It makes all other textbooks of the same aim look like uncomfortable toilet paper.
AlHamdillah! - an English language textbook that uses Arabic script to teach an Arabic dialect! More effective than other English language Levantine Arabic textbooks, this one has the novelty of Arabic writing in addition to - but not instead of romanised translitration.
Mon Mar 31, 2003 05:27pm Name: michel City: Jerusalem Message: Really,what a gem of a course.The methodology is excellent.Certainly the best I have encountered.Moreover, there is pratically no difference with Palestinian Arabic.I tell as many people than I can ,who want to seriouly study and learn Arabic to download your course.
Many many thanks for your efforts and great results,
Michel
Wed Mar 12, 2003 06:16pm Name: JOSE BERDUGO LOPEZ [HomePage] City: BARRANQUILLA, COLOMBIA Message: Hola Amigos!!
Les escribo desde Barranquilla, al norte de Colombia. Es el mejor curso que he podido encontrar en la red. Los felicito y me gustaria estar en contacto con Ustedes. Estoy interesado en aprender vuestro lenguaje (aunque no soy de ascendencia arabe) y me ha sido muy útil su publicación.
Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:50am Name: Mohammad Tuaha Ahmad Qureshi City: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam Message: You have done a magnificent job at putting this book together and I would personally like to thank and congratulate all the authors. It has helped me tremendously and I will confidently recommend your website to Arabic learner. Lucky I stumbled across your website or else I would still be searching for comprehensive arabic tutorial courses online. Thanks a bunch :)
Sun Feb 23, 2003 04:18am Name: Ali Murtadha [HomePage] City: Washington,D.C. Message: Greetings of Paradise,
I recently downloaded your course material; however I am not able to access your folder once the downloading is complete. Would like very much to view it since this is my heritage.
With Blessings
Salaam
Thu Feb 20, 2003 07:59am Name: Kimitoshi [HomePage] City: Message: i didnt really know this place was aribic, and i just stumbled in here, but i must say, even though im not even studying this, its a great site :)
Wed Jan 1, 2003 11:56pm Name: ulf City: Message: Very, very useful! We spent three weeks in Damaskus last year and attented a language course. But we never were taught these special idioms and words. Now I know why the taxidriver didn´t understand us.... We enjoy your colloquial very much. The only critics: Some of the sentences are way too fast even for non-beginners!
Mon Dec 23, 2002 06:37am Name: Christian Sinclair City: Brattleboro, VT, USA Message: I lived in Syria for 7 years (1990-1997) and now teach Arabic (MSA). I'm about to begin a colloquial course in 'shami' and found this site. Incredible! Thanks!
Fri Dec 20, 2002 09:25am Name: Jeff Donizetti City: São Paulo, Brasil Message: Thanx friends, by this true masterpiece... .
This material will be very useful to my future classes of arabic language in University of São Paulo.
Good work, mates!
Mon Dec 16, 2002 04:03am Name: brian City: louisville Message: I think your course is extremely well put together. I can say from experience with other materials that it is next to being immersed taught by a teacher.
Mon Dec 16, 2002 03:07am Name: Jale Ozcilingir City: USA Message: There are so few resources on Syrain Arabic, and believe me - I've looked! Hopefuly this will help me learn this language so that I can better communicate with my boyfreind who is from Syria. Many thanks for you generosity, hard work and dedication.
*** You are magnificent...thanks a lot. This is a big job. Aziz Acar, Turkey, 7 Jan 2002
***Congratulations on your book. I decided to learn Arabic a week ago and was appalled to see how few resources were available on the internet if compared to (as you do in the preface to the book) Chinese or Japanese. So it was great to have found your book online. Frederico Meinberg, Germany, 3 Feb 2002
***Your book it is very complete and detailed. Thanks for your work. Manuel Jiménez, Spain, 2 April 2002
*** This is a very good book to read. Syed Sabir Hussain, Pakistan, 6 April 2002
***This book is great. I enjoyed a lot. Rubem E. Ferreira, Brazil, 8 Apr 2002
***I want to say to all of u thanks........this book is helping me a lot on learning......its great...THANKS! Sulayka Hamed, Spain, 26 April 2002
*** I downloaded the book and I liked it a lot because I've learned a lot of things I didn't know there. Rogerio Castellano, Brazil, 27 April 2002
*** The book is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Janine, France, 2 May 2002
*** This book is excellent. Ismail Saleh, UK, 3 May 2002
*** Congratulation, It's a very good course. Juan Manuel Jadue Jadue, Chile, 7 May 2002
*** Thank you very much for your book. It is very useful. I think I will benefit very much. I want to say to you THANKYOU VERY MUCH for your generosity.Ferhat Demiralp, Turkey, 8 May 2002
*** I want to congratulate you for the present work. I loved the book and I am studying it hard...Congratulations!!!! Leonardo Caldas Vieira, Brazil, 9 May 2002
*** The material you have posted at your site is excellent. You have indeed put in a lot of effort. Ismail Saleh, New Zealand, 9 May 2002
*** I was happy to find your course Syrian Arabic on the internet...Thank you for making the book available to the general public. Ron Passchier, The Netherlands, 10 May 2002
*** Congratulations I think this is a very useful Arabic book for people who visit Syria frequently...Congratulations. Luis Abraham Viveros Abdala, Mexico, 15 May 2002
*** I really appreciate this site and the freely downloadable book! You fill an excellent void...I heard about this site (and book) from a fellow student here at Brigham Young University who told me