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Arabic Dialects: Learning The Differences 

Spoken by more than 400 million people worldwide as a first or second language, Arabic is one of the most popular languages in the world. With nearly half a billion speakers spread out everywhere – the Middle East, Western Asia, even Southeast Asia and beyond – it’s not surprising the language has one of the most complex and varied collections of dialects.

Learning about these different “sub-languages ” and comparing different Arabic dialects is helpful for travel and leisure purposes and for anyone curious about learning Arabic. Let’s dive into the different types of Arabic around the world, some Arabic dialect differences, and more! 

Arabic Dialect Differences: Arabic vs Modern Standard Arabic

The different types of Arabic are illustrated at a micro-level; all Arab countries speak at least two different dialects. The first is Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), created to form a uniform way of communicating – a must given all the different Arabic dialects.

Each Arab country also uses at least one other regional dialect of Arabic. Think of this form of Arabic as the “regular” form of communicating – casual conversations, text messages, non-official media, etc.

With the various Arabic dialect differences throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and other parts of the Arab world, it helps to know the different categories. This will inform whether different dialect speakers can have an intelligible conversation – we’ll explore that afterwards.

Arabic Dialects Compared: Most Common Varieties

There are a handful of “major” Arabic dialects, mostly separated and defined by geographical distribution. Other distinctions include political affiliation, local culture, and past empirical influence.

Most Arabic dialects are direct linguistic descendants of Classical Arabic, which developed over the centuries through indigenous languages, nearby dialects, and foreign influence.

Here are the principal different Arabic dialects:

  • Egyptian Arabic. Mostly used in Egypt, but also utilized in other parts of North Africa. Given Egypt’s considerable influence in Arab media (it’s the most populous country in the region), this is also one of the most widely-spoken Arabic dialects.
  • Levantine Arabic. Covers the area northeast of Egypt, including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. It is also referred to as Eastern Arabic.
  • Mashriqi Arabic. This dialect is dominant in the Persian Gulf region, along with Turkey. Countries that use Gulf Arabic include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Mashriqi Arabic overlaps somewhat with Levantine Arabic. 
  • Mesopotamian Arabic. Geographically, it’s one of the smallest Arabic dialects, spoken mostly in Iraq. 
  • Sudanese Arabic. This variety is used mainly in Sudan and areas of South Sudan.

Can People Speaking Different Arabic Dialects Understand Each Other?

While the entire Arab world utilizes MSA, travel from country to country can be tricky, if you only know the regional Arabic dialects. For example, a native Eastern Arabic speaker would have some problems conversing with someone who speaks Egyptian Arabic.

Generally, different types of Arabic speakers can have a conversation – but some elements might get lost in translation. One Arabic dialect may have adopted loanwords from different languages where another has not.

Other factors impact mutual intelligibility, including how much experience one speaker has with a different dialect, the context of the conversation, and more.

It mostly boils down to the grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation between the dialects. For example, someone in Palestine could converse with a resident of Syria, given they both speak Levantine Arabic – even though local customs present a few hurdles.

However, someone who speaks Egyptian Arabic might have trouble interpreting Arabic dialects from Algeria, Morocco, and other regions that use Maghrebi Arabic. In fact, Maghrebi Arabic typically has the lowest mutual intelligibility with other major Arabic dialects. 

Endless Dialects, Interesting Learning Possibilities: Acquiring Arabic

If you’re interested in learning Arabic, we suggest starting with the foundational MSA variety. It’s the most versatile, opens up conversational possibilities to hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and includes adaptations from other major Arabic dialects, like Eastern Arabic and Egyptian Arabic.

However, it’s also useful to learn other forms of Arabic. Different Arabic dialects offer a deeper cultural connection, assist in learning about local cultures & customs, and also empower and encourage you to learn more about a particular country, region, or polity.

Pimsleur offers three of the most popular Arabic dialects: MSA, Eastern, and Egyptian. With a Premium Monthly subscription, you can access one immediately. Sign up for an All-Access Monthly subscription, and you can unlock all three. Our proven learning techniques, based on the Pimsleur Method, ensure you learn Arabic like a child would – with active, robust listening & speaking skills.

Get started today with Pimsleur – a new way of learning awaits!