Kurmanji Kurdish

A Reference Grammar
with Selected Readings

W. M. Thackston

ii

CONTENTS
PHONOLOGY
Alphabet and sounds ......................................................................................1
The aspirated and unaspirated stops ...............................................................3
Stress ..............................................................................................................4
Orthographic variants .....................................................................................4
Doubled consonants .......................................................................................4
The furtive i....................................................................................................4
SUBSTANTIVES
1. The Noun .................................................................................................7
1.1. Gender ..................................................................................................7
1.2. Inflection ..............................................................................................7
2. Demonstrative Adjectives and Her Every ............................................9
3. The Indefinite State ...............................................................................10
4. The Primary Construct Case .................................................................11
4.1 The Adjectival Construct ....................................................................12
5. The Secondary Construct: The Construct Extender ..............................14
6. Synopsis of Noun States of Cases .........................................................16
7. Personal Pronouns .................................................................................17
7.1 The Reflexive Pronoun Xwe ................................................................19
8. Prepositions, Postpositions, Circumpositions .......................................19
8.1. Contracted Prepositions .....................................................................21
9. Numbers ................................................................................................21
9.1. Ordinal Numbers ................................................................................24
9.2. Months of the Year and Days of the Week ........................................25
9.3. Telling Time .......................................................................................26
10. Comparative and Superlative Adjectives ............................................26
iii

THE VERB
11. Present Copulas ...................................................................................29
12. To Have and the Existential Verb Hebn .........................................30
13. The Infinitive .......................................................................................31
14. The Present Tense ...............................................................................32
15. Compound Verbs ................................................................................34
16. The Formation of the Present Subjunctive ..........................................35
16.1 Uses of the Present Subjunctive ........................................................37
16.2. The Future Tense..............................................................................40
16.2. Xwestin To Want ...........................................................................41
16.3. Karn To Be Able ..........................................................................41
17. The Imperative ....................................................................................42
17.1. The Vocative ....................................................................................43
18. The Simple Past (Intransitive) .............................................................43
18.1. The Past Habitual/Progressive (Intransitive) ...................................44
18.2 The Simple Past (Transitive): The Ergative ......................................45
18.3 Number Agreement in Extended Ergative Verbs..............................48
18.4 The Past Tense of Xwestin ................................................................49
18.5. Loss of Ergativity .............................................................................49
19. The Past Participle...............................................................................49
20. The Present Perfect Tense (Intransitive) .............................................50
20.1. The Present Perfect Tense (Transitive/Ergative) .............................50
21. The Past Perfect Tense (Intransitive) ..................................................52
21.1. The Past Perfect Tense (Transitive/Ergative) ..................................53
21.2. The Past Perfect Tense of Karn and Zann .....................................57
22. The Past Subjunctive ...........................................................................55
23. The Future Perfect Tense ....................................................................56
24. The Modal of Karn ............................................................................57
25. The Irrealis Mood ................................................................................57
25.1. The Past Conditional ........................................................................58
iv

 25.2. The Past Perfect Conditionals ..........................................................59

26. The Passive Voice ...............................................................................62
27. Postposed Verbal Complements .........................................................63
28. Factitive Verbs ....................................................................................64
28.1. The Periphrastic Factitive Construction ...........................................65
OTHER SYNTACTICAL FEATURES
29. Subordinate Clauses and Subordinating Conjunctions .......................66
30. Relative Clauses ..................................................................................67
31. The Emphatic J ..................................................................................70
32. Expressions of Temporal Duration .....................................................71
33. Sequence of Tenses after Past Verbs of Perception ............................71
34. Questions with Ma ..............................................................................72
Synopsis of Verb Tenses and Moods ...........................................................74
Common Verbs with Irregular Present Stems ..............................................79
Conversion Table for Arabic and Cyrillic ....................................................81
Grammatical and Orthographic Differences between Standard Kurmanji
and Ex-Soviet Kurmanji .......................................................................83
READINGS
Qedrcan, Rojn Derbasby ...............................................................86
Osman Sebr, ar Leheng: Leheng I: Ferzende Beg .........................91
Kurdo Husn, Baoke ........................................................................94
ahn B. Sorekl, Vegera Mal ........................................................101
Cumhriyeta Kurd ya Mehabad ...................................................107
Firat Cewer, Kzika Bnav ............................................................111
__________, Li Mala Rewen Bedir-Xan .......................................116
__________, Sedsaliya Celadet Al Bedir-Xan...............................120
Nredn Zaza, Xurd ......................................................................130
__________, Gul ...........................................................................133
Zeynelabdn Zinar, Bav Naz .......................................................138
v

Mahmut Baks, ar Aliy Me Agir E ..............................................145

Hesen Met, Labrenta Cinan ...........................................................152
Reading Selections in Cyrillic-Script Kurmanji
........................................................................157
..........................................................................158
............................................162
: - ....................................................165
: .......................................173
Reading Selections in Arabic-Script Kurmanji
Celadet Ali Bedir-Xan, -. , (# #/Kurd Kurdistan
Bi av Biyaniyan .........................................................................175
__________, ( /x Evdirehman Garis
Rehmet ...................................................................................180
Perwz Cihan, /Gur Tekane ...........................................187
KurdishEnglish Vocabulary .....................................................................196
Ex-Soviet KurdishEnglish Vocabulary ....................................................245
General Index .............................................................................................264

vi

PREFACE
KURDISH BELONGS to the Western Iranian group of the Indo-Iranian branch
of the Indo-European family. The two principal branches of modern literary
Kurdish are (1) Kurmanji, the language of the vast majority of Kurds in
Turkey, Syria, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, and of a few in Iraq and Iran, the
area designated by Kurdish nationalists as North Kurdistan (Kurdistana
Bakr),1 with an estimated fifteen to seventeen million speakers, and (2)
Sorani, the language of most Kurds in Iraq (four to six million speakers)
and Iran (five to six million speakers), the area designated as South
Kurdistan (Kurdistana Bar). Although the two languages are closely
related, Kurmanji and Sorani are not mutually intelligible and differ at the
basic structural level as well as in vocabulary and idiom. Since all varieties
of Kurdish are not only closely related to Persian but have also been mas1
The line dividing Kurmanji from Sorani runs roughly diagonally from northeast
to southwest. The extreme northwest of Iran and the northernmost tip of Iraq fall
into the Kurmanji-speaking area. An article in Hawar (No. 2 [1932], p. 9) explains
the geographical distribution as follows: La langue Kurde se divise en trois dialectes principaux: 1- Le dialecte du Nord, 2- Le dialecte du Sud, 3- Le dialecte du
Nord-Ouest. (1) Le dialecte du nord est parl par tous les Kurdes du Kurdistan
occup par les turcs, par les Kurdes de la Caucasie jusqu Kere-Bax [Qarabagh],
par ceux de la rpublique dErivan, par les Kurdes de la Syrie, par une partie des
Kurdes de lIrak habitant le Mont Sindjar et la contre situe au nord dune ligne
partant du sud du Sindjar par Mosil, et atteignant lest la ville de Rewandiz,
ensuite par les Kurdes de la Perse habitant le nord et louest du lac de Urm, par les
Kurdes du Khorasan, au nord-est de la Perse. (2) Le dialecte du sud est parl par
les Kurdes de lIrak et de la Perse partir du sud de la ligne MosilRewandiz et du
lac de Urm vers le sud et sud-est, jusquaux limites mridionales des Kurdes
Bextiyar. (3) Le dialecte Nord-ouest est le dialecte des Kurdes Dumil. Du Dumil
on ne peut pas tracer une limite fixe quelconque, parce que trop melang avec les
Kurdes Qurdmanc parlant le dialecte du Nord le Qurdmanc. Tout de mme les
points de condensation de ce dialecte sont: Drsm, Palo, Genc, epekr, Maden,
Pran, Egil, Swereq, Par, ermiq.

vii

KURMANJI KURDISH
sively influenced by Persian, the dominant literary and cultural language of
the area for the last millennium, Kurdish is best approached with a knowledge of Persian, and for that reason reference to Persian syntax has been
freely made throughout the presentation of the grammar.
Sorani has been the second official language of Iraq since the creation of
that country after World War I and has many decades of literary activity
behind it. Kurmanji, which was given its present written form by Jeladet Ali
Bedir-Khan in the early 1930s, is still far from being a unified, normalized,
or standardized language. For historical and political reasons it has not been
a written means of communication in the largest area in which it is spoken,
and only recently has publication in Kurmanji begun in earnestand that
mostly among migr communities in Europe, Sweden in particular. With
the abundance of regional dialects, it is not possible to give a description of
all the variants that may be encountered, although every effort has been
made to describe the main ones that occur in the written language. There
are, for example, regions in which the umlauted of Turkish is a regular
feature of the spoken language, but it is not indicated in the writing system.
There are areas in which Kurdish has become so inextricably entangled with
Turkish and/or Arabic and/or Persian that the grammatical structure of the
language has been affected, while the Kurmanji of former Soviet areas like
Azerbaijan and Armenia, which has been written in Cyrillic letters since the
late 1930s, has been influenced by Russian.1 The language described herein
is, to the extent possible, what has been adopted as a norm by the majority
of writers.
The readings, chosen to give samples of a broad range of prose writing,
are provided with running vocabulary glosses beneath the texts, and the
glosses in the readings are also contained in the KurdishEnglish vocabulary at the end of the book. Words considered to be absolutely basic vocabulary are not glossed in the notes, since it is assumed that these words either
are known already or will be actively acquired by looking them up in the
1
Like most regional and ethnic languages of the early Soviet Union that did not
have a traditional alphabet and a long history of literature, Kurmanji was given a
Latin-based alphabet in 1929, but it, like the others, was Cyrillicized by Stalins
decree in 1937. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has switched to a
modified Latin alphabet, and it is assumed that the little Kurdish written in Azerbaijan has followed suit. Kurdish produced in Armenia is now written in both Cyrillic
and a slightly modified form of the normal Latin Kurmanji letters (see the conversion table for Arabic and Cyrillic on p. 80).

