Salam alaikum everybody,
I just wanted to share the information I collected about the Arabic courses in Cairo. Maybe mods can flag this post so that it will be helpful to other people in need of information.
1. You should first decide which Arabic you want to learn. Because there are many versions of Arabic.
1a. Fusha/MSA (Modern Standard Arabic): Fusha is classical Arabic. It is the language of the Holy Qoran and all Muslims either know it, or memorized some parts of it (at least the first Surah of the Qoran, Al-Fatiha, in order to be able to complete the daily prayers).
MSA is actually a little different from Fusha but for beginner levels it is the same. Newspapers and most TV channels are in MSA. Besides, educated people in Arabic countries can understand and speak it. Others can understand you when you speak it but usually they reply in the second version of Arabic which is called Ammiyah.
1b. Ammiyah (Dialect): Every Arabic country has its own dialect because Fusha/MSA is not spoken among people. In Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia you will find a mixture of Berber, Arabic and French; in Egypt you will find another version which is more musical, in Syria another version called Levantine and so on. For more information please visit here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varieties_of_Arabic
The nearest dialect to Fusha is spoken by the Beduins in Yemen and some parts of Saudi Arabia but in the last years their number diminished. In Jordan and Syria you will find a close version, but still it is not the same.
One of the characteristics of Egyptian dialect is that they pronounce "ج (Jim)" like "Ghim". Instead of "Jamia" they say "Gamia". Another characteristic is that they don't pronounce the "ق (Qaf)". So instead of "Qahwah (Coffee) they say "Ahwah". The only exception to this is "Al-Qahirah" :)
2. After deciding which version you want to learn, you can try to look for a school suitable for your needs. First check if they offer the Arabic version you want to learn. Most of them offer both but it is better to ask them.
2a. The Cairo university offers courses to foreign people. For this programme you have to pay about 700 EGP for 7 weeks (5 days a week and 4 hours a day) and it is quite economic in comparison with other options. To inscribe you have to go to Cairo University which has a subway station after its name.
2b. Drayah school: They offer 140 hours (7 weeks) for 400 USD which is also very economic. They use the "Kitab-al Asasy" for their courses. So either you find it somewhere or buy from them a copy for 50 EGP. Drayah is located in Dokki which is near to Downtown/City Center. www.drayah.com
2c. In Muhandeseen area, there is a school called Kalimat. It is very good but a little bit expensive. You have to pay 2160 EGP (about 365 USD) + 100 EGP for the book. Mostly western students prefer Kalimat. www.kalimategypt.com
2d. Another institute called Fajr has 4 branches. One is in Dokki,
another one in Maadi, another in Rehab and the last one in Nasr city.
Their teaching is connected with Islamic religion and culture. For this
you have to pay 250 USD for 5 weeks and about 75 hours. If you want to
take private classes, then the price will be 350 USD. If you study at
Nasr city, which is about 20 km from city center, it is about 115 USD.
2e. There are other options like ILI, AUC, Diwan. I don't know them, so I won't comment. For a wide selection of them, visit this site and follow the links given:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pjngiThDBcnoLQKqYSG5OBQ
3. How to find a flat in Cairo?
3a. You have to ask people in your institute. They might know about a flat or someone who has flats called "brokers". Brokers ("simsar" in Arabic) charge fees. Usually half of one rent. Besides, usually people ask for one month rent as deposit. Prices differ from region to region. But it is possible to find something reasonable for 1000 EGP, too. Btw. be careful with brokers. Don't pay them in advance before you have your legal contract.
3b. You can check Cairo Scholars Facebook page. Just search it in Facebook and you will find many ad's in it.
3c. You can also check Craiglist Cairo. http://cairo.craigslist.org/
3d. If none of this works, find a local and go with him through apartments, ask Bawab's (doormen) in front of apartments.
5. Simcards are easy to buy. It takes only a couple of minutes. Vodafone prepaid costs 15 EGP.
6. You can download Pimsleur mp3's for an effective technique of learning Arabic. Pimsleur doesn't offer Fusha but only dialects. Google it like "Pimsleur Arabic mp3" to find links to download. Or buy it.
7. The most sublime version of Arabic is the Arabic of the Holy Qoran. You can download recitation of the Qoran and listen in your free time to improve your Arabic. Here are various reciters. (I personally prefer Abu Bakr al-Shatri)
http://www.hasenat.net/hatimler.htm
To have a taste of it, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lytYK2040MM
or
http://www.quranrabbi.com/
8. Choosing Cairo/Egypt for studying Arabic is a great idea due to many reasons. First of all Egypt has a very rich culture. Not only the old Egyptian stuff, but especially the living Egypt of today. It is a very dynamic society with so many educated young people who will shape the country's future. It is alive, you can feel the spirit. Last but not least, it is more economic than other Arabic countries.
9. Arabic people are one of the nicest people in the world. They are
very open and helpful. Be nice to them, respect them; you won't get
anything but friendship in return.
