GCSE Arabic

Who here has studied GCSE Arabic? I'm specifically curious about people who didn't grow up speaking the language. I can read the letters but I usually can't understand written Arabic because my vocabulary is so small. I'd love to get a GCSE in the language but I think I'm a long way off being able to. Is there anyone here who has self-studied for the qualification? I didn't have the opportunity to study it at school and I know it's not a common GCSE.

I did the GCSE in Arabic many years ago.

I self studied A-level Arabic.