that all of his (non-native) friends who speak Arabic *really* well have used this book as an integral part of their studies. Congratulations on such an excellent book. Ensha'allah I will gain much from this book as well! Jon Safari, USA, 20 May 2002
*** I was lucky enough to find your website after I did an internet search for Syrian Colloquial Arabic. It looks like this will help me tremendously - thank you for making this available. Nashawati, Melissa, USA, 21 May 2002
*** EXCELLENT!!!!! Leo, China, 1 June 2002
*** Your book is just great!!! Thank you for making available for free. I am a professional translator and a second-year Arabic student...Mexico has a terrible shortage of Arabic language learning materials -- and I don't know of anything similar your book today in Spanish. Héctor Vicencio, Mexico, 8 June 2002
*** Thank you so much for the work you have done, I will recommend it to all my english speaking friends... Wonderfull job! Thank you so much. Malaz Mamoun, France, 15 June 2002
*** Thank you very much. I am studying Arabic and Turkish, but all we can learn during the studies is MSA. This book will really improve my Arabic and when I go to Syria...I will not feel myself lost. Vuksan Zecevic, Yugoslavia, 18 June 2002 *** You are doing a wonderful work with your Syrian Colloquial Arabic. The written material is easy to use and very well done....I feel very happy indeed. Please don't give it up such great work. Congratulations. Sânzio Moreira Barreto, Brazil, 15 Aug 2002
*** Your course of Syrian Arabic is fantastic. My best compliments. It becomes easier to learn spoken Arabic...Thanks. Enrico Cerulli, Italy, 8 Aug 2002
*** I was thrilled to find your online Arabic course. It is the best I have found on the internet and I am working my way through it...Shukran! Emmy Barth, Germany, 27 July 2002
*** I am really grateful. You have contributed a lot to my life. "The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." Aregbesola Kassim Mayowa, 2 July 2002
*** I have been doing some volunteer medical work with the Palestinians and Jordanian Bedouins and have been struggling with Arabic for years. I have had little luck finding resources for Levantine Arabic in particular. I want to thank you for making this available. It is one of the best Arabic learning resources I've come upon and I find it very useful and easy to use. Thanks, Steve Anderson, 15 Sep 2002
*** Hi, my name is Douglas and I'm from São Paulo city Brazil. Me and my girlfriend Heloisa are learning syrian arabic here at CENTRO CULTURAL ARABE SIRIO (or in english: Syrian Arabic Cultural Center) and here in Brazil arabic souces are very difficult to find out...I wanna thank you for this amazing book, because it'll be very useful for Us! We print 2 books, one for me and one for her and we are using this a lot...A Big thank you from Brazil. Douglas R. Nascimento, 20 Sep 2002
*** I would firstly like to congratulate you on such an excellent book. Nothing compares to it on the net or elsewhere. I can speak Syrian arabic to a great extent now, all thanks to your book. It benifited me greatly before I went to Syria and helped me a lot. Thankyou. M. Zubair, England, 29 Sept 2002
*** I can't express how grateful I am to you for offering a noble service such as this to the public. In the day to come, I will be frequently visiting your website and will definitely learn a lot from your website. Mohd. Tuaha Ahmad Qureshi, 14 Oct 2002
*** Thanks a lot !!!! I am from Belgrade, Serbia. I am studying Arabic and Turkish at the Belgrade University. My MSA is quiet good, but this was the thing that I really needed. THANKS AGAIN!!! Vuksan, Belgrade, 29 Oct 2002
*** I was very surprised and pleased when I found your book on the web. It's really great. The book is very detailed, everything is explained. I watch Arabic satelite programs. I enjoy them very much. I know Arabic fusha, so I have no problems to follow most TV programs. But I am lost when people speak in amiya. If I face problem with fusha, I can solve it easilly - just I need to open grammar book or dictionary. But what to do with amiya: no dictionaries, no books. Actually there are some, but they are usually for beginners. I have book "Lebaneese Arabic" by M. Feghal, but I should say that for those who know fusha such books are not enough. Your book is something diferrent. I am really surprised...I am mostly interested in Levantine Arabic. Thank you once again for the free book on the web. Valdas, Lithuania, 5 Nov 2002
*** I have downloaded your book and tapes and have offered the course to my Church, primarily 1st-3rd generation people of Lebanese, Syrian, Palastinian origin. All I want to know is when does more of your work become available, people cannot get enough of it. Stephen Kouri MD, USA, 8 Nov 2002
*** Thanks!! I no have words ..it's amazing ..too easy, it has changed the concept "complicated" about Arabic... Luis Gutierrez, 8 Nov 2002
*** Since I love Arabic, I'm always trying to find out any new resources all over the world to keep in contact with this wonderful, but difficult, language. One day I was looking at internet and I couldn't believe to find your Syrian Arabic method!! Reading it was like being back in Damascus, listening to Syrian people. I write you for thanking you for your kindness for sharing your big effort with us. I will recommend your method and I would like to encourage you to continue with a MSA and an Egyptian Arabic methods as you say, because I agree with you there are few good methods for learning Arabic...Congratulations from Spain!!! Joana Hernández, Spain, 17 Nov 2002
*** Great work !! Your book is absolutely the best I have come across in the last years!! Thank you and please go on!! My country is Spain but I live in Germany, Ignacio Gutierrez-Canas 22 Nov 2002
