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Language Course 03

Spoken Arabic
in Addis Ababa

The Arabic people actually speak in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait — not textbook Arabic. Three levels of one month each, all of it spoken: greetings, daily life, then work and service situations, with the reading course beside it if you want the alphabet too.

1 Month per Level · ETB 5,000 3 Levels 3 × 2 hours a week
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Beginner → Working level Free placement test → Certificate per level Free Arabic drills → በአማርኛ ያንብቡ → Course outline (PDF) ↓

Spoken Arabic (Gulf) classes at Klick — how they work

The Arabic people actually speak in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait — not textbook Arabic. Three levels of one month each, all of it spoken: greetings, daily life, then work and service situations, with the reading course beside it if you want the alphabet too.

Every level is one month: three sessions a week, two hours each, about 24 hours of class. You pay ETB 5,000 per level, level by level, and you decide each month whether to carry on. Classes run at both campuses, Mexico (Sengatera Building, 19th floor) and CMC Michael (11th floor), and a new class starts every two weeks.

Who it’s for

  • People preparing to work in the Gulf — who will need to understand instructions and ask for things on day one
  • Returnees going back on a new contract — who got by on gestures last time and want to be understood this time
  • Traders and business travellers — buying in Dubai and dealing with suppliers face to face
  • Hotel, airline and hospitality staff — serving Arabic-speaking guests in Addis Ababa
  • Anyone with family in the Gulf — who wants to speak rather than translate

Not sure where you are? Take the free placement test: six questions, about two minutes, and it tells you which level to start at. You can take it in person at either campus instead. Complete beginners skip it and start at Level 1. Register online in two minutes.

What you will learn

Arabic soundsGreetings & politenessIntroducing yourselfNumbers, money, timeHousehold vocabularyMarket & shoppingTransport & directionsWork instructionsPhone callsAsking for helpExplaining a problemListening practice

The 3 levels — one month each

LevelFocusWhat you can do at the end
Level 1 · Sounds & GreetingsThe Arabic sounds, greetings and replies, introducing yourself, numbersGreet anyone correctly, say who you are and where you are from, count and tell the time
Level 2 · Everyday SpeakingHome, market, transport, food, money, days and timesShop, ask directions, handle daily needs and answer everyday questions
Level 3 · Work & ServiceInstructions, workplace vocabulary, phone calls, help and problemsUnderstand what you are asked to do, ask for what you need, and explain a problem on the phone

One level is one month. Nobody becomes fluent in a month, and we will not tell you otherwise — a full CEFR or HSK band takes two or three levels. What one month buys you is the list above, and the confidence to use it.

Want the whole thing to read later or send to someone? Download the course outline (PDF, 3 pages) — every level, class times, fees and a QR code to register.

Class Schedules

All shifts meet 3 times per week for 2-hour sessions. Times are Ethiopian (local) time, with the international time beside each.

3:00 – 5:00
Morning · 9–11 AM
MWF or TTS
5:00 – 7:00
Late Morning · 11 AM – 1 PM
MWF or TTS
7:00 – 9:00
Early Afternoon · 1 – 3 PM
MWF or TTS
9:00 – 11:00
Afternoon · 3 – 5 PM
MWF or TTS
11:30 – 1:30
Evening · 5:30 – 7:30 PM
MWF or TTS
Sat / Sun
Weekend
Full day sessions

What you leave with

  • Understand and answer the spoken Arabic of daily life in the Gulf
  • Follow instructions at work and ask questions when something is unclear
  • Shop, travel and handle money without an interpreter
  • Make and take a phone call, and explain a problem or ask for help
  • Greet and answer politely, which is most of how you are judged in the first week

And a recording. Klick is a film school, so every level ends with a filmed showcase: 60 seconds of you using the language, recorded at the start of the level and again at the end. It is the one kind of proof a certificate cannot give you.

Practise free before you enrol

There is a free drill area on this site — no signup, nothing to pay — with everyday words and phrases spoken aloud, a speaking drill that scores your pronunciation, and the letter-forms drill if you want the alphabet too. Meanings are in Amharic, and it covers roughly the ground of levels 1 and 2.

It is an honest way to find out whether you enjoy studying Arabic before you pay for a month of it, and a way to hold what you have between classes. It is not a replacement for the class: no drill can correct the sentence you invented or answer the question you did not know how to ask.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as the Arabic in books and the news?
No. This course teaches spoken Gulf Arabic, the everyday speech of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. The written language of books, news and formal texts is Modern Standard Arabic, which is our separate Arabic Reading & Writing course. Many students take both.
Will I learn to read and write Arabic here?
Not in this course. This one is spoken Arabic, taught with Amharic and Latin pronunciation support, so you can start speaking before you can read. For the alphabet, take Arabic Reading & Writing alongside it or after it.
Does Klick help me find work abroad?
No. Klick is a language school. We do not recruit, place or send anyone abroad, we are not an employment agency, and this course is not government pre-departure training. What we do is teach you the language, and give you a certificate for each level.
How much does it cost?
ETB 5,000 for each one-month level, paid level by level, in full or in instalments. Three levels cover greetings through work and service situations.
How long is each level?
One month, three sessions a week, two hours each — about 24 hours of class. Morning, afternoon, evening (5:30–7:30 PM) and weekend shifts run at both campuses.
I am leaving in six weeks. What can I realistically learn?
Level 1 in a month: greetings and replies, introducing yourself, numbers, time, and the questions you will be asked first. That is a real difference on arrival, and it is not fluency — we will not pretend otherwise.
Is the class taught in Amharic?
Yes. Explanations are in Amharic, and the pronunciation is written in Ethiopic script as well as Arabic, so you are never guessing at a sound.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes — a Klick Film & Design School certificate for each level you complete, with a number that can be checked at klickschools.com/verify.
Why learn Spoken Arabic (Gulf) at Klick?

Thousands of Ethiopians leave for the Gulf every year and arrive unable to say what they need. One month of spoken Arabic changes the first week, and three change the contract. Klick teaches the language and nothing else — no recruitment, no placement, no promises about work.