Arabic · Specialist course
Quranic arabic classes online, taught patiently and for adults
Reading the Quran in Arabic and speaking Arabic are different skills with different vocabulary and different grammar. This course teaches the first one properly.
Who this is for
Is this the right course for you?
Adults who want to read and understand the Quran in the original — including reverts starting from the alphabet, and lifelong readers who recite fluently without knowing what the words mean.
What you cover
What the lessons cover
- The Arabic alphabet and the harakat, from scratch if needed
- Tajweed rules: makharij, sifat, and the rules of noon and meem
- Classical vocabulary and the grammar that differs from modern Arabic
- Working through short surahs word by word, meaning and structure
- Recitation practice with correction, at whatever pace suits you
- How to use a concordance and a classical dictionary independently
Quranic Arabic is taught here as its own subject, with its own tutors and its own pace, rather than as an add-on to a conversation course. The goals are different: accurate recitation and genuine comprehension of a classical text, not ordering coffee.
Two kinds of student
Some arrive having never seen the Arabic script, often reverts who want to read the text themselves rather than through translation. Others have recited since childhood and have never been taught what the words mean. These are almost opposite starting points and they need different first lessons, which is one of the arguments for one-to-one over a class.
On pace
Nobody is behind here. Lessons are one to one, so a student who wants to spend three weeks on the rules of noon saakinah can do that, and a student who wants to move through vocabulary quickly can do that instead. There is no syllabus to keep up with and no group to hold up.
Quranic Arabic & Tajweed questions, answered properly
I am a complete beginner and cannot read Arabic at all. Can I start here?
Yes, and a large share of students do. The course begins with the alphabet, the short vowel marks and the connected letter forms, then moves into simple recitation before touching grammar. Most adults are reading short surahs haltingly within six to eight weeks. Nobody is asked to keep up with a class, because there is no class.
I can recite fluently but I do not understand what I am reading. Where do I start?
That is one of the most common starting points and it is a good one, because the hardest mechanical skill is already in place. Lessons move straight to vocabulary and classical grammar, working through surahs you already know by heart so the meaning attaches to something familiar. Progress here is usually faster than students expect.
Is Tajweed taught separately from meaning?
They are taught alongside each other, weighted to what you need. Some students want recitation accuracy first and meaning later; others want to understand the text and are content to recite plainly. Both are legitimate, and the tutor asks rather than assuming. The rules of Tajweed are taught with the reasons behind them, not as a list to memorise.
Does this course teach spoken Arabic too?
Not directly, and it is worth being clear about that. Classical Quranic Arabic and modern spoken dialects differ considerably in vocabulary and usage. What this course gives you is reading, recitation and comprehension of the text. If you also want to hold a conversation, take a dialect or Modern Standard course alongside it.
Related courses
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online arabic tutor — every level and every course we teach in Arabic.
Start with a free Arabic trial lesson
You meet the tutor, they work out where you actually are, and you both decide whether to carry on. If we are not the right fit, we will say so.