viii

PREFACE
vocabulary in the back. Generally words are not glossed more than once in
the notes because any word encountered a second time should be learned
actively. Words are glossed after the first instance only if they are rare
enough to warrant being ignored for acquisition. The KurdishEnglish
vocabulary contains over 3,000 words, which should represent a good basic
working vocabulary for the language.
Kurmanji has been and is written in a variety of alphabets. Foremost
today is the Kurmanji used in Turkey and Europe, which is written in a
modified Turkish Latin alphabet. In Armenia and Azerbaijan,1 Kurmanji is
written in Cyrillic letters, and enough readings in Cyrillic Kurmanji have
been given, together with a brief analysis of the main differences between
Turkey Kurmanji and ex-Soviet Kurmanji, to enable the student to develop
a facility in reading that medium. There were once Kurdish-speaking Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, and they wrote Kurmanji in the Armenian
alphabet. With the exception of Syria, Kurmanji is not widely spoken in
countries that use the Arabic alphabet, and since Syrian Kurds use the Latin
script when they write Kurdish, the Arabic script is little used for modern
Kurmanji. In the early days of literary Kurdish, however, when the Arabic
alphabet was still widely known in Turkey and Latin-script Kurdish was
new in Syria, Arabic was used in tandem with the Latin. Two articles by
Jeladet Ali Bedir-Khan from early issues of the journal Hawar, when it was
published in both alphabets, are given as examples. Some Iranian Kurdish
journals include a few pages of Arabic-script Kurmanji for the Kurmanjispeaking Kurds who live in Iran, and a specimen of this type, a story by
Perwz Chan, is given at the end of the reading selections both in the
Sorani-based Arabic script in which it was printed in the Iranian Kurdish
journal Sirwe in 1990 and in the Latin Kurmanji in which it was reprinted in Alole (pp. 2327), a collection of his stories published by Doz
Yaynlar in Istanbul in 2005. There are some minor differences between
the two versions, and they are signaled by asterisks in the Latin text.
The readings, chosen to give a fair sample of the range of prose writing

The major concentrations of Kurdish population in the former Soviet Union are
in Armenia and Azerbaijan. From 1923 to 1929 there was an autonomous Kurdish
region in Azerbaijan called Kurdistana Sor (Red Kurdistan). There are a few Kurds
in Georgia, and there is a Kurmanji-speaking Kurdish population of more than half a
million people in northeastern Iran and Turkmenistan, to which they were exiled in
the seventeenth century.

ix

KURMANJI KURDISH
today, are provided with running glosses beneath the texts, and the glosses
in the readings are also contained in the KurdishEnglish vocabulary at the
end of the book. Words considered to be absolutely basic vocabulary are not
glossed in the notes, since it is assumed that these words either are known
already or will be actively acquired as they occur. Generally words are not
glossed more than once in the notes because any word encountered a second
time should be learned actively. Words are glossed after the first instance
only if they are considered rare enough to warrant being ignored for acquisition. The readings and biographical sketches of authors have been taken
mainly from Mehmet Uzun, Antolojiya Edebiyata Kurd, 2 vols. (Istanbul:
Tmzamanlar Yaynclk, 1995), which may be consulted for further reading. The readings in Cyrillic Kurmanji, which have not been glossed but
have a separate vocabulary at the end of the book, have been taken from
Rya Teze, a Kurdish newspaper published in Armenia.
For dictionaries of Kurmanji, the following may be consulted:
Chyet, Michael L. KurdishEnglish Dictionary. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.
, .
. Ufa, 2000.
zoli, D. Ferheng KurdiTrki TrkeKrte. Istanbul: Deng Yaynlar, 1992. A comprehensive dictionary for those who know Turkish. Unfortunately the gender of Kurdish nouns is not indicated.
, . . - . Moscow,
1960.
Rizgar, Baran. KurdishEnglish EnglishKurdish Dictionary. London:
M. F. Onen, 1993. With around 25,000 Kurdish words and phrases,
this is a useful dictionary for reading.
Saadallah, Salah. Saladins EnglishKurdish Dictionary. Istanbul:
Avesta, 2000. Contains around 80,000 entries.
, .
. Moscow: , 2001.
For on-line and downloadable dictionaries and word lists for Kurdish and
a variety of languages, see www.ferheng.org.

The Phonology of Kurmanji Kurdish

Alphabet and sounds. The Kurdish alphabet is based on the Turkish adaptation of the Latin alphabet, and for the most part words are written as they
are pronounced, although there are several important features that are not
indicated in the writing system. These are noted below. International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) equivalents are given in square brackets.
Vowels:

u
o
a

is like the ee in beet, IPA [i], as in nv [niv] half.

is like the i in bit, IPA [I] as in dil [dIl] heart; in closed syllables
ending in m, i is often pronounced as a close central unrounded vowel
[], i.e. very close to the Turkish , as in vedixwim [vQdIxwm] I
drink.

is like the ai in bait, IPA [e], without the y-offglide of English, as in

hz [hez] power.

is like the a in bat, IPA [Q],1 as in berhem [bQRhQm] product, except (1) in the sequence ew, where it is pronounced [] as in ew [w]
that and dewlet [dwlQt] state, (2) when it is followed by y but not
in the same syllable, in which case it is pronounced like the e in bet
[E], as in odeya [odEyA] room, and (3) in post-stress positions, particularly word-finally, where it is pronounced [E], as in mirvek [mIro-

The [Q] pronunciation of this vowel is taken as standard; for many speakers,
however, it is closer to [E], the vowel of English bet, in all environments.

KURMANJI KURDISH
vEk] a man and de [dItSE] he goes.

is like the oo in boot, IPA [u], as in bn [bun] to be.

is like the u in put and bull, IPA [U], as in du [dU] two; the sequences gu and ku are pronounced by some as [gE] and [kE], particularly in closed syllables like gur wolf, pronounced either [gER] or
[gUR].

is like the oa in boat, IPA [o], without the w-offglide of English, as

in nod [nod] ninety.

is like the a in father and balm, IPA [A], as in bav [bAv] father.

Consonants:
bilabial labiodental dental/alveolar
plosive

k, k

h, h

approximate

b
c

d
f
g
h

uvular glotto-pharyngeal

t, t

nasal

lateral

velar

p, p

fricative

flap, trill

palatal

n
y
r, r
l

is the b of English [b]

is pronounced like the j in judge [dZ]
is the aspirated ch like the ch in church [tSH] (see below)
is the unaspirated ch of English eschew plus pharyngealization [tS]
(see below)
is like the d of English [d]
is like the f of English [f]
is the hard g of English, as in go [g]
is like the h of English [h]
2

PHONOLOGY
is pronounced, in areas in which it occurs, like the of Arabic (a voiceless pharyngeal fricative, []); in areas where it is not so pronounced, it
is not differentiated from h
j is the j of French, the English g in beige [Z]
k is the aspirated k of English key [kH] (see below)
k is the unaspirated k of English sky plus pharyngealization [k] (see
below)
l is a liquid l as in Persian, like the l in lee [l]
m is the m of English [m]
n is the n of English [n]
p is the aspirated p of English pie [pH] (see below)
p is the unaspirated p of English spy plus pharyngealization [p] (see
below)
q is a voiceless uvular stop, like the Arabic [ q]; it is pronounced like
k but farther back in the throat
r is a flap as in Persian and Italian [R]; does not occur word-initially
r is a trill, like the rr of Spanish [r]; all initial rs are trilled; the trilled r
is only sporadically indicated in the orthography by rr (e.g. pir very,
which is sometimes written pirr), otherwise it is not indicated in the
writing system
s is the s of English [s]
is pronounced like the sh in ship [S]
t is the aspirated t of English tie [tH] (see below)
t is the unaspirated t of English sty plus pharyngealization [t] (see
below)
v is the v of English [v]
w is the w of English we [w] except before i, , and , when it is a
close back unrounded semivowel [], like the u in French cuire and
huit
x is pronounced like the ch in German Bach and the Arabic , a voiceless uvular fricative [x]
x is a voiced uvular fricative [], the ghayn ( )of Arabic; it is the voiced
counterpart to x
h

KURMANJI KURDISH
y
z

is the y of English yes [j]; also indicates the diphthongs ay and ey

is the z of English [z]
is not part of the orthographic system, but it is given in the vocabulary
to indicate the Arabic ayn (). In parts of the Kurmanji-speaking area,
particularly those closer to Arabic-speaking areas, the ayn is pronounced as in Arabic (a voiced pharyngeal fricative, []). Vowels pronounced with a preceding ayn are marked with an underscore (e = e,
as in ereb Arab)

The aspirated and unaspirated stops.

p, t, k, and are aspirated stops, as in English pie, tie, key, and chew
p, t, k, and are unaspirated stops, as in English spy, sty, and ski, and
eschew, and are accompanied by slight pharyngealization. They are
not indicated in the writing system, and they are not universally observed by all speakers, but where they occur they contrast on the phonemic level. They are indicated in the this book by an underscore: cf.
plav [pHelAv] wave and plav [pelAv] shoes, kal [kHAl] unripe
and kal [kAl] old man, tn [tHin] thirst and tn [tin] heat, al
[tSHAl] speckled and al [tSAl] pit, well
Stress. All nouns and adjectives are lightly stressed on the final syllable.
Most grammatical elements added to nouns (-ek, -, -a) are enclitic and thus
unstressed (mirv > mirvek, gnd > gnd, od > odya), with the exception of the plural suffixes -n and -an, which are stressed (krd > kurdn,
kurdn).
The hierarchy of stress in verbs is as follows:
(1) The negative prefixes na- and ne-, as in nim [nAtSm] I dont
go and n [nQtSu] he didnt go.
(2) Preverbs like ve-, hil-, da-, and wer-, as in vdixwim [vQdIxwm]
I drink, hldidin [hIldIdIn] they lift, dqurtand [dAqURtAnd] swallowed it, and wrgerand [wQRgQrAnd] translated it.
(3) The modal prefixes di- and bi-, as in daxiftim [dIAxIftm] I was
speaking, and baxive [bIAxIvE] let him speak.
4

