Middle East Languages at KU

Middle East Languages at KU

Blue houses along a hill in Chefchaouen, Morocco

Arabic

Arabic is spoken by approximately 422 million speakers around the world. It is the official language of 22 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Arabic at KU
Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz, Iran lit up with pink and purple lights at night

Persian

Persian is spoken by over 110 million people in the Middle East and Central Asia. There are 3 dialects: Farsi in Iran, Dari in Afghanistan, and Tajik in Tajikistan.
Persian at KU
Old stone alley in the Jewish Quarter, Jerusalem, Israel

Hebrew

Nearly 9 million people speak Hebrew worldwide. About 5 million of them live in Israel. The 2nd largest Hebrew-speaking population resides in the U.S.
Hebrew at KU
Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey

Turkish

Turkish is spoken by 80 million people in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe. Unlike the other languages listed here, Turkish uses the Latin alphabet.
Turkish at KU