South Sudan's Living Language

Speak Juba Arabic with confidence

The first comprehensive online course based on the Beginner Juba Arabic textbook by Rombek Scopas Sokiri Logworong. 14 structured chapters. Real dialogues. Instant practice.

14
Chapters
500+
Vocabulary words
100K+
Native speakers
Salam taki
Ana kwes
Shukuran
Phrase of the day
Salam taki
Greetings (to one person)
What's included
📖
All 14 Chapters
Full interactive lessons — vocabulary, grammar patterns, dialogues, and chapter quizzes for every chapter.
Start studying →
🃏
Flashcard Study
Spaced repetition flashcards. Cards you miss come back sooner. 70+ cards across 10 decks.
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Why Juba Arabic

The language that connects South Sudan

Not Standard Arabic. Not Sudanese Arabic. Juba Arabic is the daily tongue of millions — in markets, hospitals, schools, and homes across South Sudan.

🏥

Essential for aid & medical workers

More immediately practical than Standard Arabic for anyone working in Juba or urban South Sudan.

🤝

Lingua franca across 60+ languages

Bari, Dinka, Nuer, Acholi — Juba Arabic bridges communities that share no mother tongue.

📚

Simpler grammar than Standard Arabic

No grammatical gender. No verb conjugation by subject. No articles. You'll be speaking sentences within your first lesson.

🌍

Diaspora communities worldwide

Hundreds of thousands of second-language speakers and diaspora communities across the globe.

Sample Vocabulary
Salam taki Greetings Ch. 1
Ana fi bet I am at home Ch. 3
Ana gi akulu I am eating Ch. 5
Indi waja ras I have a headache Ch. 10
Ana bi agider I can / I am able to Ch. 9
Wenu uwo? Where is he/she? Ch. 6
Shukuran Thank you Ch. 1
Full Curriculum

14 chapters. One complete beginner course.

Based on the Beginner Juba Arabic textbook by Rombek Scopas Sokiri Logworong, published by Loponi Press.
CHAPTER 01
Greetings & Basic Pronouns
Greet people politely, respond to greetings, ask "How are you?" and use all six personal pronouns.
Salam taki Ana / Ita / Uwo Kef · Kwes
CHAPTER 02
Basic Words & Simple Sentences
Family vocabulary, identity statements, and the crucial rule: no "is" or "are" needed.
Uma · Abu · Aku Zero copula Identity sentences
CHAPTER 03
Places & Talking About Location
Name common places and say where people or things are using the essential word fi.
fi (in/at/on) Bet · Suk · Mederesa Wen · Wenu
CHAPTER 04
Objects & Classroom Words
Everyday objects and precise position words: ras (on), tehet (under), jua (inside).
Kitab · Kursi Position words de (specificity)
CHAPTER 05
Common Action Verbs
Master all three tenses with one rule: gi (present), bi (future), verb alone (past).
gi · bi · past alone Akulu · Ruwa · Ja All 3 tenses
CHAPTER 06
Location, Direction & Questions
Ask and answer questions about location, movement, and direction across tenses.
Gidam · Wara · Gerib Ita ruwa wen? Movement questions
CHAPTER 07
Time Words
Naarde, umbari, bukura — place time words at the end of sentences to express when.
Naarde · Umbari · Bukura Saba · Bilel · Ashiya Usbu · Sena
CHAPTER 08
Talking About Colour
Colour adjectives always follow the noun and never change form — simple and consistent.
Abiyad · Asuwed · Amer Adjective order Descriptive sentences
CHAPTER 09
Negation & Ability
Say "not" with ma, express ability with agider and inability with ma agider.
ma (not) agider (can) ma gi · ma agider
CHAPTER 10
Health, Pain & Problems
Describe health conditions, locate pain with indi waja, and navigate medical situations.
Ayan · Kwes · Taban Indi waja + body part Mushtesfa · Diktor
CHAPTER 11
Daily Activities
Describe full daily routines — morning to night — across all three tenses.
Rakabu · Kasulu · Fata Daily sequences Routine questions
CHAPTER 12
Food & Daily Needs
Food, drink, and how to express want (der) versus need (azu) — essential vocabulary.
Rus · Laham · Fawaki Moyo · Shai · Gahuwa der vs azu
CHAPTER 13
Numbers & Counting
Count, describe quantities, use ordinal numbers, and talk about money in Juba Arabic.
1–100 + beyond Kam? (how many?) Fulus (money)
CHAPTER 14
Putting It All Together
Extended dialogues combining all grammar patterns. Consolidation exercises and review.
Full dialogues All patterns Final review
Interactive Preview

Try Chapter 1 — right now

No signup required. Switch between vocabulary, quiz, dialogue, and grammar patterns.

