Learn Modern Standard Arabic — without the noise
Fahm (فهم, “understanding”) is a distraction-free Arabic learning app. Over 1,000 words with full tashkeel, 38 grammar lessons, and Leitner spaced repetition — all on your device, no internet required.
كِتَاب
kitāb
book
هٰذَا كِتَابٌ جَدِيدٌ
hādhā kitābun jadīd — “This is a new book.”
Illustration of Fahm’s card format: word with tashkeel, transliteration, translation, example sentence, and Leitner review stage.
Most Arabic apps get in their own way
Streak anxiety, ads between exercises, dialect confusion, and accounts that track everything you do. Serious study deserves a quieter tool.
The usual experience
- Ads and upsell pop-ups interrupt every session
- MSA mixed with dialects without explanation
- Vocabulary shown without diacritics, so pronunciation is guesswork
- Progress locked behind an account on someone’s server
- Useless the moment you lose signal
The Fahm approach
- No ads, no tracking, no account — by design
- Consistent Modern Standard Arabic, A1 through B2
- Every word with full tashkeel, transliteration, and examples
- Your data stays on your device; export it as JSON anytime
- Works completely offline — study anywhere
Everything you need for focused Arabic study
Fahm packs a structured MSA curriculum, memory science, and cultural context into one quiet, self-contained app.
1,000+ words with tashkeel
Vocabulary across A1–B2, each entry with full diacritics, transliteration, English translation, and example sentences — so you learn to read and pronounce correctly from day one.
38 grammar lessons
From the Arabic alphabet to advanced literary structures — including the root system and verb conjugation patterns, explained step by step.
Leitner spaced repetition
A built-in review system moves words through five stages based on your recall accuracy, so time goes to the words you actually struggle with.
Arabic Root Explorer
Discover how trilateral roots connect families of related words — the key insight that makes Arabic vocabulary click.
Cultural immersion
Idioms, proverbs (amthal), and customs — curated content on hospitality, etiquette, and daily life in the Arab world.
Arabic numbers, mastered
A dedicated section covering teens, tens, compound numbers, hundreds, large numbers, ordinals, and practical applications.
Travel phrasebook
100+ essential phrases organized across 8 real-world scenarios, ready for your next trip.
Custom Arabic keyboard
Type answers with a purpose-built Arabic keyboard — no need to configure system keyboards to practice writing.
Stories & bookmarks
Reading comprehension passages from A1 to B2, plus bookmarks to save words for quick reference and progress statistics to track your study.
A structured path from A1 to B2
130+ progressive vocabulary lessons build on each other, introducing new words with grammar notes and cultural context at every step.
Privacy by design
Fahm is built from the ground up with privacy as a core principle. Your learning is your business — not a data stream.
- No advertising, ever
- No user tracking
- No account required
- Learning data stays on your device
- Export and import progress as a JSON file
- Only network use: subscription verification via Apple
How Fahm fits your study routine
Whether you’re starting from the alphabet or pushing toward reading fluency, Fahm’s structure meets you where you are.
Starting from zero
Begin with grammar lessons on the alphabet, then work through A1 vocabulary with full diacritics and transliteration so nothing is left to guesswork. Our alphabet guide explains what to expect.
Building real retention
Let the Leitner review queue decide what you practice each day. Five stages, driven by your recall accuracy. Read how the method works in our spaced repetition guide.
Going deeper
Use the Root Explorer to see how trilateral roots link word families, read level-matched stories, and absorb idioms and proverbs with cultural context. Start with the root system guide.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Fahm is designed to work without an internet connection. Lessons, vocabulary, grammar explanations, and your progress all live on your device. The only network connection the app uses is for subscription verification through Apple.
Fahm teaches Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) — the standardized form used in news media, literature, and formal communication across the Arab world. Every word includes full diacritics (tashkeel), transliteration, an English translation, and example sentences.
Fahm is free to download on the App Store. According to the developer, the only network connection the app makes is for subscription verification through Apple, so premium content is unlocked through an in-app subscription.
No. Fahm requires no account and does no user tracking. Your learning data stays on your device, and you can back it up yourself by exporting your progress as a JSON file.
Fahm covers four proficiency levels from A1 (absolute beginner) to B2 (upper intermediate), with over 1,000 words across 130+ progressive vocabulary lessons and 38 grammar lessons ranging from the Arabic alphabet to advanced literary structures.
Fahm includes a built-in spaced repetition system based on the Leitner method. Words move through five review stages depending on your recall accuracy, so you review items right before you would otherwise forget them.
Fahm is a universal iOS app for iPhone and iPad and requires iOS 15.1 or later. It includes full light and dark theme support and a purpose-built Arabic keyboard for typing answers.
Understanding starts here
Download Fahm and study Modern Standard Arabic on your terms — offline, private, and structured from A1 to B2.
Download on theApp Store