Languages of Iraq

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Languages of Iraq

Overview
Iraq is home to many languages. The most widely used everyday language is Mesopotamian Arabic, which acts as the country’s lingua franca. Kurdish is the main minority language spoken in the north. Other languages include Turkish (Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman dialect), various Neo-Aramaic dialects, Armenian, Shabaki, Domari, Persian (Farsi), and even English as a foreign language. Iraq’s sign language is Iraqi Sign Language.

Official languages
The 2005 Iraqi Constitution designates Arabic and Kurdish as official languages. Minority languages recognized by the constitution include Turkish, Neo-Aramaic, and Armenian. Regions can declare additional languages official through a general referendum. A law to formally define Kurdish as an official language has not been enacted as of March 2025, so Kurdish’s official status outside the Kurdistan Region remains unclear. In practice, languages may have different official or regional statuses.

Contemporary language use
- Arabic: The most spoken language, especially the Mesopotamian Arabic variety.
- Kurdish: Mainly Sorani and Kurmanji dialects.
- Turkish: Used by Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman communities.
- Neo-Aramaic: Various Neo-Aramaic languages spoken by Aramaic communities.
- Other minority languages: Shabaki, Armenian, and others.
- Writing systems: Standard Arabic uses the Arabic script; Mesopotamian Arabic uses a modified Perso-Arabic script; Kurdish (Sorani) uses its own alphabet; Neo-Aramaic uses Syriac script. Iraqi Turkmen adopted the Turkish alphabet in 1997, and by 2005 Turkish had largely replaced traditional Turkmeni in Iraqi schools. English is commonly learned as a foreign language. Sign languages include Iraqi Sign Language.

History
Ancient languages in the region were Sumerian and Akkadian (including Assyrian and Babylonian). Sumerian was gradually displaced by Akkadian around 1700 BCE, and Akkadian was later supplanted by Aramaic (from about 1200 BCE to 100 CE). All three were written in cuneiform script from about 3300 BCE onward; the last Akkadian texts date to the first century CE. Aramaic has the longest continuous written tradition, with Neo-Aramaic languages still spoken today.

Note
Iraq’s diverse linguistic landscape reflects its many communities, with Arabic and Kurdish at the core of national and regional life, and several minority languages maintaining their own distinct cultures.