Difference Between Arabic and Hindi

Do you know there are 14 words for “love” in Arabic?

Yeah, it’s pretty awesome. But, if you’re thinking Arabic is the only versatile language, then you’re wrong. Even Hindi has plenty of words for love. Both languages have their individuality and distinctiveness.

That’s why, people find it very confusing to pick a side in Arabic vs Hindi. So, let’s checkout the difference between Arabic and Hindi and pick a language you would love to learn.

Arabic vs Hindi

If you put Hindi and Arabic next to each other, you might find vocable similarities. But their differences will amaze you and most likely create some confusion. Go through this list and you will find that they are not similar. There are subtle differences that you must know.

1. Origin

Arabic	Hindi
It is believed that Arabic originated in Southern Arabia.	Hindi originated in Northern India.
It comes from the Semitic family of languages which is the origin of the  Arabic language. The semitic family includes Hebrew and Aramaic.	It comes from the Indo-European language family. The language is derived from Sanskrit.

2. Primary Language

Arabic	Hindi
The Arabic language is spoken by Arab people of Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia.	Hindi is the official language of India. It is extensively spoken by Indians living in Delhi, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
It is a primarily spoken language in the Middle East and North Africa.	North Indian people use Hindi as a primary language.

3. Most Spoken Language in the World

Arabic	Hindi
It is the 6th most spoken language in the world.	It is the 3rd most spoken language in the world.
More than 200 million people speak Arabic.	More than 500 million people speak Hindi.

4. Resemblance

Arabic	Hindi
Arabic and Persian languages share similar words and sounds to some extent.  Persians influenced India years ago, So, as Hindi has a base of Persian, we can conclude that, Arabic influenced Hindi.	Hindi is influenced by Arabic and Persian. It includes many words influenced by Arabic, which are also borrowed from Persian.

5. Script

Arabic	Hindi
Arabic has its own alphabetical script and is scripted in Arabic itself.	Hindi is scripted in Devanagari.
It is written and read from right to left.	It is written and read simply from left to right.

6. Common Words

Arabic Words	Hindi Words
Shukran عيد الشكر	धन्यवाद
Habibi حبيبي	प्यार
Marahib مرحباً	नमस्ते
Jamila جميلة	सुंदर
ana asef انا آسف	माफ़ करना
ma asmak ما اسمك	आप का नाम क्या हैं?
Kayf kan yawmuk كيف كان يومك	आप का दिन कैसा रहा?
Kayf halak/Kayf halik كيف حالك؟	आप कैसे हो/आप कैसी हैं?
min fadlak من فضلك	कृपया

As you might have realized, both the languages are somehow complementary. Many other languages such as Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali include words influenced by Arabic.

For example, वक्त(time) or किताब (book) that are also used in Hindi. Whereas, there are some words influenced by Arab dialect and used in Hindi more often, such as नसीब (Fortune), and शुरूआत (Beginning).

 

Let’s move on to learn more about arabic vs hindi.

Fascinating Facts About Arabic Language

There are almost 195 countries in the world that include some languages that are ancient, and Arabic is one of them.

Earlier, Classical Arabic was the communicative language in most Islamic countries. However, nowadays, people use Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) while communicating.

History of Arabic Language

It was at the beginning of the 7th Century when Arabic expanded across the Middle East in Arabia, Central and West Asia, and North Africa. Arabic means Nomadic. Its influence escalated because of the different nomadic tribes traveling out of the Arabian Peninsula.

Now, we will look into some popular Arabic words and phrases.

Famous Arabic Words and Phrases

Habibi

Finally, we are learning an Arabic vocable that describes Love. Habibi means “my love.” It also expresses other terms like beloved and my dear.

Shukran

Whether you ask someone for a lift or address, you can express gratitude with this tiny word. In Arabic, Shukran is the word for Thank you. Once you say Shukran, you will be so happy to get an instant reaction, i.e. Afwan, which means you’re welcome.

Lazeeza

If you are a foodie, then Lazeeza is your word! Lazeeza describes deliciousness. So, next time when you have tasty food, don’t forget to say Lazeeza!

