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Add Arabic, the sixth most spoken language in the world, to your list of critical skills. You can use books and videos to learn Arabic, but perhaps a more appealing alternative is your phone. We’re talking about learning Arabic through apps!
Top picks
There are plenty of Arabic learning apps to cater to your learning abilities. We should mention that Babbel doesn’t offer Arabic. However, there are plenty of alternatives.
- Mondly and Ling are best for learning through bite-sized lessons.
- The Pimsleur audio course can get beginners confidently speaking Arabic in record time.
- Rocket Languages specializes in teaching the Egyptian dialect.
- You can find affordable Arabic tutors on italki and Preply.
The options seem endless. Luckily, we’ve narrowed down the best picks for you to join the 300 million speakers of Arabic. Here are the 13 best apps to help you learn Arabic.
Overall best apps to learn Arabic
These apps may be more expensive than others on this list, but they have some of the best features and developments which are bound to make your learning experience worth it.
1. Mondly
Mondly offers 33 languages with Arabic being one of them. It offers daily lessons, vocabulary activities, and weekly and monthly challenges to ensure you’re getting the best exposure to the language.
Mondly’s chatbox feature is helpful too because you can engage in conversations to strengthen your conversational Arabic. Using the various conversation topics, you can perfect your speech with a bot before you begin talking to real-life people in Arabic.
Why you should use Mondly:
- Daily lessons with weekly quizzes
- Practice conversational Arabic with the chatbox feature
- Learn general and topic-specific vocabulary terms
- Connect with others also learning Arabic
Pricing: The full Arabic course on Mondly costs $9.99 a month. Check out the latest Mondly promo here.
Devices: iOS and Android
2. Ling App
With Ling, you can learn basic, conversational Arabic phrases in just ten minutes a day. The best part? You get to play interactive games that take place entirely on your phone.
Ling is designed to make learning Arabic as easy and fun as possible. You’ll learn without boring vocab lists or overwhelming grammar rules. Instead, you’ll play mini-games, puzzles, and fun quizzes, and converse with a chatbot.
You can also learn authentic pronunciation with high-quality audio recordings of native speakers. What’s more, you can learn how to write Arabic characters through finger-tracing exercises!
Why you should use Ling:
- Variety of fun exercises to stimulate better recall
- Lessons cover all proficiency levels
- Ample listening and speaking drills plus writing exercises
Pricing: Lots of content on the free version. For more lessons, upgrade to the Pro version for only $4.
Devices: iOS and Android
3. AlifBee
If you’re looking for an organized lesson plan with detailed courses, then AlifBee should be one of your first options. This app is designed to turn absolute beginners into intermediate learners.
We know that newbies can become frustrated with apps that are unable to help them proceed after a certain level, but AlifBee goes well beyond.
Besides teaching the alphabet and vocabulary words, it introduces reading, grammar, and writing skills early on so that learners can embrace the reading comprehension questions with ease.
Why you should use AlifBee:
- Organized lessons structured to effectively teach you Arabic
- Provides audio clips, activities, quizzes, and exams
- Contains a stats feature to measure your progress
- Develops your reading, writing, grammar, and speaking skills
Pricing: Some content for free, but AlifBee Premium, which costs $16.33/month, grants unlimited access and ad-free learning.
Devices: iOS and Android
4. Arabits
Arabits is another great app to learn Arabic. Writing isn’t a major component of this app because it focuses more on spoken Arabic. The lessons are divided into seven levels, not including the foundation stage.
Personally, this sort of organized structure is helpful because its content is easy to follow. Plus, there is an assessment after each level as well as interactive activities to help you practice the new terms you’ve learned.
Why you should use Arabits:
- Organized lessons with interactive activities and practice tests
- Follow along to Arabic conversations
- Improve your spoken Arabic
- Expand your Arabic vocabulary
Pricing: The annual subscription is $27.22 and the monthly subscription is $5.44.
Devices: iOS and Android
Best apps for learning how to speak in Arabic
Many learners are excited at the prospect of communicating in Arabic. For those wanting to jump right into speaking Arabic without going too deep into the fundamentals, the following apps are the best options.
5. Pimsleur
Try Pimsleur Arabic absolutely FREE today!
You might be familiar with Pimsleur as it’s very well-known in language learning circles. It’s based on the Pimsleur Method, which is a scientifically proven method for speaking, understanding, and reading new languages.
Pimsleur delivers 30-minute core audio lessons that can be supplemented by bonus learning materials such as flashcards, quizzes, and reading lessons.
You can learn three types of Arabic dialects with Pimsleur: Modern Standard Arabic, Eastern Arabic dialect, and the Egyptian dialect.
With Pimsleur, you can learn whenever and wherever – even when you’re driving in your car. That way, you’re not required to take time out of your day to learn Arabic.
