Iraqi Military Arabic Phrases, Vocab And Expressions
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Arabic still remains one of the highest-demand languages in the US and other Western militaries.
Because of this, there are significant salary perks for any serviceman investing their time and energy into learning Arabic, especially dialects like Iraqi (referred to as "enduring languages" for ongoing importance).
In this guide, I've listed some valuable Iraqi Arabic words and phrases for active military personnel stationed in the Gulf or Mesopotamian regions.
Ranks
These are the military rank titles in Arabic.
| English | Transliteration | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Private First Class | jundi awil | جندي اول |
| Corporal | na2ib 3arif | نائب عريف |
| Sergeant | 3arif | عريف |
| Staff Sergeant | ra2is 3arifa2 | رئيس عرفاء |
| Master Sergeant | na2ib DabiT | نائب ضابط |
| Second Lieutenant | mulazim | ملازم |
| First Lieutenant | mulazim awil | ملازم اول |
| Captain | naqib | نقيب |
| Major | ra2id | رائد |
| Lieutenant Colonel | muqadim | مقدم |
| Colonel | 3aqid | عقيد |
| Brigadier General | 3amid | عميد |
| Major General | liwa2 | لواء |
| Lieutenant General | fariq | فريق اول |
| General | fariq awil | فريق |
| General of the Air Force | muhib | مهيب |
Weapons
By no means comprehensive, but in this table, you'll find the names of common weapon names in Arabic.
| English | Transliteration | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Knife | sakina / sachina | سكينة |
| Handgun | musadis | مسدس |
| Rifle | bunduqiya | بندقية |
| Bomb | qunbula | قنبلة |
| Grenade | rumana | رمانة |
| Landmine | lughm arDi | لغم ارضي |
| Tank | dababa | دبابة |
| Bullets | Talaqaat | طلقات |
| Ammunition | 3ataad | عتاد |
| RPG | qathifa | قذيفة |
| Explosives | mutafajarat | متفجرات |
| Armored vehicle | mudara3 | مدرعة |
Imperatives (Commands)
Imperatives are short sentences, usually one or two words only, that are used to tell someone to do something.
| English | Transliteration | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Go | ru7 | روح |
| Come | ta3al | تعال |
| Hurry | ista3jil | استعجل |
| Get up | gum | قوم |
| Sit down | ugu3ud | اقعد |
| Everybody outside | Tala3u kulukum bara | طلعوا كلكم برا |
| Talk | i7ji | احجي |
| Look forward | bawa3 ligidam | باوع ليقدام |
| Eat | ukul | اكل |
| Drink | ishrab | اشرب |
| Hands up | irfa3 idayk | ارفع ايديك |
| Be quiet | uskut | اسكت |
| Come closer | itqarrab | اتقرب |
| Lay down | inbuTu7 | انبطح |
| Listen | isma3 | اسمع |
| Hands behind your back | 5ali idayk wara thahrak | خلي ايديك وراء ظهرك |
| Stop | awquf | اوقف |
| Move | it7arak | اتحرك |
| Hands up | irfa3 idayk | ارفع ايديك |
| Surrender | istislim | استسلم |
| Lower your hands | nazzal idayk | نزل ايديك |
| Go home | ru7 lil-bayt | روح لالبيت |
| Stop talking | bilaya 7aji | بليه حجي |
| Tell me | quli | قلي |
| Don't be afraid | la ti5af | لا تخاف |
| Let us pass | 5alina nafut | خلينا نفوت |
| Keep away | ibta3idi2 | ابتعد |
| Stay where you are | ibqa bimakanak | ابقه بمكانك |
| Calm down | ake this | nTiniya |
| Give it to me | a5uth hatha | اهدأ |
| Tاخذ هذا | ihda | انطينيا |
Other important military / army Arabic phrases
Here you'll find a handful of other useful Arabic expressions you may need on deployment when interacting with civilians.
Transliteration: wayn hawitak?
English meaning: Where's your ID?
Transliteration: ismak al-awil
English meaning: First name?
Transliteration: liqabak?
English meaning: Father's last name?
Transliteration: wayn mulud?
English meaning: Where were you born?
Transliteration: shnu tari5 miladak?
English meaning: Date of birth?
Transliteration: al-3anwan?
English meaning: Address?
Transliteration: al-3umur
English meaning: Age?
Transliteration: asma2 a5watak?
English meaning: Names of your siblings?
How to improve your Arabic for military service
The guide above is a good starting point.
If you want to continue your Arabic preparation, I recommend getting a copy of the Arabic Military Dictionary by Ernest Kay. This is one of the most comprehensive military dictionaries publicly available.
In addition to this, if you want to learn Iraqi Arabic or any other dialect, then create a free account with us to get started today.