PHONOLOGY
(4) When there are no prefixes on finite verbal forms, the final syllable
of the verb stem is stressed, as in axftine [AxIftInE] they have spoken.
(5) The infinitive is stressed on the final syllable, as in axiftn [AxIftIn]
to speak.
Orthographic variants. Some writers prefer to use the Turkish undotted
for i and the dotted i for . They write dizanim as dzanm and zann as
zanin.
Doubled consonants. Doubled consonants are quite rare in Kurdish, and
almost all the doubled consonants of Arabic and Persian loanwords are
reduced to a single consonant, e.g. muddat > mudet, mull > mele,

muassasa > muesese, and shiddat > idet. The few double consonants that survive are in learned borrowings like ummet religious community, welle by God, seff class, and muswedde draft copy.
The furtive i. Kurdish does not tolerate all final consonant clusters. When
an intolerable final consonant cluster appears, it is broken by the vowel i,
called the furtive i, which disappears when a vowel-initial enclitic or suffix is added to the word. Words like aql mind, intelligence, esl origin,
emr age, and emr order are aqil, esil, emir, and emir1 when by themselves or when followed by a consonant-initial suffix (aqil mind, kmaqil
foolish, ew kmaqil b he was foolish, and aqilmend intelligent). When
followed by a vowel-initial enclitic or suffix the i is dropped, as in aql te
your mind, ew kmaql e he is foolish, kmaql foolishness, bi esl xwe
in ones origin, originally, emr min my age and emra serdar commanders order. The furtive i is indicated in the vocabulary by an italicized
i, e.g. aqil, esil, emir, fhim. Kurdish writers are not in agreement on the

Aqil mind (with furtive i), from the Arabic , is to be distinguished from the
homograph aqil that means intelligent, reasonable (from the Arabic S). The latter
is stable as aqil even in compounds (aqilane intelligently). There are two words
spelled emir, emir (a variant of umr )age and emir (from the Arabic )order;
they both contain furtives is.
1

KURMANJI KURDISH
writing of the furtive i, and many omit it, particularly when it is unstressed,
i.e. some write ez fhim dikim I understand while others write ez fhm
dikim.
For practicing Kurdish pronunciation, there are stories with printed text
and audio available on the internet at www.dibistanakurdi.com. For the
stories, select rok in the Hilbijart list. The words in the stories are
included in the vocabulary at the end of the book.

THE GRAMMAR OF KURMANJI KURDISH

SUBSTANTIVES

1. The Noun. A Kurdish noun in the absolute state, i.e. without any ending of any kind, gives (1) the generic sense of the noun and (2) the definite
sense. It is also the lexical form of the noun, i.e. the form in which a noun
is given in a vocabulary list or dictionary. Thus, a noun like kitb book
may, depending upon the context, mean books (in general) or the book
(the one that has already been introduced). There are no articles of any kind
in Kurdish.
1.1. Gender. All Kurmanji nouns are either masculine or feminine. Each
and every word must be learned along with its gender, and there is little
helpful that can be said concerning determining gender, as grammatical
gender appears to be randomly assigned. Beings that are male or female by
nature are assigned to the corresponding grammatical gender class, and as a
rule, the names of towns, cities, and countries are feminine; all abstract
nouns ending in - are feminine; all infinitives used as nouns are feminine;
and nouns ending in vowels tend to be feminine.
Words borrowed from Arabic, which has gender, do not necessarily correspond to the gender assignment in Arabic. Kitb book is feminine in
Kurdish; the Arabic word from which it is derived, $
$ kitb, is masculine.
Words borrowed from Persian and Turkish, neither of which has gender, are
randomly assigned gender.
1.2. Inflection. Nouns are inflected in four cases, nominative, oblique,
construct, and vocative. The construct case will be treated in 4 below, and
the vocative will be treated in 17.1.
There are no particular endings for the nominative, and the nominative
7

KURMANJI KURDISH
plural is identical to the nominative singular. Nouns are actually masculine
or feminine only in the singular; the plural is common, and there is no gender differentiation of plural nouns.
In the oblique case, feminine singular nouns add unstressed - (or -y if
the noun ends in a vowel; feminine nouns that end in e either add -y or
change the e to ), unmodified masculine singular nouns do not change,1
and all plural nouns add stressed -an (or -yan if the noun ends in a vowel).
Words that end in - change the to -iy- before adding any endings. An
example of a masculine noun is mirov man, and examples of feminine
nouns are jin woman and ode room:
NOMINATIVE

OBLIQUE

MASC. SING.

mirv

mirv

FEM. SING.

jn

jn

+ y

ody

od
PLURAL

or e >

od

mirov

+ n

mirovn

jn

+ n

jinn

od

+ yn

odeyn

gund

> iyn

gundiyn

The nominative case is used for (1) unmodified subjects and predicates of
equational sentences (see 11)
Ode paqij e.

The room is clean.

Ev mekteb e.

This is the school.

(2) subjects of all intransitive verbs (see 14)

Gund di mvanxana Reo de rnitbn daxaftin.

The villagers were sitting and talking

in Reshos reception room.

and (3) the patients of all past-tense transitive verbs (see 18.2).

When a masculine singular noun is modified by a demonstrative (see 2) or indefinite (see 3), it does change.

SUBSTANTIVES
The oblique case is used for (1) direct objects of present-tense verbs:
Ez mirv dibnim.

I see the man.

Ez mirovn dibnim.

I see the men.

Ez jn dibnim.

I see the woman.

Ez jinn dibnim.

I see the women.

(2) complements of prepositions:

ji mirv

from the man

ji mirovn

from the men

ji jn

from the woman

ji jinn

from the women

di ody de
di od de

in the room

(3) the second member of a construct chain (see below 4):

gundn kurdan

villages of Kurds

(4) agents of past-tense transitive verbs (see below 18.2).

In the case of nouns coordinated by the conjunction and, only the last
member of a series shows a case ending if there is one.
Tu kitb kovaran dibn?

Do you see the books and journals?

Ji bo rojn b, ez plan bernaman

dikim.

Im making plans and programs for

the coming days.

There are a few nouns that contain the vowel a, usually in the final syllable, like ba wind, bajar city, ziman language, mar snake, welat
country, and agir fire, that may show an internal change of the a to for
the oblique case, i.e. b, bajr, zimn, mr, welt, and gir. The use of the
internal oblique is optional.
2. Demonstrative Adjectives and Her Every. When functioning as
attributive adjectives, the nominative demonstratives are ev this, these and
ew that, those. They modify both singular and plural nouns and show no
differentiation between masculine and feminine. In the oblique, however, ev
9

KURMANJI KURDISH
and ew become v and w respectively with masculine nouns, and the noun
echoes the ending by adding -; with feminine nouns ev becomes v, and ew
becomes w, and the noun echoes the ending by adding -; in the plural ev
becomes van and ew becomes wan, and the plural nouns echo them by
adding -an.
When modified by her every, masculine singular nouns, which are not
distinguished in the oblique case when they are unmodified, take the
oblique ending - and feminine nouns add the regular oblique ending -.
MASC.

FEM.

NOM. SING. & PL.

OBL. SING.

OBL. PL.

ev

van n

ew

wan n

her

her

ev

van n

ew

wan n

her

her

ev mirv

this man, these men (masc. nom. sing. & pl.)

ji v mirv

from this man (masc. obl. sing.)

ji her mirv

from every man

ji van mirovn

from these men (obl. pl.)

Ez w mirv dibnim.

I see that man.

Ez wan mirovn dibnim.

I see those men.

ew od

that room, those rooms (fem. nom. sing. & pl.)

ji w ody

from that room (fem. obl. sing.)

ji her ody

from every room

ji wan odeyn

from those rooms (obl. pl.)

3. The Indefinite State. The sign of the indefinite singular (a, any,
some) is an unstressed enclitic -ek (-yek for words ending in vowels)
added to the end of the absolute singular noun. Both masculine and femi10

SUBSTANTIVES
nine indefinite nouns have an oblique case, the endings of which echo the
oblique demonstrative endings (- for masc. and - for fem.).
NOMINATIVE

OBLIQUE

MASC.

-(y)ek

-(y)ek

FEM.

-(y)ek

-(y)ek

mirov > mirvek

the man > a man

Mirvek hat.

A man came.

Ez mirvek dibnim.

I see a man.

kitb > kitbek

the book > a book

Li ser mas kitbek heye.

Theres a book on the table.

Ez kitbek dibnim.

I see a book.

der > deryek

the door > a door

Ez deryek vedikim.

Ill open a door.

The relatively little-used indefinite plural is formed by adding -(n)in to

the absolute singular for the nominative and -(n)inan for the oblique.
kur > krin

some boys

der > dernin

some doors

stgah > stghin

some stations

4. The Primary Construct Case. The construct links (1) two nouns in a
limiting or possessive relationship and (2) an attributive adjective to the
noun it modifies. The first noun in a construct string, the one that is limited,
is in the construct case, the endings for which are as follows for all nouns
ending in consonants:
DEF. SING.

