Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA)

I took a total of four weeks of classes of the intensive course (22 and a half hours of actual teaching per week) of moderns standard arabic and was very pleased with my choice with Ahlan in Cairo.


The actual school was perfectly located in Garden city and full of charm. Good homecooked style lunches offered every day (you have to pay for them though, a bit above market price but fair enough). Regular activities are available on rotation, perfect addition to socialise a bit further and also discover some things.

The teaching method is well supported with quality material and allows for gradual and consistent progress. However, I would say that particular speedy headway depends on how much extra work you put in by yourself ;) I didn't work as hard as i wish i did but nonetheless still advanced quite a bit.

If your intend on staying in Egyot for a while, I highly recommend you take the 3ameia (egyptian dialect) course rather than classical Arabic FusHa as it will allow you to communicate on a daily basis in a quicker and more efficient way.

The entire team was absolutely lovely, professional, fun and supportive. Major shoutouts to Affaf (head of the school), Rahma and Beha! And Salma and Moustafa on the administrative side and Mouna in the kitchen

I also took the 200 euros shared room option for 2 months. it had everything you need even though i did have a particular good experience because, in the end i had a room to myself for almost the whole duration for my stay.
I will say that as much as i love the school and team, the 400 euros option for a single room in a shared flat (similar prices to many places in Europe) is quite overpriced for Egypt. Ah and also, the wifi was terrible and didn't work half the time but i came to realise that that is a common problem in Cairo.

Those last to point din't take away the slighest fro my awesome expericence over there! : )

Definitely go for it, go go go!

I really like Ahlan Center, the group sessoins where great, talking is part of the lesson and it makes you improve quick! The Teachers are amazing and they really care about you improving your language skills!
The loccation is really good just 5 minutest walking from an metrostation and the trees arround the area are giving the streats a nice vibe! The Ahlan center is offering events like music and dances and organise little trips for you to really get an idea about egypt! Thank you for that nice experience!

It was nice, but challenging. Some teachers were really good and professional, others were less good at understanding how an educational system works. But its ok

Tout d’abord je tiens à remercier toute l’équipe. L’école est très bien située. Il y a des sorties, la cantine et proposer tous les jours. Les profs sont super sympa. Le personnel aussi. Je recommande cette école à toute élève qui souhaite apprendre l’apprentissage de la langue et de l’écriture se fait très bien, car les professeurs sont très compétents, je mets un 10/10 sur mon expérience ici.

I was so happy with this school, I had 2 wonderful teachers, they were different and this was enrichi g.
Also the workers at the school were very helpful, nice, and caring.
The activities were so great that I always had something to do and was kept occupied.
The activities were relevant and were very well chosen by the teachers and the director.

My time at Ahlan was excellent. The school is staffed with well-educated professional educators. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I was a complete basic beginner, and the school was able to provide a challenging and appropriate level of instruction. The school also provided many opportunities for students to site see together after class or enjoy cultural activities. It was a great experience, and I would certainly consider going again.

I spend two weeks in the school and I made the ASA Level I course as a beginner. The courses fitted very well to my knowlegde.
The teachers were extremely friendly, amiable and patient. The way of explaining the grammar was very clear and even making fun, especailly when we learned to "dance" the konjugation of the verbs. I finished the classes amazed of the beauty, origins, structure and clarity of this challenging language and got the feeling I will be able to learn the language despite its complexity.
I also got a good insight to the culture and the way of living.
If I had a request for changing lessons or adapt something, I was alway taken seroiusly and my requests were very well cared for.
I had to leave the school ways to soon, but I surely will return there I can recommend this school to everyone.

My teacher was brilliant! She was very responsive to my needs, very personable and open. It was like learning with a good friend. All of the staff are lovely and as it's a small school so you get a chance to know everyone.

Overall, a must-do adventure for learning a new language.

