Understanding Arabic: The Language of the MENA Region

Language Services Direct Team

The business world is changing and, post-pandemic, the way we do business and find new opportunities may look very different. Learning Arabic may not have been a business priority before, but emerging trading markets in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) may become more strategically important for your business in the future.  

MENA region countries offer investment and business opportunities across a range of sectors. In this article, we share some background on the primary language spoken (Arabic) as well as Arab cuisines and business culture to get you started with understanding the region. 

The Language: Arabic 

Over 400 million people are thought to speak Modern Standard Arabic or one of Arabic’s dialects, and Arabic has nearly 300 million native speakers. It is also an official language for a number of MENA region countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Algeria.  

Arabic is one of the six languages of the United Nations (along with Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). This makes the UN one of the world’s largest employers of language professionals (another great reason to learn one of these six languages if you are interested in international relations!). Each of the six official languages has its own day of celebration: for Arabic, this falls on the 18th December each year. This date is symbolic because it was on this date in 1973 that Arabic was adopted as the sixth language of the UN. 

Arabic is also one of the most important languages for the UK’s future. The British Council has long recognised the importance of languages to the UK’s business and economic success. 

As there are many different Arabic dialects, not all of which are mutually intelligible, finding common ground (a ‘lingua franca’) is helpful when learning the language. Fortunately, Modern Standard Arabic allows for communication across cultural and international barriers within and beyond the MENA region.  

Interesting fact: While many Western languages, notably those derived from the Latin alphabet, are written from left to right, Arabic and many other Semitic languages (such as Hebrew) are written from right to left. No one quite knows why this is the case, but hypotheses revolve around the language appearing during a time when writing happened on stone rather than paper-like parchments. The thinking here is that it would have been easier for (predominantly right-handed) people to hold a chisel with their left hand and a hammer with their right hand as they carved the letters into stone. 

The Food: Explore Delicious Cuisines Across Cultures 

The much-loved foods of Arabic culture are hard to pin down because Arabic is spoken across multiple countries with diverse heritages; therefore, the foods synonymous with Arabic culture vary from Mediterranean dishes to African specialties. Popular examples include hummus, breads, couscous and lamb-based dishes, with an emphasis on fruits and nuts (such as dates and almonds).  

One ingredient you will rarely see on the menu is pork – pork is prohibited for consumption by Muslim Arabs, and people of other religions in Arab regions tend to follow suit. 

Interesting fact: Many Muslim countries enforce alcohol prohibition, including Saudi Arabia and Libya. But some Muslim countries allow exceptions for non-Muslims, so the rules can become tricky to follow, especially if you are travelling from place to place. If in doubt, it may be easiest to avoid alcohol while visiting Arab countries, especially if you are doing business during your visit and aiming to make a good cultural impression. Instead, try an aromatic Arabic coffee! 

The Business Aspect 

There are 22 Arab countries across the MENA region, and each country has its similarities to the others as well as its own history, culture and cuisine to distinguish it. However, the MENA region countries do share many strategic similarities from a business perspective. Much of the world’s oil comes from the Middle East, and it is a cultural melting pot of different Arabic dialects and worldwide religions, alongside a thriving business scene and a range of political beliefs. Prepare to be surprised – but do be prepared before you go, as each country may vary regarding business etiquette and a simple error could be hard to recover from. 

Farsi (Persian), Hebrew and Turkish may also be strategically useful languages to learn depending on the nature of your business. English also serves a role as it is widely considered to be the lingua franca of global business. Find out more about doing business in the MENA region in our article further exploring the region, its languages and opportunities. 

Want to Find Out More About Learning Arabic? 

If you believe that learning Arabic may be beneficial for the future of your business, contact us today. We can work with you to develop a bespoke language learning plan to suit your requirements, as well as provide cross-cultural training to help you connect with your overseas colleagues.