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The Best Arabic Lessons

Where Can You Get the Best Arabic Lessons?

If you've tried to find classes near you, you already know that it's a challenge. Without a university or an Arabic-speaking community nearby, your opportunities to learn the language might seem pretty slim. Fortunately, there's no shortage of ways to study Arabic from home - or from anywhere you've got your phone or tablet!

We also congratulate you on your interest, because Arabic speakers are in high demand. As one of the official working languages of the United Nations and spoken by over 400 million people, Arabic can open doors to business, travel, or intercultural friendships.

Tuesday, March 19th

2024 Arabic Lesson Reviews

italki Review Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award 5 Star Rating

italki

5 Star Rating Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award

italki puts spoken fluency in Arabic within reach. The lessons on this platform are delivered by real people: community tutors and professional teachers with a background in language instruction. You'll work one-on-one via video with the instructor(s) you select, to perfect your accent, get comfortable with conversation, and learn or practice reading, writing, grammar, or any other area you need. Most italki tutors let you take a sample lesson for under $5, and their hourly rates are usually between $10-$20. If you've got enough bravery to take private lessons, italki is a phenomenal way to get your Arabic fluency up to speed.

Arabic Pod 101 Review 4.5 Star Rating

Arabic Pod 101

4.5 Star Rating

Anyone can use Arabic Pod 101 to improve their fluency, from total newbies to advanced students. Your free account will come with a 7-day free trial of their premium plan, but you can keep the limited access plan forever. Arabic Pod 101's Premium Plus membership lets you work with your own assigned teacher and get personalized feedback and advice on your language learning journey. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the almost endless Arabic lessons here, but you'll always have something new to study with Arabic Pod 101.

Busuu Review 4 Star Rating

Busuu

4 Star Rating

There's plenty for everyone to learn with Busuu's Arabic lessons. Create a no-cost basic membership and get access to over 110 lessons spanning four levels of fluency; with an inexpensive membership, your account will include customized study plans and unlimited feedback from native speakers. Word to the wise, though: watch your renewal date because Busuu's refund policy stops after 14 days. Busuu gets lots of five-star reviews from thousands of users, and you're sure to improve your Arabic here.

Rocket Languages Review 4 Star Rating

Rocket Languages

4 Star Rating

For beginning students of Arabic, Rocket Languages offers fantastic lessons to get you started. Across four modules, you'll learn how to read, write, speak and understand basic Egyptian Arabic and get insights into the culture along the way. Unlike many programs, there's no subscription here: you'll pay a one-time fee (or six installments, if you prefer) and have lifetime access to your lessons. This program won't take you beyond beginner-level content, but Rocket is one of our preferred choices for entry-level Arabic lessons.

Mondly Review 3.5 Star Rating

Mondly

3.5 Star Rating

Mondly is a language-learning app that can help you learn (or review) basic Arabic words and phrases. It's got some unique features like Chatbot and Augmented Reality that let you practice real-world conversations in a fun way, and it's easy to see everything you learn in Arabic script or in the English-alphabet approximation. Mondly lacks the structure and organization found in more rigorous Arabic lessons, though, making this program more useful for fun and practice than for in-depth study.

Rosetta Stone Review 3.5 Star Rating

Rosetta Stone

3.5 Star Rating

Rosetta Stone says that the best way to learn Arabic - or any other language - is by immersion, teaching lessons with no reference back to English. While that can be true for "easier" languages (ones that are already somewhat familiar and that use the same alphabet as English), it doesn't work well for Arabic. You're going to want to try Rosetta Stone's three-day trial before you commit to this program long-term, because we found it to be somewhat frustrating.

Memrise Review 3 Star Rating

Memrise

3 Star Rating

Memrise is usually known for its amazing native speaker video clips that help you visualize every aspect of the language as you learn. Unfortunately, those are missing from their Arabic lessons. You're left with what essentially feels like flashcards, but with very little context and not much to help you create your own sentences. You can make a free account and try Memrise for yourself, but we suspect you'll wind up choosing a more robust program for your Arabic lessons.

Talk in Arabic Review 2 Star Rating

Talk in Arabic

2 Star Rating

Talk in Arabic is one of the only language programs on the market that promotes learning of eight major Arabic dialects (like Egyptian, Saudi, and Iraqi). These lessons are delivered via audio and video clips with native speakers. Unfortunately, the presentation of the material here is disjointed at best; most students would only find Talk in Arabic helpful when used in conjunction with a more structured program.

