This qualitative case study examines how code-switching and translanguaging operate in multilingual Arabic language
classrooms and how they shape learners’ linguistic identity. Grounded in sociolinguistic variation theory and
translanguaging perspectives, the study was conducted in an Arabic Language Education programme at an Indonesian
university. Participants were 25 undergraduate students and 2 instructors. Data were collected through six classroom
observations, semi-structured interviews with ten students and two instructors, and analysis of instructional documents.
The findings show that learners shifted among Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, English, and local languages when they faced
lexical, grammatical, or conceptual difficulty. Instructors also used strategic code-switching to clarify Arabic concepts
and sustain participation. These practices supported comprehension, reduced anxiety, and enabled students to
negotiate academic, religious, and social identities. Arabic was associated with pride, religious affiliation, and academic
belonging, whereas rigid Arabic-only expectations sometimes limited participation. The study argues that selective
code-switching and translanguaging can function as pedagogical resources when they support, rather than replace,
Arabic proficiency development.