Language Learning Resources

Discover NaTakallam’s New Features: Smarter Language Learning

Getting Started with Language Learning, Language Learning Resources, Language Learning Tips, Tools, Updates / [email protected]

Start learning with NaTakallam!

Learning with NaTakallam is easier than ever on our new platform. Check it out and start with a free trial today!

Learning languages just got easier! Our Natakallam platform now offers more flexibility, smoother navigation, and new ways to connect with native speakers – all designed to help you practice and grow confidently.

Ready to explore? Start learning with Natakallam today →

Start my journey.

Let’s deep dive into all the features you can now access as a NaTakallam learner on our new platform:

1. Intuitive Dashboard

The moment you log in, your dashboard gives you a clear overview of your progress, upcoming sessions, and recommended activities. It’s your command center for personalized language learning.

2. Smart Notifications – Stay On Track

Never miss a lesson or conversation! Custom alerts remind you about scheduled conversations with tutors and upcoming learning goals – so you stay motivated and consistent.

3. Language Customization

Learn more than one language and broaden your horizons! Depending on your bundle, you can add new languages. Explore Arabic, French, Spanish or any of our 9+ languages in one account and take your skills to the next level.

4. Auto-Matching & Multiple Language Partner Scheduling

NaTakallam’s strength is in our human approach. Now, we’ve made the experience even more seamless to help ensure you get the most out of your learning. Easily schedule sessions with different native speakers. Our auto-matching helps you find the best partner for your level and goals.

5. Easy Resource Library Access

Explore articles, vocabulary lists, and practice materials right within the platform. Everything you need to support your learning journey is at your fingertips.

6. Recurring Sessions

Book multiple sessions at once or set up recurring lessons. Build a consistent routine and make real progress over time.

7. Reschedule or Cancel Anytime

Life can be unpredictable – now you can reschedule or cancel your sessions up to 24 hours in advance. Keep your learning on track without the stress.

8. Mobile-Optimized Learning

Learn anytime, anywhere – on iOS or Android. Practice on the go without missing a beat.

9. Security & Privacy

Your data is safe with us. End-to-end encryption and full control over your profile make learning online worry-free.

10. And More!

We’re constantly updating Natakallam to better serve teams, educators, and learners with new features and improvements.

With these features, the Natakallam platform elevates your language learning experience – making it more intuitive, interactive, and effective. Whether you’re practicing Arabic, French, or another language, every tool is built with your success in mind.

Start Exploring Today!

Start learning with NaTakallam!

Ready to unlock your potential? Get started learning with us in 9+ languages: Arabic, Armenian, English, French, Kurdish, Persian, Russian, Spanish or Ukrainian

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AI Needs Arabic: The Truth About Language Justice

Arabic, Language Learning Resources, Purposeful Learning / Social Impact, Social Impact / [email protected]

Start learning with NaTakallam!

Book a session with a Language Partner today.

Arabic has shaped the world in ways we rarely acknowledge today. Centuries before the digital age, Arabic was a global language of science, philosophy, and innovation. It carries knowledge across continents and cultures. From algebra to astronomy, much of modern thought was preserved and propelled forward thanks to Arabic-speaking scholars.

Want to Support Language Justice in Action?

Bring NaTakallam’s interpretation and translation services to your classroom, clinic, or company.

A Global Language Left Behind by AI

Today, Arabic is still one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Over 400 million speakers span across more than 25 countries. It’s one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Yet, an increasingly AI-first world continues to digitally sideline and undermine it; it is glaringly underrepresented in the datasets that train most modern AI systems.

At NaTakallam, we believe that Arabic is not only a heritage language — it’s a living, evolving system, spoken and shaped every day by millions. Its contributions to our daily lives surpass what most imagine, and its legacy and influence must be protected not just by preservation efforts, but through a firm commitment to language justice — the right of all people to communicate, access services, and participate in public life in their preferred language.

What is Language Justice?

Language justice is about power: who is heard, who is understood, and who gets to shape the narrative. In a world increasingly mediated by technology, the absence of linguistic representation becomes another form of exclusion. Especially for communities already pushed to the margins.

