Arabic Lessons in London

Although most of the Arab communities in London are condensed in Westminster, Kensington, Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, their influence on the local culture can be felt everywhere. As you walk down the streets, you’ll find Arab cafes, Halal restaurants and stores that sell their products. What’s more, you’ll probably hear many Londoners speak Arabic, as according to the 2011 census, it’s the ninth most used language in the city after English, with 70,602 estimated speakers. If Arab culture has always sparked your interest, learning their language is the best thing you can do to understand it more deeply. Additionally, you’ll get closer to the Arab communities, and expand your opportunities in the city.

Learn Arabic for Work and Travel

Whether you’re just beginning your career or you’re a seasoned professional, having Arabic as one of your language skills will open many chances to advance your career in London. In contrast with other languages like Spanish and French, which are some of the most common second languages among British people, Arabic is still one of the least chosen languages by students. This makes the demand for Arabic speakers much higher, especially among companies that are looking to expand internationally and want to build business relationships in the Middle East and North Africa. Furthermore, there are many excellent job positions in London that are exclusive for bilinguals like Knowledge Engineer for Amazon, Business Representative for Zendesk and Partner Operations Manager for Google.

Learn Arabic for Social

One of the most impressive festivals that celebrate Arab culture in the city is London’s Shubbak Festival. Held annually in June, the festival showcases the best contemporary visual artists, musicians, actors, writers, dancers and filmmakers from the Arab community. This festival is packed with many events across London, like live music performances, film screenings, plays and talks. In addition to having the unique chance to enjoy some of the most impressive local performers, you'll also get to join online live streams from other countries like Palestine, Iraq, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In short, if you’re curious about the impact of the Arab communities on the local and international art scene, you can’t miss this festival.

Another great way to get to know Arab culture is by tasting some of their traditional dishes. At Damascino House, located at Woodward Buildings 1 Victoria Road, you can try labneh, which is strained yoghurt served with olive oil and dried thyme, marinated chicken livers flambeed in lemon, and lamb bourak, a deep-fried pastry filled with minced lamb and onions. The restaurant also offers a great selection of Chef Specials that you simply can’t miss. They include Maroccan Tajine, Shawarma Arabi and Fattat. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a great place to eat delicious vegan-friendly versions of traditional Arab dishes, you should pay a visit to Round Falafel, located at 79B Parkway. They offer falafel wraps, hummus, and other plant-based dishes that you and your friends will love.

Learn Arabic for Culture

Whether you can only speak a little Arabic or you’re a fluent speaker, you probably want to use your skills in an actual conversation. If so, there are many places in London where you can go to meet people from all around the world who are as passionate about the language as you. London’s Arab Circle, for example, is a great group for anyone interested in learning about Arab culture and chatting with native speakers. They organise all sorts of events like picnics, language exchanges and free language classes taught by native speakers. If you want to know where their meetings are held, you have to become a member of the virtual group.

If in addition to boosting your Arabic skills you want to meet learners of all kinds of languages, you can attend one of the meetings organized by Mammoth London Language Exchange. It’s one of the biggest language communities in London where can find people speaking more than twenty languages, which include Arabic. They meet on Sundays at Be At One, located at 17 Greek Street, to have a fun language exchange where you can have drinks, play games, and most importantly, make friends.  

Where to learn Arabic in and around London?

A great way to immerse yourself in Arab culture while improving your listening skills is to watch films in Arabic. Fortunately, London’s Public Library has a great collection of films you can check out like The Perfect Candidate, directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, an inspiring story about a young doctor called Maryam who becomes the first female political candidate in her town, or Tel Aviv on Fire, a comedy in Arabic and Hebrew about a Palestinian man who becomes a Soap Opera writer.

However, if your goal is to be fluent in Arabic, watching films is not enough. The best choice to truly learn the language is Listen & Learn. All you have to do is send us a quick enquiry and one of our team members will pair you up with a native teacher who will create a completely personalised course based on your interests and skill level. On top of that, you can choose to have the lesson in the comfort of your home, your office in London or online using Skype or Zoom.