أساسيات اللهجة العراقية
The Basics of Iraqi Arabic
The Arabic Semitic language is fairly closely related to, for instance, Hebrew language and the Aramaic language spoken throughout Arab world and widely known outside it.
It has been a literary language for over 1500 years, and is the liturgical language Islam.
The term Modern Standard Arabic is sometimes used in the West to refer to the language of the media as opposed to the language of “Classical” Arabic literature; Arabs make no such distinction, and regard the two as identical. The expressions Arabic and Classical Arabic usually refer to the pure Arabic language which is, according to Arabic speakers, both the language of present-day media across North Africa and the Middle East (from Morocco to Iraq) and the language of the Qur’an.
The Arabic alphabet derives from the Aramaic script (which variety, Nabataean or Syriac, is a matter of scholarly dispute), to which it bears a loose resemblance like that of Coptic or Cyrillic script to Greek script.
Arabic Speakers Around the World
Arabic is spoken in: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Gaza Strip, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank, Yemen by a majority, many other countries as a minority language.
It is estimated there are more than 230 million native speakers of all dialects of Arabic, including the Iraqi dialect (commonly called Iraqi Arabic). The nation with the most speakers is Egypt (more than 65 million); Iraq has the fourth most speakers (nearly 19 million). Many Western countries have many Arabic speakers, including France (1.4 million), Argentina (1 million) and even the United States (nearly 200,000).
Arabic Speakers in the U.S. Army
Many U.S. soldiers who serve in Iraq are either native speakers, or have been trained by the Department of Defense. They often serve as translators, linguists, analysts or military intelligence specialists. In addition, the U.S. military and State Department hire local Iraqis to serve as translators and linguists.
Even soldiers who are not formally trained to speak Iraqi Arabic are given opportunities to learn to speak the language. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad offers informal classes in the evening that soldiers can attend. The classes meet in the evening when soldiers have free time.
SPCs Lee and Gardner are both taking this class, and are available to help you if you have questions about Iraqi words (they might have to ask their instructor for help with tough questions).
Lukman Omar Salehlogan (Logan), a local translator, sits with Sergeant Maj. Marcus Doo. Logan was working in a restaurant where soldiers from an infantry battalion of the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) frequented to buy food. Logan, 15, did not speak English at the time, but his boss sent him to deliver the food and while delivering to the soldiers, they would talk in English and point to things. It took about 14 months for him to become fluent in English. He also speaks Kurdish, Arabic, and Turkish (photo by MAJ David Albano)
In addition to the classes, the local military radio station (called Armed Forces Network) has public service announcements that help soldiers learn simple words and phrases. Click on the links below to practice some of those words and phrases.
Basic Arabic Lessons
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Lesson 1
shukran: Thank you.
afwan: You’re welcome.
Click here to hear Lesson 1
Lesson 2
as-salaamu alaykum: Hello (peace be with you).
wa alaykum is-salaam: Hello (and peace be with you).
Click here to hear Lesson 2
Lesson 3
eila alliqa’a: Goodbye.
Click here to hear Lesson 3
Lesson 4
sabaah il kheer: Good morning.
masaa’ il kheer: Good evening.
Click here to hear Lesson 4
Lesson 5
ana aasif: I’m sorry.
laa mushkila: No problem.
Click here to hear Lesson 5
Lesson 6
hal tatakallem al engleezia: Do you speak English?
Click here to hear Lesson 6
Lesson 7
la atakallem al arabeeya: I don’t speak Arabic.
Click here to hear Lesson 7
Lesson 8
atakallem al qaleel min al arabeeya: I speak only a little Arabic
Click here to hear Lesson 8
Lesson 9
kayfa haluk: How are you doing?
anaa bekhayer: I’m fine.
Click here to hear Lesson 9
Lesson 10
na’am: Yes.
laa: No.
rubama: Maybe.
Click here to hear Lesson 10
Lesson 11
waahid: One
ithnayn: Two
tlaatha: Three
Click here to hear Lesson 11
Lesson 12
arba’a: Four
khamsa: Five
sita: Six
Click here to hear Lesson 12
Lesson 13
sab’a: Seven
thmaanya: Eight
tis’a: Nine
Click here to hear Lesson 13
Lesson 14
‘ahra: Ten
da’sh: Eleven
ithnas’sh: Twelve
Click here to hear Lesson 14
More lessons to follow!