For displaced people, power imbalances exacerbated by language barriers are even more critical to address. From healthcare to education to legal systems, these barriers can mean misinformation, disempowerment, and invisibility. That’s why language justice is foundational to human rights — and to building inclusive technologies.

NaTakallam puts this into practice by offering interpretation and translation services that are trauma-informed, culturally fluent, and community-powered. Whether through dialect-specific support or mental health-sensitive interpretation, our Language Partners do what machines can’t. They listen, they contextualize, and they connect.

Explore our interpretation and translation services here.

Where AI Falls Short

Modern AI systems like Common Crawl or GPT’s corpora are heavily skewed toward English and other dominant languages. Despite the global reach of Arabic. As a result, AI struggles with Arabic — especially when it comes to dialects, context, and nuance.

According to NaTakallam translators, literal meaning translations often lose the real meaning of sentences :

" One example I've encountered, where AI fell short, was the translation of the verb to navigate in the context of "navigating an issue". In this case, the machine translation suggested was الإبحار في المسألة (literally to sail in this issue), while the accurate translation in Arabic would be التعامل مع هذه المسألة. This is one of many examples that prove that machine translation is rarely a reliable tool in Arabic translation when it is not reviewed by a professional human translator."

- Perla, NaTakallam Translator Tweet

The consequences aren't just technical. They're deeply human.

Why AI Misunderstanding Arabic Matters

Poor machine translation. Misinterpreted sentiment. Exclusion from digital platforms and services. For displaced people and marginalized communities, this kind of digital invisibility mirrors and magnifies real-world inequities.

Consider another real-world example: a restaurant attempted to transliterate “milkshake” into Arabic as “مِلك شَك”. However, machine translation misread it as “مَلِك شَك” (malik shek), translating back to English as “King Doubt”—a humorous yet telling illustration of AI’s challenges with Arabic transliteration and context .

Further weight is added to this problem due to the complexity of Arab dialects. When we talk about Arabic, we’re talking about a vibrant spectrum of dialects and expressions—Syrian, Iraqi, Egyptian, Palestinian, Lebanese, Sudanese, and many more. Each deeply rooted in specific histories and geographies. Developers rarely train AI on these dialects.

A study evaluating ChatGPT’s performance in Tunisian and Jordanian dialects showed major gaps in understanding, especially on health-related prompts. That kind of inaccuracy isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous.

Last month, one of our Language Partners, Yara Hasan, took to the stage at the Dubai Future Forum to discuss exactly that:

"When using AI to translate, often memories, identity, and history are erased, especially when using Arabic idioms which can be lost. AI should be learning from Arabic, not the other way around. We have to make the system representative of this culture."

- Yara Hasan, Arabic Language Partner with NaTakallam since 2019 speaking at the Dubai Future Forum Tweet

NaTakallam’s Model: Language Justice in Action

At NaTakallam, we see every day how systems that fail to reflect lived experience fail to serve real people. Refugees who have already endured loss and trauma often encounter platforms that don’t understand their words — literally.

That’s why we root our work in human-led, refugee-powered solutions. We don’t just offer services — we offer linguistic equity. From Palestinian proverbs to Iraqi idioms, our Language Partners preserve culture while helping people communicate across borders, systems, and trauma.

In this way, language becomes both a livelihood and a lifeline.

Arabic and the AI We Need

There are reasons to be hopeful.

Initiatives like the Abu Dhabi-based CAMeL Lab for Arabic NLP are proving that community-based, linguistically diverse AI can work — and achieve powerful results.

A recent development worth watching is Yalla AI, which Saudi tech company Yalla Plus launched as an Arabic-first platform. Developers in Saudi Arabia fully built, developed and trained it to reflect the linguistic and cultural realities of Arabic-speaking markets. Most global models flatten Arabic into a single formal register. Contrastingly, Yalla AI aims to support both Modern Standard Arabic and regional dialects.

What’s especially notable is its integration into real-world business tools — like point-of-sale systems in retail and F&B — this makes AI accessible even for non-technical users. Early days, yes, but it signals a growing push from the region to define its own digital future, rather than just adapting to someone else’s.

So What’s Next?

