These tips will be most beneficial for those who can already read the Arabic alphabet and have a basic knowledge of the language. However, if you’re just starting out, don’t worry – there are plenty of tips and resources below that will help anyone, whether you’re a fluent linguist looking to practice or a total beginner simply looking for a place to start.

Set goals that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound). For example, setting a goal like “I will improve my Arabic” is too vague – get clear on what exactly you want to improve – is it your reading? Vocabulary? Speaking, listening, or writing…? And don’t overcommit – if you know deep down that you won’t have time to study for hours every day, don’t tell yourself you will!

A good goal might look something like, “I will expand my vocabulary by learning 20 new words in Jordanian dialect every week for 2 months”; or, “I will improve my comprehension skills by listening to BBC Arabic for 30 minutes every day for a month.” Your goals should be personal to you – they must reflect your WHY, and take into account the time and effort you know you can put in.

This is such a simple and effective way to keep track of what you’re learning and make sure you don’t forget any new words. Set yourself a target for each week and create a list as you read or watch videos. You can even pick words from subject-specific vocab books (we recommend Elisabeth Kendall’s pocket-sized books of vocabulary on different topics such as the media, technology, politics, etc.) to make sure what you’re learning is relevant to you and you’re why. Either write them down in a notebook or create your own flashcards.

Watching TV series and films in Arabic is a great way to improve your listening skills – and the best part is that it requires very little effort! Netflix has a range of binge-worthy Arabic boxsets – here are a few to get you started:

• Fauda – politics/action, Palestine/Israel
• Al-Hayba – politics/action, Lebanon
• Jinn – Cultural thriller, Jordan
• Six Windows in the Desert – Culture/society, Saudi Arabia

Most of us have been guilty at one point or another of scrolling through social media when we’re supposed to be working or doing something productive. Following Arabic speakers on social networks is a great way to keep Arabic in your head, while simultaneously easing the guilt when you go down Instagram rabbit holes!

There are millions of creatives, public figures, celebrities, and influencers from the Arab World using social networks to connect with their followers, so it’s easy to fill your feed with Arabic speakers so you can learn as you scroll! You can strategically follow people from different countries to expose yourself to local dialects, or from different industries and backgrounds if you’re looking for subject-specific language.

If you have friends or contacts in the region, why not ask around and see if they or someone they know, would be interested in a language exchange? For example, if someone wants to improve their English, you could agree to a video call once a week, speaking in English for half of the session and Arabic for the other half. That way you get to improve your conversational and listening skills without paying a penny!

Why not try switching your phone language to Arabic? Let’s be honest, we all know our way around our phones pretty well, so this will likely be easier than you think. Or if you’re not quite confident enough to do that, you could start by renaming your app folders (for example, you could rename your ‘social media’ and ‘news’ folders with the Arabic words, so you get used to seeing this vocabulary every day.