Arabic dialects / Iraqi Arabic
🇮🇶 Learn Iraqi Arabic
Iraqi Arabic is the dialect of Baghdad and the wider Mesopotamian region, with a rich tradition of poetry and song and a large diaspora around the world.
What makes Iraqi Arabic distinct
- Aramaic, Persian and Turkish all left deep traces in its vocabulary.
- It has a distinctive ch sound, and its own greeting, shlonak, for "how are you".
- Few structured courses teach it, even though millions of people speak it.
Essential Iraqi Arabic phrases
These come straight from the first sections of Lahja’s Iraqi Arabic course.
| English | Say it | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | hala | هلو |
| How are you? | shlonak | شلونك |
| What's your name? | shismak | شسمك |
| Thank you | shukran | شكرا |
| Please | raja2an | رجاءً |
| I love you | ahebbak | احبك |
| Let's go | yalla | يلا |
| How much? | beysh | بيش |
| Delicious | tayeb | طيب |
| No problem | ma fi mushkila | ما في مشكلة |
In the spelling, 3 is the letter ayn, 7 is a breathy h, 2 is a glottal stop, 5 is kh and 9 is qaf.
Lahja’s Iraqi Arabic course
- 54 words and phrases across 7 sections
- 26 of those have recordings by native speakers so far, with more being added
- Short lessons, practice rounds and a test for each section
- Sections 1 to 3 are free. Pro is $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial
Best for: Iraqi heritage speakers and anyone with Iraqi family.
Questions about learning Iraqi Arabic
- Is Iraqi Arabic different from Modern Standard Arabic?
- Yes. Iraqi Arabic is the spoken language of Iraq, with its own pronunciation, grammar and everyday words. Modern Standard Arabic is the formal written language, so learning it alone will not prepare you for ordinary conversation in Iraq.
- How do I start learning Iraqi Arabic?
- Start with greetings and everyday phrases you can use straight away, and listen to native speakers as often as you can. Lahja’s Iraqi Arabic course has 54 words and phrases across 7 sections, in five minute lessons.
- Is the Iraqi Arabic course free?
- Sections 1 to 3 are free and stay free. Lahja Pro unlocks the rest for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial.
- Does the course use native Iraqi Arabic speakers?
- Yes. 26 of the 54 words in this course have recordings by native speakers so far, and more are being added.
Other dialects
Lahja teaches 11 dialects in all, including: