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Though most language learning resources teach Modern Standard Arabic, the spoken Arabic you might hear in the real world depends on the regional dialect. Arabic podcasts will help turn your textbook Arabic into something to connect with people in everyday life. Plus, they provide an excellent means of improving your listening comprehension and getting to know Arab culture.

With some digging, we managed to find these 17 podcasts for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners alike. Though most of them focus on Levantine and Egyptian Arabic, many touch on other dialects as well. With the wide range of topics and thoughtful lessons available, we’re sure that you’ll find something to enrich your communication.

Arabic Podcasts for All Levels

ArabicPod101 (Egyptian, Moroccan, Modern Standard Arabic)

ArabicPod101 requires a paid membership, but it comes with some advantages. There are thousands of bite-sized podcast-style dialogues for beginner to advanced learners, plus lesson notes, quizzes, flashcards, and translations.

The site can be a bit confusing with all the available lesson paths and episodes, but once you find your lesson path, you’ll have no trouble binge-learning several episodes in a row. Also, if all you need are survival phrases, they have a free series available on Spotify.

There’s a 7-day free trial when you sign up for a free account, and if you use the promo code “ALLLANGUAGERESOURCES”, you’ll save 25% on a subscription. Read our full review of ArabicPod101 here.

ArabicPod (Modern Standard Arabic)

Though the intermediate and advanced episodes require a paid membership, ArabicPod’s 270 beginner episodes are free for your learning enjoyment. And, the topics are practical: let someone know that they’ve called at a bad time; take a selfie with a friend; or ask a friend if you can add them on Facebook.

The series mostly teaches Modern Standard Arabic but touches on other dialects. Try the episodes on their website to download the audio or on Apple Podcasts for a more modern feel.

Arabic Podcasts for Beginners

Pimsleur

Pimsleur has an amazing program for Arabic. It has courses that place a strong emphasis on aural and verbal communication skills, paying less attention to grammar explanations and reading or writing skills. There are over 50 language courses available with Pimsleur, and the bulk of the material is taught with audio lessons. Check out our full review here!

Rocket languages

Rocket Language 2023

The things that Rocket Languages  do well are developing a logical and thorough curriculum and providing ample practice opportunity. Some of the things that this platform has to offer are reading, writing, and listening practice. With Rocket Languages, you also get native-speaker audio that will give you a bunch of exposure to the language. This is just one thing that makes it so unique!

Simple & Easy Arabic Podcast (Levantine)

The Simple & Easy Arabic Podcast teaches you Arabic through clearly articulated stories. The hosts set you up for success by first giving you an English summary and identifying key words. After the story is finished, they reinforce your understanding through listening comprehension questions.

You’ll want to have a basic understanding of Arabic before stepping into these episodes, but they will help you transition into Arabic immersion podcasts. You can take your learning a step further by subscribing to the podcast’s Patreon to get full transcripts of every episode.

Salis- Learn Egyptian Arabi‪c‬ (Egyptian)

Your host, Sondos, has almost a decade of experience teaching Arabic. Her podcast will help you express yourself, expand your vocabulary, and understand the nuances of the Arabic language.

Sometimes Sondos will break down a text that she reads aloud; other times she teaches you common words with nuanced meanings. She laughs freely and seems to genuinely enjoy recording each episode.

You can check out her YouTube channel for more lessons.

Language Transfer (Egyptian)

Language Transfer provides a series of introductory audio courses for several different languages — including Arabic.

You won’t spend much time immersed in the language, but you will go into depth about how the Arabic language works. You’ll learn major grammar points and develop vocabulary and pronunciation. You’ll also hear the instructor, Mihalis, interact with a beginner student and correct their mistakes. The goal is to respond to prompts as if you yourself were the student.

Language Transfer can support anyone looking to understand the ins and outs of learning Arabic. If you’d like to get a better sense of what it’s all about, you can read our full review.

Arabic in 60 Steps Podcast (Modern Standard Arabic)

Sam isn’t a native Arabic speaker, but he has dedicated the more recent years of his life to the Arabic language.

He speaks mostly in English, but his friendly demeanour and extensive knowledge makes him a helpful guide on your Arabic learning journey. Through his podcast, you’ll learn tongue twisters, read the book Aladdin, and understand some Arabic Grammar.

