Intermediate Arabic Reading
Reading is one of the best ways to broaden vocabulary and wrap your head around grammar structures. Despite this, I continually procrastinate reading in Arabic and rarely sit down to read more than a tweet. Part of the reason I put off practicing is because finding intermediate Arabic reading material that is both interesting and accessible is difficult.
In an attempt to motivate myself and as a resource to you all, I have curated a small list of intermediate Arabic reading content. All of these resources come with some sort of study support, ranging from vocabulary lists and review questions to transcripts and translations. Working these resources into my weekly study routine has noticeably improved my reading comprehension, speed, and confidence. I hope the same will be true for you!
Easy Arabic Reader
Easy Arabic Reader was designed for beginning to intermediate students and written to engage a teen to adult audience. It’s divided into three parts: the first about a student who travels to Syria to visit his cousins for the summer, the second about prominent historical figures in the MENA/SWANA region, and the final part has adaptions of traditional stories and myths from the region. Many of the stories in Easy Arabic Reader have audio recordings, and all the stories include vocabulary lists and review questions. I have yet to find another resource with such comprehensive supplemental materials.
Pros:
Study questions included with each story
Audio for some of the stories
Stories start off easy and slowly become more complex, creating clear progression and growth
Stories include some but not all حركات (short vowels) which can help readers transition to reading more advanced texts without any حركات.
Cons:
Fusha only
Not free
Best for: Beginning to intermediate readers with some knowledge of Fusha, especially students who have a hard time motivating themselves to read. The manageable length of the stories and inclusion of images and study questions helped me stay engaged.
Study tip: For those of you who prefer Amiyyeh, I’d recommend answering the study questions in Ammiyeh, rather than using the Fusha vocabulary from the story. Another fun thing I’ve been doing is “translating” some of the stories from Fusha into Ammiyeh. This has pushed me to focus on the similarities and differences in grammar structure between the two.
Bilmasri
Bilmasri is a blog and podcast designed for students who are making the transition from studying Fusha to learning Egyptian Arabic. Most posts showcase a section of Fusha text, an Egyptian Arabic version of the same text, and audio of the hosts reading the text. Nasrin Amin, the creator of Bilmasri, has been transitioning the podcast to a YouTube format where the words of the text scroll across the screen along with the audio, which makes it a useful read-along exercise too.
Pros:
Colloquial Arabic text + Fusha text + audio + English summary
Wide range of content
Sense of humor
Free
Cons:
Egyptian dialect only
Not much English text support
Best for: intermediate and advanced students interested in the Egyptian dialect, particularly those shifting from Fusha to Egyptian or from Egyptian to Fusha.
LangMedia CultureTalk
Langmedia CultureTalk is a vast, online archive of short videos of native speakers talking about a range of topics from food to the economy. All videos are available in multiple MENA/SWANA dialects, from Yemeni to Lebanese. All LangMedia videos include downloadable transcripts with English translations.
Pros:
Multiple dialects available
Full dialect transcripts with audio + English translations
Wide range of topics
Free
Cons:
No Sudanese content
Low production quality
Clunky website
Best for: Beginning to advanced students. The multiple dialects, short video length, and range of topics make the stories accessible for a variety of students.
Lingualism
Lingualism is another great intermediate Arabic reading resource that offers a host of colloquial dialects (including MSA). You have to register to access the material, but registration is free and they only ask for your name and email address. Once you’ve created an account, you have access to a collection of articles and personal stories to read through. These stories are written in the dialect of your choice and include audio of the story and an English translation.
Pros:
Multiple dialects available
Sizeable collection of written and audio material available for free
English translations
Cons:
Requires a (free) account to access the resources
Many of the resources are download only and cost a small fee
Best for: Intermediate and advanced Ammiyeh learners. The English translation allows readers to easily check for understanding, but you need a sizable vocabulary and understanding of grammar to follow along fully.
Study tip: I like to read the Arabic text through once, then read it a second time while listening to the recording. After that, I quiz myself by writing or reciting aloud a summary of the story. Then, I read the English translation to check my understanding and identify new vocabulary.
