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Cairo writes, Beirut prints, Baghdad reads
That old saying is about books, but it is really about people who love words. Walk down Al-Mutanabbi Street on a Friday and you see it: stalls full of books, old men arguing about poetry, students hunting for bargains, and everyone ending up at the café with a glass of chai. Iraqis love a good chat.
TalkLive is that chat, online. One tap, a real person, as long or as short as you like. Can’t talk out loud? Tap to Chat and type instead. TalkLive is busiest from 6 pm to midnight in Iraq, right after dinner.
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Speak Iraqi, not textbook
Iraqi Arabic has its own flavour, with words that people from other Arab countries love to tease. Here are the ones you will hear on every call.
Shlonak? / Shlonich?شلونك؟How are you? (to a guy / to a girl). The start of every call.
Shaku maku?شكو ماكو؟What’s new, what’s up. The most Iraqi question there is.
Aku / Makuأكو / ماكوThere is / there isn’t. "Maku mushkila" = no problem.
ZainزينGood, fine, okay. "Zain, al-hamdulillah."
HwayaهوايةA lot. "Ashkurak hwaya" = thanks a lot.
KulishكلشVery. "Kulish helw" = really nice.
KhoshخوشGood, great. "Khosh walad" = a good guy.
EiniعينيMy dear, literally "my eye". Warm and everywhere.
Egyptian friend: "Ezayak?"
Gulf friend: "Shlonak?"
Iraqi friend: "Shlonak, shaku maku, sh’akhbarak, zain? Wallah ishtaqnalak." 😂
Asking how you are is not one question in Iraq. It is a whole paragraph.
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What to talk about
Football first. Ask about the national team, the Lions of Mesopotamia, and someone will tell you exactly where they were when Iraq won the Asian Cup in 2007. Then food: masgouf by the Tigris, dolma, kleicha for Eid, and how much sugar is the right amount in chai (more). Music, uni, work, family and the best place to eat in your city will keep the call going.
Learning Arabic? Iraqi dialect is a fun one to practise. Say it upfront and people will slow down for you, maybe.
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Stay safe
Keep your full name, address, socials and workplace to yourself at first. Never share a bank code or SMS code, and leave if someone asks for money, phone credit, photos or wants to move to another app quickly. Our scam guide explains the usual tricks. Every call and chat has Report and Block, and TalkLive is for adults 18+.
Emergency: 104 police, 122 ambulance, 115 fire. Numbers can differ in the Kurdistan Region.
Questions people ask
Is TalkLive free in Iraq?
Yes. Voice and text chat are free, with no account, no phone number and no camera. Choosing Iraq as a preferred country is free too.
Can I chat in Iraqi Arabic or Kurdish?
Yes. Talk in whatever language you and your match share. You can also switch the whole site to Arabic at talklive.app/ar/.
When is Iraq busiest on TalkLive?
TalkLive is busiest between 15:00 and 21:00 UTC, which is 6 pm to midnight in Iraq. Iraq stays on UTC+3 all year.
Do I need to download an app?
No. TalkLive runs in the browser on Android, iPhone and computer, and you can add it to your home screen.
What are the emergency numbers in Iraq?
Commonly listed numbers are 104 for police, 122 for an ambulance and 115 for fire. Numbers can differ in the Kurdistan Region, so check locally.