Medical 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: 5-10. Clinical terms need to stick permanently. Slower intake means higher retention.
• 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 is organized by CEFR level (A1 through B2) and clinical sub-deck. The structure is built for healthcare professionals who need medical Arabic for patient care.

• New to medical Arabic. Start with the A1-A2 sub-deck even if you know some general Arabic. Medical vocabulary is specialized. The foundational terms (body parts, basic symptoms, common procedures) need to be automatic before you move to clinical communication.
• Already speak general Arabic. Skip to A2-B1 and test yourself. You will likely know the everyday words but miss the clinical terminology. Focus on the clinical sub-decks that match your specialty. The gap between conversational Arabic and medical Arabic is larger than most learners expect.
• Preparing for clinical rotations. Prioritize the patient history sub-deck. Taking a medical history in Arabic requires specific question patterns, symptom descriptions, and body system vocabulary. Study this sub-deck intensively for 2-3 weeks before your rotation starts.

Study plan for clinical readiness

Medical Arabic learning is high-stakes. Here is a structured approach based on your timeline.

• 4-week intensive. 5-10 new cards/day, focus exclusively on patient history and common symptoms. You will have basic intake capability but will still need support for complex cases.
• 8-week standard. 8-10 new cards/day across A1-B1. Covers intake, basic clinical communication, common diagnoses, and medication instructions. Sufficient for supervised clinical work.
• 16-week comprehensive. 10 new cards/day through all levels. Full clinical vocabulary including speciality terms, case presentations, and medical documentation language.

Tips for healthcare professionals

Medical Arabic is different from general Arabic in ways that matter for patient safety.

• Patient-facing vs clinical Arabic. This deck teaches both registers. Some cards use formal medical terminology (for documentation and colleague communication) and others use the simpler language patients actually understand. Pay attention to the tags on each card. In practice, you will need to switch between registers depending on who you are speaking to.
• Study between shifts. Short, consistent sessions beat long irregular ones. Review your Anki cards during downtime rather than cramming before a rotation. The spaced repetition algorithm is designed for exactly this pattern. Even 10 minutes between patients keeps the vocabulary fresh.
• Supplement with real practice. Flashcards build recognition and recall. They do not replace patient interaction. Use the deck to learn the vocabulary, then practice using it with Arabic-speaking colleagues or standardized patients. The combination is what builds clinical confidence.

Essential clinical phrases

These phrases are the foundation of every patient encounter in Arabic. Memorize them first.

• وين الألم؟. wayn il-alam? 'Where is the pain?' The single most important clinical question.
• من متى؟. min mata? 'Since when?' / 'How long?' Essential for history taking.
• عندك حساسية؟. indak hasaasiyyah? 'Do you have any allergies?' Critical safety question.
• تاخذ أدوية؟. taakhudh adwiyah? 'Are you taking any medications?' Medication reconciliation.
• خذ نفس عميق. khudh nafas ameeq. 'Take a deep breath.' Physical exam instruction.

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.