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Unlock Arabic writing

Read MSA joining forms, hear key contrasts, and recognise unmarked signs, menus and messages.

Learn to read Arabic in 33 short units.

Arabic · 0 of 33 units done

Module 1

Discover Arabic writing

Understand the Arabic script, hear Arabic and know what the course will teach.

  1. 01

    How Arabic writing works

    Notice direction, reading units and the role of vowel signs.

    Up next
    ~3 min
  2. 02

    A short script history

    Separate the writing system from the languages that use it.

    Up next
    ~3 min
  3. 03

    A first sound preview

    Listen to the contrasts before learning their shapes.

    Up next
    ~3 min
  4. 04

    Spelling and speech

    Know which clues print supplies and which come from the whole word.

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    ~3 min
Module 2

First sounds and signs

Hear MSA contrasts and read the first joined words.

  1. 05

    Tune your ear

    Hear the course’s important contrasts before matching sounds to writing.

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    ~ min
  2. 06

    ا, ب, ت, ن and ي

    Read right-to-left, join the first letters and hear long vowels.

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    ~10 min
  3. 07

    د, ر and و

    Read d, r and w and keep gaps inside words.

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    ~8 min
  4. 08

    م and ل

    Read m/l and recognise the obligatory lam–alif shape.

    Up next
    ~8 min
  5. 09

    A short reading return

    Return to earlier signs and read familiar words without a cue.

    Up next
    ~7 min
Module 3

Core inventory

Read dot families and sound contrasts in small batches.

  1. 10

    ك and ق

    Hear and read k versus the deeper q.

    Up next
    ~10 min
  2. 11

    س and ش

    Read the same skeleton with and without upper dots.

    Up next
    ~9 min
  3. 12

    ف, ه and ة

    Read f, h and final tāʾ marbūṭa.

    Up next
    ~9 min
  4. 13

    A short reading return

    Return to earlier signs and read familiar words without a cue.

    Up next
    ~7 min
  5. 14

    ج, ح and خ

    Distinguish the bowl family and hear the throat contrast.

    Up next
    ~10 min
  6. 15

    ع and غ

    Hear the voiced throat onset and back friction.

    Up next
    ~9 min
  7. 16

    ز, ذ and ث

    Read z and the two interdental consonants.

    Up next
    ~9 min
  8. 17

    A short reading return

    Return to earlier signs and read familiar words without a cue.

    Up next
    ~7 min
  9. 18

    ص and ض

    Hear emphatic s/d and read their distinct letter shapes.

    Up next
    ~10 min
  10. 19

    ط and ظ

    Complete the emphatic series with t and voiced th.

    Up next
    ~10 min
  11. 20

    ◌ْ, ◌ّ, ◌ٌ, ◌ً and ◌ٍ

    Read no-vowel, consonant doubling and nunation marks.

    Up next
    ~8 min
  12. 21

    A short reading return

    Return to earlier signs and read familiar words without a cue.

    Up next
    ~7 min
Module 4

How the system works

Read the article, hamza, final ā and unvowelled words.

  1. 22

    sun and moon article

    Keep the article’s spelling while hearing assimilation.

    Up next
    ~5 min
  2. 23

    ء, أ, إ, ؤ and ئ

    Recognise the glottal stop on different written seats.

    Up next
    ~9 min
  3. 24

    آ and ى

    Read madda and final alif maqṣūra.

    Up next
    ~7 min
  4. 25

    unvowelled print

    Recognise familiar words as the short-vowel marks fade.

    Up next
    ~6 min
Module 5

Complete the toolkit

Read numbers, punctuation, different fonts and keyboard order.

  1. 26

    digits and punctuation

    Read Eastern Arabic digits, familiar Western digits and punctuation.

    Up next
    ~5 min
  2. 27

    styles and keyboard

    Recognise familiar print across fonts and understand handwriting styles.

    Up next
    ~6 min
Module 6

Real-world reading

Read names, signs, a Jordan practice menu and a short dialogue.

  1. 28

    names and places

    Read names and places in an illustrative Jordan setting.

    Up next
    ~5 min
  2. 29

    everyday signs

    Find an entrance, exit, pharmacy and restroom.

    Up next
    ~5 min
  3. 30

    cafe menu

    Read a café menu and prices in Jordanian dinars.

    Up next
    ~8 min
  4. 31

    first conversation

    Read a short purposeful MSA introduction and café request.

    Up next
    ~5 min
Module 7

Check and return

Read fresh print and revisit it after a day.

  1. 32

    Your independent reading check

    Read fresh unmarked words, a sign, a menu and a message.

    Up next
    ~ min
  2. 33

    Come back tomorrow

    Read changed messages after a day.

    Up next
    Optional · ~8 min
Reference · Always availableAlphabet and reading guideLook up a sign, replay a sound, or check a reading rule.