Compare the Best Reviews

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Learning Arabic has other advantages. Mastering it lets you quickly grasp related languages like Hebrew, Urdu, Turkish or Farsi. Fluency in Arabic can help you understand Islam, read the Qur'an, or delve into the history of the Middle East. And, don't overlook how the work required to comprehend a different writing system from English can benefit your mental agility!

Now that you're even more convinced that it's the right time to take Arabic lessons online, where should you start? That's the perfect question! One size does not fit all, so here are some factors to bear in mind as you sort through the options and choose the ideal path for your studies:

  • Arabic Dialect: Arabic varies greatly depending on where it's used. Modern Standard Arabic, or MSA, is what's typically taught in schools. But did you know it's not used as spoken Arabic...anywhere? Consider how you plan on using the language and choose the dialect that makes the most sense. Not sure? Then Egyptian might be the most logical choice: you'll find it in a lot of the TV shows and movies you might wind up watching later on!
  • Teaching Methods. How do you learn best? Do you need in-depth explanations of grammar and pronunciation, or would an app you can use from day-to-day for quick vocabulary practice be enough? How important is it to you to speak fluently and not just read/write in Arabic?
  • Value. What does the program offer? Can you get a free trial or sample lessons to try before you buy? If you choose a paid subscription or make a one-time purchase, what's included? Will your Arabic lessons last long enough to keep you progressing?
  • Refund Policy. If you pay for a membership or language program, can you get your money back if the lessons don't live up to your expectations?

To help you with your language goals, TopConsumerReviews.com has tested, evaluated, and ranked the top Arabic lessons available today. Your journey can start today as you find the program that's right for you!

The Best Arabic Lessons Compare Arabic Lessons Compare Arabic Lesson Reviews What are the best Arabic Lessons Best Arabic Lesson Reviews

Arabic Lesson FAQ

It is estimated that there are over 420 million speakers of Arabic worldwide, making it one of the five most commonly-spoken languages around the globe. This includes both native and non-native speakers.
Generally speaking, there are two basic forms of Arabic: standard and colloquial. The former is used by the media and in universities, literature and formal writing. If you take Arabic lessons from a Western school, this is probably the form you'll get. But, this isn't the way Arabic speakers use the language in their day-to-day lives! If you know that you'll be using Arabic mainly in one particular location (e.g. Egypt vs. Persian Gulf nations vs. Lebanon), it might be worth looking for an Arabic course that at least introduces the dialect of that area. On the other hand, of all of the Arabic dialects, Egyptian is the most widely-understood by all speakers (largely due to the nation's popular music, film and TV industry), so learning the Egyptian dialect is a safe bet too.
If your first language is English, be prepared for your Arabic studies to require some work! Ranked as a Category IV language by the State Department's Foreign Service Institute, Arabic is "exceptionally difficult" on par with Japanese, Korean and Chinese. But, if you're willing to put in the time and effort, it's definitely doable!
Your first step should be to learn the Arabic alphabet, so that you don't have to depend on transliteration into English. Arabic experts also recommend that you memorize the plural forms of every noun you learn, because they can be very different (no tacking on an "s" like we do in English!), as well as the verb forms and any prepositions that go along with them. Finally, as with learning any language, give yourself plenty of time to study regularly; a few minutes here and there won't get you speaking Arabic fluently!
Availability, affordability and access: for those three reasons alone, you should consider studying Arabic online. Many colleges and universities don't offer courses in the language, and there's no guarantee you can secure one of the coveted seats in the class if your school does. Studying Arabic online can be done according to your preferred schedule, and at a fraction of the cost you'd pay per credit hour at a local school.
If you're studying Arabic online, you will probably need to take a few extra steps to enable the language on your computer. The steps depend on whether you're using a Mac or Windows-based PC, so search for the instructions according to your operating system. There are also online Arabic keyboards you can use without changing your computer settings.
No! They're definitely less costly than taking in-person courses. Some programs charge a one-time fee, while others use a month-to-month subscription format. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $200 for a one-off software purchase, or between $10 and $30 per month for an online course that lasts up to two years. You've got lots of options!
That depends on the provider you choose. Some offer satisfaction guarantees ranging from 30-60 days from the date of purchase or start of the subscription plan, while others only allow you to cancel future months without refunding past payments. We recommend that you use any free materials offered by the Arabic lessons platform prior to making your choice: you can often take full sample lessons or watch a demo of how the program works, which will help you get a feel for which Arabic lessons are the best fit for your preferences and learning style.
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The Best Reviews of Arabic Lessons