The 7 Best Online Courses to Learn Arabic Quickly

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Learning Arabic can be difficult, but finding the right way to study shouldn’t have to be. That’s why we put together this list of the best online courses to help you learn Arabic. Below, you’ll find options for every type of learner. 

Best Overall Arabic Course

Try Talk in Arabic

Best for Beginners

Try Rocket Arabic

Best for Video Lessons

Try Udemy

Arabic is considered one of the most difficult languages for English speakers to learn. It uses a different writing system, has challenging pronunciation, and unfamiliar grammar rules. But it’s worth the effort! Arabic is one of the most spoken languages in the world and is important in every industry. From culture and religion to business and medicine, Arabic plays a huge role on the world stage.

Arabic is an official language of 25 countries. Because it’s spoken across such a wide geographical area, there are many dialects. Three of the most studied are Modern Standard Arabic, Egyptian Arabic, and Moroccan Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the standardized version of the language, but it’s mostly used in literature, mass media, and academia, and is not typically spoken as a first language. For verbal communication, it’s best to learn a regional dialect like Egyptian, Maghrebi, Gulf, or Levantine Arabic.

What Are The Best Courses To Learn Arabic?

To find the best online Arabic language courses, I searched the internet for popular options for other Arabic learners. Then, I researched each course to see what it does well and who would benefit from it. I also read through past student reviews to see what people liked (and didn’t like) about each one. The final results are all high-quality options that will help you speak Arabic fast.

Below you’ll find the seven best courses for learning Arabic. Scroll down to read more about each one.

Talk in Arabic is the best course for learning to converse in Arabic. The course focuses on natural speech and learning how people actually speak the language. It offers 8 different dialects (Moroccan, Algerian, Egyptian, Levantine, Iraqi, Tunisian, Saudi, and Sudanese) so you can choose which one is best for you based on your language goals. 

There is audio and video from native speakers with subtitles for better understanding. Each lesson has a transcript that lets you read what was said and downloadable lesson notes. Additionally, there are vocabulary and conversation modules that help you learn the most important words and phrases, including slang. There are 3 different pricing plans so you can choose the one that fits your budget.

Key Features

• Learn how to communicate effectively in Arabic
• 8 different dialects available
• Audio and video lessons with transcripts

Pricing

A monthly subscription to Talk in Arabic costs $12.95 per month. You also have the option to purchase a yearly subscription for $95.40 ($7.95 per month) or a lifetime subscription for $197.00.

Rocket Arabic is best for beginners because of how it breaks down difficult concepts. The app will help you master the most common aspects of Arabic grammar and sentence structure. It focuses on Egyptian Arabic, which is the most widely understood spoken dialect.

It also helps build your vocabulary, improve your communication skills, and pronounce the words more clearly with speech recognition technology. In the lessons, you’ll see words in the Arabic script as well as the Romanized version (to help with pronunciation). But there are also writing lessons that teach you to read and write in Arabic. You can learn more about it in this Rocket Arabic review.

Key Features

• Learn basic conversational skills in your first few lessons
• Includes cultural notes so you can communicate more effectively with native speakers
• Lessons that teach how to read and write in Arabic

Pricing

The Rocket Languages Arabic course costs $149.95, but you can also choose to pay $27.00 per month for 6 months. Rocket Languages offers discounts throughout the year so you’ll likely pay much less. You can try Rocket for free with a 7-day trial.

Egyptian Arabic Beginner’s Workshop is a course on the Udemy platform. This highly-rated course is a simple way to begin learning Egyptian Arabic. The lessons focus on teaching important words and phrases that you’ll need, such as introductions and asking questions. The goal of the course is to have you interacting in Arabic as quickly as possible. 

If you don’t think this course is right for you or you want to learn a different dialect, there are thousands of other Arabic courses available on Udemy. In addition to courses that teach the basics of the language, there are specialty options that teach topics like Arabic of the Quaran, how to write Arabic, and how to type in Arabic. To learn more, you can read a complete review of the Udemy platform.

Key Features

• Self-paced video lessons
• Downloadable resources
• Lifetime access

Pricing

The Egyptian Arabic Beginner’s Workshop costs $39.99 for lifetime access to the course. There’s not a free trial available, but you can watch a preview video and see exactly what will be covered in the lessons. Other Arabic courses on Udemy range from $19.99 to $119.99.

Arabic Workshop puts great importance on listening. The lessons are completely in Arabic, but there are tools like the vocabulary builder to help understand what is said. There is an extensive library of video animations that are voiced by native speakers. They reinforce grammar and vocabulary through the stories you listen to. 