If we want AI — and our digital ecosystems — to serve the world equitably, we must:

Invest in multilingual corpora
Fund refugee- and community-led tech
Treat language preservation as innovation, not nostalgia
Center language justice in design and policy

At NaTakallam, we’re proud to be part of this broader shift. Our work sits at the intersection of technology, language, and lived experience. We offer not just services, but insight — real-world data, dialect-specific use cases, and ethical frameworks centered on dignity and inclusion.

This is what Thaura AI is already trying to achieve. This ethical alternative to ChatGPT was built by two Syrian engineers who experienced displacement and witnessed first hand how big techs profit from these models. Thaura AI’s ethical approach relies on data privacy, environmental sustainability – by using 94% less energy than ChatGPT – and amplifying marginalized communities.

Want to Support Language Justice in Action?

Language justice doesn’t happen by accident — it’s built through deliberate choices. Whether you’re designing technology, shaping policy, teaching, or learning, your decisions matter. Partnering with NaTakallam is one way to turn values into impact by advocating for AI systems that reflect the world’s true linguistic diversity — not just a fraction of it.

Arabic has always been a language of futures: of possibility, invention, and exchange. In an AI-driven world, ensuring it thrives isn’t optional. It’s a responsibility that will define whose voices shape the future.

Partner with NaTakallam to advance language justice across 100+ languages

Make an impact as an organization or individual:

Translation & Interpretation: Human-powered translations across 100+ languages.
Organizational & Academic Learning: Tailored programs for teams, employees, or students.
1-on-1 Learning: Connect with native speakers to learn a language and culture.

Support linguistic diversity, empower communities, and help languages like Arabic thrive in an AI-driven world.

Zeina Abou Taha

Zeina Abou Taha is an intern at NaTakallam, currently transitioning from a career in IT consulting into journalism. With an academic background in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and a passion about exploring the world, Zeina spends her free time traveling, connecting with people from diverse cultures, and writing for her personal blog.

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How AI is Learning to Speak “3arabi”: Arabic, Translation & the Language of Numbers

Arabic, Language Learning Resources, Tools / [email protected]

Ever seen someone text “7abibi” or “3asal” and wondered what’s going on?

If you’re scratching your head — you’re not alone. This is Arabizi (or Franco-Arabic) — the creative way Arabic speakers have adapted their language for the digital world. Without access to Arabic keyboards, many began using numbers to represent Arabic sounds that don’t exist in English.

So…What Does It Mean?

Let’s decode it together:

2 = ء (hamza)
3 = ع (‘ain)
5 = خ (khā’)
6 = ط (ṭā’)
7 = ح (ḥā’)
8 = غ (ghayn)
9 = ص (ṣād)

Examples:

7abibi = حبيبي = my dear/love
3asal = عسل = honey (sweetie)

Pretty cool, right?

Now that you know the code, you’re one step closer to texting like a native.

From Workaround to Digital Dialect

What started as a clever workaround is now a digital dialect in its own right — one that even artificial intelligence is still learning to understand.

Arabizi isn’t standardized, and it changes by country, dialect, and even personal style. That’s where things get tricky — and where human translators (like ours at NaTakallam!) still shine.

At NaTakallam, we’re fascinated by this blend of language, culture, and tech. AI translation tools are getting better at recognizing Arabizi, but they still stumble without cultural context. That’s where real humans — and real language learning — come in. Our translators and tutors bring the heart behind the words, whether they’re written in Arabic script, Latin letters, or a mix of both.

So whether you’re saying 3ala rasi ya 7abibi (Arabic for “My pleasure, darling”) or typing out full Arabic sentences, remember: language is always evolving — and so is the way we share it with one another.

Try it out!

Write your name or a sentence in Arabizi! Need help? Our language partners at NaTakallam can translate it — or better yet, teach you how to say it properly in Arabic.

Become a Natakallam Member and benefit from our 2-month free trial.

Bonus: Type in Arabic – Instantly!

Don’t have an Arabic keyboard? No problem. Use our free Arabic online keyboard to write in Arabic easily – perfect for learners, native speakers, and anyone who wants to communicate confidently in Arabic.

✅ No installation needed
✅ Works on all devices
✅ Copy and paste your text anywhere

Try it here and start expressing yourself in Arabic today! Because language is more than words. It’s identity, culture, and creativity — with or without the numbers.