INDEF. SING.

PLURAL

MASC.

-ek

-n

FEM.

-a

-eke

-n

These endings are exemplified by the nouns mirov man (masc.) and jin
11

KURMANJI KURDISH
woman (fem.):
MASC.

mirov

mirovek

mirovn

FEM.

jina

jineke

jinn

Nouns ending in e have the following endings and alternative forms exemplified by pere m piece and ode f room:
perey
MASC.

FEM.

per

pereyek

odeya

odeyeke

oda

odake

pereyn
pern
odeyn

Nouns ending in (like xan m house and piran f majority) change

the to iy and then add the endings:
MASC.

xaniy

xaniyek

xaniyn

FEM.

piraniya

piraniyeke

piraniyn

There are very few nouns that end in u and , but for the few that exist
the following endings may take the place of the u or :
MASC.

iw

iwek

iwn

FEM.

iwa

iweke

iwn

A noun or pronoun in the second part of a construct, the limiter, is in the

oblique case, as in the following:
mirv w welt

the man of that country

mirvek w welt

a man of that country

mirovn w welt

the men of that country

hejmra kovr

the issue of the journal

hejmreke kovr

an issue of the journal

hejmarn kovr

the issues of the journal

odya (or oda) rntn

the sitting room

odyeke (or odke) rntn

a sitting room

odeyn rntn

the sitting rooms

12

SUBSTANTIVES
xany w mirv

the house of that man

xanyeke w mirv

a house of that man

xaniyn wan mirovn

the houses of those men

Theoretically constructs of successive nouns can be extended without

limit; in practice they are limited to three or four successive nouns. In all
construct strings the construct case takes precedence over the oblique case,
i.e. only the last noun in a string is in the oblique case, and the others are in
the construct case. For example, in the phrase
di gundan de

in the villages

the word gundan is oblique plural governed by the circumposition di de

in. In the construct phrase
gundn kurdan

the villages of the Kurds

gundn is in the construct plural followed by kurdan in the oblique plural

as second member of the construct. When such a construct phrase is the
complement of a preposition, gundn remains in the construct case, i.e.
di {gundn kurdan} de

in the villages of the Kurds

and the string can be extended as follows:

di {gundn kurdn Kurdistana
Tirkiyey} de

in the villages of the Kurds of

Turkeys Kurdistan

Other examples of construct strings are as follows:

kitbn kur w mirov

that mans sons books

kitbn kea mirov

the mans daughters books

behsa girngiya w roj

discussion of the importance of that

day

4.1. The Adjectival Construct. Attributive adjectives follow the nouns

they modify. Nouns so modified by adjectives are in the construct case, but
adjectives are indeclinable and show no case.

13

KURMANJI KURDISH
mirov mezin

the big man

mirovek mezin

a big man

mirovn mezin

the big men

kitba n

the new book

kitbeke n

a new book

kitbn n

the new books

xaniy bik

the little house

xaniyek bik

a little house

xaniyn bik

the little houses

As in noun-noun constructs, the construct case ending takes precedence

over the oblique case. As an example, in the string
behsa girngiya w roj

discussion of the importance of that

day

w roj, as the third noun and last element in the string, is in the oblique
case, but in the string
discussion of the importance of that
celebrated day

behsa girngiya w roja proz

w roja is in the construct case because it is modified by a following adjective. Only the last noun in a construct string can be modified by an
adjective, i.e. in the phrase in the example above it is grammatically impossible to modify either behsa or girngiya with an adjective inside the string
(see 5).
Syntactically related prepositional and circumpositional phrases (see 8
below) modify nouns in Kurmanji and are linked to them by the construct
exactly as though they were adjectives.
mirov di xan de

the man in the house (vs. the man outside the house)

ev pirtka di dest we de

this book in your hand

di hevpeyvneke bi w mirov re

in a conversation with that man

rojnameyeke bi kurd

a newspaper in Kurdish

agirt li tenita min

the student next to me

14

SUBSTANTIVES
In a series coordinated by the conjunction , only the last noun shows the
construct ending.
gelek serok birvebirn partiyn
siyas

many heads and leaders of political

parties

exsiyet rewenbrn kurdan

personalities and intellectuals of the

Kurds

5. The Secondary Construct: The Construct Extender. The primary

construct is used, as has been seen, to connect noun to noun (to noun, indefinitely) or noun to a single attributive adjective. These two categories
cannot be mixed: the first noun in a noun-noun construct cannot be modified
by an adjective, and a noun cannot be modified by more than one adjective
with the construct. In cases other than these two, the secondary construct
with a construct extender is used. The extenders are as follows:
MASC. SING.

FEM. SING.

COMMON PLURAL

ya

yn

The extenders are used (1) to add a modifying noun to a noun-adjective

construct, (2) to link an adjective modifying the first noun in a noun-noun
construct, and (3) to add an additional adjective to a noun-adjective construct.
As examples, (1) a phrase like hejmareke n a new issue is a normal
noun-adjective construct, but since this type of construct is closed, in order
to modify the construct further in any way, such as a new issue of the
journal, the construct extender is used: hejmareke n ya kovar, where
the feminine extender ya agrees with the feminine head noun in the construct, hejmarek.
dest rast y Ceng

Jengis right hand

Cumhriyeta Kurd ya Mehabad

The Kurdish Republic of Mahabad

navn din yn v ekol

other names of this school

(2) In a noun-noun construct string like nav w mirov that mans

name, the extender is used to modify the first noun in the string: nav w
mirov y rastn that mans real name.
15

KURMANJI KURDISH
zimanek min y taybet

a special language of mine

droka Kurdistan ya nzk

the recent history of Kurdistan

xebat fedekariyn xwe yn exs

his own personal struggles and sacrifices

(3) In a noun-adjective string like rojnameyeke kurd a Kurdish newspaper the extender is used to modify the noun with another adjective, as in
rojnameyeke kurd ya rojane a daily Kurdish newspaper. Other examples are as follows:
helbestvan Ferens y ji sedsala
nozdehan

the French poet of the nineteenth century

rojnameyeke rojane ya bi kurd

a daily newspaper in Kurdish

darbeyeke mezin ya ekonomk

a great economic blow

ke jinn Ewrup yn porzer av

n

blonde and blue-eyed European girls

and women

In some dialects the extenders are , a, and n (without the initial y), and
they are used particularly when the preceding word ends in a vowel.
dil w pola

his heart of steel

mala bir min mezin

my big brothers house

kulma zbit a guvat

the officers clenched fist

eva me a daw

our last night

zendn xwe n xurt

his strong arms

zarokn gund n belengaz

the poor children of the village

An optionaland fairly rarealternative masc. sing. construct extender

uses the same ending as the indefinite, .
nivskarek din zrek

another clever writer

arek kurd bijarte

a recognized Kurdish poet

bi w deng xwe bilind

in that loud voice of his

6. Synopsis of Noun States and Cases.

16

SUBSTANTIVES
SINGULAR

PLURAL

MASCULINE ABSOLUTE/DEFINITE
NOM.
CONSTR.
OBL.
DEMONS. OBL.

mirov
mirov
mirov
w mirov

-n
-an
-an

mirov
mirovn
mirovan
wan mirovan

-ek
-ek
-ek

mirovek
mirovek
mirovek

-in
-ine
-inan

mirovin
mirovine
mirovinan

-a
-
-

jin
jina
jin
w jin

-n
-an
-an

jin
jinn
jinan
wan jinan

-ek
-eke
-ek

jinek
jineke
jinek

-in
-ine
-inan

jinin
jinine
jininan

MASCULINE INDEFINITE
NOM.
CONST.
OBL.

FEMININE ABSOLUTE/DEFINITE
NOM.
CONSTR.
OBL.
DEMONS. OBL.
FEMININE INDEFINITE
NOM.
CONSTR.
OBL.

The syntactical hierarchy of noun forms is: (1) the coordinating conjunction , which supersedes all case endings; (2) the construct; (3) the oblique.
That is, the oblique case is superseded by the construct, so a noun that
should syntactically be in the oblique case but which is also the first member of a construct is in the construct case rather than the oblique. In turn,
both the construct and the oblique cases are superseded by the coordinating
conjunction, so only the last noun in a coordinated series in either case
shows its case ending.
ji heval hogirn (const.) w mirov

from that mans friends and companions

ji heval hogiran (obl.)

from friends and companions

17

KURMANJI KURDISH
7. Personal Pronouns. The personal pronouns in the nominative and
oblique cases are as follows. There are no enclitic pronouns in Kurmanji.
NOM.

ez
tu
ew
ev

SINGULAR
OBL.

min
te
w (m)
w (f)
v (m)
v (f)

PLURAL
OBL.

NOM.

I
you (sing.)
he/it/that
she/it/that
he/it/this
she/it/this

em
hun1

me
we

we
you (pl.)

ew

wan

they/those

ev

van

they/these

There are no third-person pronouns other than the demonstratives. The ew

set is the third-person pronoun of default; the ev set is used to direct attention to a nearby third person. Note that both ew and ev distinguish gender
only in the oblique singular. Subject pronouns are necessarily expressed, as
in English, except in impersonal constructions where English uses it (as in
its raining) and occasionally in connected prose where the referent of a
third-person pronoun has already been introduced and is obvious from context.
The nominative pronouns are used as subjects of equational sentences,
present-tense verbs, and past-tense intransitive verbs
Ez kurd im.

Im a Kurd.

Ew w mirov dibne.

He sees that man.

Em rnitin.

We sat down.

and (2) as patients of past-tense transitive verbs (see 18.2).

Min tu dt.

I saw you.

W em dtin.

He saw us.

