Phrases
Beesh? How to Shop and Haggle in Iraqi Arabic
بيش
beesh
How much? (Iraqi)
The first word you need: Beesh
Where other dialects say 'bi-kam' or 'adi sham', Iraqis ask بيش (beesh) — a short, punchy word for 'how much?' You'll hear it constantly in the سوق (soog), which is the word for market (pronounced with a 'g' sound in Iraqi).
بيش
beesh
How much?
سوق
soog
Market
Iraqi 'g' instead of 'q'
بيش هذا؟
beesh hadha?
How much is this?
Money and prices
Money in Iraqi is فلوس (fuloos). 'Change' (coins or small notes) is خردة (khurda). If something is too expensive, say غالي كلش (ghali kulish) — 'very expensive.' If it's cheap, say رخيص (rakhees). To ask for a discount, the word is خصم (khasm).
فلوس
fuloos
Money
غالي كلش
ghali kulish
Very expensive
رخيص
rakhees
Cheap
خردة
khurda
Change (coins)
Useful buying phrases
To say 'I want to buy', use أريد أشتري (areed ashtari). 'Give me' is إنطيني (in-teenee). Checking for authenticity? Ask if something is أصلي (asli) — 'original' — or تقليد (taqleed) — 'fake' or 'imitation.'
اريد اشتري
areed ashtari
I want to buy
انطيني
in-teenee
Give me
أصلي
asli
Original / Authentic
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