Phrases
Counting Like an Iraqi: Numbers 1 to 20 in Iraqi Arabic
تلاثة
tlatha
Three (Iraqi)
The numbers that change in Iraqi
Most numbers are the same as Standard Arabic, but a few sound distinctly Iraqi. Three is تلاثة (tlatha) instead of 'thalatha'. Eight is ثمانية (thmania), pronounced 'th-ma-nia' with the middle syllable dropped. Ask 'how many' with كم؟ (cham?) using the Iraqi 'ch' sound.
تلاثة
tlatha
Three (Iraqi: tlatha vs thalatha)
ثمانية
thmania
Eight
كم؟
cham?
How many?
Iraqi 'ch' instead of 'k'
11 to 19: The 'ash suffix
Iraqi numbers 11-19 add the suffix -عش (-'ash) to the base. Eleven is إحدعش (ihda'ash), colloquially shortened to da'ash. Twelve is ثنعش (thna'ash), thirteen is تلطّعش (tlatta'ash), and so on up to تساطعش (tisa-ta'ash) for nineteen.
إحدعش
ihda'ash
Eleven (colloquially 'da'ash')
ثلطّعش
tlatta'ash
Thirteen
عشرين
ishreen
Twenty
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