The oblique pronouns are used as (1) possessors in a construct

kitba min, kitbn min

my book, my books

kitbeke min

a book of mine

In some dialects hun is hn.

18

SUBSTANTIVES
kitbeke n ya min

a new book of mine

xaniy me

our house

(2) direct objects of all present-tense verbs (and all verbs formed from the
present stem of the verb)
Tu min dibn?

Do you see me?

Ez te dibnim.

I see you.

Ew me dibne.

He sees us.

Em nikarin wan bibnin.

We cannot see them.

(3) complements of prepositions and circumpositions

ji min

from me

ji w

from him

ji w

from her

bi wan re

with them

(4) agents of all past transitive verbs (see 18.2 below)

Te ez dtim.

You saw me.

Min ew dtin.

I saw them.

7.1 The Reflexive Pronoun Xwe. The reflexive pronoun xwe has, in and
of itself, no person or number but takes its person and number from the subject of the verb in the clause in which it occurs. It can thus mean, as a possessive, my own, your own, his/her own, our own, or their own as
well as the objective myself, yourself, him/herself, ourselves, yourselves, or themselves. Xwe must be used as both possessive pronoun and
object pronoun to refer to the subject of the verb, i.e. the personal pronouns
cannot be so used. Constructions like kitba min my book and hevaln
min my friends are viable in any clause in which I is not the subject of
the verb, but not in sentences like I see my book and I went with my
friends, where kitba xwe and hevaln xwe must be used.
Dlikek teva du cewrn xwe li ser riya A bitch used to appear on my route with
min xuya dibn.
her two pups.

19

KURMANJI KURDISH
Li dora xwe dinrim.

I look around myself.

Ferzende di ran xwe da birn b.

Ferzende was wounded in his thigh.

With past transitive verbs (see 18.2), xwe takes its person and number
from the logical subject (= agent).
Ez vegeriyama am, min hevaln
xwe n li wir bidtana.

I would have returned to Damascus; I

would have seen my friends there.

Te xwe ji br dikir te em bajar

xwe tan bra xwe.

You forgot yourself, and you remembered the river of your town.

8. Prepositions, Postpositions, Circumpositions. Certain prepositions,

particularly bi, di, ji, and li, occur as circumpositions that envelop the
complement, that is, the preposition itself marks the beginning of the prepositional phrase, and the end of the complement is marked by one of the postpositions, ve, de, or re (or the variants, va, da, and ra).
The postpositional element does not always, in and of itself, add anything
substantial to the meaning of the prepositional phrase, and most prepositions occur without the postpositional element without any significant distinction in meaning. Others need the postpositional element to define the
signification of the preposition, as di de in vs. di re with and ji
ve from vs. ji re to, for, with. Generally the postpositions have the
following significations: de indicates stationary position in or at; re indicates accompaniment; and ve indicates motion away from.
Common prepositions and circumpositions:
ba to, towards
di re by, via, with
ber in front of, toward
di ve through
b (by, by) without
di bareya de about, concerning
ber before
digel with
bi with, by means of (see below)
di nav de among, amidst,
bi re with, along with
inside of
bi ten except for
di navbera de between
bi xra due to, thanks to
heta until, as far as
dervey outside of
ji from, of (partitive)
di de in
ji re to, for, with
20

SUBSTANTIVES
ji ve from; as of, since
ji bil other than, aside from
ji bo for, for the sake of
ji nava from amongst
ji xeyn other than, aside from
li ( de) in, at, to
li cem together with
li ber in front of, before
li dij against
li dora around
ligel together with

li gora according to
li pey after, behind
li p in front of
li rex beside
li ser on, above, about
mna like
pit after
ser on, to
ta until, up to
tev along with
wek(e) like

As a rule, prepositions are followed by nouns and pronouns in the oblique

case. The exception is the preposition bi: when it is used to create an adverb
(like bi ermdar modestly) or a compound adjective (like bi quwet
powerful), the complement is in the nominative case.
Pln bay hnik bi ermdar derbas
hundir oda te dibn.

Waves of cool breeze were passing

modestly into your room.

bi rast tu mna gula ji lla tufing

derkeve, tu ji mal derket

And truly you went out of the house like

a bullet shot from the barrel of a rifle.

yek ji ar nivskarn her bi quwet

one of the most powerful poets and

writers

Since a circumposition envelopes the whole of its complement, it may extend through a relative clause (for which see 30), as in the following:
Gelo mirov kane ji {berhemn ku bi
I wonder if one can speak of works that
zimann din tne nivsandin} re bib- are written in other languages as Kurdje berhemn kurd an j edebiyata
ish works or Kurdish literature.
kurd?
Ew bixwaze bi {yek ku nrna w
nzk nrna w ye} re bizewice.

He would like to get married to someone

whose outlook is close to his own.

8.1. Contracted Prepositions. Four prepositions have contracted forms

21

KURMANJI KURDISH
with third-person singular complements:
bi + w/w > p

ji + w/w > j

di + w/w > t

li + w/w > l

If there is a postposition, it appears along with the contracted form of the

preposition (j re, t de, etc.).
Kes ku heval, hogir agirt w b The person who was his friend, comp re dimeiya
panion, and pupil and who walked with
him
Mrik odaya min nivn ku ez t de The man showed me my room and the
razm, nan min da.
bed in which I would be sleeping.
Mizgn digihje Emn Al Bedir-Xan,
ku j re lawikek bye.

The news reaches Emin Ali Bedir-Khan

that a son has been born to him.

Mela l nr got

The mulla looked at him and said

Te l vegerand.

You replied to him.

9. Cardinal Numbers. The cardinal numbers are as follows:

1 yek
17 hivdeh
102 sed du, &c.
2 du, didu
18 hijdeh
200 dused
3 s, sis
19 nozdeh
300 ssed
4 ar
20 bst
400 arsed
5 pnc
21 bst yek
500 pncsed
6 e
22 bst du
600 esed
7 heft
23 bst s, &c.
700 heftsed
8 het
30 s (sih)
800 hetsed
9 neh
40 il
900 nehsed
10 deh
50 pnc
1,000 (yek) hezar
11 ya(n)zdeh
60 st
2,000 du hezar
12 dwanzdeh
70 heft
3,000 s hezar
13 szdeh
80 het
4,000 ar hezar
14 ardeh
90 nod
5,000 pnj hezar
15 panzdeh
100 sed
6,000 e hezar
16 anzdeh
101 sed yek
7,000 heft hezar
22

SUBSTANTIVES
8,000 het hezar

9,000 neh hezar

10,000 deh hezar &c.

Compound numbers are formed with the conjunction , as in

il yek

forty-one

pnc heft

fifty-seven

The number yek and all subsequent compound numbers ending in yek are
ordinarily declined as feminine singular with construct in -a and oblique in
-.
di 91 de

di nod yek de

in 91

L ew yeka han w bhv nake.

But that one (thing just mentioned) does

not make him despair.

Ev yeka han ji tradisyona Celadet

Bedir-Xan bi xra kovara w
Hawar dibe.

This one (thing just mentioned) is from

the tradition of Jeladet Bedir-Khan and
is thanks to his journal Hawar.

When yek is used as a pronoun referring to a person, however, it takes the

appropriate gender.
ew yek wan

that one (masc.) of them

ew yeke wan

that one (fem.) of them

The numbers du through neh, and all subsequent compounds ending in 2

through 9, as well as the thousands, are inflected as plurals with a regular
oblique in -an.
di sala 1984an de

di sala hezar nehsed

het aran de

in the year 1984

li 4a aprla 1946an de

li ara aprla hezar

nehsed il ean de

on April 4, 1946

All numbers ending in zero (except the thousands) are declined as masculine with construct ending in -n, but the oblique ends in -(y).
di saln 1300 de

di saln hezar ssed de in the 1300s

23

KURMANJI KURDISH
di navbera 196870y de di navbera hezar nehsad est het hefty de

between 1968 and 1970

Oidupusa Sofokles bi k- Oidupusa Sofokles bi

man ber niha bi 2450
kman ber niha bi du
sal hatiye nivsandin.
hezar arsed pnc
sal hatiye nivsandin.

Sophocles Oedipus was

written at least 2450
years ago.

Numbers that modify nouns are indeclinable and are followed immediately by the noun counted, and the noun is pluralof course this will show
only in the oblique and construct cases.
The numbers 2 and 3 by themselves are didu and sis; when they
modify nouns and when they are part of a compound number they are du
and s, and nouns following them are construed as plural, as are the nouns
after all numbers.
Ap min du kes n nava ikeft.

My uncle and the two men went inside

the cave.

pit du rojn din

after two more days

Her du avn w sor, wek du pizotn

gir bn.

Its two eyes were red, like two brands of

fire.

S hefte ar roj mabn.

Three weeks and four days remained.

pit e meh 14 (ardeh) rojan

after six months and fourteen days

Temporal expressions of duration of time (for X amount of time) and

instance (X number of times) are in the oblique case.
S roj s evan di w cih da ma.

He stayed in that place for three days

and three nights.

Ez het caran hatim girtin.

I was arrested eight times.

Pnc, het, deh caran ew lat bilind

dibn ber ku giranbna wan wan
bikine bin gol.

Five, eight, ten times those stones

skipped before their weight pulled them
to the bottom of the lake.

9.1. Ordinal Numbers. With the exception of 1st, ordinal numbers are
24

SUBSTANTIVES
formed from the cardinal numbers plus the suffix -(y)an, as in the following:
1st ewel()
7th heftan
2nd diduyan, duduyan
8th hetan
3rd sisiyan
9th nehan
4th aran
10th dehan
5th pncan
11th yanzdehan
6th ean
12th dwanzdehan &c.
The ordinals are construed as normal adjectives.
Bi hatina cunta fast a diduyan re ez
j hatim avtin.

