Learn Iraqi Arabic
Short, practical guides to Iraqi Arabic phrases, culture, and the way Iraqis actually speak.
Phrases
3 min readShlonak: How to Greet Someone in Iraqi Arabic
Before you can have a conversation in Iraqi Arabic, you need to nail the greeting. Shlonak is your starting point — here's everything you need to know.
Phrases
2 min readZain: The One Word Iraqis Use for Everything Good
زين (zain) might be the most versatile word in Iraqi Arabic. It means good, fine, nice, okay, and much more depending on context — here's how to use it naturally.
Phrases
3 min readAku Maku: The Uniquely Iraqi Way to Say There Is / There Isn't
أكو and ماكو are two of the most distinctly Iraqi words you'll encounter. They come from ancient Aramaic and are used dozens of times a day in everyday Iraqi speech.
Culture
4 min readChai Culture in Iraq: More Than Just a Drink
In Iraq, offering tea isn't just hospitality — it's a social ritual with its own language, timing, and meaning. Learn what chai means to Iraqis and the phrases that go with it.
Culture
4 min readMasgouf to Dolma: 10 Essential Iraqi Food Words You Need to Know
From the national dish masgouf to everyday staples like timman and chai, Iraqi food has its own unique vocabulary. Here are 10 words every Iraqi Arabic learner should know.
Grammar
5 min readIraqi Arabic vs Modern Standard Arabic: 10 Key Differences
Iraqi Arabic sounds very different from the Arabic you learn in textbooks. Here are 10 major differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar that set it apart.
Phrases
4 min read15 Iraqi Slang Phrases That Don't Exist in Any Other Dialect
Iraqi Arabic has some of the most expressive slang in the Arab world. These 15 phrases are pure Iraqi — you won't hear them in Egypt, Lebanon, or the Gulf.
Phrases
3 min readFrom Khashim to Galub: Iraqi Arabic Body Parts
Iraqi Arabic has its own unique words for body parts — some are completely different from other dialects. Learn how to talk about your body the Iraqi way.
Culture
4 min read"Ala Rasi" and 10 More Iraqi Hospitality Phrases
Iraqi hospitality is legendary, and the language reflects it. These 10 phrases will help you navigate any Iraqi home, gathering, or invitation with warmth and respect.
Phrases
3 min readCounting Like an Iraqi: Numbers 1 to 20 in Iraqi Arabic
Iraqi numbers have their own pronunciation quirks. From 'tlatha' instead of 'thalatha' to 'da'ash' for eleven, here's how to count the Iraqi way.
Phrases
3 min readHassa, Bachir, Shwaket: Telling Time in Iraqi Arabic
Time words in Iraqi Arabic sound very different from other dialects. Learn how to say now, later, tomorrow, and more the Iraqi way.
Phrases
3 min readBeesh? How to Shop and Haggle in Iraqi Arabic
Shopping in Iraqi markets has its own vocabulary and etiquette. Learn how to ask prices, haggle, and buy with confidence in Iraq.
Culture
3 min readIraqi Wedding Traditions: Essential Phrases for Celebrations
Iraqi weddings are grand, multi-day celebrations with their own unique vocabulary. Learn how to congratulate, bless, and celebrate the Iraqi way.
Phrases
3 min readWhy a Cat Is Bazzoona: Iraqi Arabic Animal Names
Iraqi Arabic has completely unique names for common animals. Learn why a cat is بزونة, a dog is چلب, and more animal vocabulary that will surprise Arabic speakers from other countries.
Phrases
3 min readAjaj, Nār, Huwaya: How Iraqis Talk About the Weather
Iraq's extreme weather — from blazing summers to dust storms — has shaped its vocabulary. Learn how to talk about the weather like an Iraqi.
Grammar
3 min readShinu, Wein, Cham: Iraqi Arabic Question Words Explained
Iraqi question words are completely different from other Arabic dialects. Learn the 8 essential question words that will unlock any conversation in Iraq.
Culture
3 min readDalaʿ: The Iraqi Word for Being (Adorably) Spoiled
دلع (dalaʿ) describes the pampered, fussy, coquettish behaviour Iraqis both tease and adore — from the spoiled youngest sibling to a partner acting cute to get their way. Here's what it means and how to use it.
Phrases
3 min readAmmo, Khalo, Yumma: Iraqi Arabic Family Words Explained
Iraqi Arabic has a different word for almost every relative — including separate terms for your paternal and maternal aunts and uncles. Here's how Iraqi families actually talk to (and about) each other.
Phrases
2 min readAhmar, Azrag, Jozi: Colors in Iraqi Arabic
Colors in Iraqi Arabic look similar to Standard Arabic on paper but sound different out loud — and one color, brown, has its own distinctly Iraqi name. Here's how to say every basic color like a local.
Phrases
3 min readFarhan, Za'lan, Ta'ban: How to Say How You Feel in Iraqi Arabic
From za'lan (upset) to murtah (comfortable), here are the everyday Iraqi Arabic words for describing how you feel.
Culture
3 min readKhosh, Chai, Glaas: The Persian and English Words Hiding in Iraqi Arabic
Iraq's history with Persia and its more recent history with English speakers both left their mark on the dialect. Here are everyday Iraqi words that actually came from somewhere else.
Grammar
4 min readBaghdadi, Basrawi, Mosuli: Do All Iraqis Really Speak the Same Dialect?
Iraq is home to more than one Arabic dialect. Here are some of the general, well-documented patterns that set Baghdadi, Basrawi, and Mosuli speech apart — without pretending every Iraqi fits a single box.
Phrases
3 min readChirbaaya, Ganafa, Shbaach: Iraqi Arabic Words for Your Home
From the sofa you sit on to the window you look out of, here are the everyday Iraqi Arabic words for furniture and rooms around the house.
Phrases
3 min readKhaashooga, ChaTal, Glaas: Iraqi Arabic Kitchen Words
Before you can talk about Iraqi food, you need the words for what you eat it with. Here are the everyday Iraqi Arabic words for cutlery, plates, and glassware.
Culture
4 min readInshallah, Mashallah, Wallah: What Iraqis Really Mean
Inshallah, mashallah, and wallah get said dozens of times a day in Iraq — and they rarely mean exactly what the dictionary says. Here's how Iraqis actually use them.
Phrases
3 min readYa Rouhi, Ya Omri: How Iraqis Talk to the People They Adore
Iraqi Arabic has a whole exchange of endearments built for calling someone 'my soul' or 'my life' — and getting an equally warm reply. Here's how it works.
Culture
3 min readRamadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak: An Iraqi Ramadan and Eid Exchange
From checking if a friend is fasting to wishing them a blessed Eid, here's how a typical Ramadan and Eid conversation actually sounds in Iraqi Arabic.
Culture
3 min readHaider, Zahraa, and Why Iraqis Get Called 'Abu Ali': Naming Traditions Explained
Iraqi names carry meaning, history, and sometimes a religious epithet — and once you have a child, your own name might change too. Here's how naming works in Iraq.