Arabic Classes Near Me: Your Local Options, and a Live Teacher Online
Arabic classes near you usually come from three places: an Islamic centre’s weekend school, a college or university class, and private tutors. If none of them fits your level or your week, a live teacher online works from home. Ours costs from $34 a month, one to one or in a small group, and the first lesson is free.
Book a free Arabic lesson See the online Arabic classes
Where to learn Arabic near you, compared
| Option | What it is usually like | Suits | Worth checking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islamic centre or masjid weekend school | Classes for children on Saturday or Sunday, often mixing Arabic with Quran and Islamic studies; sometimes an evening class for adults | Children, and families who want the community as well as the language | How many students share one teacher, and whether the class is grouped by level or by age |
| College or university course | A term-long Modern Standard Arabic course, often in the evening through continuing education | Adults who want a structured course and a set timetable | Start dates; most begin only once or twice a year |
| Library, language exchange or meetup | Free or cheap conversation sessions, usually informal | Practising speaking once you have the basics | They rarely teach reading and writing from the start |
| Private tutor who comes to you | One to one at home, arranged directly or through a tutoring website | Anyone who wants individual attention in person | Hourly rates in person are usually higher than online, and fewer tutors travel |
| A live teacher online | One to one or a small group on a video call, at a time you choose | Anyone with no suitable class nearby, a busy week, or a child who needs one-to-one attention | That the teacher is live and the same each week, not a recorded course |
How to find a class near you
- Search your map for “Islamic center” and “masjid”. Call or message and ask whether they run an Arabic class, for which ages, and on which days. Many list their weekend school on their own website.
- Check your nearest community college and university. Look in the continuing education or evening course catalogue for Arabic, and note the next start date.
- Look at your public library’s events. Some run language conversation groups, including Arabic, at no charge.
- Ask in local groups. A post in a local parents’ or Muslim community group often turns up a tutor who is not advertised anywhere.
Five questions to ask any Arabic class
- Which Arabic does it teach? Modern Standard Arabic for reading and formal speech, a spoken dialect for conversation, or Quranic Arabic for understanding the Quran. They are different courses.
- How is my level placed? A good class hears you first. Starting a beginner in the wrong group costs months.
- How much will I speak or read aloud in each lesson? In a class of fifteen it may be a few minutes.
- Who teaches, and will it be the same teacher each week?
- What does it cost in total, and what happens if I miss a lesson?
When learning online is the better choice
If a local class fits your level, your time and your budget, take it; learning among people has real value. Online makes more sense when the nearest class is far away or starts in four months, when your child needs one-to-one attention, when you want a female teacher, or when nobody at home speaks Arabic and you need every explanation in English.
Our online Arabic classes
Format
Live, one to one or a small group, with the same teacher each week
What we teach
Modern Standard Arabic, Quranic Arabic, and conversation
Ages
Children from 4, and adults
Price
From $34 a month; $8.50 an hour, down to $7.00
Female teacher
Available on request, at the same price
First lesson
Free, with nothing to sign up to
Everything is explained in English. For adults, the online Arabic classes page sets out each level; for children, see Arabic lessons for kids; and to understand the Quran, the Quranic Arabic course.
Cost, online or in person, free options and starting age
How much do Arabic classes cost?
Local classes vary widely, from free library groups to term fees at a college. Private tutors in person usually charge more per hour than online. Ours is $8.50 an hour, falling to $7.00 as you book more hours, from $34 a month, and the first lesson is free.
Is it better to learn Arabic online or in person?
Neither is better in itself. What matters is a live teacher who hears you, at your level, every week. In person gives you the room and the people; online gives you the teacher you need at a time you can keep. Our guide to the best way to learn Arabic compares the routes in more detail.
Where can I learn Arabic for free near me?
Try your public library’s events, a language exchange group, or the adult classes some Islamic centres run at no charge. Free resources work best once you can already read the letters. Our free Arabic alphabet chart and a list of everyday Arabic greetings are good places to start at home.
What age can children start Arabic classes?
From about four, with short lessons. Weekend schools usually take children from five or six; online lessons can start younger because they are one to one.
Can I learn Quranic Arabic near me?
Some Islamic centres teach it, but it is less common locally than Modern Standard Arabic. Our Quranic Arabic course teaches it one to one online.
Try a free first Arabic lesson
Check the local options above first. If none fits, book the free first lesson online and we will place you at your level.