• Arabic is written and read from right to left.Perry Mastrovito/Creatas/Getty Images
  
  If you plan to become fluent in Arabic, you will need to undertake formal study as well as learning with materials on your own. Take advantage of the number of resources and tools available to help you start learning, or to polish your Arabic once you have reached the intermediate level. Supplementary materials can help you progress quickly as a beginner, or advance when you have reached an intermediate level.
  
  

Books

• Many materials are available for the study of Egyptian Arabic.Sphenks at Giza Egypt image by TekinT from Fotolia.com
  
  Books for Arabic study can introduce you to beginning concepts such as help with foreign sounds and learning the alphabet. Some books come with audio or computer CDs that you can use simultaneously with your book study. Look for books that will teach you relevant information for the dialect of Arabic you wish to learn. While Modern Standard Arabic generally has the most materials available for formal study, you can also find materials for learning dialects such as Egyptian, Lebanese, Moroccan, Saudi, Iraqi, and Tunisian, as well as for learning Classical Arabic if you are interested in reading the Qur'an. MSA is appropriate for travel to any Arab country and will prepare you to read and write, but you can also find phrasebooks with Arabic words transliterated into the Latin alphabet if you are not interested in learning Arabic script.
  
  

Websites

• With Arabic language learning websites, you can study whenever you want and from any place that has an Internet connection. Many websites are free and offer the chance to practice your listening, reading, and speaking, and typing Arabic, though you must practice handwriting on your own. The language learning website LiveMocha features online Arabic courses that teach and test every aspect of language learning. To check your pronunciation, you can record yourself and send it to be analyzed by native speaker. You can also meet native speakers on this site as well as on Meetup or My Language Exchange. Arrange to meet in person if you find a partner who lives in your town, or use Skype or online messaging to practice with native speakers living in Arab countries.
  
  

Computer Software

• You can find computer software programs that include interactive exercises for learning Arabic. Some programs feature an option where you can record your voice and compare your pronunciation to that of a native speaker. You can also find programs that include an Arabic keyboard for your computer so you can complete Arabic reading and spelling exercises on your home computer. Computer software can be an effective supplement to formal study or informal chat with native speakers.