Why you should use Pimsleur:
- Develop your conversational Arabic skills fast
- Based on effective, tried-and-tested learning methods
- Interactive learning with audio, activities, and exercises
Pricing: Pimsleur subscription is $14.95/month for Audio-Only; $19.95/month for Premium (with Bonus Materials), or $20.95/month for All Access. Start your full access, 7-day free trial.
Devices: iOS and Android
6. italki
Find affordable Arabic tutors on italki
For individuals looking to develop their conversational Arabic with a tutor, italki is it.
Simply connect with the tutor you find most suitable after watching their introductory videos and reading their reviews. You can choose from professional tutors with years of experience, or community tutors who can help you stay motivated and gain the confidence to converse in Arabic. You can even narrow down your search with dialects such as Modern Standard, Levantine, Gulf, and Egyptian.
Italki tutors set their own rates and you’ll certainly find one that meets your budget. Alternatively, you can check out more tutor options on Preply.
Why you should use Italki:
- Get guidance and feedback from tutors
- Choice of structured lessons or informal speaking practice
- Cater to all budgets
Pricing: Pricing for tutors varies, starting from $4 per lesson. Check out discounts here!
Devices: iOS and Android
7. Rocket Languages
Learn Arabic with Rocket Languages
If you’re interested in learning the Egyptian dialect, Rocket Languages might be your best pick. There are seven modules with lessons divided into three categories: interactive audio, language and cultural lessons, and writing lessons.
This blend of culture and language is designed to help you understand the Egyptian dialect and grasp the major concepts efficiently. A bonus to this app is that you will be perfecting your Egyptian accent throughout your journey!
Why you should use Rocket Languages:
- Learn the Egyptian dialect
- Gain a broader understanding of Egyptian culture
- Multiple resources such as flashcards, quizzes, writing activities, and audios
- Downloadable lessons for handsfree learning
Pricing: The lifetime online access to Rocket Languages has 122 hours of lessons for $99.95. Try it for free!
Devices: iOS and Android
8. Busuu
Busuu provides lessons for you to develop your conversational Arabic. The lessons are divided into four categories: Beginner A1, Elementary A2, Intermediate, B1, and Upper Intermediate B2, each covering over 20 topics.
Overall, Busuu prepares its users well enough to become intermediate speakers who can carry a fluent conversation in Arabic about a variety of subjects.
A particularly helpful aspect of Busuu is the social feature which allows users to converse with other learners, practice with native speakers, and even fix other learners’ mistakes. Individuals can also purchase private lessons with a tutor to practice their Arabic.
Why you should use Busuu:
- Improve your conversational Arabic
- Navigate through the courses according to your level
- Communicate with others to improve your speaking skills
- Engage in live lessons with a native speaker to practice your Arabic
- Achieve the McGraw-Hill Education certificate after completion
Pricing: Busuu Premium starts at $6.95/month. Snatch a deal here.
Devices: iOS and Android
Best apps to learn Arabic alphabet and vocabulary
Individuals looking to start with the basics should master the Arabic alphabet and some vocabulary. The following apps provide multiple exercises for a thorough understanding.
9. Arabic Alphabet, Arabic Letter
Try Arabic Alphabet, Arabic Letter
Practicing your Arabic alphabet through your phone can’t get easier with Arabic Alphabet, Arabic Letter Before attempting to write a letter, listen to its pronunciation with the audio provided and observe how the letter is written.
Then you can trace the letter on your screen and compare it with the template to see your progress. Your tracing will be erased if it’s done incorrectly. This way, you’ll perfect your writing skills.
Why you should use Arabic alphabet writing:
- Fun and easy to use
- Quizzes to test your understanding of the alphabet
Pricing: Arabic alphabet writing is free to use. You can become a VIP user for $9.25 to get an ad-free experience.
Devices: Android
10. FunEasyLearn
Learn Arabic with FunEasyLearn
FunEasyLearn is another app that does a great job of introducing beginners to the Arabic alphabet. It has features that are designed to help users learn, practice, and apply their knowledge to strengthen their understanding.
Plus, once users have grasped the concept of Arabic alphabet, they can proceed to the vocabulary and sentence components.
With this app, users can control their learning pace by adjusting the pronunciation speed, opting for transliteration, and controlling the content. Of course, you can always monitor your process and search for areas of improvement using the stats feature!
Why you should use FunEasyLearn:
- Contains audio and pronunciation guide
- Writing games, multiple-choice questions, and much more
- Learn according to your pace by modifying the course setting
Pricing: The Premium Pack for one language for one month costs $6.53, with discounts for longer subscriptions. The lifetime subscription costs $75.96.
