Levantine Arabic Learning Resources: Dictionaries and Phrasebooks

Dictionaries and Phrasebooks

The 1000 Most Used Words in Spoken Arabic: Spoken Arabic Dictionary (Levantine Arabic Collection)
This book is a handy tool for all Arabic students of any level. It was designed to make the learning process easier. What distinguishes this book is its word classification, designed to make it easier for students to find the words they look for. Students simply need to look for the word within the relevant category. For example, the most important words that are related to the kitchen are found under the context of that category. The size of the book was designed for convenience, easily able to fit in a pocket. This means a student can have access to this reference at anytime and anywhere, making it just as useful as it is practical.

Beginning Learner's Levantine Arabic Dictionary
Based on the Beiruti dialect of Lebanon, Beginning Learner’s Levantine Arabic Dictionary will help you gain a solid foundation in Levantine Arabic as it is spoken today. Beyond just being a reference in which to look up words to understand what you hear or express yourself, this dictionary is designed to be a self-study tool which you can explore to build your core vocabulary and understanding of the language through the headwords, translations, grammar and usage notes, example sentences, and free downloadable audio tracks.

The Olive Tree Dictionary: A Transliterated Dictionary Of Conversational Eastern Arabic (Palestinian)
Arguably the most comprehensive dictionary of any spoken Arabict dialect available today, The Olive Tree Dictionary by J. Elihay contains 784 pages, 9,000 entries, 17,000 phrases, and an index of 4,000 English words. It is designed to help English speakers acquire a working knowledge of the Palestinian dialect. Through the use of an innovative method, Arabic words are transliterated phonetically into English characters. All entries in the dictionary are clear, descriptive, and easy to read. Each entry contains a modern translation, which includes at least one sentence demonstrating correct pronunciation and usage. All entries are based on thousands of recording hours, containing authentic conversations made by native Arabic speakers. It is highly recommended to use this dictionary in conjunction with the Speaking Arabic: A Course in Conversational Eastern Arabic coursebooks written by the same author.

A Transliterated English-Arabic Pocket Dictionary of Conversational Eastern Arabic
This pocket English-Arabic dictionary of the Palestinian dialect offers a varied and practical basic vocabulary of 1,000 words, together with 1,500 sentences drawn from everyday speech that illustrate how each word should be used. The dictionary’s contents appear in precise Latin transliteration that includes indication of where the stress should fall, enabling the user immediately to pronounce each word and phrase clearly and accurately. This little book is a convenient and practical tool both for learners seeking a way to communicate with Arabic-speakers and for more advanced students who wish to enlarge their vocabulary and acquire a more idiomatic knowledge of the language.

A Dictionary of Syrian Arabic: English-Arabic
A Dictionary of Syrian Arabic provides Syrian terms for the language spoken in everyday life by inhabitants of Damascus. Entries include examples, idioms, and common phrases to illustrate usage. The Arabic terms are presented in transcription. It is useful for students of Arabic, scholars wishing to train in the Syrian dialect, and visitors and travelers to Syria and other nations where the dialect is spoken. A thorough introduction outlines the socio-linguistic situation in Syria and covers phonology, morphology, syntax, grammar, and vocabulary. Alongside the other Arabic language-learning and reference works published by Georgetown University Press, this dictionary is yet another invaluable volume on spoken Arabic, belonging at the side of travelers and scholars, and on the shelves of research and reference libraries.

Levantine Colloquial Arabic Vocabulary
Based on the Beiruti dialect of Lebanon, Levantine Colloquial Arabic Vocabulary presents over 4,500 words, phrases, and example sentences organized by topic. Unlike a dictionary, which is meant to be used as a reference, this book is a powerful and effective study tool for increasing your vocabulary for daily communication. All items appear in a three-column layout with Arabic script (with diacritics/tashkeel), phonemic transcription (to aid in accurate pronunciation), and English translation–and often include grammar and usage notes. An alphabetical English-Arabic index helps you locate needed words quickly. Free audio tracks to help you develop listening skills and accurate pronunciation are downloadable from the publisher's website.

Palestinian Colloquial Arabic Vocabulary
This book presents over 4,500 words, phrases, and example sentences organized by topic. Unlike a dictionary, which is meant to be used as a reference, this book is a powerful and effective study tool for increasing your vocabulary for daily communication. All items appear in a three-column layout with Arabic script (with diacritics/tashkeel), phonemic transcription to aid in accurate pronunciation, and English translation–and often include grammar and usage notes. An alphabetical English-Arabic index helps you locate needed words quickly. Accompanying audio tracks are available for free download on the publisher's website.

The Complete Dictionary of Levantine Arabic Idioms
The Complete Dictionary of Levantine Arabic Idioms is the newest release on Levantine Arabic idioms, especially in Syria. This new edition includes more than 430 new idioms, tashkeel (diacritics) to the Arabic script to make reading easier, words broken into syllables to help the reader spell long words.

Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions in Levantine Arabic: Jordanian Dialect
A unique resource for intermediate and advanced learners of Arabic, the book contains over 2000 of the most common idioms and idiomatic expressions used in the Jordanian dialect. Each idiom is presented with a sample sentence or dialogue, which provides the authentic sociocultural context necessary to better understand how to use each idiomatic expression appropriately. Ideal for students studying Jordanian Arabic or planning to visit Jordan or the Levant, this book provides learners with a wealth of basic vocabulary and structures that will raise their meta-linguistic awareness of Arabic in general and Jordanian Arabic in particular.

How to Speak Arabic In Jordan: Easy Arabic Phrasebook with Travel Tips
Learning to speak the local Arabic dialect will enable you to easily communicate with people in Jordan - without having to learn Arabic alphabet or grammar and without investing a lot of time and money into a full-blown Arabic language course. In addition to essential Arabic phrases, this book also includes interesting cultural notes, hints and useful travel information about Jordan plus links to various resources that help you plan your trip to Jordan. Also, plenty of white space included for you to jot down more words, expressions you learn during your trip or just to make quick notes of personal experiences.

Spoken Arabic Dictionary, Diwan Baladna
This book unlocks the Jordanian Arabic dialect. It contains more than 46 topics, covering 4,000 spoken words needed for everyday use, including traditional sayings, local slang, expressions and common greetings, as well as explanation of the history of the Arabic language and how to study the spoken language. MP3 CD included with voices of native English and native Arabic speakers.