Iraqi Arabic→English

Translate Iraqi Arabic to English the way locals mean it.

Iraqi Arabic uses routine greetings, softeners, and words like mako and khosh in ways a textbook reader can take too literally.

Going the other way? English to Iraqi Arabic

474 local dialects

AIRTranslate on iPhone choosing between Arabic varieties

What locals actually say

شلونك؟ إن شاء الله تمام

How are you? Hope you’re doing okay.

شلونك means “how are you,” but it is usually a routine greeting rather than a request for a detailed report, while إن شاء الله softens the hope that follows.

ماكو داعي تتعب روحك، آني أجيك

No need to go out of your way, I’ll come to you.

ماكو literally means “there isn’t,” but ماكو داعي means “there’s no need,” and تتعب روحك is a familiar Iraqi way to say “trouble yourself.”

خوش واحد إنت، خليتني أنتظر ساعتين

Some friend you are, you left me waiting for two hours.

خوش normally means “good” or “nice,” but in a complaint like this it is sarcastic, so the speaker is criticizing rather than praising.

أكو صرف؟

Do you have change?

أكو is the Iraqi colloquial construction for “there is” or “do you have,” signaling an Iraqi conversational register.

لف من أول فرع وخليها يمينك.

Turn at the first side street and keep it on your right.

خليها means “keep it” in Iraqi colloquial speech, while فرع is commonly used for a side street in everyday Iraqi directions.

هالمرّة الأكل مالح كلش.

This time the food is way too salty.

كلش is a strongly Iraqi colloquial intensifier meaning “very” or “way too,” especially common in conversation.

يمّه، أخوية بعده ما رجع.

Mum, my brother still hasn’t come back.

أخوية is the Iraqi affectionate form of “my brother,” and بعده signals that something is still ongoing.

اليوم الجو مغبّر، لا تطلع.

It’s dusty outside today, so don’t go out.

مغبّر is an everyday Iraqi word for dusty or hazy weather, often associated with the region’s dust storms.

Notes like these come with every AIRTranslate translation, so you learn why locals phrase it that way as you go.

How Iraqi Arabic differs

Iraqi Arabic for conversational registers (shlonak, aku/maku for there is/isn't, khosh for good); MSA for formal documents.

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Localization Notes explaining why locals say it that way