English-Arabic Arabic-English Dictionary & Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks) [Paperback]

Jane Wightwick (Author), Mahmoud Gaafar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2003 | ISBN-10: 0781809738 | ISBN-13: 978-0781809733 | Edition: Bilingual

As the national language of nearly 20 countries in Africa and Asia, and spoken by approximately 190 million people, Arabic is the lingua franca of the Middle East. This title uses a standard Arabic helpful to those travelling all over the region. The emphasis is on commonly heard terms and phrases that are recognisable throughout the Arabic speaking world. Both the dictionary and phrasebook incorporate the Arabic script and its romanised transliteration. The two-way dictionary contains important travel, geographical, and cultural terminology, while the phrasebook focuses on the needs of travellers and covers almost every situation from arrival to departure.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mahmoud Gaafar and Jane Wightwick are experienced writers, publishers, and educators specializing in accessible language guides and learning materials. Together, they have authored numerous titles, including Mastering Arabic and Emergency Arabic, both published by Hippocrene Books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books; Bilingual edition (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781809738
• ISBN-13: 978-0781809733
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 3.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,077 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Arabic
  • #91 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Arabic > Instruction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best combination phrasebook/dictionary I've yet found, May 31, 2004

By 

Elmsaafir "Ryokojin" (Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: English-Arabic Arabic-English Dictionary & Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks) (Paperback)

And I've looked.

One of my chief complaints about phrasebooks is that they never have a very comprehensive dictionary section. This book has an excellent one. It also refrains from using the transliteration (the strange symbols one normally sees in such books), focusing on the arabic text itself.

It also has a short section on grammar...not enough to make one an expert, but certainly enough to get a basic handle on sentence structure, posessives, verbs, etc. I've used mine so much living in Saudi Arabia that I've had to get another.

One of the best parts about it (while probably not intentional) is the extensive list of verbs in the Arabic section of the dictionary (3rd person masculine form). It's thorough, and gives one pretty much any verb needed.

One minor complaint...It would be nice if it also listed colloquialisms next to the main form of the word. But, admittedly, it's just a small phrasebook...for that, one can buy any number of specific dialectical phrasebooks (e.g., Lonely Planet series).

Overall, this is an excellent, comprehensive, yet compact resource. Any student of Arabic or anyone living and working in an Arabic speaking country would greatly benefit from having this book.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The very best product of its kind., July 19, 2004

By 

R. ARANT "Toun" (Lanesville, Indiana USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: English-Arabic Arabic-English Dictionary & Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks) (Paperback)

I am very well pleased with this pocket-sized phrasebook and mini dictionary. The introductory grammar notes and the everyday application lists are well done and easily understood. Best of all the Arabic script is provided alongside the English phonetics. Outstanding bargain!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great resource., December 27, 2006

By 

L Samma "L Samma" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: English-Arabic Arabic-English Dictionary & Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks) (Paperback)

I think this book was great for learning some basic arabic words and useful phrases. While it doesnt have a comprehensive section on writing and the alphabet, I dont recommend it for those who do not yet have a grasp on the alphabet. HOwever, it is a great follow-up resource for those who have already learned the alphabet and want to expand their vocabulary. One more comment: in many beginners arabic books they have the vowel marks to help beginners to read easier and this one doesnt. Hard to explain, but it just emphasizes the fact that this may be a resource too advanced to the very beginners of the language.