Do I have to make dua in Arabic, or can I ask Allah in my own language?

Outside the fixed wording of the five daily prayers, there is no requirement to make dua in Arabic. Allah says, 'And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near; I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me' (2:186) — with no condition of language attached. He simply says, 'Call upon Me, I will respond to you' (40:60). Arabic dua carries real virtue: it connects us to the exact words the Prophet used, preserves precise meanings across generations, and many scholars encourage memorising the authentic prophetic supplications for daily situations. But a person who does not yet know Arabic, or who is overwhelmed and simply needs to pour out their heart, should never feel that Allah won't hear them in their own tongue. In fact, speaking from the heart in a language you fully understand often brings more presence and sincerity than reciting words you don't grasp. The ideal is to learn the sunnah duas over time while never letting language be a barrier to turning to Allah right now, in whatever words come naturally, with a humble and hopeful heart.

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