Raising a trilingual child in the UAE: English, Arabic and your home language

In the UAE it’s ordinary for a child to hear English at nursery, Arabic at school and another language at home: Hindi, Tagalog, Urdu, Malayalam, French, Russian and many more. It can feel like a lot to hold together, and many parents quietly wonder whether it’s too much for a little one.

It isn’t. Children around the world grow up with three languages and more. What helps is a little planning, so each language finds its own place in the day.

Give each language a home

There’s no single right system. Some families keep one parent, one language. Others give a language a place or a time: Arabic at breakfast, your home language at bedtime, English at nursery. Research suggests no particular system is essential; what matters most is how much your child hears each language, and in what kind of moments.

Choose what fits your family, and keep it steady enough that your child knows what to expect.

Look after the home language

Nursery, school, friends and screens bring plenty of English. Your home language may get the least practice of the three, so give it the warmest moments: stories, songs, jokes, cooking together and cuddles at bedtime.

Speech and language experts advise speaking to your child in the language you’re most comfortable with. Rich, natural, chatty language in your own tongue is worth far more than careful sentences in one you’re less sure of, and the NHS notes that knowing another language helps a child’s English too.

Use the same picture in every language

One picture with several words shows a child that a cow is a cow in any language. Our cards keep the same picture in all five of their languages, so you can switch language without switching cards.

Mixing is part of it

Little ones often mix languages in one sentence while they’re learning, borrowing whichever word comes first. That’s normal, not a sign of confusion. Simply say back what they meant, warmly, and carry on.

You may also notice that your child knows some words in one language and other words in another. Children learn the words for each part of life in the language they hear there: kitchen words at home, classroom words at school. Add them all up and they’re doing well.

Celebrate, don’t test

• Notice the words your child uses, and enjoy them out loud.
• Keep quizzes for when they ask for one.
• Let grandparents and cousins use their own language on calls and visits.
• Read and sing in every language you have, even a little.

When to ask for advice

If you’re ever worried about how your child is talking or understanding, speak to your child’s doctor or a speech and language therapist, and tell them about every language your child hears. A real difficulty shows up in all of them, not just one.