With the coming of the second Fascist

junta I was thrown out of there.

di hejmara Hawar ya 4an [aran] de in the fourth issue of Hawar

Roja sisiyan la kur xwe da pita
xwe bir mal.

On the third day he put his sons body

on his back and carried him home.

Xeyn ji deng segek tu dengn din ne Aside from the sound of a dog no other
dihatin guhan, l dirj ne kir, dema
sounds could be heard, but it wasnt
deng segek b y duduyan sisiyan long before there was the sound of a
aran.
second, third, and fourth dog.

There is an alternative set of ordinals formed in the Persian manner with

the suffixes -em and -emn, as follows:
1st yekem(n)
7th heftem(n)
2nd duyem(n)
8th hetem(n)
3rd syem(n)
9th nehem(n)
4th arem(n)
10th dehem(n)
5th pncem(n)
11th yanzdehem(n)
6th eem(n)
12th dwanzdehem(n) &c.
These ordinals tend to be used in set phrases like er chan y yekemn
the First World War and cara yekem the first time.
9.2. Months of the Year and Days of the Week. There are several nomenclature systems in use for the months. The names of the first set are
borrowed from French, and they are as follows:
janvye/januar January
fevrye February
25

KURMANJI KURDISH
mars March
t August
aprl April
september September
m May
oktober October
jen June
november November
jya July
desember December
The names of the second set either correspond to or were borrowed directly
from the Arabic versions of the ancient Semitic month names that were adjusted to fit the Julian calendar months of the Roman Empire. May and July
have fallen out of use in this set. The names are given with their Arabic
equivalents in parentheses:
ileya pan January ()
ab August ()
sibat February ()(

eyll September ()

adar March ()

iriya pn October (e [d)

nsan April (.)

hezran June ()[

iriya pan November ([d

)

avdar March

gelawj August

gulan May

lon September

ileya pn December (e )
The third set consists of traditional Kurdish names for a few months:
reeme February
trmeh July

Dates are written and read as follows:

31 adara 1947an

s yek adara hezar

nehsed il heftan

March 31, 1947

di 26 nsana 1893an de di bst e nsana

on the 26th of April 1893
hezar hetsed nod
sisiyan de
di 25.07.1974an de

di bst pnc trmeha

on 25 July 1974
hezar nehsed heft
aran de

The days of the week (all feminine) are as follows. The b of emb is normally deleted in the nominative case and restored in the oblique and con26

SUBSTANTIVES
struct cases, as in em (nom.) but roja emb (obl.):
em(b) Saturday
arem(b) Wednesday
yekem(b) Sunday
pncem(b) Thursday
duem(b) Monday
n Friday
sem(b) Tuesday
9.3. Telling Time. In all expressions for telling time, the basis of the expression is saet (or the variant seet) hour.
Saet i ye?

What time is it?

Saet deh e.

Its ten oclock.

Saet nzk dudiy pit nvroje (nro)

b.

It was nearly two oclock in the afternoon.

saet sis sibeh/ev

three oclock in the morning/at night

10. Comparative and Superlative Adjectives. The comparative degree

of the adjective is made by suffixing -tir. There are only a few irregularly
formed comparatives, viz. pir much > btir more, ba good > tir
better, and mezin big > meztir (as well as the regularly formed mezintir) bigger, older. Adjectives ending in t drop the t before the addition of
-tir (pwist > pwistir, not *pwisttir, and xurt > xurtir, not *xurttir). The
preposition of comparison is ji, as in the following examples.
Min ji her tit btir ji wan hez dikir.

I liked them more than anything.

Hin ji wan, bi balefiran, ya j bi

gemiyn mezin drtir b.

Some of them had gone further in planes

or large ships.

Ew pwist e ku nivskarn me li ser

jiyana gund axayan biaxivin, l
pwistir e ku ew ji br nekin ku kurd
li ehran j dijn.

It is important that our writers speak of

the life of villagers and lords, but it is
more important that they not forget that
Kurds live in cities too.

Ez ten e salan ji te mezintir im.

Im only six years older than you.

Erebiya min ji kurd turkiya min

tir b tir e j.

My Arabic was and still is better than

my Kurdish and Turkish.

Tu her roj xurtir dib.

You get stronger every day.

27

KURMANJI KURDISH
More than followed by a number is expressed by btir (or pirrtir) +
the number:
Hn btir pnc mitr di bin zemna You were more than fifty meters beneath
Pars de bn.
the ground of Paris.
Pirrtir dused pnc kut ji lekern
tirkan heb.

There were more than two hundred fifty

slain among the soldiers of the Turks.

The superlative is indicated by context, not by a special form. The first

example in this section could just as well be translated as I liked them the
most of anything. A comparative adjective followed by a construct usually
gives the superlative sense, and a following construct is the equivalent of
the English in.
Xurd dewlementir gund b.

Khurshid was the richest (person) in the

village.

W li kur xwe dinr xwe bextyartir He used to look at his son and consider
din dizan.
himself the luckiest (person) in the
world.

A true superlative adjective is made by adding -tirn to the adjective, and

such superlatives precede the nouns they modify:
Mezintirn nav ku bi ziman
edebiyata kurd ya klask re bye
yek, Ehmed Xan ye.

The greatest name that has occurred in

the classical Kurdish language and literature is Ahmad Khani.

A second type of superlative is made with her preceding the adjective.

Like -issimo in Italian, her gives a superlative sense of really, e.g. her
girng means most important in the sense of really important. Superlatives of compound adjectives like bi quwet powerful and past participles
used adjectivally like lipamay backward, where the addition of -tir
would be awkward or impossible, are signaled by her.
Ew yek ji ar nivskarn her bi
quwet mekteba Hawar b.

He was one of the most powerful poets

and writers of the Hawar school.

Nirvanek her dilr j newir b bi

roj di nav re derbas bibya.

Even a really intrepid hunter would not

have dared to pass through in the daytime.

28

SUBSTANTIVES
Cumhriyeta Mehabad di droka
Kurdistan ya nzk de yek ji
byern her girng e.

The Republic of Mahabad is one of the

most important events in the recent
history of Kurdistan.

Kurdistan herma Tirkiyey ya her

lipamay ye; Mrdn bajar Tirkiyey y her lipamay ye; Nisbn
qeza Mrdn ya her bi derd e; Still
nehiya Nisbn ya her belengaz e;
Ziving gund Still y her lipamay
ye. Li gor nifsa min ez li ikefta
jimar dido ya v gund hatime dinyay.

Kurdistan is the most backward part of

Turkey; Mardin is the most backward
city in Turkey; Nusaybin is the most
wretched district of Mardin; Still is the
most destitute part of Nusaybin; Ziving
is the most backward village in Still.
According to my identity card, I was
born in cave number two of this village.

29

THE VERB
11. Present Copulas. The present-tense copulas (am, is, are) are enclitics, i.e. unstressed, but they are usually written as separate words.
POSTCONSONANTAL

POSTVOCALIC

im

in

me

ne

in

ne

in

ye

ne

Examples of postconsonantal copulas:

ez kurd im I am Kurdish

em kurd in we are Kurdish

tu kurd you are Kurdish

hun kurd in you are Kurdish

ew kurd e s/he is Kurdish

ew kurd in they are Kurdish

Examples of postvocalic copulas:

ez bi w re me Im with him

em bi w re ne we are with him

tu bi w re y youre with him

hun bi w re ne you are with him

ew bi w re ye s/hes with him

ew bi w re ne they are with him

The negative ne (stressed) is positioned before the complement (or whatever is negated, but not before the copula). Examples of copulas with negatives:
ez ne kurd im Im not Kurdish

em ne kurd in we arent Kurdish

tu ne kurd you arent Kurdish

hun ne kurd in you arent Kurdish

ew ne kurd e s/he isnt Kurdish

ew ne kurd in they arent Kurdish

Other examples are as follows:

Tu xwndekr .

You are a student.

Tu xwndekrek b .

You are a good student.

Tu n xwndekrek b .

You are not a good student.

B e.

It is good.

30

THE VERB
N b e.

It is not good.

Ev xanyek e.

This is a house.

Ev xan ne.

These are houses.

Ev n xanyek e.

This is not a house.

Ez ne ji era we me, ez ne iyay ne

j det me; ez bajar me. L beriya
hertit, ez j merivek im.

I am not from your tribe; I am not a

mountaineer or from the plains either; I
am an urbanite, but before anything else
I am a person.

The combination of an oblique plural ending in -an and the first-person

singular enclitic im usually becomes -a me instead of -an im.
Ez yek ji wan nivskara me.

I am one of those writers.

Ez j yek ji wan kurda me ku

I too am one of those Kurds who

Ez bi xwe yek ji wan kesa me ku

I myself am one of those people who

12. To Have and the Existential Verb Hebn. The existential verb to
exist is hebn, the present and past conjugations of which are as follows:
PRESENT

PAST

ez hme

em hne

ez hbm

em hbn

tu hy

hun hne

tu hby

hun hbn

ew hye

ew hne

ew hb

ew hbn

The third-persons singular and plural are used for there is and there
are respectively.
Gotineke piyn me heye.

There is a saying of our ancestors.

Ger xwendevann kurd tunebin

sedem w hene.

If there are no readers of Kurdish, there

are reasons for it.

Pir kes li dora min hebn ku ji iran

hez dikir ir dinivsandin.

There were many people around me who

enjoyed poetry and wrote poems.

Di avn w da ronahiyeke dijwar

heb.

There was a hard light in his eyes.

The negative of heye is tune there is not any, there is no, and the
31

KURMANJI KURDISH
negative of heb is tuneb there was not any, there was no.
Madem ku zimannivs tune, ev dewlet- As long as there are no writers, whats
kirin i ye?
the use of creating this state?
Di v war da otorteyeke resm tune.