I really enjoyed my stay at Ahlan Cairo Centre. The teachers are very friendly and welcoming and all have their own teaching style of which some might suit you better and others don't. The location in Gamaleya used to be absolutely perfect, but now that they moved to Garden City I don't know. Overall my experience was very good, though I was disappointed that there were barely any cultural activities and the work with the NGO did not exist at all.

Ms. Nagwa is an excellent teacher. I owed her a lot.

I was lucky to have a wonderful person as a teacher who really took time to define what i wanted to accomplish with these lessons and adjust the course accordingly. The school is located in khan al khalili which makes it really easy to access. There are several classroom of various sizes, with good AC. I fell in love with the team there, and their warm welcoming made me felt just like I've know them for years. I immediately felt comfortable.

We had no classes, because there were not enough students. This I find not good: You should tell the students before, that at the moment there it is most possible, that one has single lessons and because of that less lessons than booked.

My teacher was ok. But she came 2x late and was often tired. She did not really explain the grammar, she just went through the book. The book was quite good and the entrance test also. So they really taught me on my level.

facilities were ok and teachers were very kind.

Teachers very good, and also the other stuff. Everybody did their best to make everything as good as possibly for me.
The location of the school was "funny" , I liked it.

The apartment had also a good location (down town). Everybody did everything they could to make/fix everything as good as possibly in the "housing".

I didn´t participate in any activities, because I didn't wanted to. But they (the school) organised things and the students seemed to be happy about it.

The offered programs of Ahlan are various, so you can go on learning how ever you like and feel. Also within time classes you are flexible for course changes or time outs for travelling around Egypt. The Ahlan team is so great and nice, you will feel comfortable timely if you are open minded. And if you need help in anyway? You will get it!

Thanks for everything.

When I searched at the first day the location of Ahlan school it was pretty hard to find it.
Finally after asking some people and using my maps I founded the right place.
So as a feedback maybe they could place some signs.
When arrived the welcoming was really niced.
My teacher directly presented herself and I needed to do a test so they could check my level.
After finishing my test there was a kind boy who helped me with pronunciation.

During the two weeks I really enjoyed the lessons.
The teacher was able to speak English very well.
Besides that he had a really positive vibe.
I've heard there a hotels linked to the school but I already had another hotel booked.
Sometimes the students organised activities like having diner together or going to cultural places together.
After all I'am really happy with this experience in Cairo and at Ahlan.

Hope this is enough information.
Kind regards.

Tijn van Emmerik

Location is excellent. It’s fun to have lunch in Khan el Khalili. All of the other faculty members seem to be excellent also, as the administrators.

Very flexible and accommodating: Because of my full-time job, I could only do class on Fridays and/or Saturdays when the school is closed, but they were very flexible in scheduling one-on-one tutoring for those days. They were also very flexible in creating a curriculum that included a blend of MSA and colloquial Egyptian. They were also very flexible in extending my lessons due my frequent travels that caused me to miss class.

Competent teachers: I began with one instructor for the first 20 or so weeks who was very good, but had to depart for a job overseas. My second instructor has also been very good. Ahlan Instructors are patient and especially good with explaining Arabic grammar which, for me, is very important in understanding and retaining the language. Instructors are also very nice and welcoming and enjoy helping students experience the culture of Cairo.

Acceptable location: I live in Cairo about a 20-30 minute Uber ride from the school so the location was not convenient for me in terms of being within walking distance of home. However, the school is located on the backside of the Khan e-Khalili shopping district so it is an ideal location for students to walk outside the school and practice Arabic at shops and restaurants.

Acceptable facilities: The school has separate furnished classrooms (with white boards), outdoor sitting areas, kitchen facilities, bathroom facilities, free Wi-Fi, and A/C (very important in the summer). Flies are bothersome, but that's typical everywhere in Cairo. Feral cats are also frequent visitors slipping into classrooms and meowing loudly for food (students should be careful as they may carry rabies). There was also staff available during my lessons offering tea and keeping the facilities clean.

