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The Arabic Classroom curriculum

First learn to read and write the script, then work through the celebrated Madinah Book series — Book 1, 2 and 3 — level by level. Each level below lists exactly what you’ll be able to do and the grammar and vocabulary it covers.

The four stages

FoundationBeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
BookRead & Write ArabicMadinah Book 1Madinah Book 2Madinah Book 3
Levels1 courseLevels 1–4Levels 1–5Levels 1–6
Courses0 published1 published0 published0 published

Foundation

Read & Write Arabic1 course · CEFR Pre-A1

Start from zero: learn to read and write the Arabic script with confidence. You'll master all 28 letters in every position, the vowel marks, and how letters join — then read your first real words and simplest structures, fully vowelled.

Read & Write

The Arabic Script from Zero

You will learn to
Recognise and write all 28 letters · Read fully-vowelled words aloud · Write words from dictation · Read and build your first basic structures
The script & sounds
Letter shapes in initial, medial and final position (joining) · Short vowels (fatḥa, kasra, ḍamma) and tanwīn · Long vowels (ا و ي), sukūn and shadda · Sun and moon letters with al- · Similar-sounding letters (ح/هـ، س/ص، ت/ط) told apart
First words & structures
Everyday object words · Greetings · This is a … (هٰذا كِتابٌ) · Reading short vowelled phrases

Beginner

Madinah Book 1Levels 1–4 · CEFR A1

Madinah Book 1 builds your first real Arabic: verbless (nominal) sentences, pointing things out, asking questions, and describing people, places and possessions — several hundred high-frequency words, all before a single verb table.

Book 1 · Level 1

First Sentences

You will learn to
Point things out and name them · Ask and answer 'what is this?' and 'who is this?' · Use definite and indefinite nouns correctly
Grammar (Madinah Book 1, early lessons)
The nominal sentence — no verb needed (هٰذا بَيتٌ) · Demonstratives hādhā / dhālika (this / that) · The definite article al- and sun/moon assimilation · Question words mā, man, a- and the answer patterns · Tanwīn and why indefinite nouns end in -un
Vocabulary themes
Objects around you · People · The home · The mosque & school
Courses
Book 1 · Level 2

Ownership & Place

You will learn to
Say whose something is · Say where people and things are · Talk about feminine nouns correctly
Grammar (Madinah Book 1, continued)
The genitive construct (iḍāfa): kitābu-llāhi, baytu ḥāmidin · Prepositions fī, ʿalā, min, ilā and the genitive case · Possessive suffixes (-ī, -ka, -ki, -hu, -hā) · Feminine nouns (tāʾ marbūṭa) and hādhihi / tilka · Whose? (li-man) and belonging with li-
Vocabulary themes
Family · The house & rooms · School things · Places in town
Book 1 · Level 3

Describing People & Things

You will learn to
Describe people, places and things · Say your nationality and occupation · Use he/she/you naturally in sentences
Grammar (Madinah Book 1, continued)
The adjective (naʿt) and its agreement with the noun · Nisba adjectives (-iyy): miṣriyy, ʿarabiyy · The detached pronouns (anā, anta, anti, huwa, hiya …) · The pattern 'this + definite noun' (hādhā l-kitābu jamīlun) · Question words ayna, kayfa and prepositional answers
Vocabulary themes
Countries & nationalities · Jobs · Adjectives & opposites · Colours (first look)
Book 1 · Level 4

Plurals & Groups of People

You will learn to
Talk about more than one person or thing · Count objects 1–10 · Hold a simple verbless conversation end-to-end
Grammar (Madinah Book 1, final lessons)
Plural demonstratives hāʾulāʾi / ulāʾika (these / those) · Sound masculine & feminine plurals (-ūna / -āt) · Common broken plurals (buyūt, kutub, rijāl) · Plural pronouns (naḥnu, antum, hum) and their suffixes · Numbers 1–10 with the counted noun
Vocabulary themes
Groups & people · Numbers · The classroom · Review of Book 1

Intermediate

Madinah Book 2Levels 1–5 · CEFR A2–B1

Madinah Book 2 brings verbs to life: the past and present tenses in full, verbal sentences, inna and kāna and their sisters, the future, and the number system — you leave able to narrate, negate and ask about everyday events.

Book 2 · Level 1

The Verb Arrives

You will learn to
Say what happened (he went, she wrote) · Build your first verbal sentences · Tell a simple story in the past
Grammar (Madinah Book 2, early lessons)
The past tense (al-māḍī): dhahaba, dhahabat · The verbal sentence: verb + doer (fāʿil) + object · The object (mafʿūl bihi) and the accusative case · Attached pronouns as objects (raʾaytuhu — I saw him)
Vocabulary themes
Daily actions · Going & coming · The market · At home
Book 2 · Level 2

Past Tense in Full

You will learn to
Conjugate the past for every person · Say what you and others did · Negate the past
Grammar (Madinah Book 2, continued)
Full past-tense conjugation (I, you, we, they …) · Negating the past with mā · Laysa for 'is not' · Verbs with prepositions (dhahaba ilā, baḥatha ʿan)
Vocabulary themes
Yesterday & last week · Travel · Food & meals · Visits & guests
Book 2 · Level 3

