CIMA preparation
CIMA (Institut du monde arabe) covers A1-C2 and is used for an internationally recognised certificate and university admission. Also known as Certificat international de maîtrise en arabe.
About the exam
| Run by | Institut du monde arabe |
|---|---|
| Levels | A1-C2 |
| Skills tested | Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking |
| Used for | an internationally recognised certificate and university admission |
Exam format
| Part | Time |
|---|---|
| Listening Compréhension orale | 60 min |
| Reading Compréhension écrite | 50 min |
| Writing Production écrite | 60 min |
| Speaking Production orale | 11 min |
Example task: Writing
كتب لك صديقك أنه بدأ يتعلّم الطبخ. ردّ على رسالته واحكِ له عن طبق تحبّ أن تحضّره ولماذا (من 50 إلى 100 كلمة).
Format as published by Institut du monde arabe. Check their website before you book: formats do change.
What levels A1 to C2 mean
A1: You can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions about where you live and what you have, and understand slow, clear everyday phrases.
A2: You can handle routine tasks like shopping, directions and talking about your family, work and past weekend in short, simple sentences.
B1: You can follow the main points of clear speech on familiar topics, deal with most travel situations and write a simple connected text about your experiences and plans.
B2: You can follow the main ideas of complex texts, talk with native speakers without much strain on either side, and argue a point of view in clear, detailed writing.
C1: You can understand long, demanding texts and implicit meaning, express yourself fluently without searching for words, and use the language well for study and work.
C2: You can understand virtually everything you hear or read and express yourself spontaneously and precisely, with fine shades of meaning.
How long it takes to prepare for CIMA
Guided learning hours from zero to each level, the figures Cambridge English uses for planning, and what they come to at one hour of study a day:
| Level | From zero | At 1 hour a day |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 90–100 hours | 3 months |
| A2 | 180–200 hours | 6–7 months |
| B1 | 350–400 hours | 12–13 months |
| B2 | 500–600 hours | 17–20 months |
| C1 | 700–800 hours | 23–27 months |
| C2 | 1,000–1,200 hours | 33–40 months |
Start counting from the level you have now. For Arabic these figures are usually too low: the US Foreign Service Institute puts it in its hardest group for English speakers, at about 88 weeks (2,200 class hours) to speak and understand at a professional level, against 24 to 30 weeks for Spanish or French.
Learn Arabic properly before CIMA
An exam rewards real knowledge of the language, not tricks. The FluenTech Arabic app starts with the alphabet and takes you step by step to reading Arabic classics in the original:
One email when the app is out. Nothing else.
How to prepare for each part of CIMA
Reading
Read every day at your target level and a little above it. Before you read the questions, skim the text for its topic and structure; then look for the exact lines that answer each question. Exam texts reuse everyday topics, so topic vocabulary pays off directly here.
Listening
Listen to short recordings daily: news, podcasts and dialogues at your level. Read the questions before each recording so you know what to listen for, and don't stop on a word you missed. Saying new words aloud with their audio makes them easier to catch in fast speech.
Writing
Learn the text types your exam asks for (emails, messages, opinion essays) and write one a week on a timer. Count your words, plan three short paragraphs, and use linking words. Check your work against the grammar you know best: verb endings, agreement and word order cost the most marks.
Speaking
Practise answering out loud about yourself, your daily life, your plans and your opinions, and record yourself. Learn a few phrases for gaining time and asking someone to repeat. In the exam, short clear answers with examples score better than long ones full of mistakes.
What to study for CIMA
Everything below is free in this guide, set out in the order that works best for a A1-C2 exam.
