If you want to learn Arabic online as a beginner, the hardest part is often knowing where to start. Should you learn the alphabet first or start speaking? Which book should you use? How many hours will it take before you can read a simple sentence?
At Midad Institute we have taught Arabic to non-Arabic speakers online since 2017, and our teachers have more than 15 years of experience teaching Arabic and the Qur’an. This guide explains the path we use with complete beginners, so you know exactly what to expect.
Step 1: Learn to read and write the Arabic alphabet
Everything starts with the letters. Arabic has its own alphabet, written from right to left, and most letters change shape slightly depending on where they appear in a word. Before anything else, a beginner needs to recognise each letter, pronounce it correctly and write it.
In our first introductory level, Timheedi Alif, students learn to read and write the alphabet using the book Noor-ul-Bayan. Along the way, the teacher introduces basic vocabulary so that you can already hold simple conversations in class. This level takes between 15 and 20 hours.
By the end of it you will have learnt some basic vocabulary and short sentences, reinforced through reading and writing.
Step 2: Build your first vocabulary and simple sentences
Once you can read, the next goal is words — lots of them. In the second introductory level, Timheedi Ba, students study Kitab-ul-Assasi alongside visual aids. You learn singular and plural forms, how to build simple sentences with them, and you keep practising simple conversations with your teacher.
This level takes approximately 20 hours. So, in total, a complete beginner can finish both introductory levels in roughly 35–40 hours of lessons. You can read more about both levels on our Beginner Levels page.
| Level | Book | Main goal | Approx. hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timheedi Alif | Noor-ul-Bayan | Read and write the alphabet, first words | 15–20 |
| Timheedi Ba | Kitab-ul-Assasi | Vocabulary, singular & plural, simple sentences | About 20 |
Step 3: Choose your intermediate path
After the introductory levels, students choose between two programmes depending on their goals:
- Al-Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk — focused on contemporary Arabic, speaking and conversation. It has 8 levels, each taking 60–70 hours.
- Bayna Yadayk + the Imam Ibn Saud University series — two levels of Bayna Yadayk, then 10 levels of the Imam Ibn Saud series (about 30–40 hours each), which has an Islamic ethos and is ideal if your aim is to understand the Qur’an and traditional texts.
You can also study both programmes one after the other. See the Intermediate Level page for details.
Can you really learn Arabic online from zero?
Many beginners worry that online lessons will be less effective than a classroom. In practice, live online lessons have some real advantages:
- Live, not recorded. Lessons take place in virtual rooms with audio, video and a virtual whiteboard — very similar to a traditional classroom board.
- Flexible hours. Lessons are planned around your schedule, day or night.
- No travel costs. You don’t need to travel or pay for accommodation to study with experienced teachers.
- Study materials. You get support material to download, and the books can be downloaded as PDF or bought as a hard copy.
Read more on why e-learning works for so many of our students.
Arabic taught in Arabic
At Midad we teach Arabic in Arabic. For a complete beginner this may sound difficult, but the teacher starts with very simple words, pictures and gestures. We believe this is the strongest way to fix the language in your mind, and it means we can teach any student, whatever their nationality or native language.
Private or group lessons?
You can study alone with your teacher or in a small group:
- Private lessons: $8 per hour (approximately £6.10). Members of the same family studying in the same class pay only once.
- Groups of 2–3 students: $4 per hour.
- Groups of 4–5 students: $2.50 per hour.
See the full fees page for details.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take a beginner to read Arabic?
With Noor-ul-Bayan, our beginners learn to read and write the alphabet in about 15–20 hours of lessons.
Do I need to know any Arabic before the first lesson?
No. The introductory levels are designed for complete beginners.
Can I try a lesson first?
Yes — you get a free trial lesson before signing up. Register here and we will arrange it with you.
Midad Institute (Midad Centre) has taught Arabic, the Qur’an and Islamic sciences online to non-Arabic speakers since 2017. Our teachers have more than 15 years of experience, online and in Egypt.