The Present Tense

You will learn to
Talk about routines and what's happening now · Ask present-tense questions · Say what you don't do
Grammar (Madinah Book 2, continued)
The present tense (al-muḍāriʿ) and its prefixes (ya-, ta-, a-, na-) · Full present conjugation for every pronoun · Negating the present with lā · Yes/no questions with hal and a-
Vocabulary themes
Daily routine · Study & work · Prayer times & the day · Hobbies
Book 2 · Level 4

Inna, Kāna & the Future

You will learn to
Emphasise and report facts · Say how things were · Talk about the future
Grammar (Madinah Book 2, continued)
Inna and its sisters (inna, anna, lākinna, liʾanna) · Kāna and its sisters — 'was' and the accusative predicate · The future with sa- and sawfa; negating it with lan · Purpose with li- + the subjunctive
Vocabulary themes
Plans · The weather & seasons · Health · News of the day
Book 2 · Level 5

Numbers, Plurals & Review

You will learn to
Count anything from 11 to 100 · Recognise the main broken-plural patterns · Consolidate everything from Book 2
Grammar (Madinah Book 2, final lessons)
Numbers 11–100 and the rules of the counted noun · Broken plural patterns (afʿāl, fuʿūl, fiʿāl …) · The verbal noun (maṣdar) — first look · Review: nominal vs verbal sentences side-by-side
Vocabulary themes
Numbers & prices · Shopping · Time & dates · Review of Book 2

Advanced

Madinah Book 3Levels 1–6 · CEFR B1–B2

Madinah Book 3 completes the grammar of classical and modern written Arabic: the ten verb forms, the moods, the passive, weak and hamzated verbs, and conditionals — graduating you into reading real Arabic texts on your own.

Book 3 · Level 1

Commands & the Moods

You will learn to
Give instructions and make requests · Forbid politely · Control the present-tense endings
Grammar (Madinah Book 3, early lessons)
The imperative (al-amr) for every person · The jussive (al-majzūm) with lam and the lā of prohibition · The subjunctive (al-manṣūb) after an, lan, li-, ḥattā · The five verbs (al-afʿāl al-khamsa) and their endings
Vocabulary themes
Instructions · The classroom & etiquette · Requests & permissions
Book 3 · Level 2

The Derived Forms (II–V)

You will learn to
Multiply your vocabulary through verb patterns · Say teach vs learn, know vs inform · Spot a verb's form at a glance
Grammar (Madinah Book 3, continued)
Form II (faʿʿala) — intensive & causative: ʿallama (teach) · Form III (fāʿala) — mutual: shāhada, sāʿada · Form IV (afʿala) — causative: aslama, akhbara · Form V (tafaʿʿala) — reflexive: taʿallama (learn) · The maṣdar of each form
Vocabulary themes
Teaching & learning · Helping & cooperation · Religion & practice
Book 3 · Level 3

The Derived Forms (VI–X)

You will learn to
Complete the ten-form system · Express seeking, becoming and pretending · Derive nouns of place and instrument
Grammar (Madinah Book 3, continued)
Form VI (tafāʿala) — mutual action: taʿāwana · Form VII (infaʿala) — passive-like: inkasara · Form VIII (iftaʿala): ijtamaʿa, intaẓara · Form X (istafʿala) — seeking: istaghfara, istaqbala · Nouns of place (maktab, masjid) and instrument (miftāḥ)
Vocabulary themes
Gatherings & society · Waiting & receiving · Places & tools
Book 3 · Level 4

The Passive & Tricky Roots

You will learn to
Say what was done without naming the doer · Handle roots containing hamza · Handle doubled roots
Grammar (Madinah Book 3, continued)
The passive (al-mabnī lil-majhūl) in past and present · The deputy doer (nāʾib al-fāʿil) · Hamzated verbs (akala, saʾala, qaraʾa) · Doubled verbs (madda, ẓanna) and their conjugation
Vocabulary themes
News & reports · Eating & drinking · Questions & answers
Book 3 · Level 5

Weak Verbs

You will learn to
Conjugate the verbs that bend the rules · Read qāla, kāna, ramā, daʿā with confidence · Recognise weak roots in any form
Grammar (Madinah Book 3, continued)
Hollow verbs (qāla, bāʿa, nāma) in every tense and mood · Defective verbs (ramā, daʿā, nasiya) · Assimilated verbs (waṣala, wajada) and the dropped wāw · Weak verbs across the derived forms (istaṭāʿa, aʿṭā)
Vocabulary themes
Saying & narrating · Sleep & rest · Giving & receiving
Book 3 · Level 6

Conditionals & Fine Grammar

You will learn to
Express conditions and consequences · Use exceptions and emphasis · Graduate into reading real Arabic texts
Grammar (Madinah Book 3, final lessons)
Conditionals with in, idhā and law · Exception with illā (mā jāʾa illā zaydun) · Diptotes (al-mamnūʿ min aṣ-ṣarf) and the five nouns · The specification (tamyīz) and circumstantial ḥāl · Reading unvowelled text: applying everything
Vocabulary themes
Stories & morals · Formal & written Arabic · Review of the whole series