Devices: iOS and Android
11. Promova
Promova excels at building vocabulary, a crucial first hurdle in any language. It uses flashcards and bite-sized lessons to introduce Arabic words, while interactive quizzes ensure information sticks.
Promova’s “fast brain” method leverages spaced repetition to optimize memorization. By strategically encountering Arabic words at spaced intervals, you’ll be more likely to retain them effectively. This targeted approach is particularly helpful for mastering the essential Arabic vocabulary.
What’s more, Promova’s flashcards have sound clips to help you learn the correct pronunciation of words. You also get fun quizzes and interactive exercises.
Why you should use Promova:
- Bite-sized lessons you can fit into your daily routine
- Engaging flashcards and exercises
- Spaced repetition system helps with long-term recall
Pricing: Starts at $49.99 for three months but you can snatch a good deal here.
Devices: iOS and Android
Best apps to learn Quranic Arabic
Since its revelation, Quran Arabic has always sparked interest in learners. However, a common misconception about this dialect is that it is restricted to people of faith. (Side note: You can read facts about the Arabic language here.)
On the contrary, individuals throughout history have studied it for historical purposes, cultural factors, scientific proofs, and so much more. If you’re interested in learning the language of the sacred text, the following apps are a great start.
12. Quranic
Quranic centers around teaching the language of the Quran. It is suitable for individuals already familiar with Arabic but are looking to strengthen their vocabulary through the use of Quranic-themed exercises, stories, and tests.
There are some noteworthy features too! These include the Quran, group chats, reviews, statistics, and more.
Why you should use Quranic:
- Access to 171 lessons that cover notable aspects of the Quran
- Develop vocabulary from the stories in the Quran
- Communicate with others through the group chat feature
- Utilize the Quran within the app
Pricing: Unlimited access for one month costs $2.72. For unlimited access and offline use, it’s $10.62.
Devices: iOS and Android
13. Quran Progress
Learn Arabic with Quran Progress
Quran Progress is another app that teaches Quranic Arabic with a focus on vocabulary. There are a total of four modules including vocabulary, verbs, and two sets of lessons for learners to explore.
Despite the variety, this app is designed to enhance one’s understanding of the Quran because it mostly teaches vocabulary words and explains their significance. It is more suitable for those looking to understand the context of vocabulary words and perfect their pronunciation.
Why you should use Quran Progress:
- Learn specific words used in the Quran and understand their significance
- Follow the multiple lessons in each module
- Set your learning pace and your targets
Pricing: Starts from $5.44 per month
Devices: iOS and Android
Best apps to learn Arabic for free
Short on cash? Not to worry. The expected ad attacks aside, the content will cover the most basic concepts of Arabic to get you started. These apps are perfect for absolute beginners!
14. Learn Arabic for Beginners
Try Learn Arabic for Beginners
This app is the best for beginners looking to practice their conversational Arabic.
Besides teaching the alphabet, masculine and feminine terms, and verb tenses, it has a strong focus on vocabulary words that are used in daily settings. In fact, you can perfect your speech with the English pronunciation and Arabic audio provided.
The app also has conversations that you can refer to for practice, and an advanced feature if you’re looking to level up on the vocabulary words.
Why you should use Learn Arabic for beginners:
- Great for those wanting to learn conversational Arabic
- Features to strengthen your vocabulary list and conversational skills
- Every term comes with English pronunciation and audio
- Great for practicing your Arabic writing
- Translation feature in which you translate over 50 languages to Arabic
Pricing: Learn Arabic for Beginners will cost you $2.64 per month for ad-free learning
15. Duolingo
Duolingo seems to be everyone’s go-to language learning app, so why not use it to learn Arabic?
This app is great for absolute beginners because of its interactive and easy-to-use features. Things like flashcards, audios, and checkpoints can help you grasp the concepts and keep track of your progress.
However, a common criticism of Duolingo is that it can be too game-like which takes the focus away from learning the language. Flipping through the flashcards and matching the right words to the audio might feel unchallenging.
We wouldn’t recommend Duolingo to those already familiar with Arabic, but it is certainly great for introducing beginners to the language in a fun manner.
Why you should use Duolingo:
- Interactive features to learn Arabic
- Fun, game-like, and addictive
- Design a personal schedule with daily reminders
- Connect with other learners on the forum
Pricing: Duolingo is free of charge. However, users can purchase Duolingo Plus for access to additional services and an ad-free experience for $6.99 a month.
Devices: iOS and Android
Conclusion
And that concludes our list of the best apps to learn Arabic!
If you need quick help when traveling to Arabic-speaking countries, I recommend using Arabic translator apps. Otherwise, it’s best to pair these apps with some books to learn Arabic. If you’re in it for the long haul, you can even check out Arabic grammar books and Arabic online courses.
Whatever tool you choose to use, remember to have fun while learning!