In this regard there is no official authority.

Divab ku ew kzik w ev bihata

kutin an na xew li min tuneb.

That bug would have to be killed that

night or else there would be no sleep
for me.

There is no verb in Kurdish equivalent to the English verb to have.

Kurdish expresses possession by the possessive construct followed by the
appropriate third person of the existential verbheye there is, hene there
are, heb there was, or hebn there were.
Pirsiyareke min heye.

I have a question.

Pirsiyareke min heb.

I had a question.

Pnc zarokn w hene.

He has five children.

Cihek bajar Mehabad y taybet di The city of Mahabad has a special place
dil me de heye.
in our hearts.

13. The Infinitive. Kurdish infinitives end in -in, -n, -an, or -n, are
stressed on the final syllable (dtn to see, meiyn to walk, tirsn to
fear), and are construed as feminine nouns. The use of the infinitive as a
noun occasionally coincides with English usage, but it is more often used
where the English gerund (-ing) is used.
Axaftin, xwendin nivsna bi ziman
zikmak, ji her mirov re pwstiyek
e.

To speak, to read, and to write in ones

native language is a requirement for
every person.

pit weandina kovara xwe bi salek a year after publishing his journal and
pit avakirina Cumhriyeta Tirkiy
ten years after the founding of the Rebi deh salan
public of Turkey

An unmodified direct object of an infinitive precedes the infinitive and

forms a generic compound with it. Thus, qehwe vexwarin to drink coffee,
32

THE VERB
rojname xwendin to read newspapers, kovar weandin to publish journals, and hotl yn to frequent hotels are generic compounds. A modified direct object of an infinitive is linked to the infinitive by an objective
genitive construct. So, vexwarina qehweya xwe to drink ones coffee,
xwendina rojnameya xwe ya bi kurd to read ones newspaper in Kurdish, weandina kovara xwe to publish ones journal, and yna min ya
hotl my going to the hotel, where the objects and complements are definite, indefinite, or modified (i.e. not generic), become construct phrases.
Ez dixwazim her sibeh bi vexwarina
I want to read my newspaper in Kurdish
qehweya xwe re rojnameya xwe ya bi every morning while drinking my cofkurd j bixwnim.
fee.
Bi yna min ya hotl dil xwe girtin. They were offended by my going to the
hotel.

The infinitive is also used with the preposition ji bo to express purpose:

Ji bo dtina wan ez me Sriy.

I went to Syria in order to see them.

Min bihst ku li welatn Rohelat il sal I have heard that in the countries of the
xebat divt ji bo kirina erbikek
Orient forty years of labor are needed in
ferfr.
order to produce a porcelain vase.

14. The Present Tense. The present tense corresponds to the English
present used for habitual action (I work) and to the present progressive
(Im working). It is formed from the present stem of the verb.
The present stems of a few very common verbs are totally irregular and
must be learned as a principal part of the verb (e.g. dtin to see > bn-,
xwestin to want > xwaz-). With few exceptions, verbs with infinitives
ending in -an, -iyan, -n, and -n are regular and form the present stem by
dropping those endings. Verbs that end in -andin (for which type see 28
below) form their present stems by changing the -andin ending to -n- (e.g.
mirandin to cause to die > mirn-).
To form the present tense, the stressed progressive/habitual modal marker
d is prefixed to the present stem, and the following suffixed personal endings are added to the stem.
33

KURMANJI KURDISH
CONSONANT STEMS

VOWEL STEMS

-im

-in

-m

-n

-in

-y

-n

-e

-in

-n

Examples of conjugation are as follows. In Kurmanji, pronominal subjects are not optional and must be expressed.
N/-- GO (CONSONANT STEM)

USTIN/-O- WASH (VOWEL STEM)

ez dim

em din

ez dom

em don

tu d

hun din

tu doy

hun don

ew de

ew din

ew do

ew don

In the negative, the modal marker di is replaced by stressed n-.

ez nim

em nin

ez nom

em non

tu n

hun nin

tu noy

hun non

ew ne

ew nin

ew no

ew non

If the present stem begins with a- or -, the prefix di- may drop its vowel
and becomes d-, as in axaftin/axiv- speak and andin/n- to hurt, the
present tenses of which are either daxivim or diaxivim I speak and either
dnim or dinim I hurt.
There are two verbs with irregular conjugations in the present tense, hatin to come and ann to bring. In both these verbs the d- modal marker
has assimilated to the present stem and appears as t-. Their present conjugations, affirmative and negative, are as follows:
HATIN

ANN

ez tm

em tn

ez tnim

em tnin

tu tey

hun tn

tu tn

hun tnin

ew t

ew tn

ew tne

ew tnin

ez naym

em nayn

ez naynim

em naynin

tu nayey

hun nayn

tu nayn

hun naynin

ew nay

ew nayn

ew nayne

ew naynin

34

THE VERB
There are also two verbs, zann to know and karn to be able, that are
irregular in the negative. They form the negative with n instead of na.
ZANN

KARN

ez nizanim

em nizanin

ez nikarim

em nikarin

tu nizan

hun nizanin

tu nikar

hun nikarin

ew nizane

ew nizanin

ew nikare

ew nikarin

The present tense is used for (1) present habitual action (I go) and (2)
present progressive action (Im going), and context usually makes it clear
which tense should be used in English. Normal word order in Kurdish is
subject, object, verb.1 Complements of verbs of motion (where one comes,
goes, brings, etc.) tend to follow the verb in the oblique case, as in the first
example below.
Ez naim doktor. Ez derman venaxwim. Derziy j naxwazim.

Im not going to the doctor. Im not

taking medicine. I dont want stiches
either.

Xelkn Mehabad w roja han mna

karnevalek proz dikin, dehol zurnevann bajr ldixin, Mehabad j bi
destn hev digirin direqisin.

The people of Mahabad celebrate that

day like a carnival, they play the city
drums and clarions, and Mahabadis join
hands and dance.

Du jinn gund nzktir dibin, heta ber

der lojman tn, Mamoste Kevanot
av li wan dikeve bi matmayn
dibje

Two village women get closer. They

come up to the door of the lodging.
Master Kevanot looks at them and says
with astonishment

15. Compound Verbs. Compound verbs, which do not differ significantly

from their counterparts in Persian and Sorani, consist of a nonverbal element (preverb or complement) and a verb. In Kurmanji some compound
verbs are consistently written as one word, like hildan to lift, which consists of the preverb hil and the verb dan to give (present stem d-), vekirin
1

Full normal word order is: (1) temporal expression, (2) subject, (3) direct object,
(4) miscellaneous prepositional phrases, (5) verb, (6) directional complement. Many
other orders are possible, but when any element is moved from its normal position it
is highlighted or emphasized in some way.

35

KURMANJI KURDISH
to open, which consists of the preverb ve and the verb kirin to do (present stem k-), and rnitin to sit down, which consists of the preverb r
and the verb nitin (present stem n-); others are written as two separate
words, like behs kirin to discuss and alkar kirin to help. The di- prefix is added to the verbal part of the compound, i.e. after the nonverbal part.
Stress in the affirmative is on the preverb.
ez vdikim

em vdikin

ez bhs dikim

em bhs dikin

tu vdik

hun vdikin

tu bhs dik

hun bhs dikin

ew vdike

ew vdikin

ew bhs dike

ew bhs dikin

ez hldidim

em hldidin

ez rdinm

em rdinn

tu hldid

hun hldidin

tu rdiny

hun rdinn

ew hldide

ew hldidin

ew rdin

ew rdinn

In the negative the stressed prefix n- takes the place of di- in compound
verbs:
ez venkim

em venkin

ez behs nkim

em behs nkin

tu venk

hun venkin

tu behs nk

hun behs nkin

ew venke

ew venkin

ew behs nke

ew behs nkin

ez hilndim

em hilndin

ez rnnm

em rnnn

tu hilnd

hun hilndin

tu rnny

hun rnnn

ew hilnde

ew hilndin

ew rnn

ew rnnn

Depending upon the semantics of a given compound, many compound

verbs can be extended to include any and all matter that complements the
nonverbal part of the compound. For instance, compound verbs like alkar
kirin to help and behs kirin to discuss can be extended through a construct (or multiple constructs) as in the following examples. In extended
constructs the construct takes care of modifications and relationships that
are expressed by various means in English, usually with prepositions.
Ew j alkariya kovara Ensttuya kurd
ya Pars dike.

He also helps out on the journal of the

Paris Kurdish Institute.

36

THE VERB
Em behsa be kurdn Kurdistana
Tirkiyey dikin.

We are discussing the role of the Kurds

in Turkeys Kurdistan.

Close compound verbs of the hildan to raise and vekirin to open type
do not admit extension through a construct. They take normal direct objects
before the verb.
Ji peyayn gund hinek ji dr ve silav A few of the village men raise a greeting
li w hildidin.
to him from afar.
Soviyet pirtkn dersan yn bi kurd The Soviets print schoolbooks in Kurdap dikin dibistann kurd vedikin. ish and open Kurdish schools.

