Living between Syria and Turkey for 10 years taught me how language truly connects people. I specialize in Levantine Arabic (the dialect you’ll hear in shows, songs, and streets) and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) for formal needs. Whether you want to chat naturally, understand slang, or ace work-related Arabic, I’ll tailor lessons to your pace—with patience and real-life practice. Let’s turn textbook words into confident conversations!
My creations
Me as a Teacher
Follow me on Instagram (@mahmoodsalem_arabic) for short videos about Arabic!
Helping my friends improve their Arabic sparked my passion for teaching, which led me to become a community tutor here on italki. I can help you build your vocabulary, improve your conversation skills, and sound more natural in Arabic—whatever you need to feel more confident. I've also supported learners from all over the world on apps like HelloTalk, helping them with Arabic, English, and even Japanese. Let's learn together!
My lessons & teaching style
Conversation Practice lessons with me are all about real, natural dialogue.
We’ll chat about everyday topics—like our lives, hobbies, and interests—while I gently correct your mistakes and introduce useful vocabulary along the way. The goal is to help you speak more naturally and confidently. I'm very patient and will always speak slowly and clearly to help you understand.
My teaching material
Text Documents
Presentation slides/PPT
PDF file
Audio files
Image files
Homework Assignments
Articles and news
Video files
Education
2018 - 2023
Bachelor’s - Japanese language and literatureErciyes University
5.0
Rating
1,221
Students
13.1k
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
5.0
Rating
1221
Students
13129
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
Arabic Lessons
Arabic
Arabic (Levantine)
Arabic (Modern Standard)
Trial Lesson
752 lessons completed
USD 5.00+
Vocabularies and Sentences (Book a package and get an extra FREE lesson!)
A1 - C2Conversation3,588 lessons completed
USD 14.00+
Group lesson (Levantine \ MSA ) (Book a package and get an extra FREE lesson!)
A1 - C1Conversation78 lessons completed
USD 26.00+
Here's a 10 lessons package + an extra FREE lesson for you (MSA \ Levantine)
A1 - C2Conversation1,705 lessons completed
USD 14.00+
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
My creations
Vocabulary (2)
Podcast (3)
Quiz (1)
992 Reviews
All
Arabic
Arabic (Levantine)
Andy
125 Arabic lessons
Teacher’s pick
I have really enjoyed all my lessons with Mahmood so far, he is an exceptional Arabic teacher with a patient and natural teaching style. Within 6 months I already feel like I've made significant strides in my spoken Arabic effortlessly under his guidance – coming from knowing no Arabic at all, to being able to ask friends how their week is going, talk about work, holidays, and hobbies, and all in past/present/future tenses. Highly recommended for anyone seeking natural language progression. Thanks Mahmood!
Nov 15, 2023
Stella
148 Arabic (Levantine) lessons
Teacher’s pick
I have been having classes with Mahmoud for 2 years, and he is a fantastic teacher! Mahmoud is a patient and kind teacher who is always flexible in his teaching. Despite the busy teaching schedule, he is always positive and enthusiastic which gives me the right motivation especially in my lazy moments! With him, I started from zero to now being able to have conversations (albeit slow) on different topics! I would totally recommend Mahmoud if you are looking for an awesome and inspiring teacher for along run!
Sep 16, 2021
Aidan
11 Arabic lessons
Mahmoud has been a great help for my spoken Arabic. I was looking for conversation practice and his style of explaining is very clear! He is always well prepared and is great at facilitating conversation. He will record any new words and phrases that appear while talking so that I can practice what I learn after the lesson. If you are looking to step up your speaking game in Levantine Arabic, Mahmoud is the man!
Feb 14, 2026
sana s
122 Arabic (Levantine) lessons
Teacher’s pick
It is so helpful when Mahmood makes me break down a sentence to describe each word & its conjugation!
Also, I meant to ask him to start giving me the word root and organically somehow he started that today. 3njaaaad he pays attention to what the student needs and is able to meet at their level. This is one of his excellent excellent strengths as a teacher. Thank you, as usual!
May 2, 2022
Valerio Marsella
25 Arabic lessons
I have been studying Arabic with Mahmood for some time now, and I can confidently say that he is an outstanding teacher. He is highly professional, patient, and exceptionally well-prepared for every lesson.
Feb 15, 2026
Jake
97 Arabic (Levantine) lessons
Mahmood is fantastic! I have been taking weekly lessons with him for Levantine Arabic for over 2 years now. He is patient, laid back, and able to talk about pretty much anything. My Arabic has improved so much over this time, and I feel like I can speak about pretty much any topic (with some vocabulary help and grammar corrections from time to time). I recommend Mahmood to anyone who wants to learn Arabic.
My lessons with Mahmood typically start out with a quick catch up on how things are going, what's new, and we go into different topics from there. He asks about important things happening in my life (and remembers them!), and tells me about his. We talk about current events and other things that have popped up in the last couple of weeks. He is always respectful, funny, and has an open mind.