Spoken Arabic Basics: Survival Phrases and Conversations
Learn essential spoken Arabic for everyday life in DukeEngage programs. These videos cover common words, phrases, and conversations to help you feel confident in your host community. Based on Jordanian Arabic, with tips from other dialects, the series is designed for beginners—no prior experience required! Details: This video series introduces the basics of spoken Arabic for students participating in DukeEngage programs in Arabic-speaking communities. The goal is to help you pick up essential words, phrases, and skills that will make daily life smoother and more rewarding in your host community. Each video includes: Clear explanations of words and phrases you can use in everyday situations. Silent pauses for you to listen actively, repeat, or respond—helping you practice pronunciation and recall. Short sample conversations, played twice: first for listening, then again for you to respond aloud with on-screen prompts. These videos are not a full Arabic course or grammar class. Instead, they are a practical resource to help you feel more confident and less stressed when you arrive at your site. Even if you have no prior exposure to Arabic dialects, you’ll begin to recognize and use common expressions for daily interactions. Before starting, we strongly recommend reviewing the introduction of the Alif Baa’ textbook you received. The videos assume familiarity with basic pronunciation and the transliteration system used in Alif Baa’. The language taught here is based on Jordanian Arabic as spoken in Amman, but the material is accessible across the region. At times, you’ll also encounter references to other dialects—such as Omani Arabic—and some overlap with Shami/Levantine vocabulary from Alif Baa’, with minor accent differences.
