A New Arabic Grammar of the Written Language, by J. A. Haywood and H. M. Nahmad, first appeared in 1962 and remains one of the most complete single-volume introductions to written Arabic. Each chapter explains a grammar rule, introduces new words, and then asks you to translate sentences between English and Arabic. The vocabulary for A New Arabic Grammar contains 2600 words, and this page gives you the complete list in downloadable form.
The words were selected for frequency at the time the book was written, so the list leans toward written Arabic - newspapers, literature, and formal prose - rather than street conversation. It is also keyed to the grammar lessons: each chapter's words appear in that chapter's translation exercises, and later exercises reuse earlier words without glossing them again, so long-term retention matters more here than with a standalone frequency list.
The list suits self-studiers working through Haywood and Nahmad, students who want a ready-made deck instead of typing entries by hand, and learners of classical Arabic who want a core vocabulary drawn from written sources.
How to study this list
Study the words in step with the book rather than front-loading the whole list. Before you attempt a chapter's translation exercises, learn that chapter's words well enough to produce the Arabic from the English prompt, not just recognize it - translating into Arabic exposes the words you only half know.
Spaced repetition handles the long term. The Anki deck below schedules reviews automatically, so words from chapter 5 keep resurfacing while you work through chapter 20. Ten to fifteen minutes of daily review keeps the whole backlog alive; skipping review for a week is what causes pile-ups.
Learn each word with its tashkeel first, since the short vowel marks carry the verb patterns and case endings the exercises depend on. Once a word is solid, practice recognizing it without tashkeel, because real written Arabic rarely marks the vowels.
You use the vocabulary list in the following formats:
The CSV file opens in any spreadsheet and imports into most flashcard apps.
Frequently asked questions
Is A New Arabic Grammar still worth using?
Yes, with the right expectations. The book teaches written Arabic, not conversation, and some of its English explanations feel dated. Within that scope it is still one of the most thorough self-study grammars in print, and the exercise-driven format holds up. A small share of the vocabulary reflects mid-century usage, but the core of the list is still standard written Arabic.
How long does it take to learn 2,600 words?
At ten new words a day the raw memorization takes about nine months; at twenty a day, four to five. In practice the book sets the pace, since each chapter introduces a manageable batch. Self-studiers who finish a chapter every week or two typically complete the book and the list together in one to two years.
Should I learn this vocabulary before or with the grammar lessons?
With the lessons. The list is ordered by chapter so that each batch feeds directly into that chapter's translation exercises, which is where the words get cemented. Memorizing the whole list up front means learning hundreds of words without context. Learn each chapter's words just before you need them and let spaced repetition keep the older ones fresh.
Related resources
- Our review of A New Arabic Grammar, covering the book's strengths, weaknesses, and who it suits
- Arabic vocabulary lists, our full collection of word lists and Anki decks
- Arabic grammar books, for alternatives and companions to Haywood and Nahmad