Learn Arabic online in Madagascar

Learning Arabic from Madagascar

Madagascar’s Muslim communities are a minority with long roots: families of Comorian and Arab-Swahili descent around Mahajanga and the north-west, Malagasy Muslims across the island, and families of South Asian heritage in Antananarivo and coastal towns. In the south-east, the Antemoro preserved sorabe — manuscripts of Malagasy written in Arabic script. Arabic and Quran teaching is concentrated in a few towns, so an online teacher reaches learners anywhere on the island.

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.

Malagasy, French and choosing your explanation language

Malagasy and French are both official languages, and French is widely used in secondary school, university and business, so many learners prefer French explanations; English is also available. Malagasy is not offered as an explanation language.

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 Madagascar

MSA lessons suit adults who read the Quranic script and want to understand it, students heading to universities in Arabic-speaking countries, and beginners who want to read and write from the alphabet.

Moroccan Darija lessons in Madagascar

Moroccan Darija suits learners with a Moroccan connection or plans to study in Morocco. It contains many French loanwords, which helps French speakers in conversation.

Quran lessons online in Madagascar

Private Quran lessons give children regular reading and memorization with revision, and give adults Tajweed correction at a time that suits them.

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 Arabic tutor for Antananarivo

In Antananarivo, traffic between Analakely, Ivandry, Ambohijatovo and the outer neighbourhoods can take hours. An online tutor saves that time; learners in Mahajanga, Toamasina, Antsiranana and Toliara follow the same arrangement as long as the connection is stable enough for video.

Reading this in French

A French page for Madagascar covers the same courses for learners who prefer French. It is a separate page written for French speakers, not a word-for-word translation of this one.

Lesson times

Madagascar is on East Africa Time (UTC+3). This is UTC+3 all year. Morocco is on UTC+1 for most of the year and UTC+0 during Ramadan, so you are usually two hours ahead of Morocco and three 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. French or English explanations suit most learners in Madagascar. 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.