Housing: Not applicable (I live in Cairo)

Activities: For the most part, my schedule would not allow me to participate in any of the cultural activities that Ahlan offers. I was able to participate in Iftar dinner hosted at the school because it occurred late enough after work. It was very nice. Plenty of good food and an opportunity for me to me other teachers and students that I normally don't have an opportunity to interact with. Very family-oriented feeling at Ahlan.

Ahlan Cairo is a language school that I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to study Arabic in Cairo, as there was a very good balance between studying and doing cultural activities, where you could explore Cairo and learn more about Egyptian culture. The class sizes were perfect for me, as I wanted to do a one on one course and get more personal attention. The classes were then tailored to me, based on what I wanted to learn or study. The school itself is located in Al-Gamaleya, which made the experience feel very authentic, as you get to see the old city of Cairo every single day. The housing was also excellent, as that was one thing I was worried about but I had no complaints or problems.

Location was perfect and just 10 minutes from metro station. Facilities were excellent and the activities were great. The teacher and manager are super friendly.
I only missed having other students around because I was the only one in my class. It would be more fun to have someone in the same level as me to make homework and practice with in Arabic.

I'm a student of languages and I have studied in several private schools, so I can make a comparison. Ahlan has small classes with few students, divided by level. This was good for learning because the teachers give you full attention and involve you in the lesson. Having different teachers gives different learning methods, such as listening, dictation, grammar etc. The teachers were always available to help you if you had problems understanding, and they incited you to talk and practice the conversation. They had a good method of teaching Arabic to foreigners, which is what is sometimes difficult to find in others Arabic schools.

Talking about the general atmosphere, I never felt excluded; the entire staff had always done their best to make me feel at ease even with the different culture. They treated me with respect and cordiality.

Moreover, the school organized different activities, which allowed you to spend your time outside school, discovering Egypt.

Mr. Hamada, the director, was very helpful; he answered all my doubts and he helped me every time I needed help. He worried about everything until he was sure you had everything you need.

The nice thing about Ahlan is that you can learn and make friends, and feel like being in a big family. Even the cleaning lady was very nice to us. The last thing is the school location: Ahlan is on the old Islamic Cairo, which is the best place to see the real Egyptian life.

I enjoyed my experience at school, especially the fact that I was living in the city where I was studying! The people were very kind and generous. I would however like to make more cultural visits in the city of Cairo. I liked the patience of the teacher. Some were a lot more organized than others in their working methods. The teaching method of Professor Omar was remarkable, because these courses were planned and he tracked back on the material covered in other courses. I believe this is essential to learning.

The teachers are excellent, very competent and extremely professional. The school is located in a very nice historical area. When you enter the school, the staff makes you feel you are a part of their family. There is a very nice employee who cooks great authentic Egyptian food while helping you do your homework and practice speaking Arabic.

The administrators would do anything to make your stay enjoyable. They actually visit the country with you! They take care of everything. I was living in a nice flat, located about 5 minutes walk from Tharir square. Every single person that I met has become a great friend of mine. It's all about the people. Everyone is so kind.
There are no words to express how grateful I am to have met all these great people.

I liked that the classes were smaller. It was more personal, which helped me learn the language. It was good that the teachers conducted the classes in Arabic as much as possible. This forced me to learn the language. Extra cultural experiences, trips, and lectures outside of class made the experience even more fulfilling. I felt that the location was very good. There were some nice little shops in the area surrounding the school. I walked there every day from the Arabian Nights hostel, which was a very nice walk for me. I liked the Arabian Nights hostel very much, but I think it was a better place for shorter stays.

If you will in Cairo for over a month, do not stay in the Arabian Nights hostel. If you will stay for less than a month, then the Arabian Nights hostel is a nice simple place. As for the teachers, I liked all of them. It felt very family-like, which helped in learning the language. The weekly activities were also amazing and I am glad that I had the opportunity to do some of those. I will hopefully return one day. I connected with a lot of good people.

