Kurdish Language

For an academic overview of Sorani Kurdish, click here.

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Pronunciation key:

ḥ: rough h

i : ee

e : ay (like in pray)

u: oo

a: ah (like in tall)

e: halfway between a short “e” and a short “a”

o: long “o” (like in coal)

i : short i (pinch)

u: short u (like punch)

zh: french j (like in joie)

CAPITAL LETTERS are stressed.

Numbers

• sifir ٠‎ = 0
• yek ١ = 1
• ‎du ٢‎ = 2
• ser ٣‎ = 3
• chwar ٤ = 4
• ‎pensch ٥‎ = 5
• shesh ٦ = 6
• ‎haut ٧ = 7
• ‎hasht ٨ = 8
• ‎no ٩ = 9
• milluwen = million
• billuwen = billion

VERBS

hAt’n: to come

rani berdu: present tense (to make negative, add na in front – m’n nay’m, etc)

m’n y’m: I come

to yait: you come

ow ya: he/she comes

ema yain: we come

ewa/awan y’n: you all/they come

raberdu: past tense (to make negative, add n’ in front – m’n n’y’m, etc)

m’n hat’m: I came

to habit: you came

ow hat: he/she came

ema hatin: we came

ema/awan hat’n: you all/they came

daḥuazi: imperative

(to) wera: (you) come!

(ewa) wer’n: (you all) come!

(to) meta: (you) don’t come!

(ewa) mey’n: (you all) don’t come!

TO WANT

rani berdu: present tense

m’n emowey: I want

to atewey: you want

ow eawey: he/she wants

ema amanewey: we want

ewa atenewey: you all want

away eanewey: they want

To go

raberdu: past tense

m’n rosht’m: I went

to roshtin

ow rosht

ema roshtin

ewa/awan rosht’n

m’n chum

to chuit

ow chu

ema chuin

ewa/awan chun

To Be Tired

Present Tense:

m’n hilak’m

to hilakit

ow hilaka

ema hilakin

ewa/awan hilak’n

 

Past Tense

m’n hilakbum

to hilakbuit

ema hilakbuin

ow hilakbu

ewa/awan hilakbun

To Want

m’n emowey to atewey ow eawey ema amanewey ewa atenewey awan eanewey

To Be Sad

betaqetm: I’m sad

betaqetit: to

betaqeta: ow

betaqetim: ema

betaqet’n: ewa, awan

To Go

rrosht’n: to go

rrani birdu

m’n arrom	ema arroin
to arroit	ewa arron
ow arrwat	awan arron

chun: to go

m’n ach’m	ema achin
to achit	ewa ach’n
ow achet	awan ach’n

Owhawa (Ow U Hawa): Weather

ḥor: sunny

hewr: cloudy

tem: foggy

dukal: smoggy

rashaba: windy

baran: rain

baran abarit: it’s raining (rain falls)

befer: snow

terza: hail

hewra trishqa: lightning

hewra bruska: lightning

ḥol: düst

sarda: it’s cold

mang: moon

zopa: oil heater

heater: electric heater (ishakat b’karaba – it runs on electricity)

CLASSROOM

du kteb: two books

taḥta sar: whiteboard eraser

hasiba: calculator

CLOTHES

miluwanka: necklace

baz’n: bracelet

guara: earring

mistila: ring

alqa: wedding ring

HOUSE

malito: your house

serban: roof

saqaf: ceiling

zhur: room

SITTING ROOM/ LIVING ROOM

zhuri danishten: sitting room

qanafa: couch

table lamp: table lamp

glop: floor lamp/ceiling light/light fixture

perda: curtain

gosha: couch pillow

panjara: window

qamus: dictionary (Arabic)

ferhang: dictionary (Kurdish – not used)

panka: fan

balan: but

mom: candle

ferish: rug

kumbar: carpet

ras’m: picture

aris: ground/floor

BEDROOM

Zhuri nusten: bedroom

sisal: bed

serin: bed pillow

batani: blanket

dolap: dresser

chakmazha: drawer

seyara: car

taya: wheel

dOshek: mattress

Awena: mirror

shana: brush/comb

charchaf: sheet

plak: plug

KITCHEN

matbaḥ: kitchen

kawAnter: counter

sini: placemat

ḥowli: towel

tabaḥ: stove

fran: oven

klinex: paper towel

selaja: fridge

sAbata: basket

chanta: bag

belu’a: faucet

shweni baHArat: spice rack

dest gir: potholder

qtu: can

taḥtai shit jinin: cutting board

reberi chest lenAn: cookbook

reber: recipe

sink: sink

matbaḥ: kitchen

chatal: fork

qap: plate

chaqo: knife

kowchik: spoon

kup: cup

perdaḥ: glass

piala: tea glass

zher piala: saucer

qapi qul: bowl (deep plate)