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How AI is Learning to Speak “3arabi”: Arabic, Translation & the Language of Numbers Read More »

10 reasons to learn IC Blog, Integrated Curriculum

10 Reasons to Learn Arabic Online with Our Integrated Curriculum

Arabic, Language Learning Resources / [email protected]

Do you want to learn Arabic online but don’t know where to start? Are you curious about the differences between Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Arabic dialects and want to understand their practical uses – why we think it’s essential to learn both? NaTakallam’s Integrated Curriculum (IC) offers a learning experience that combines MSA with Levantine Dialect, tailored to meet your needs.

Here are 10 reasons why NaTakallam’s Integrated Curriculum is the ideal choice for your Arabic language journey:

1. Expertly Designed by Leading Educators

Our curriculum, developed in collaboration with Professor Munther Younes, Head of Cornell University’s Arabic Department, offers an innovative and academically sound approach. This Integrated Curriculum combines solid theoretical foundations with practical application, ensuring you learn Arabic in a comprehensive and effective way.

2. Authentic, Immersive Learning with Native Arabic Speakers

Learn Arabic online with native speakers trained by Professor Younes and our expert team. Our instructors provide authentic instruction deeply rooted in the nuances of both MSA and Levantine Dialect, enhancing your online learning experience.

3. A Balanced Approach to Learning Arabic

Our Integrated Curriculum combines MSA and Levantine Dialect to give you a holistic learning experience. While MSA is the language of literature, news, and formal communications, Levantine Dialect equips you for everyday conversations and interactions, making you fluent in both contexts.

4. Structured Yet Flexible Online Learning

Our 25-hour curriculum is based on a well-structured textbook, guiding your learning at your own pace. With NaTakallam, you can learn Arabic online flexibly, tailoring your schedule to fit your lifestyle while working closely with a dedicated Language Partner.

5. Solid Foundation for Beginners

New to Arabic? Our curriculum is perfect for beginners, starting with the Arabic script, numbers, and 200 essential everyday words. This solid foundation is crucial for your continued learning, whether you’re focusing on basic communication or diving deeper into Arabic literature.

6. Personalized One-on-One Sessions

Benefit from personalized one-on-one sessions tailored to your specific goals. Learning Arabic online in this focused setting allows you to dive straight into the material without delays, making your experience more efficient and effective.

7. Rich Cultural Insights

Learning Arabic with NaTakallam goes beyond grammar and vocabulary. Our curriculum includes valuable cultural insights, giving you a deeper understanding of Arab traditions, customs, and societal norms, essential for connecting with Arabic-speaking communities.

8. Comprehensive Skills Development

Our curriculum covers all language skills — reading, writing, speaking, and listening — ensuring that you develop a well-rounded proficiency in Arabic, entirely online.

9. Open Doors to New Possibilities

Mastering both MSA and Levantine Dialect opens doors to a broad range of Arabic-speaking communities. MSA lets you engage with formal texts and media, while Levantine Dialect enhances your ability to connect with people in everyday settings, expanding your opportunities for personal and professional growth.

10. Support Displaced Tutors

By choosing to learn Arabic online with NaTakallam, you support tutors from displaced backgrounds, providing them with meaningful social and economic access and contributing to their well-being.

Embark on your Arabic language journey with NaTakallam’s Integrated Curriculum. Discover how mastering both MSA and Levantine Dialect can open new doors for you. Learn more and get started with a free trial.

10 Reasons to Learn Arabic Online with Our Integrated Curriculum Read More »

New bundle updates and features.

Language Learning Resources, Tools, Updates / moulham

Starting November 1st, 2023, NaTakallam is restructuring its language bundles according to the following schema:

These changes include:

🚀 Phasing out our 1-hour package; users can now discover NaTakallam with a FREE trial!
🚀 Bundles of 3-hour, 10-hour, 20-hour and 30-hour sessions, coupled with the option to pay by installments.
🚀 A new freeze period of six weeks for 20-hour and 30-hour bundles.
🚀 Certificates of completion upon request, to demonstrate the time and effort you’ve invested.
🚀 Language placement tests in the coming year — to demonstrate your language level to employers or other third parties.
🚀 A content library of exercises, flashcards, and other resources to support your learning (launching initially with a beta version for Arabic, Persian, Spanish, French and English — coming soon for the rest!)

