Learn Arabic online with native Arab teachers
Murouj Academy's online Arabic classes let children and adults learn Arabic: to read, write, understand and speak it in live one-to-one lessons with native Arab teachers. You can focus on Modern Standard Arabic or on the Arabic of the Quran, at your own level, and your first class is a free trial.
Learn Arabic Online at a glance
- Format
- Live one-to-one online classes. Murouj Academy never runs group classes.
- Who it's for
- Children, teens and adults, from complete beginners to advanced learners
- Level
- Beginner, intermediate and advanced
- Focus
- Modern Standard Arabic, or Arabic for understanding the Quran
- Lesson length
- 30, 45 or 60 minutes
- Classes per week
- 2, 3, 4 or 5
- Teachers
- Native Arab teachers, for whom Arabic is a first language, including ijazah holders
- Teacher matching
- Female teachers for women and girls, male teachers for men; parents choose for children
- Outcome
- Read, write and understand Arabic at the level you aim for
- Free trial
- One free trial class with your teacher
How do you learn Arabic, step by step?
Learning Arabic works best in a clear order, and a one-to-one teacher keeps you in it. Most learners move through these stages, each at their own pace:
- Letters and sounds: learn to write and pronounce the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, including the sounds English does not have.
- Vowels and reading: add the short and long vowels until you can read vowelled words aloud.
- Everyday words and simple sentences: build the vocabulary you will use most, then put it into short sentences.
- Grammar and roots: learn how Arabic words are built from roots and how sentences are formed (nahw and sarf).
- Speaking and writing: practise conversation and short texts, with your teacher correcting you as you go.
Your teacher decides where you start in the free trial class, so a complete beginner and someone who can already read are not put on the same path. If you cannot read Arabic yet and mainly want to read the Quran, the Qaida classes for beginners may be the better first step. Our guide to learning the Arabic language explains why so many Muslims start.
Modern Standard Arabic or Quranic Arabic: which should you learn?
Both are the same language at heart. They share the alphabet, the grammar and most of the vocabulary, so learning one makes the other easier. The difference is what you want to read and say.
| Modern Standard Arabic | Quranic Arabic | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The formal Arabic of books, news and education across the Arab world | The classical Arabic in which the Quran was revealed |
| Best for | Reading, writing and speaking about everyday and academic topics | Understanding what you recite in prayer and read in the Quran |
| What you practice | Conversation, reading, writing and grammar | Quranic vocabulary, grammar and the meaning of familiar surahs |
Not sure which to choose? Tell your teacher your goal in the free trial class and they will suggest a starting point. Our guide to the importance of Arabic in Islam explains why many Muslims learn it.
Who is this course for?
Children
Children learn letters, words and simple sentences through short, lively lessons. Parents choose the teacher; several teach children from age 4.
Adults
Whether you want Arabic for faith, family, study or travel, you set the goal and the pace. Adult men are taught by male teachers.
Women and girls
Sisters and girls are always taught by a female teacher.
New Muslims
Start with the words you say in prayer and the meaning of the surahs you recite, then build from there.
Quran students
If you memorize or recite the Quran, Arabic helps you understand what you recite. It pairs well with our Quran courses.
What will you learn?
Your teacher builds a personalized curriculum from the stages below, starting from your level and skipping what you already know.
Beginner
- Writing each letter of the Arabic alphabet correctly
- Pronouncing every letter as a native speaker does
- Short and long vowels
- Basic grammar and simple sentences
- Everyday vocabulary
Intermediate
- Forming sentences and short paragraphs
- Basic conversations in Arabic
- Common vocabulary and phrases
- Verb patterns and the root system
Advanced
- Reading longer texts
- Expressing ideas in speech and writing
- Grammar in depth (nahw and sarf)
Arabic for the Quran (a focus you can choose)
- High-frequency Quranic vocabulary
- The grammar you meet in the Quran
- Understanding Al-Fatihah and the surahs you recite in prayer
Milestones along the way
- Read and write the Arabic alphabet correctly
- Read vowelled text aloud with correct pronunciation
- Hold a basic conversation in Modern Standard Arabic
- Understand common words and structures in the Quran
- Read and write short texts on your own
How fast will you progress?
It depends on the student: your starting point, your age, how many classes you take each week and how much you practice in between. Your teacher sets a personalized plan after the free trial class and reviews it with you as you go, so your milestones fit you rather than a fixed timetable.
How does Arabic help you understand the Quran?
Most Arabic words are built from a root of three letters, and related words share that root. From k-t-b, for example, come kitab (book), katib (writer) and maktub (written). Once you know a root, you start to recognize its family of words across the Quran.
That is why even a little Arabic changes how you hear the Quran. Our Arabic alphabet pronunciation guide is a good place to start, and our article on teaching Arabic to kids has ideas for practicing at home.
How do the classes work?
One-to-one, never in a group
Every class is just you (or your child) and the teacher, so you speak, read and get corrected for the whole lesson.
