2006-11-16 02:11:07 · 13 answers · asked by karkondrite 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
We can't.
It is sort of like the difference between French and Spanish.
While both languages are Semitic, and share a lot in common (in structure, sounds, roots etc) it is impossible for a Hebrew speaker only to understand Arabic and vise versa. One will probably understand a few words in a sentence, not more.
Arabic has loads of dialects, which for themselves are not always understandable for other dialect speakers. Hebrew (Modern Hebrew) has only one dialect.
Most of the Hebrew/ Arabic that Arabic speakers/ Hebrew speakers do understand is slang, as both the Hebrew and Arabic languages in Israel were influenced by one another.
Every Hebrew speaker in Israel know very well what "kus emek" means, before he knows what "salaam" means...
2006-11-16 22:48:56 · answer #1 · answered by yotg 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably not so much. The languages have some similar sounding words, but are different overall. I'm not sure about Hebrew, but Arabic has a lot of spoken dialects that are very different, and that probably complicates things more.
2006-11-16 02:18:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Somewhat, surely. Many phrases have the identical roots. However, it could be as a substitute intricate for an Arabic talking individual to realise a Hebrew talking individual. When I pay attention Arabic, I do not realise what they're announcing.
2016-09-01 13:27:48 · answer #3 · answered by leng 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
even though middle eastern languages such as arabic, hebrew, persian and turkish, sound the same they are completely different. so no, even though i speak arabic, i wont be able to understand any of the others.
far eastern languages sound similar, and if you didnt speak english you'd think that most european languages sound similar too, but they arent at all.
2006-11-16 02:18:50 · answer #4 · answered by nsnsnsns 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i speak hebrew at home,my husband speaks persian with his family and when we visit some of our friends"jews"they speak in arabic from morocco and libiya.the jews can swear a lot in arabic.even my kids know some arabic,but only the slang.i to speak afrikaans,as i am a former south african,my family back home speak english and german,before the intifada we had lots of friends in gaza and my husband can speak their lingo ok.from mikhal in israel.
2006-11-16 09:23:35 · answer #5 · answered by mikhal k 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd say not at all. the similarities include some words in common , but only isolated words. the verbs & pronunciation are radically different. these 2 languages had a common origin but from millenia ago. today they have gone their separate ways.
Not well at ALL is my answer.
2006-11-16 03:47:52 · answer #6 · answered by blackbird 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All i speak is English and Yoruba. I can't speak Spanish but i understand it fairly when spoken.
2006-11-16 02:13:30 · answer #7 · answered by Osunwole Adeoyin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hebrew and arabic are sort of one and the same
2006-11-16 02:20:18 · answer #8 · answered by Big_J 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Considering the number of wars they have had since written history, I would say not very well.
2006-11-16 02:16:41 · answer #9 · answered by Mr Cellophane 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not at all. They are both Semitic languages, but still they are very different!
2006-11-16 03:18:58 · answer #10 · answered by Ross Wood 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