It’s an immersive experience because all the lessons are in Arabic, but you can see the transcript which helps you learn words you don’t know. There is a wide variety of content that covers all levels and the lessons are aligned with CEFR and ACTFL levels.

Key Features

• Audio and video lessons
• Completely in Arabic
• Listen to native Arabic speakers

Pricing

A monthly subscription to Arabic Workshop costs £7 per month. There’s also a yearly subscription that costs £60 per year (£5 per month). You can access some content for free so you can try it out before buying a subscription. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Arabic Online has an interactive course that teaches Modern Standard Arabic. You can start with the Easy Arabic module to learn the basics like greetings and introductions. There is a Beginner to Intermediate course, advanced course, and a Business Arabic course.

It’s self-paced so you can work through it when you have the time. The lessons focus on communication and primarily involve listening to and repeating a dialogue. You can choose if you want to study with Western or Arabic script. Because of the way the course is designed, it’s better to take it on your computer rather than a smartphone.

Key Features

• Modern Standard Arabic
• Beginner to advanced courses
• Interactive lessons

Pricing

Arabic Online costs $99.00 for a year-long subscription. If you choose to renew your subscription the following year, you’ll receive a 50% discount. You can try a lesson for free to see if Arabic Online is a good choice for you.

ArabicPod101 uses a wide range of audio and video lessons that feature conversations from native speakers. They are constantly adding new content so there’s always something new to learn. Their content goes from absolute beginner to advanced, so there are lessons for every level. There are also different “pathways” that guide you through the level and in the beginning levels you can choose if you want to focus on Modern Standard, Egyptian, or Moroccan Arabic.

In each lesson, you hear a conversation between two Arabic speakers. Then, they break down what you heard to teach important grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. There are also lesson notes and transcripts so you can better understand the lessons. There are also tons of vocabulary lists and a grammar bank to practice with. Try ArabicPod101 for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this ArabicPod101 review.

Key Features

• Thousands of audio and video lessons
• Short and simple lessons
• Listen to conversations between native Arabic speakers

Pricing

ArabicPod101 has a variety of paid subscriptions that cost anywhere from $8.00 to $47.00 per month, but the price goes down if you choose a longer subscription. You can also sign up for a free ArabicPod101 account and access new lessons every week before choosing which type of subscription is best for you.

Madinah Arabic has free online Arabic courses that focus on learning Quranic or Classical Arabic but also has the option to purchase 1-on-1 lessons with an Arabic tutor. It’s simple to start. You first choose if you can/can’t read the Arabic script. If you can’t, you’ll start with an Arabic reading course. 

The reading course has 23 lessons that teach the pronunciation of each letter and has practice exercises. It’s important to note that it’s only a reading course, and doesn’t teach how to write the letters. Once you can read the Arabic script you can start with the language lessons. For a free resource, the lesson library is quite extensive. You can click on any Arabic word or phrase to hear how it’s pronounced.

Key Features

• Teaches Classical Arabic
• Learn to read in Arabic
• Extensive lesson library

Pricing

The Madinah Arabic courses are completely free, but you do have the option to pay for 1-on-1 lessons with a qualified Arabic teacher if you’re interested.

Why You Should Take an Online Course To Learn Arabic

An online course is one of the best ways to learn Arabic. They are often very thorough and teach much more than just a few words and phrases. They are a good choice if you want to learn more about how and why the language is spoken the way it is. And there’s such a wide variety that there’s an option for every type of learner. Some courses focus on video lessons while others use more self-study material. Many times, courses use a blended approach so you’ll understand and reinforce the material.

How To Use Online Courses To Learn Arabic

An online Arabic course is best used as part of a dedicated study routine. It’s best if you can set aside time every day to study. If this isn’t possible, dedicating some time at least a few days a week is helpful, even if it’s not for very long. This will help you remember what you’ve already learned and build upon it. 

Online courses can be used alongside other resources such as an Arabic language app or self-study book. Using different resources is helpful to develop all parts of the language including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. For example, apps are a fun way to learn vocabulary quickly, but you might want to take online lessons to develop your speaking.

Best Online Courses To Learn the Arabic Language: Final Thoughts

If you’re learning Arabic, an online course can be an excellent place to start. It puts together everything you need to learn the language in one place and can help you develop all language skills. Because there are many different dialects, and some are quite different from each other, it’s best to consider your language goals when choosing the right course for you. Once you’ve found a useful resource it’s time to start learning. You’ll be speaking in Arabic before you know it!

Best Online Arabic Courses: FAQ