Learn Arabic online in Botswana

Learning Arabic from Botswana

Botswana’s Muslim community is small but long established, with mosques and madrasah classes in Gaborone, Francistown and Lobatse. Many families are of South Asian heritage; others have roots elsewhere in southern and eastern Africa, or came to Islam as adults. Private Arabic and Quran teaching is hard to find locally, especially outside Gaborone, which is why an online teacher is a practical option.

Lisanova Academy is an online academy run from Morocco. It has no classroom, branch, agent or locally based tutor in Africa outside Morocco: every lesson is a live one-to-one video lesson with a Moroccan teacher.

Starting Arabic from English and Setswana

English is the language of school and work in Botswana, and Setswana is spoken almost everywhere. Neither shares much vocabulary with Arabic, so most learners start with the alphabet and with sounds such as ع (ʿayn) and ح (ḥa) that English and Setswana do not have. Children who attend madrasah may already read the Quranic script, and lessons then start from that reading.

Lisanova teaches two kinds of Arabic: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA, Fusha) — the formal Arabic of books, news, documents and Islamic scholarship — and Moroccan Darija, the everyday spoken Arabic of Morocco. Quran lessons are a separate path.

Modern Standard Arabic lessons in Botswana

MSA lessons suit complete beginners who want to read and write, adults who read the Quran but want to understand the Arabic, and students or professionals heading to an Arabic-speaking country. Lessons follow the six CEFR levels from A1, with grammar introduced through short texts rather than long lists.

Moroccan Darija lessons in Botswana

Online Moroccan Darija lessons suit learners in Botswana with a Moroccan partner, friends or colleagues, or plans to travel, study or work in Morocco. Lessons are conversation-first, and you can begin in Latin letters before adding Arabic script.

Quran lessons online in Botswana

For families in Gaborone and beyond, a Quran teacher online means a child can keep regular reading or memorization revision at home after school, and an adult can improve Tajweed privately.

Quran lessons available: reading from the first letters, recitation with correction, Tajweed rules, memorization (Hifz) with revision, and understanding the meanings. Lisanova’s Quran teachers hold Ijazah in recitation and Tajweed. Lessons are arranged on WhatsApp so the academy can confirm the teacher, the explanation language and a realistic scope; no memorization outcome is promised.

Quran and Islamic Studies: single class $12 per hour; Monthly Package 1, 8 hours per month, $80; Monthly Package 2, 12 hours per month, $110. Families get 15% off for each additional sibling. Discover Islam sessions are free.

An online Arabic tutor for Gaborone

In Gaborone — from the city centre to Broadhurst, Block 8 and Phakalane — a private online tutor saves the drive across town after work or school. You keep a regular weekly time, with the same teacher where possible, and the teacher adapts each lesson to what you practised since the last one.

Learners in Francistown, Maun, Lobatse and Palapye follow the same arrangement, as long as the connection is stable enough for a video call.

Lesson times

Botswana is on Central Africa Time (UTC+2). This is UTC+2 all year. Morocco is on UTC+1 for most of the year and UTC+0 during Ramadan, so you are usually one hour ahead of Morocco and two hours ahead during Ramadan.

When you book the free trial or ask on WhatsApp, send your city and two or three preferred local times. The academy replies with a proposed time in your local time and in Morocco time; the lesson is fixed only once you both confirm. No timetable is published in advance and no hour is guaranteed.

Explanation language

Lisanova has teachers who explain lessons in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as in Arabic; not every teacher speaks every one of these languages. The Arabic you learn is a separate choice from the explanation language. English explanations suit most learners in Botswana; Setswana is not offered as an explanation language. Tell us your preference when you enquire and we match you with a suitable teacher.

Prices and getting started

Private Arabic and Moroccan Darija: one 60-minute lesson $20; 8 hours $120; 12 hours $170; 16 hours $200. Prices are in US dollars; no local-currency price is offered. The first trial lesson is free.

Book the free Arabic/Darija trial with your name, WhatsApp number and preferred package; the academy arranges the time with you on WhatsApp. You can pay by bank transfer, by card or through a money-transfer service such as Western Union. Quran enquiries are arranged on WhatsApp. Cancellation and refund conditions are on the Terms page.