Levantine Dialect Arabic

1. Import into Anki

Getting your deck into Anki takes about 60 seconds.

1. Open Anki on your computer or phone
2. Go to File > Import (desktop) or tap the + button (mobile)
3. Select the .apkg file you downloaded from Lemon Squeezy

The deck will appear in your collection with all sub-decks, audio files, and tags intact. No extra setup needed.

2. Recommended settings

Anki's defaults work, but these adjustments will give you better results with this deck:

• New cards per day: 10-15. This builds recognition quickly without overwhelming your review pile.
• Maximum reviews per day: 200. The default of 200 is fine. If your daily reviews regularly exceed 150, reduce new cards for a few days.
• Learning steps: 1m 10m. Anki's default. Leave it.

To change these: click the gear icon next to the deck name, then "Options."

3. How the three card types work

Every word in this deck generates three cards. Each tests a different skill:

• Recognition (Arabic to English). You see the word in Arabic and produce the meaning. This is the easiest card type and builds passive vocabulary.
• Production (English to Arabic). You see the English meaning and produce the Arabic word. Harder, but this is what you need for speaking.
• Cloze (fill in the blank). You see a real sentence with one word missing. This tests whether you can use the word in context.

Feeling overwhelmed? Suspend the Production cards for the first week. Focus on Recognition and Cloze. Add Production back once your daily reviews feel manageable. To suspend: select cards in the browser, right-click, "Toggle Suspend."

4. Where to start

This deck covers 42 conversational themes with Damascus Levantine as the base dialect, organized across CEFR levels A1 through B2.

• Connecting with family. "Greetings," "Family," "Food," and "Daily Life" themes will give you the vocabulary for your next family gathering. Focus on the expressions and cultural phrases. These are the words that make conversations feel natural rather than textbook.
• Traveling to the Levant. Start with "Getting Around," "At the Restaurant," "Shopping," and "Numbers." These cover your core survival needs. Levantine is generally understood across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.
• Learning Arabic (choosing Levantine). Good choice. Levantine is considered one of the most melodic and approachable Arabic dialects. Start at A1 and work through the themes in parallel with the CEFR sub-decks. The themes give you practical phrases while the CEFR levels build systematic grammar.

Realistic timeline

At 10-15 new cards per day with daily review.

• Week 1-2. Greetings, basic questions, polite phrases. You can greet family members properly and respond to 'how are you?' naturally.
• Week 3-4. Simple conversation. Ordering food, asking for things, talking about your day.
• Month 2-3. Following family conversations, expressing opinions, talking about plans.
• Month 4-6. Comfortable conversation. You can participate in family gatherings without constantly switching to English.

Tips for your situation

Levantine Arabic learners often have personal motivations. Here are tips for common situations.

• Heritage speaker with gaps. You probably understand more than you can produce. Start at A2 and test yourself. Suspend cards you already recognize. Your main gap is likely formal expressions, reading the script, and vocabulary beyond kitchen-table conversation. The B1-B2 levels are where heritage speakers typically see the most growth.
• Partner or spouse speaks Levantine. Focus on the themes that match your shared daily life: food, home, emotions, planning. Learn the endearment terms and casual expressions your partner uses. Ask them to quiz you on pronunciation. Having a native speaker at home is the single biggest advantage you can have.
• Arabic script feels intimidating. Every card has ALA-LC transliteration. Use the romanized text as training wheels while you study. Within 2-3 weeks, the Arabic letters start becoming familiar. You do not need to master reading before you start learning. The script and the vocabulary reinforce each other.

Your first 10 phrases

These phrases will impress your family or get you through your first day in Beirut or Amman.

• كيفك؟ / كيفك؟. kiifak (m) / kiifik (f). 'How are you?' The Levantine standard.
• الحمد لله. il-hamdu lillaah. 'Thank God / I'm fine.' The universal response.
• شو هاد؟. shu haad? 'What is this?' Use it everywhere.
• بدي.... biddi... 'I want...' Add any noun. Levantine's simplest sentence structure.
• يسلمو. yislamu. 'Thank you / bless your hands.' Used especially after meals.

The "Again" button is your friend

When Anki shows you a card and you don't know the answer, hit Again. Not "Hard." Not "Good." Again.

Spaced repetition works best when you're honest about what you don't know. Cards you mark "Again" come back sooner. Cards you know well space out further. The algorithm adjusts to you. Trust it.

Audio on every card

Every card has native speaker audio. On desktop, audio plays automatically when the card appears. On mobile, tap the speaker icon.

Tip: listen to the audio BEFORE reading the text. Train your ear first, then confirm with your eyes. This builds listening comprehension faster than reading alone.

Every card also includes ALA-LC transliteration, so you can follow along even if you're still learning the Arabic script.

Lifetime updates

Your purchase includes free updates for the life of the product. When we add new cards, fix audio, or improve translations, you can re-download the latest version from Lemon Squeezy at no extra cost.

We announce updates via email. Keep an eye on your inbox.

Need help?

Reply to any Eidetic email or reach out at hello@eidetic.cards. We read everything and respond fast.