The staff at school, location and facilities were very nice. I learned a lot, since the school provides classes for every student, no matter which level they are in. What made the experience to study Arabic at Ahlan Egypt even more perfect were the countless activities after class.

Warm hearty atmosphere. Teaching was well prepared and included intuitive learning which I appreciate. Lessons were held in Arabic only where possible which was really helpful for the learning process. The staff was always very friendly caring and interested. I felt very much at home.

I am back in Switzerland for a week now. All in all I had a good experience, of which the school was one part. I have relatives in Alexandria which I visited regularly on the weekends and I have friends in Cairo whom I met in the evenings.

I have applied for a class and for a one on one teaching; in the end I was the only student, so I had only one on one teaching. I was welcomed in a friendly way, by Ali the manager and Omar, the teacher.

I am a language teacher myself, so I am probably a very difficult student and in fact I judge the didactic quality varied. On the one hand the teaching material was all in Arabic and did not offer any vocabulary list, but I managed to do one by myself. On the other hand, with the help of the teacher I managed to get through the book quite well, but I must say it is not comparable with what I use in my teaching. As for the didactic techniques, the teacher used a variety of methods through the lessons, gave homework and checked it. But I hardly ever had the impression that he was in any way prepared. I am, of course, aware that I cannot expect Swiss quality.

My Arabic is now on a decent level, I can formulate sentences and speak to strangers who don't speak English, and that is due to the lessons; but I'd like to add that I did my homework and added two hours per day to the lessons, revising and studying.

The school is situated in an area that is considered the historic centre of Cairo, unfortunately that means only to a certain extent picturesque, the area (not the school) is rather dirty, but never dangerous. The call to prayer was extremely loud and disturbed the lessons very much. The house in which the school is in belongs to the FEDA, an organization which gives room to craftsmen. That makes it loud too, for hammering and so, but I liked the idea and I didn't find it disturbing.

The school offers an outing every night, I accepted it once, since I had a lot of friends in Cairo, it was a very nice Sufi dance. Every day, we had a breakfast with local traditional food, which I liked very much.

My main issue concerning this school is the staff, not so much as professionals, but rather their way of thinking: Ali the manager is from upper Egypt, not from Cairo and has a wife there who can not come to see him. He speaks openly about wanting to get married to another woman in Cairo since he is fascinated with their libertine ways, although he cannot understand that women in Cairo walk without men at their side.

Omar the teacher, when I answered to his question, what is east of Egypt, there is Israel, said, no Israel does not exist, it's Palestine.

The (female) servant was veiled with a face cover that allowed to see only her eyes. I didn't like that so much, although the lady was very nice.

I can accept that people think the way they think, especially since this gave me an insight in a way of thinking which seems to be very common in Egypt, but this school is oriented to westerners and it belongs to an Italian. So I expect the staff to be aware about their clients' open minded thinking and not to let their thinking shine through too much.

All in all, I learned a lot in this school, not only linguistically, but socio-politically as well, but that part was not easy to digest.

I very much liked studying Arabic in Islamic Cairo and found this to be a much more dynamic and authentic experience. It was great having intensive private classes, and the teachers/staff were very friendly. I was disappointed that there weren't any cultural activities offered (it was a very quiet time at the school) and it was also quite frustrating that I wasn't able to have morning classes every day - but the staff did try to be understanding about this.

My time here in Cairo is amazing. I am having Arabic lessons in the morning, it is one to one because there was nobody else on my level and therefore very intensive, and in the afternoon we are having each day different activities. I really like my lessons, my teacher is good and patient. The school is really nice, the facilities are very good and everybody is totally friendly and helpful. Any question can be asked and they try to do everything to make you feel good. There is always time for having a tea together, for a talk, for a joke... I am not only learning Arabic, but also a lot about the people, culture and the current situation in Egypt. I am living in a shared apartment with another girl who is also studying at school. The place is really nice.