I hope it helps to the ones who are thirsty of knowledge :)
All the best,
Enderun
I just wanted to share the information I collected about the Arabic courses in Cairo. Maybe mods can flag this post so that it will be helpful to other people in need of information.
1. You should first decide which Arabic you want to learn. Because there are many versions of Arabic.
1a. Fusha/MSA (Modern Standard Arabic): Fusha is classical Arabic. It is the language of the Holy Qoran and all Muslims either know it, or memorized some parts of it (at least the first Surah of the Qoran, Al-Fatiha, in order to be able to complete the daily prayers).
MSA is actually a little different from Fusha but for beginner levels it is the same. Newspapers and most TV channels are in MSA. Besides, educated people in Arabic countries can understand and speak it. Others can understand you when you speak it but usually they reply in the second version of Arabic which is called Ammiyah.
1b. Ammiyah (Dialect): Every Arabic country has its own dialect because Fusha/MSA is not spoken among people. In Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia you will find a mixture of Berber, Arabic and French; in Egypt you will find another version which is more musical, in Syria another version called Levantine and so on. For more information please visit here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varieties_of_Arabic
The nearest dialect to Fusha is spoken by the Beduins in Yemen and some parts of Saudi Arabia but in the last years their number diminished. In Jordan and Syria you will find a close version, but still it is not the same.
One of the characteristics of Egyptian dialect is that they pronounce "ج (Jim)" like "Ghim". Instead of "Jamia" they say "Gamia". Another characteristic is that they don't pronounce the "ق (Qaf)". So instead of "Qahwah (Coffee) they say "Ahwah". The only exception to this is "Al-Qahirah" :)
2. After deciding which version you want to learn, you can try to look for a school suitable for your needs. First check if they offer the Arabic version you want to learn. Most of them offer both but it is better to ask them.
2a. The Cairo university offers courses to foreign people. For this programme you have to pay about 700 EGP for 7 weeks (5 days a week and 4 hours a day) and it is quite economic in comparison with other options. To inscribe you have to go to Cairo University which has a subway station after its name.
2b. Drayah school: They offer 140 hours (7 weeks) for 400 USD which is also very economic. They use the "Kitab-al Asasy" for their courses. So either you find it somewhere or buy from them a copy for 50 EGP. Drayah is located in Dokki which is near to Downtown/City Center. www.drayah.com
2c. In Muhandeseen area, there is a school called Kalimat. It is very good but a little bit expensive. You have to pay 2160 EGP (about 365 USD) + 100 EGP for the book. Mostly western students prefer Kalimat. www.kalimategypt.com
2d. Another institute called Fajr has 4 branches. One is in Dokki,
another one in Maadi, another in Rehab and the last one in Nasr city.
Their teaching is connected with Islamic religion and culture. For this
you have to pay 250 USD for 5 weeks and about 75 hours. If you want to
take private classes, then the price will be 350 USD. If you study at
Nasr city, which is about 20 km from city center, it is about 115 USD.
2e. There are other options like ILI, AUC, Diwan. I don't know them, so I won't comment. For a wide selection of them, visit this site and follow the links given:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pjngiThDBcnoLQKqYSG5OBQ
3. How to find a flat in Cairo?
3a. You have to ask people in your institute. They might know about a flat or someone who has flats called "brokers". Brokers ("simsar" in Arabic) charge fees. Usually half of one rent. Besides, usually people ask for one month rent as deposit. Prices differ from region to region. But it is possible to find something reasonable for 1000 EGP, too. Btw. be careful with brokers. Don't pay them in advance before you have your legal contract.
3b. You can check Cairo Scholars Facebook page. Just search it in Facebook and you will find many ad's in it.
3c. You can also check Craiglist Cairo. http://cairo.craigslist.org/
3d. If none of this works, find a local and go with him through apartments, ask Bawab's (doormen) in front of apartments.
5. Simcards are easy to buy. It takes only a couple of minutes. Vodafone prepaid costs 15 EGP.
6. You can download Pimsleur mp3's for an effective technique of learning Arabic. Pimsleur doesn't offer Fusha but only dialects. Google it like "Pimsleur Arabic mp3" to find links to download. Or buy it.
7. The most sublime version of Arabic is the Arabic of the Holy Qoran. You can download recitation of the Qoran and listen in your free time to improve your Arabic. Here are various reciters. (I personally prefer Abu Bakr al-Shatri)
http://www.hasenat.net/hatimler.htm
To have a taste of it, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lytYK2040MM
or
http://www.quranrabbi.com/
8. Choosing Cairo/Egypt for studying Arabic is a great idea due to many reasons. First of all Egypt has a very rich culture. Not only the old Egyptian stuff, but especially the living Egypt of today. It is a very dynamic society with so many educated young people who will shape the country's future. It is alive, you can feel the spirit. Last but not least, it is more economic than other Arabic countries.
9. Arabic people are one of the nicest people in the world. They are
very open and helpful. Be nice to them, respect them; you won't get
anything but friendship in return.
I hope it helps to the ones who are thirsty of knowledge :)
All the best,
Enderun
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