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Arabic for free
Why learn Arabic?
Arabic is spoken by over 400 million people across the Middle East and North Africa and is one of the six official UN languages. It is written from right to left in its own elegant script, and Modern Standard Arabic is understood across the entire Arab world.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Arabic is a Category IV language - about 2200 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Arabic belongs to the Afro-Asiatic (Semitic) family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Hebrew or Amharic.
The 50 most common Arabic words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Arabic sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | في | fee | in |
| 2 | من | min | from |
| 3 | على | ah-LAH | on |
| 4 | أن | ahn | that (conjunction) |
| 5 | إلى | ee-LAH | to |
| 6 | كان | KAH-nah | be |
| 7 | هذا | HAH-dhah | this |
| 8 | لا | lah | no |
| 9 | ما | mah | what |
| 10 | مع | MAH-ah | with |
| 11 | عن | ahn | about |
| 12 | هو | HOO-wah | he |
| 13 | كل | kool | each |
| 14 | الذي | al-lah-DHEE | that / which (relative) |
| 15 | قال | KAH-lah | say |
| 16 | بعد | BAH-ahd | after |
| 17 | بين | bayn | between |
| 18 | يوم | yowm | day |
| 19 | قد | kahd | (completed-action particle) |
| 20 | لم | lam | not (negation) |
| 21 | هي | HEE-yah | she |
| 22 | إذا | ee-DHAH | if |
| 23 | نحن | NAH-noo | we |
| 24 | أنا | AH-nah | I |
| 25 | عند | IN-dah | at |
| 26 | لكن | LAH-kin | but |
| 27 | أو | aw | or |
| 28 | غير | ghayr | other than |
| 29 | حتى | HAT-tah | until |
| 30 | إن | in | that (conjunction) |
| 31 | عام | ahm | year |
| 32 | أول | AW-wal | first |
| 33 | كبير | kah-BEER | large |
| 34 | وقت | wahkt | time |
| 35 | جديد | jah-DEED | new |
| 36 | عمل | AH-mahl | work |
| 37 | قبل | KAHB-lah | before |
| 38 | جيد | JAY-yid | good |
| 39 | آخر | AH-khar | other |
| 40 | كثير | kah-THEER | many |
| 41 | أيضا | AY-dahn | also |
| 42 | هناك | hoo-NAHK | there |
| 43 | منذ | MOON-dhoo | since |
| 44 | حيث | HAY-thoo | where |
| 45 | نفس | nahfs | self |
| 46 | شيء | shay | thing |
| 47 | حياة | hah-YAH | life |
| 48 | إنسان | in-SAHN | person |
| 49 | عرف | AH-rah-fah | know |
| 50 | أراد | ah-RAH-dah | want |
Useful phrases in Arabic
- مرحبا · MAR-ha-ban · Hello / Good day
- كيف حالك؟ · KAY-fa HAA-luk · How are you?
- شكرا · SHUK-ran · Thank you
- من فضلك · min FAD-lik · Please
- اسمي... · IS-mee · My name is...
- أين...؟ · AY-na · Where is...?
- مع السلامة · MAH-ah sah-LAH-mah · Goodbye
- عفوا · AF-wan · Excuse me
- لا أفهم · lah AF-ham · I don't understand
- هل يمكنك مساعدتي؟ · hal YUM-kee-nook moo-sah-ah-dah-TEE · Can you help me?
- بكم هذا؟ · bee-KAM HA-tha · How much is it?
- أراك غدا! · ah-RAHK GHA-dan · See you tomorrow!
Learn Arabic with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Arabic, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Arabic learning community
Collaborate with native Arabic speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Arabic online · Create an online Arabic school · Build a Arabic curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Arabic
How difficult is it to learn Arabic?
Arabic has its own script and sounds that are new to English speakers, so it takes dedication, but its root system makes vocabulary logical once it clicks. The Foreign Service Institute rates it among the most challenging, at roughly 2,200 hours of study.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Arabic?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Arabic?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level within 18-24 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 400 million people across 25 countries speak Arabic, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Arabic vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Arabic pronunciation hard?
Arabic has a few throat sounds that are unfamiliar to English speakers and take practice, but words are largely written as they sound once you learn the script. Regular listening is the fastest way to master the new sounds.
How do I get Free Arabic speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Arabic alphabet first?
Arabic uses its own 28-letter alphabet written right to left, and learning it early unlocks reading. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.