Chapter 1: Greetings & Pronouns

Click any row to highlight. Learn these first.

Juba Arabic English IPA
Salam takiGreetings (to one person)/sa.lam ta.ki/
Salam takunGreetings (to a group)/sa.lam ta.kun/
AhlenHello / Response to greeting/ah.len/
Kef?How are you?/kef/
KwesGood / Well/kwes/
Ma batalNot bad/ma ba.tal/
ShukuranThank you/ʃu.ku.ran/
AfwanYou're welcome/af.wan/
AyiYes/a.ji/
LaNo/la/
AnaI / Me/a.na/
ItaYou (singular)/i.ta/
UwoHe / She / It/u.wo/
AannaWe / Us/a.an.na/
UmonThey / Them/u.mon/
ItakunYou (plural)/i.ta.kun/
What does this mean in English?
Kwes

Score: 0 / 0

Chapter 1 Dialogue

Read each line aloud. Click "Reveal" to see the translation unfold step by step.

A
Salam taki.
Greetings (to one person).
B
Ahlen.
Hello.
A
Ita kef?
How are you?
B
Ana kwes, wu ita kef?
I am good, and how are you?
A
Ana ma batal.
I am not bad.
B
Shukuran.
Thank you.
A
Afwan.
You're welcome.

Key Grammar Patterns — Chapter 1

Pattern 1: Basic Greeting Exchange GREETING
Structure: Greeting → Response
Salam taki. → Ahlen. (to one person)
Salam takun. → Ahlen. (to a group)
Pattern 2: Asking "How are you?" WELLBEING
Structure: Pronoun + kef?
Ita kef? How are you?
Ana kwes. I am good.
Ana ma batal. I am not bad.
Pattern 3: Invariable Pronouns PRONOUNS
Note: Same pronoun for subject AND object — never changes form
AnaI / me
Itayou (singular)
Uwohe / she / him / her
Aannawe / us
Umonthey / them
Itakunyou (plural)
About the Language

Juba Arabic: A language shaped by history

Juba Arabic — known locally as Arabi Juba — is a contact language and creole spoken primarily in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. It developed over centuries as a lingua franca among communities speaking dozens of mother tongues.

🗣️
Native Speakers
50,000–100,000
🌐
Total Speakers
Hundreds of thousands
📍
Primary Region
Juba & urban South Sudan
🔤
Script
Romanised (spoken first)
How It Differs

vs. Standard Arabic

Feature Juba Arabic
Verb "to be"Usually omitted — Ana uma = I am a mother
Verb conjugationVerbs never change by subject
Tense markersSeparate particles: gi (present), bi (future)
Grammatical genderNo gender distinction at all
Articles (the/a)None — de marks specificity
Adjective orderAdjectives follow the noun
Pronunciation Guide

Phonetic. Consistent. No exceptions.

Every letter represents exactly one sound. No silent letters. No vowel shifts.

Vowel Sounds
A /a/ as in 'father' — ana
I /i/ as in 'machine' — fi
U /u/ as in 'rule' — ruwa
E /e/ as in 'bed' — bet
O /o/ as in 'go' — moyo
Special Consonants
Sh /ʃ/ as in 'shoe' — shunu
G /ɡ/ always hard, 'go' — geni
R /r/ lightly rolled — ruwa
J /dʒ/ as in 'jam' — ja
Kh /x/ as in German 'Bach' — khali
What Learners Say

Real feedback from real students

★★★★★

"As an aid worker in Juba, this was exactly what I needed. Within two weeks I could navigate the market, ask about health symptoms, and build real rapport with local colleagues."

MK
Marie K.
Humanitarian Aid Coordinator, MSF
★★★★★

"The grammar is genuinely simple once you understand the three-tense system. No conjugation, no gender — it clicked fast. The dialogues are especially practical."

JO
James O.
Researcher, African Studies, Nairobi
★★★★★

"I'm South Sudanese diaspora and wanted to connect with family back home who speak Juba Arabic. This course is thoughtfully designed and culturally respectful."

AL
Amara L.
South Sudanese Diaspora, Melbourne
Get Access

One simple offer

Full course access for 6 months — more than enough time to reach conversational ability in Juba Arabic.

6-Month Full Access
$49
Introductory price  ·  price rises when audio is added
Limited offer
  • All 14 chapters — vocabulary, grammar, dialogues
  • Chapter quizzes with instant feedback
  • Spaced repetition flashcard system
  • Pronunciation & IPA reference guide
  • Full grammar pattern library
  • 6 months access from date of purchase
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