Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds

The best-selling Alif Baa is the first volume of the Al-Kitaab Arabic language program and is now available in a new third edition. In this new version of the introduction to Arabic letters and sounds, English-speaking students will find an innovative integration of colloquial and formal (spoken and written) Arabic. Together, the book and new companion website provide learners with all the material necessary to learn the sounds of Arabic, write its letters, and begin speaking Arabic, including interactive, self-correcting exercises to enhance learning. The online component also gives instructors additional online grading options.

 

FEATURES

• Four-color design throughout the book features over 100 illustrations and photographs

 

• Gives learners and instructors color-coded options for the variety of language they wish to activate in speaking: Egyptian, Levantine, or formal Arabic (MSA)

 

• Introduces over 200 basic vocabulary words in all three forms of spoken and written Arabic side by side, including expressions for polite social interaction, and activates them in interactive homework exercises and classroom groupwork

 

• Includes video dialogues in Egyptian and Levantine, filmed in Cairo and Damascus

 

• Includes video footage of an Arabic calligrapher, capsules on Arabic culture, and images of street signs from Morocco, Egypt, and Lebanon

 

• Includes new English-Arabic and Arabic-English glossaries, searchable in the companion website

 

• Textbook includes a convenient DVD with the basic audio and video materials (no interactive exercises) for offline study that will play in iTunes and compatible MP3 players

 

• New companion website (sold separately)—alkitaabtextbook.com—features a fully integrated set of interactive exercises with all the video and audio materials and additional online course management and grading options for teachers

 

Alif Baa provides the essential first 20-25 contact (classroom) hours of the Al-Kitaab program, accompanied by 40-50 homework hours. Students who complete Alif Baa should reach a novice-intermediate to novice-high level of proficiency.

Kristen Brustad was an associate professor of Arabic at the University of Texas at Austin until her retirement in 2019.

Mahmoud Al-Batal is a professor of Arabic at the American University of Beirut.

Abbas Al-Tonsi is a former senior lecturer at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar.