Do you want to learn business Arabic? Do you struggle to talk to your clients and colleagues? Do you wish to understand Arabic business culture and etiquette? 

Are you terrified to give business presentations in Arabic? You can solve all of your troubles by learning how to speak, converse and write in business Arabic. Business Arabic is not very different from Standard Arabic, it’s just a disparity of environment and there are certain rules, customs, and etiquette that you need to follow in the Arab business world. In this blog, we are going to look at ways you can learn Arabic for specific purposes such as business. But, before that let’s look at what business Arabic is, what are its advantages, and where it is applicable. 

The Arabic language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and in recent years it has gained a lot of attention. Well, learning Arabic is not a very easy task but it is also not impossible to learn Arabic. As a beginner, you will be told to learn Standard Arabic or MSA, also known as Fusha. This is the language that is taught mostly in schools and is used in newspapers, TV channels, etc. But not a lot of people use MSA to communicate daily. Nobody speaks MSA natively, but nearly every Arabic speaker can understand it from school lessons.

Instead, today speakers of Arabic grow up using a local variety, which belongs to a set of language varieties known as “Arabic dialects.” 

With a rapidly emerging consumer base, potential trade prospects, and profitable business partners, countries in the Arab region represent a great opportunity for businesses looking to globally expand. Many of these countries, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are deeply involved in global trade and are among the largest exporters and importers in the world. However, for you to forge an effective business relationship with Arab countries, you will need to know their culture and language. Learning business Arabic can give you so many advantages in the business world, some of these are listed here. By being fluent in Business Arabic, you will be able to – 

• Confidently speak with Arabic-speaking colleagues and clients. 
• Earn respect and trust, and strengthen relationships with existing and potential clients. 
• Gain a deeper understanding of the culture and work etiquette of your target market. 
• Boast a distinct competitive edge when reaching out to an international market. 

While these are just some advantages, learning business Arabic will give you an upper hand in most of your business dealings and conversations. You will have a deeper understanding of Arabic business culture and etiquette and you will be able to understand your clients better which will automatically boost your chances of having a successful business in the Arab and beyond. 

You should start by learning the common words and phrases used in business and formal settings such as a corporate meeting, job interviews, etc. Some common business terms that you can start learning are – 

Advertising – I’ilan – إعلان 

Accounting – Al Muhasaba – المحاسبة

Assets – Al Mawjoodat – الموجودات

Debit – Madeen (Alaih) – مزاد

Work – Amal – عمل

You can find more here. 

Reading is a perfect way to inculcate a language into your brain. You can start by reading Arabic newspapers, as they always follow a formal way of writing and you will get accustomed to so many formal words and phrases and also the formal writing style. By reading newspapers you’ll also be conscious of the current scenario of the business, Finance, and stock market sector. Apart from that, you can also read certain books that teach business Arabic. Some of the books that you should refer to are – 

Business Arabic Advanced Level, Business Arabic Vocabulary by John Mace, Advanced Business, and Arabic Dictionary for business. 

This is the best way to learn Arabic for business. Finding an online tutor is considered to be the best way to learn any language because you can have a real-time interaction with the tutor. So find an online tutor who can teach you Arabic as per your needs, for example, if you want to do a business in the gulf, or you are someone who is looking for job opportunities in Arab and that is why you want to learn professional Arabic. In that case, a tutor can cater to your specific needs and teach you Arabic for a particular purpose. You can find several tutors on Italki, Multibhashi and many more. 

If you don’t want to learn with the help of a tutor you can also look for courses available online that you can take at your own pace. There are a lot of courses specifically designed for business communication in Arabic. You can also look on YouTube to find some good channels that teach business Arabic for free. 

You only learn once you start practicing how to speak professionally. For this, you can follow some tips like standing in front of the mirror while you speak. Moreover, the best way you can practice is to have a language exchange partner, this could be your colleague or someone from work or someone who is also learning business Arabic. You can practice speaking in front of each other. This will help you gain confidence while you speak and because you always have someone to give feedback, you can work on parts that you are not good at. 

Speaking Arabic in a business setting seems like a very intimidating task because you are worried if you’ll sound appropriate to your clients or not, you’re worried if you will be able to leave a great impression on people or what if you lose potential customers just because of your poor communication skills. You can get rid of all of these issues by practicing how to speak Arabic in a professional environment. Follow all the tips given above and make sure that you are consistent while learning because that is the most essential thing to consider while learning a language. And, the last thing is to completely immerse yourself in whatever you’re doing. Have fun with the language, but by having fun I don’t mean to say have fun at your workplace. Be professional, enjoy learning, and just be yourself.