guldan: flowers in vase

qori: teapot

kitri: kettle

dulka: pitcher

sini: tray

such: corner

deser: napkin

zalata: salad

sermez: tablecloth

sifra: one-use tablecloth

FOOD

mrishik: chicken

kera: butter

ḥue: salt

chesht lenan: cooking

baHArat: spice

shakir: sugar

VEGETABLES

sauza: vegetable

genma shami: corn, popcorn

broccoli: broccoli

garnabit: cauliflower

spinakh: spinach

kerawiz: parsley

bayinjan: eggplant

kahu: lettuce

keler’m: cabbage

kulaka: zucchini

sir: garlic

bazalia: pea

lobia: string bean

fasolia: white kidney bean

kheyar: cucumber

gezer: carrot

tur: radish

qAchik: mushroom

biber: bell pepper

biberitun: spicy pepper

piaz: onion

tarapiaz: scallion

shel’m: turnip

PLACES

ktebkhana: library

nakhoshkhana: hospital

frokakhana: airport

matarr: airport

mat’am: restaurant

cheshtkhana: restaurant (not used)

jAda: street

lade: village

shakh: mountain

TIME

charek: quarter

nyu: half

charek bo se: a quarter to three

sa’at chana?: what time is it?

duenya: yesterday

beyani: tomorrow

am shao: tonight

duenya shao: last night

am beyania: this morning

peshu: last (week, evening, etc)

hafte peshu: last week

hafte dahatu: next week

hamu rozhek: every day

yak jar b’hafte: once a week

key: when

linja: then

kaytir: next (like next week – same as dahatu)

until: ta

FAMILY

ḥeyazan: family

bauk: dad

bauk’m: my dad

dayik: mom

nenek: gramma

bapir: grandpa

mom: uncle on dad’s side

khal: uncle on mom’s side

pur: aunt (on either side)

kitch: girl/daughter

kurr: boy/son

menal: child

COLORS

rangakan: colors

pameyi: pink

qaweyi: brown

zerd: yellow

shin: blue

nili: navy

pirtaqali: orange

rasasi: gray

mor: purple

beiji: beige

tokh: dark

kal: light

sauzi tokh: dark green

SEASONS

werezakan: seasons

bahar: spring

hAwin: season

autumn: paiz

winter: zistan

DIRECTIONS

reyk: straight

desti chap: left

desti rrast: right

leser: above/on

lezher: below/under

laberd’m: in front of

lepisht: behind

tenisht: next to/beside

enow: in

leneyowan: between

lebeni: between

hamu shwenek: everywhere

nizik: near

dura: it’s far

USEFUL WORDS & PHRASES

chi tir: what else?

zora: too much

haz’m lei niya: I don’t like

te ageit? : do you understand?

tozek: a little

nakhosha: confusing

bata’akid: of course

hey a: there is

qayna: it’s ok

qsamaka: don’t speak

laberewey: because

laberawa: so…

atwanit bi goritEwa bo m’n? : will you exchange this (money) for me?

Key habit bo ira? when did you come here?

du mang lemeo pesh hat’m : i came here 2 months ago

hasit la kurdistan? do you like kurdistan?

bale, zor haz’m la kurdistan: yes, I like Kurdistan a lot

m’nish khosh hallum : nice to meet you too

y’m – I come

hat’m – I came

sai akam – I study

sa’im kird – I studied (but say “sa’im kurt)

tenHa – only

bes – only

meshkhul – busy

rani berdu:

meshkhul’m: mn

meshkulit: to

meshkhul’a: ow

meshkhul’im: ema

meshkhul’n: ewa/awan

rani berdu, negated:

meshkhulnim: I’m not busy

meshkhulnit: to

meshkhulnia: ow

meshkhulnin: ema/ewa/awan

raberdu

meshkhulbum: mn

meshkhulbu: ow

meshkhulbuit: to

meshkhulbuin: ema

meshkhulbun: ewa/awan

raberdu, negated:

meshkhuln’bum: mn

meshkhuln’buit: to

meshkhuln’bu: ow

meshkhuln’buin: ema

meshkhuln’bun: ewa/awan

bashnim: I’m not good

d’lkhosh’m: I’m happy

d’l: heart

d’lshad: I’m happy

shad: happy, nice (like khosha)

tazeya bo mn: it’s new for me

wokuyek bo: similar to, same as

ama bachana: how much is this?

ager: if

zor: more

hawa: air

am hafteya: this week

am manga: this month

zor baran bari: it rained a lot

zhin: woman

piaw: man

bir’mchoa: I forget

pare: money

pere: paper

taplaq: little table

herwaha: also, too

lesh: body

hamam: bathroom, shower

beyekawa: together

ferishi hamam: bathmat

makhsal: WC sink

mujafifa: blow dryer

kieshana: scale

teraza: fruit/veggie scale

shampoi dest: liquid soap

falchaidan: toothbrush

dermanidan: toothpaste

jil: clothes

injana: potted plant