Which Arabic phrases are useful for visitors to Iraq?

Try these phrases when meeting people, shopping or asking for directions. Pronunciations are approximate.

• Hello: مرحبا, marhaba.
• Thank you: شكرا, shukran.
• At a shop: بكم هذا؟, bikam hatha? means 'How much is this?'
• To find a toilet: أين الحمام؟, ayna al-hammam?
• If you need help communicating: لا أفهم, la afham, means 'I don't understand.'

The last four examples come from a Modern Standard Arabic phrasebook, not a guide to Iraqi dialect. Local spoken words and pronunciation can differ, so you can show the Arabic text as well as say it. In Sorani-speaking parts of the Kurdistan Region, 'slaw' is a Kurdish greeting. Ask which language your host prefers rather than assuming everyone speaks Arabic.

Sources: Cultural Atlas: Iraqi greetings, Wikivoyage: Arabic phrasebook.

Checked on 2026-10-26.