Arabic at work in 5 sectors
Arabic is an official language in more than 20 countries between Morocco and Oman and has been one of the six official languages of the United Nations since 1973. Large Arabic-speaking communities also live in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Five sectors stand out where Arabic skills are in demand.
| Sector | Typical employers | Form of Arabic used |
|---|---|---|
| Diplomacy, defence and government | ministries, embassies, agencies | MSA plus a dialect of the region |
| Development and humanitarian aid | UN agencies, NGOs | MSA plus the local dialect |
| Journalism and media analysis | newsrooms, research institutes | mainly MSA |
| Energy, finance and trade with the Gulf | companies, chambers, consultancies | MSA and Gulf dialect |
| Healthcare, education, social services | hospitals, schools, local authorities | the community's dialect |
In the Gulf states English is widely used in business. Arabic remains the language of government, law and daily life outside international offices, however. If you deal with authorities or local partners, Arabic takes you further than English alone.
MSA or a dialect depending on your job
Arabic works on two levels. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the shared written language of all Arab countries, and the dialects are the spoken everyday varieties of each region. At work this split decides which course you need.
Written work almost always uses MSA. That includes contracts, letters to authorities, press releases, reports and translations. Conversations with clients, patients and parents take place in a dialect. An aid worker in Jordan needs Levantine Arabic, an engineer on a project in Saudi Arabia needs a Gulf dialect, and a journalist covering Egypt needs Egyptian Arabic to follow interviews and talk shows.
Before you book, ask your employer or team whether you will mainly read and write or mainly speak. The answer tells you whether your work course has to teach MSA, a specific dialect or both.
Interpreters and translators need both levels. They render written texts in MSA and follow the dialect of the person in front of them. A general course is not enough for these jobs, because they require specialised vocabulary and a lot of listening practice with different dialects.
Business Arabic and specialised Arabic for your field
A business language course trains communication at work, meaning emails, calls, meetings and negotiations. A specialised course trains the vocabulary and text types of one profession. For Arabic, both usually expect level B1.
Business Arabic
A business Arabic course practises correspondence, negotiation and courtesy formulas. Courtesy formulas carry a lot of weight in Arabic. The greeting as-salamu alaykum has the fixed reply wa alaykum as-salam, and conversations usually open with questions about the other person's wellbeing. Grammar adds a twist, because Arabic distinguishes male and female in the word for you. You say anta to a man and anti to a woman, and a slip in this form stands out at once in a negotiation.
Specialised Arabic
Specialised Arabic courses mainly exist for interpreting, healthcare and humanitarian work. They practise typical conversations, such as a patient intake interview or a needs assessment in a refugee camp, together with the terminology.
- ✓Business Arabic suits trade, diplomacy and project work.
- ✓Specialised Arabic prepares you precisely for the conversations of one profession.
- ✗Business courses mostly teach MSA and rarely cover conversation in a dialect.
- ✗Specialised Arabic courses are rare and often available only as one-to-one lessons.
Levels employers expect for Arabic
The level you need depends on your tasks. The levels come from the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference with six levels from A1 to C2. The values are guide values derived from the CEFR can-do statements, and your employer sets the binding requirement.
| Task at work | Usual minimum level | Form of Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Simple conversations with clients | A2 to B1 | dialect |
| Answering standard emails | B1 | MSA |
| Taking part in meetings | B2 | depends on the partner |
| Negotiating and presenting | B2 to C1 | MSA, often with dialect |
| Translating or interpreting specialist texts | C1 | both levels |
US government agencies rate language skills on the ILR scale of the Interagency Language Roundtable. It runs from 0 to 5, with plus levels such as 2+ for skills that clearly exceed one level without fully reaching the next. Job adverts for federal positions often name an ILR level instead of a CEFR level.
Arabic takes about 2,200 class hours to professional level according to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), the language school of the US Department of State. Part-time learners therefore reach B2 or C1 only after several years, so set intermediate goals such as B1 in a dialect for your first client conversations.
CIMA, telc and ILR ratings as proof at work
Arabic has fewer standardised exams than English. Two certificates follow the CEFR, the European scale from A1 to C2, and US employers add their own rating systems.
1 CIMA
CIMA (Certificat international de maîtrise en langue arabe) from the Institut du monde arabe in Paris tests Modern Standard Arabic and places the result on a level from A1 to C2. The institute names employers and recruiters as a key audience. CIMA is recognised by ALTE, the Association of Language Testers in Europe, and runs twice a year, in spring and autumn, at nearly 100 test centres worldwide.
2 telc Arabic B1
telc gGmbH, a non-profit exam provider owned by the German adult education association, tests Arabic at level B1. The exam proves solid everyday skills.
3 ILR and ACTFL ratings
US agencies test Arabic with their own interviews and report an ILR level. Many US employers and universities use ACTFL proficiency ratings, which the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages developed.
CIMA and telc test MSA or general skills, not a specific dialect. If your job is mainly in a dialect, add a course record that names the dialect and the level, and expect a speaking test during the interview.
6 elements of an online Arabic course for work
A work course starts with a needs analysis. A needs analysis is a conversation or questionnaire about your tasks, contacts and difficulties in the language. The course then covers six areas, weighted the way your job requires.
- Letters and emails in MSA with fixed openings and closings
- Phone calls and appointments in your partners' dialect
- Courtesy formulas, greetings and the male and female forms of address
- The terminology of your field, grouped by root
- Listening practice with recordings from different regions
- Role plays for counselling, negotiation or interpreting
These elements work well online in one-to-one lessons, because the teacher can use your own texts. Some employers in government, aid and energy pay for Arabic training when the job requires it, so ask before you pay yourself.
Frequently asked questions about online Arabic courses for work
Which form of Arabic do aid workers and healthcare staff need?
Aid workers and healthcare staff mainly need the Arabic dialect of the people they work with, such as Levantine Arabic in Jordan or Lebanon. Modern Standard Arabic helps them read documents and reports. Many start with a dialect course and add MSA for reading.
From which level does a business Arabic course make sense?
A business Arabic course usually fits from level B1, the third of six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Without B1, learners lack the foundation for correspondence and negotiation. A general Arabic course moves you forward faster at that stage.
Which certificate proves Arabic skills for a job?
Arabic skills for a job are mainly proven with CIMA from the Institut du monde arabe, which tests Modern Standard Arabic from A1 to C2. telc also offers an Arabic exam at B1. US government employers rate Arabic on the ILR scale from 0 to 5.
Is English enough for work in the Gulf states, or do you need Arabic?
English is enough in the Gulf states for many tasks in international companies, but Arabic remains the language of government, law and daily life outside international offices. If you work with authorities or local partners, you need Arabic.
How do employers test spoken Arabic in a dialect?
Employers usually test spoken Arabic in a dialect through a conversation during the hiring process, because recognised dialect certificates hardly exist. Course records that name the level and the dialect support that impression. CIMA tests Modern Standard Arabic only.
What is the ILR scale for Arabic?
The ILR scale for Arabic is the rating system of the US Interagency Language Roundtable, which US government agencies use for all languages. It runs from 0 to 5, with plus levels for skills between two levels. Federal job adverts often state the required ILR level.
Sources
The information is based on these sources. Check fees and dates with the provider before you register.