A personalized curriculum
Your teacher builds the lessons around your goal, Modern Standard Arabic or Quranic Arabic, and your level, and adjusts them as you progress.
You choose your teacher
Try a free class, meet your teacher, and commit only when it feels right. You can try more than one teacher in free trial classes until you find the right fit, then you continue with that teacher. Matching is never random.
A free trial class first
Your first class is a free trial with your teacher, who checks your level and suggests where to start.
Times that suit your family
Every class is set at an hour that suits you, in your own time zone, wherever you live across North America, Europe and Australia.
Murouj's own online classroom
Lessons use a shared whiteboard for writing practice, along with PDFs, slides and videos. There is no account or app to install.
Lessons are 30, 45 or 60 minutes, 2 to 5 times a week; the packages page explains the options. Most students stay with Murouj Academy for more than a year. For class times in your time zone, see our pages for the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia.
Not sure where to start?
Book a free trial class: your teacher checks your level and suggests a first step.
Meet some of our teachers
Every Murouj Academy teacher is a native Arab from the Arab world. Some hold an ijazah, and each profile states which. Many of our teachers studied at or are certified by Al-Azhar. Women and girls are taught by female teachers, adult men by male teachers, and for children the parent chooses. These are some of the teachers who teach this course, with details from their own bios.
Abrar R.
Female teacher
Al-Azhar University graduate. Teaches Quran, tajweed, Arabic and Islamic studies to children, teens and adults.
Soha A.
Female teacher
Certified in the Qaidah, tajweed for non-Arabic speakers and Islamic studies. Teaches all levels, from the Qaidah up.
Mohammad S.
Male teacher
Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies from Al-Azhar University. Has memorized the whole Quran and teaches non-Arabic speakers from the basics up.
Mohab A.
Male teacher
Student at Al-Azhar University who has memorized the whole Quran. Teaches boys and men Quran, tajweed, Arabic and Islamic studies.
Meet some of our teachers and read their full bios, then try a free class with the one you would like.
How do one-to-one classes with a native Arab teacher compare?
Group classes and teachers who learned Arabic later both help many students. Murouj Academy chooses one-to-one classes and native Arab teachers so that every student gets a teacher's full attention and hears the Quran's language from someone who has spoken it since childhood.
| One-to-one at Murouj Academy | A group class | |
|---|---|---|
| Attention | The whole lesson is yours, and the teacher hears every letter you recite | Lesson time is shared between several students |
| Pace | Set by you: you move on when you are ready | Set for the group as a whole |
| Curriculum | A personalized plan built around your level and goals | One syllabus for the whole class |
| Schedule | An hour that suits you, in your own time zone | A fixed timetable |
| Teacher | You choose your teacher through free trial classes before you commit | Usually comes with the class |
| Comfort | Women and girls with a female teacher, men with a male teacher, one to one | Depends on how the class is run |
| Murouj Academy's native Arab teachers | Teachers who learned Arabic later | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | The sounds of Arabic, modeled as a first-language speaker says them every day | The sounds of Arabic, learned through study and practice |
| Meaning | Explanations that draw on everyday use of Arabic | Explanations that draw on formal study of Arabic |
| Qualification | Some Murouj teachers hold an ijazah; each profile states it | Varies by teacher and academy |
What do students say?
Students and parents describe their classes in their own words on our student reviews page.
Frequently asked questions
Do you teach Modern Standard Arabic or Quranic Arabic?
Both. Modern Standard Arabic is the formal Arabic of books and news; Quranic Arabic is the classical Arabic of the Quran, and the two share most of their grammar. Your teacher shapes the curriculum around the one you need.
Can children learn Arabic online?
Yes. Several of our teachers teach children from age 4, with short, lively lessons. Parents choose the teacher.
What is the best way to learn Arabic online?
The most effective way is live one-to-one lessons with a native speaker, because you speak, read and write for the whole lesson and are corrected straight away. At Murouj Academy your teacher builds a personal plan around your goal and level, and you practise between classes.
How long does it take to learn Arabic?
It depends on your goal, your starting level and how many classes you take each week. Your teacher sets a personal plan after the trial class and reviews it with you as you progress.
Do I need to know the Arabic alphabet first?
No. Beginners start with the letters and their sounds. If your main goal is reading the Quran, our Qaida classes for beginners may suit you better.
Why learn Arabic from a native Arab teacher?
Arabic is our teachers' first language, so they model pronunciation, rhythm and everyday usage naturally and can explain shades of meaning that textbooks miss.
Will a woman or girl have a female Arabic teacher?
Yes. Women and girls at Murouj Academy are always taught by female teachers. Adult men are taught by male teachers, and for children the parent chooses.
Can I study Arabic alongside a Quran course?
Yes. You can take Arabic alongside a Quran course. Each course has its own one-to-one classes and its own plan.
More answers about classes, teachers and the free trial are on our Murouj Academy facts page.
Keep exploring
Free guides
Classes for your family
Ready to begin?
Your free trial class is with the teacher you choose, and you can take more free classes until you find the right fit. Women and girls always learn with female teachers.