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Many Arab heritage speakers understand Arabic but struggle to speak it due to shame, lack of confidence, and limited access to supportive learning.
You grew up hearing Arabic all around you—in your parents' voices, at family gatherings, maybe in the background of childhood TV shows or during phone calls to relatives overseas. But when someone speaks to you in Arabic now, you freeze. You nod. You smile politely. Maybe you even respond in English.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re part of a massive, often silent group: heritage speakersHeritage speakerSomeone raised with a heritage language at home but educated mainly in another dominant language, like English or French. who understand Arabic but don’t feel confident speaking it.
Whether you grew up in the diasporaDiasporaA population that is scattered across different regions, separate from their place of origin. or somewhere where Arabic wasn't the language of education, chances are you weren’t given the tools or the space to truly learn how to use Arabic in your own voice. You may have been expected to just absorb it at home, but language doesn't work that way—especially not Arabic, with all its dialects and the gap between spoken varieties and Standard Arabic. To further explore this gap you can also check out this article.
So many heritage speakers carry this quiet shame: “I should know this." “Why can’t I say it properly?" “I’m not Arab enough."
You feel it at weddings when older relatives joke about your “broken Arabic." You feel it on trips back home when you struggle to order food or follow conversations. You feel it when someone assumes you’re fluent, and you have to explain.
But here's the thing: you are Arab enough.
Language is a part of identity, yes. But it doesn't define your belonging. And feeling ashamed of not speaking Arabic doesn’t make you any less connected to your culture. It means you care.
Arabic is a beautiful, complex language. But the way it’s taught is often rigid, textbook-heavy, and focused on Standard Arabic. You might have tried a class or two and wondered why you were learning how to say “United Nations"United Nationsالأمم المتحدة before you could say “What's up?"What's upشُو أخبار؟.
Many heritage speakers need something different: a way back into the language that starts with real, everyday Arabic—the kind your cousins use in voice notes, or that you hear in songs, jokes, and TikToks. Dialects are the Arabic people actually use, so in time you will be able to immerse yourself in the language and hold conversations well. Nobody will question you anymore once you’re able to join the real world of Arabic.
You don’t have to go back to zero. You already have a foundation and understand more than you think. What you need now is space, patience, and the right approach. Start with a dialect that feels familiar or culturally resonant. Let go of perfection and forget what others expect. Reconnect with the parts of the language that make you feel something—a phrase your grandmother used, lyrics you love, a meme that made you laugh.
You didn’t miss your chance. Arabic isn’t behind you, it’s right here, waiting.
With Aralects, we're building an experience that meets you where you are—no shame, no formality, just a real connection to the language, your way.
Because it’s not about fluency. It’s about feeling at home in your language again.
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Meet Aralects’ Bubble Buddy—your go-to guide for all forms of Arabic, from Fusḥa to dialect. Sometimes it drops a clever pun or a timely meme, other times it offers thoughtful nudges, tips, and guidance to keep your learning flowing.