Not sure which to choose? Consider the following questions:

🧳 If you’re just starting out with a language, or if you just want to practice before an exam or a trip abroad, consider the 3-session bundle.
📚 If you’re a committed student hoping to maintain a regular schedule of weekly classes, check out the 10- or 20-session bundles.
🧠 If you have a bit more time available and want to really beef up your skills with two classes a week, go for the 30-session bundle.

These changes will also benefit your tutor, through:

🌟 A 20% raise in line with global inflation, plus milestone bonuses.
🌟 Access to a special instructor’s content library and language resources to enhance non-curriculum-based sessions.
🌟 Additional training and upskilling to improve our language partners’ teaching skills and long-term employability.

Some things will stay the same.

🎉 The Integrated Arabic Curriculum at US$750 for 25 hours
🎉 Arabic for Professionals at US$350 (currently with $100 OFF)
🎉 Arabic for Francophones starting at US$8/hour (currently with 50% OFF)

PLEASE NOTE: The new changes will take effect on Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 – however, any purchases made today through October 31st will also benefit from the new features in November.

New users can purchase here, and current users can repurchase on their student dashboard here.

We remain at your disposal for any questions relating to these changes, feel free to reach out to our team at [email protected].

New bundle updates and features. Read More »

Update: An eight-year milestone & changes to our bundles.

Language Learning Resources, Tools, Updates / Suhara Mushtaq

Eight years into our journey, the global displacement situation has only gotten worse. Exponentially worse.

When our co-founder Aline Sara used to pitch NaTakallam in the early days, she’d open with a slide on how we were facing the worst refugee crisis since World War II, with over 65 million people forcibly displaced from their homes.

Today, that number is over 110 million.

While we’re proud of what we’ve built, we remain committed to keeping NaTakallam a sustainable social enterprise.

In the post-Covid era, economies are still reeling — and many of our language partners don’t have the right to seek alternative work in their host communities. Beyond that, online language learning now competes with in-person work and studies. That has, unfortunately, meant that since January 2021, our language partners have experienced a dramatic drop in student sessions, thus impacting their livelihoods.

As a result, starting November 1st, 2023, NaTakallam is restructuring its language bundles according to the following schema:

These changes include:

Not sure which to choose? Consider the following questions:

These changes will also benefit your tutor, through:

Some things will stay the same.

PLEASE NOTE: The new changes will take effect on Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 – however, any purchases made today through October 31st will also benefit from the new features in November.

New users can purchase here, and current users can repurchase on their student dashboard here.

Remember: Each NaTakallam language lesson, classroom session, and translation service sold contributes directly to refugee livelihoods.

We remain at your disposal for any questions relating to these changes, feel free to reach out to our team at [email protected].

Update: An eight-year milestone & changes to our bundles. Read More »

Language Sessions

Specialized Courses

Organizational Programs

Language Learning Resources

1. Intuitive Dashboard

2. Smart Notifications – Stay On Track

3. Language Customization

4. Auto-Matching & Multiple Language Partner Scheduling

5. Easy Resource Library Access

6. Recurring Sessions

7. Reschedule or Cancel Anytime

8. Mobile-Optimized Learning

9. Security & Privacy

10. And More!

Start Exploring Today!

A Global Language Left Behind by AI

What is Language Justice?

Where AI Falls Short

The consequences aren't just technical. They're deeply human.

Why AI Misunderstanding Arabic Matters

NaTakallam’s Model: Language Justice in Action

Arabic and the AI We Need

So What’s Next?

Want to Support Language Justice in Action?

Zeina Abou Taha

So…What Does It Mean?

From Workaround to Digital Dialect

Bonus: Type in Arabic – Instantly!

1. Expertly Designed by Leading Educators

2. Authentic, Immersive Learning with Native Arabic Speakers

3. A Balanced Approach to Learning Arabic

4. Structured Yet Flexible Online Learning

5. Solid Foundation for Beginners

6. Personalized One-on-One Sessions

7. Rich Cultural Insights

8. Comprehensive Skills Development

9. Open Doors to New Possibilities

10. Support Displaced Tutors

Available Coupon

Language Sessions

Specialized Courses