Modern Iraqi Arabic with MP3 Files is an introductory textbook—suitable for classroom or self-study—for those with no previous knowledge of Arabic or those who know Arabic but want to learn the Iraqi dialect. A detailed discussion of the consonants, vowels, and other characteristics of Iraqi phonetics—including pronunciation exercises on the CD—serves the needs of travelers, businesspeople, diplomats, archaeologists, and scholars who want to learn to speak the language quickly and efficiently.

Using the dialect of middle-class Baghdad, twenty lessons are arranged in a story-like format and are based on everyday travel situations. From arriving at the airport to getting to the hotel, students will learn proper greetings and introductions; how to ask for directions, take a taxi, and tell time; and prepare for daily activities like visiting the bank, museum, post office, and restaurants. The book contains basic dialogue, grammar, vocabulary, drills, and an extensive glossary. A section of idiomatic phrases, accompanied by their cultural, religious, or proverbial explanations, offers insight into current Iraqi culture.

NEW TO THIS EDITION: • Arabic script has been added so the reader has a choice of following the Arabic writing or the transcription in the Roman alphabet. • Four entirely new lessons cover medical care, media (radio, television, and journalism), telephone conversations, and cultural and folkloric tales. • All audio materials from the first edition—plus new audio materials for the new lessons—are included as MP3 files on a CD bound into the book.

Yasin M. Alkalesi is founder and president of Arabico, Inc., a California corporation that offers language translation, educational audiovisual materials, and crosscultural programs to American businesspeople and companies working in the Middle East. Modern Iraqi Arabic is the summation of his thirty years of experience in teaching Arabic at Yale University, the University of California, Los Angeles, Berlitz Language Centers, and Arabico.

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionArrangement of the BookList of Abbreviations and Symbols

Lesson 1: Arabic Alphabet and Vowels The Iraqi AlphabetThe Iraqi VowelsPhonetics of Iraqi Arabic: Pronunciation ExercisesDrills

Lesson 2: Greetings and Courtesy Expressions Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsSome Basic GreetingsVocabularyGrammar and Remarks • Independent Pronouns • Word Stress: Stress Syllable Idioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 3: Asking for Directions Basic DialogueVocabularyGrammar and Remarks • Attached Pronouns (Pronoun Suffixes) • The Article il-: the Idioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 4: Arrival at Baghdad Airport, Part I Basic DialogueVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• The Helping Vowels: i, u • The Negation Idioms and Common Phrases Drills Creative Dialogues

Lesson 5: Arrival at Baghdad Airport, Part II Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• The Preposition ma9a: have, with • The Preposition Prefix b- / bi-: in, by, at, with • The Noun: il-isim • The Cardinal Numerals 1-10 arqaam Idioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 6: Taking a Taxi Basic DialogueVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• The Adjective: is-sifa • The Relative Adjective• Noun-Adjective Agreement• The Word aku: there is/are• The Cardinal Numerals 11-20Idioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 7: At the Rashid Hotel Basic DialogueVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• Nouns of Occupations with Suffixes -chi and -chiyya• The Word abu: father (of)• Imperative Verb: fi9il il-amur• Cardinal Numerals 20-100Idioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 8: Introductions Basic DialogueVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• The Verb: il-fi9il• Past Tense Verb: il-fi9il il-maadi• The Regular Verb• The Hollow VerbIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 9: Speaking Arabic Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• The Past Tense Verb • The Double Verb• The Weak Verb• The Past Tense Verb with Attached PronounIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 10: Telling Time Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• Time Expressions: il-waqit• Days of the Week: ayyam lis-buu9• Months of the Year: ashhur il-sana• The Four Seasons: il-fusuul il-arba9a• The Preposition wiyya: withIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 11: Visiting the Iraqi Museum Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• The Present/Imperfect Tense Verb: il-fi9il il-mudaari9• The Present Tense Verb ParadigmIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 12: Trip to Babylon Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsVocabularyGrammar and Remarks• The Present Progressive Prefix da- -ing• The Future Verb Prefixes rahIdioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 13: At the Bank Basic DialogueAdditional Expressions of Money MattersVocabularyGrammar and Remarks • The Participle raayih: going, having gone • The Demonstrative Words: asmaa il-ishaaraIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 14: At the Post Office Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsVocabularyGrammar and Remarks • The Verb chaan / ykuun: was, were/will • The Words il, 9ind, maal: have, to Idioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 15: In the Restaurant Basic DialogueAdditional ExpressionsVocabularyAdditional Vocabulary Related to FoodGrammar and Remarks • The Preposition 9ala / 9a-: on, upon, about • The Interrogative Words: adawaat lis-tifhaamIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 16: Family and Relatives Basic DialogueAdditional Kin NamesVocabulary Grammar and Remarks • The Participle yyaa- • The Feminine "t" Ending • The idaafa ConstructionIdioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 17: Medical Care Basic DialogueAdditional Medical ExpressionsVocabularySome Additional Body PartsGrammar and Remarks • Ordinal Numbers First to Tenth • Cardinal Numbers Higher than 100 • Counting: hsaabIdioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 18: Media: Radio, Television and Journalism Basic DialogueVocabularyAdditional Vocabulary on MediaGrammar and Remarks • Comparative and Superlative • The ColorsIdioms and Common PhrasesDrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 19: Telephone Conversations Basic DialogueVocabularyAdditional Vocabulary and Phrases on TelephoneGrammar and Remarks • Conditional Sentences (if) • The Relative Pronoun (i)lliIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Lesson 20: Cultural and Folkloric Tales The Story of the Caliph Harun ir-Rashid and Abu NuwasVocabularyThe Story of the Lion and the WolfVocabularyGrammar and Remarks • ConjunctionsIdioms and Common Phrases DrillsCreative Dialogues

Glossary Arabic-EnglishEnglish-Arabic