This language has many more charming, beautiful, and expressive words, for example, Firdaus (Paradise), Azhar (blooming), and Ejlal (honor).

Moreover, Arabic has some words influenced by other languages like इन्साफ़ (Justice) originated from Urdu language but is also used in Arabic as well as in Hindi.

Why is Arabic Written and Read from Right to Left?

This is the most curious question. In ancient times, a chisel was used on stone for carving instead of paper. So, the common right-handed people used to hold the hammer in the left hand and chisel in the right hand to ensure a lesser risk of injury. Hence, this is the prominent reason for writing Arabic from right to left.

Let’s continue learning and get to know the 3rd most spoken language in the world, Hindi.

Fascinating Facts About Hindi Language

If you love watching Bollywood movies, you must be a fan of the famous Hindi Dialogues. I think, this is the best approach to introduce Hindi to westerners.

Hindi is an extensively used medium for communication among all Indian languages. There is a wide range of variations available. Fun fact, everyone who knows it has their own spoken dialect. A million Indians have migrated to other countries, but they have treasured the language and have been proudly using it for communication.

History of Hindi Language

The historical background of Hindi is almost 1000 years old. With a base of ancient Persian, the word Hindi has derived from the Sanskrit name Sindhu which refers to the Indus river. Hence, it is not wrong to say that the Hindi language was born from Sanskrit.

Now, let’s look at some famous words and phrases.

Famous Hindi Words and Phrases

Namaste नमस्ते

Namaste is primarily used for Hello as warm greetings. However, people use it to say goodbye as well. Hello and Namaste, both the words have the same meaning. But there is more special affection and respect in saying Namaste than hi or hello.

Mubarak ho मुबारक हो

This is an easy-going word that means Congratulations. Mubarak reflects another purest form of happiness to share with one another.

Hindi vocabulary is unending. Moving further, there are some beautiful words, for example, रैना (Night), खुशी (Happiness), स्वर्ग (Heaven), and सावन (Rain).

As Hindi has a base of old Persian, many Hindi words are influenced by Persian words, such as ज़रूरी (Necessary), खबर (News or Information), and शरबत  ( A beverage made of sugar, lemon, and water).

Arabic vs Hindi: Which one to Learn?

Both Arabic and Hindi have their features and beauty. You can learn any of them. But, even though Arabic is much older, Hindi is largely spoken worldwide. As compared to Arabic, Hindi is easier to grasp and learn. So, I recommend:

There are enough reasons and benefits why you should learn Hindi.

Even if you cannot decide between one of them, I suggest start with any one. Learning one language can help you to learn another.

If you need any help, you can always find the best tutors at EnthuZiastic.

Indian and Arab countries are linguistically overlapping. That is the reason both Arabic and Hindi are associated. Both are two different languages yet have an impact on each other. The differences between these languages do not separate them, but express how unique and treasury they are!

FAQs

Which language is the easiest to learn? Arabic or Hindi?

I would say, Hindi is easier to speak. Even so, you can learn any language if you are determined. You must first decide why you want to learn a particular language. It’s always exciting to learn something new.

Do I need to get a tutor to learn a language?

You can learn a language on your own. But if you don’t know where to start, a teacher can guide you with the basics and make the learning process easier. Also, a tutor can help you correct your mistakes and teach proper techniques.

Conclusion

If you are considering about taking up Hindi classes seriously, you must have heard about Rosetta Stone Hindi Classes. But did you know that EnthuZiastic provides one-on-one classes for both Arabic and Hindi?

It’s always exciting to learn a new language. Today, learning a second language has become essential. New vocabulary and techniques activate the brain and push up your creativity. It is beneficial for your academic foundation too.

Knowing the second language is an add-on to your overall personality. Importantly, it helps you to connect with more people.

You can learn any language of your choice. Make sure you focus on the exact thing you want to learn. Apply it to your daily life. Communicate with people.

Initially, you will make mistakes which is fine, but eventually, you will learn and master the language skills!