LinguaBoost (Syrian)

If you’re just looking to get some basic phrases into your repertoire, you can tune in to LinguaBoost’s free podcast. These episodes are samples from their paid resource, so the numbering may be a little off, and many of the lessons don’t build on one another. But, the hosts will add to your existing knowledge and teach you how to have your first basic exchange in Arabic.

Arabic Podcasts for Intermediate/Advanced Learners

The Arabic We Speak (Levantine)

Dalal and Amani are two enthusiastic and experienced Arabic teachers who provide short but detailed mini-lessons for their listeners. In each episode they explore Arab traditions or everyday experiences, providing a full PDF transcript with translations and skill-based exercises.

If you want to improve your understanding and expression of spoken Arabic, Dalal and Amani have got your back. This podcast is most appropriate for upper-beginner to intermediate learners who have a basic grasp of the Arabic language.

Levantine Arabic, made easier (Levantine)

Carol engages you with captivating topics and lively interviews, almost entirely in Arabic. You’ll learn about the University for Seniors in Beirut, how to create a successful Instagram account, Lebanese culture, and more.

Carol stops every once in a while to translate some key vocabulary, but never in a way that interferes with the flow of conversation. Even if you have difficulty following along, you’ll find that her joyful voice makes the struggle worth your while.

Learn Levantine with Livi (Levantine)

With Livi you can let go of your fear of making mistakes and learn from the corrections she receives from native Arabic speakers. In each episode she interviews her guest about different topics: the concept of home, the virtual world, and dreaming (just to name a few).

Livi will help you improve your colloquial Arabic and develop a deeper understanding of the Arabic language from an English speaker’s point of view. Make sure to check out the word list in the description of each episode.

Real Arabic (Levantine)

Real Arabic emerged from the frustration over a lack of colloquial Arabic language resources. Amer (from Syria) and Keire (from Ireland) teamed up to produce this engaging podcast, providing full translations and transcripts on their website for Arabic learners.

They talk about the society, culture, and stories of individuals in Arab countries. Keire periodically interjects to provide some brief context in English, and Amer speaks in slow and simple Syrian Arabic to ensure that intermediate learners can follow along.

Bilmasri (Egyptian)

This podcast bridges the Egyptian dialect and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Nesrin introduces Egyptian versions of MSA texts—fiction, news stories, and more—, identifying key language aspects that define the Egyptian dialect.

Each episode is thoughtfully prepared, and structured so that you can easily follow along without feeling discouraged. You can read the transcripts, vocabulary notes, and discussion questions for free on her blog.

El Bulbul (Jordanian)

El Bulbul is a new, limited series podcast for upper-intermediate and advanced learners to improve their comprehension of Jordanian Arabic. In total they will produce thirty 10-minute episodes, and they are already more than half way to their goal.

The two hosts, Ashraf and Engas, converse in Arabic at a natural speed about all things Jordanian: the traditional dress, education, transportation, families, marriage, and more. You’ll also discuss more specific topics, like discrimination and shame.

You can purchase individual listening guides here to access transcripts, translations, vocabulary guides, verb tables, and discussion questions. Read more about the podcast on the LevanTongue website.

Levantine Arabic: Bayni w Baynak (Levantine)

Improve your Arabic with Zak, a fellow Arabic language learner. He and Razan (from Jordan), have half-hour conversations in Levantine Arabic about various topics. Though Zak admits that he often makes mistakes, this shouldn’t deter you from joining them in their discussions about social networks, racism, responsibility, and more.

Arabic Podcasts for Advanced Learners

Sowt (صوت) (Jordanian)

Sowt is a high-quality podcast platform that facilitates discussions about both sensitive and important topics. It hosts several different podcast channels, including those that discuss labour rights, feminism, political conflict, and controversial topics in Arab society.

الكون بودكاست (The Universe) (Gulf)

From the Space Race to black holes, explore popular science topics in over 50 episodes and counting. The host is from Kuwait, so you’ll get some practice listening to a Gulf dialect—and though it’s a podcast for native speakers, advanced learners will appreciate his clear articulation.

Sharjah Art Foundation (Emirati)


This may be a challenging podcast for advanced learners on its own, but there are full English translations below every one of the 200 episodes. Tune in to explore the Maqam, performance, and context of specific musical works; understand the musical system of Arabic Classical Music traditions; dive into the history and influences of Arabic music; and identify the instruments of different musical traditions.

Final Thoughts

It’s sometimes difficult to find resources for studying Arabic, but we hope we made your experience a little easier with this list. If you’d like to read more, you can also check out our list of Arabic courses to add more structure to your studies.

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