16. The Formation of the Present Subjunctive. Like the present indicative, the present subjunctive is formed from the present stem of the verb and
the personal suffixes. The modal marker for the subjunctive is b-. Unlike
the d prefix, b does not usually drop its vowel in favor of an initial a in the
stem, but in some dialects it may do so (i.e. baxivim for biaxivim).
ez bim

em bin

ez baxivim

em baxivin

tu b

hun bin

tu baxiv

hun baxivin

ew be

ew bin

ew baxive

ew baxivin

In compound verbs, the b- prefix is optional, and it is usually omitted

with close compounds (generally speaking, those that are written together as
one word and, by and large, verbs compounded with kirin unless there is an
extended complement). When the b- prefix is omitted, the absence of a
modal prefix identifies the verb as subjunctive, as in ve-xwarin (ve-xw-) to
drink and hil-dan (hil-d-) to lift:
ez vxwim

em vxwin

ez hldim

em hldin

tu vxw

hun vxwin

tu hld

hun hldin

ew vxwe

ew vxwin

ew hlde

ew hldin

The negative prefix for the subjunctive is n-, which replaces b- where it
occurs. Where there is no bi- prefix, the negative is attached to the verbal
part of compounds.
37

KURMANJI KURDISH
ez nim

em nin

ez hilndim

em hilndin

tu n

hun nin

tu hilnd

hun hilndin

ew ne

ew nin

ew hilnde

ew hilndin

There are two present subjunctives of the verb bn to be, become, with
and without the subjunctive marker bi-. The conjugation without the marker
is used when the verb means be; the conjugation with the marker is used
when the verb means become and when it is part of a compound verb.
BE

BECOME

ez bim

em bin

ez bbim

em bbin

tu b

hun bin

tu bb

hun bbin

ew be

ew bin

ew bbe

ew bbin

In the negative the distinction between be and become is lost, and there
is only one negative present subjunctive.
ez nbim

em nbin

tu nb

hun nbin

ew nbe

ew nbin

There are two present subjunctives of hatin to come. One is regularly

conjugated based on the stem wer- without the bi- prefix; the other is regularly conjugated based on the stem b-, a contraction of bi- and y-, the
present stem of hatin.
WER- STEM

Y- STEM

ez werim

em werin

ez bm

em bn

tu wer

hun werin

tu by

hun bn

ew were

ew werin

ew b

ew bn

The negative present subjunctive of these two variants is as follows:

ez nwerim

em nwerin

ez nym

em nyn

tu nwer

hun nwerin

tu nyy

hun nyn

ew nwere

ew nwerin

ew ny

ew nyn

There are also two present subjunctives of n to go. One is regularly

38

THE VERB
congujated based on the stem - with the b- subjunctive marker; the other
is regularly conjugated based on the stem her- without the subjunctive
marker.
- STEM

HER- STEM

ez biim

em biin

ez herim

em herin

tu bi

hun biin

tu her

hun herin

ew bie

ew biin

ew here

ew herin

Negatives are predictably formed:

ez nim

em nin

ez nherim

em nherin

tu n

hun nin

tu nher

hun nherin

ew ne

ew nin

ew nhere

ew nherin

16.1 Uses of the present subjunctive. The present subjunctive is used in

the following instances:
(1) independentlyi.e. not dependent upon a preceding constructionas
a deliberative (English should).
Ez ro bm?

Should I come today?

car em i bikin?

Now what should we do?

(2) in the first persons singular and plural as a cohortative (let me, lets)
and in the 3rd persons as a hortatory (let him, may he ). The hortatory
is often preceded by bila let.
Pe ez bibjim ku

First let me say that

Ew der veke.

Let him open the door.

Em herin!

Lets go!

Bi siyaset bila ew mijl bibin.

Let them get involved in politics.

(3) as complement to all verbs and constructions of desire and wanting

(see 16.2), ability (see 16.3), necessity, deciding, ordering, etc.
Lazim e tu Kurmanc biaxiv.

Its necessary that you speak Kurmanji.

39

KURMANJI KURDISH
Di v babet de ez naxwazim titek
bibjim.

I dont want to say anything in this

regard.

Tu dikar hinek behsa xwe jiyana

xwe bik?

Can you speak a bit about yourself and

your life?

Em kurd in kurd gereke ber hem

zimanan, bi ziman xwe biaxivin,
bixwnin binivsin.

We are Kurds, and Kurds ought to

speak, read, and write in their own
language before all other languages.

Ber her tit gereke ez nan bidim ku Before anything else, it is necessary for
ji mefhma kovara slam ez i tit me to indicate what I understand by the
fehim dikim.
concept of an Islamic journal.
Gereke kovar xwe zencr nekin.

It is necessary that journals not fetter

themselves.

W pirr caran biryar dab ku d li

xurn cixar nekine.

Many times he had decided not to smoke

cigarettes any more on an empty stomach.

Doktor div ryek nan me bide

derman binivsine.

The doctor must show us a way and

write a [prescription for a] remedy.

(4) after a number of conjunctions like ber ku before (which is usually

followed by the subjunctive), ax ku when (which is followed by the
subjunctive when it refers to the future), and mna ku as though. See 30.
Ber ku ez derkevim dervey welt, min Before I went outside the country, I had
soran nebihstib.
not heard Sorani.
ax ku firseta min bibe, ez bi ev
rojan bo ziman edebiyata kurd
biixulim.

When I get the opportunity, I will work

day and night for Kurdish language and
literature.

Mna ku di ber de naxoiyek di

navna wan de hebe

As though there was some unpleasantness between them before

(5) in the protasis (the if clause) of a possible conditional with reference to the present or the future:
Ger ev rast be,

If this is true,

Ger ew bibin yek, ew dikarin her tit

bikin.

If they unite, they can do anything.

40

THE VERB
(6) in all purpose clauses, usually introduced by ji bo ku in order that:
Ez diim xwendegeh ji bo ku ez
bixwnim.

I go to school in order to study.

Ez dixwnim ji bo ku bibim mamoste.

Im studying in order to become a

teacher.

Ji bo ku tu ji nexweiy bifilit, div

doktor li te binre bi nexweiya te
bizanbe.

In order for you to get rid of your illness,

it is necessary for the doctor to have a
look at you and diagnose your illness.

(7) in clauses complementary to adjectives, where English usually has a

complementary infinitive:1
Gel me, gotin kelmeyn ku dizane
j ne amede ye ku ji sembol herfan
bixwne.

Our society is not ready to read even

words it knows from symbols and
letters.

(8) In relative clauses introduced by indefinite relative pronouns like herkes ku anybody who &c.:
Herkes ku bi kurd binivse, di destpk de heta demeke dirj, perg
zehmetiyn mezin were.

Anybody who writes in Kurdish will encounter major difficulties at the beginning and for a long time.

(9) In relative and result clauses after negative expressions:

Titek ne dihat xuya kirin ku mirov
Nothing could be made out that one
bibje ev bikaribe bibe sedema ewte might say it could be the reason for the
ewta kikn gund.
barking of the dogs of the village.
Saln min ne ewqas zde ne ku ez
bibjim, ez pir jiyame min gelek
dtiye.

My years are not so many that I could

say I have lived a lot and seen much.

But not in clauses dependent upon adjectives that describe situations or actions
that actually pertain or have taken place, which are in the indicative mood, as:
Ez xwe bextiyar dibnim ku mamostetiya gundeki weha bye para min.

I count myself lucky that a teaching job

in such a village has been my lot.

41

KURMANJI KURDISH
(10) In relative clauses with indefinite antecedents, often preceded by
wek or mna like. See 22 (3).
Mna gula ji lla tufing derkeve, tu ji
mal derket.

You lit out of the house like a bullet shot

from the barrel of a rifle.

Dtina w b mna kra ku tu di birn Seeing him was like a knife you twist in
de bigern.
a wound.

Two verbs, karn to be able and zann to know, do not form their
present subjunctives as other verbs do but use the form of the past subjunctive (see 22 below) instead.
16.2. The Future Tense. The future tense is formed by adding - or d to
the personal pronouns followed by the present subjunctive conjugation. Tu
+ is often contracted to t (t and tiw also exist), and ew + may be
contracted to w, although the contraction is not mandatory. The conjugation of the future tense of n (affirmative and negative) is:
ez (ez d) biim em (em d) biin
t (tu d) bi

ez (ez d) neim em (em d) nein

hun (hun d) biin t (tu d) ne

ew (ew d) bie ew (ew d) biin

hun (hun d) nein

ew (ew d) nee ew (ew d) nein

When the subject of a future-tense verb is a noun, w, , or d comes after the noun. All the future markers are reflexes of the present stem ( w)
of the verb f wstin to want, which still exists in Sorani Kurdish and
which has produced this synthetic tense much like the English future compounded with will.
Dema em d bighjin Ewropa,1 ken When we get to Europe, the blonde girls
porzer li Ferensa li Swd w li ser in France and Sweden will go crazy for
por me dn bibin.
our hair.
Ew dibje ku ew bi siyaset ve mijl
nebe.

He says he wont get involved in politics.

Kurdish, like French (quand nous arriverons en Europe), uses the future after
when when it has a future implication.

42

THE VERB
Ya meriv israr bike bi kurd bini- Either a person will insist and write in
vse, yan j meriv zimanek din ku ji Kurdish, or a person will prefer another
kurd gelek pkettir e, terch bike.
language that is much more advanced
than Kurdish.
Ya reb, ez i bikim? min di dil
xwe de got.

O Lord, what will I do? I said to myself.

16.2. Xwestin, To Want. The Kurmanji verb for to want is xwestin

(present stem xwaz-). Verbal complements are in the present subjective. A
full inflection of the present tense of to want to go is as follows:
ez dixwazim biim

em dixwazin biin

tu dixwaz bi

hun dixwazin biin

ew dixwaze bie

ew dixwazin biin

When the subject of xwestin and the subject of the following subjunctive
complement are the same, the subjunctive follows in the same person, as in
the following examples.
Ez naxwazim v behs dirj bikim.

I dont want to prolong this discussion.

Ew dixwaze ji avakirina Cumhriyet He wants to become a supporter and

re bibe pitgir alkar.
helper in the founding of the republic.

When the subjects are different, however, the conjunction ku usually intervenes, and the subject of the subjunctive verb must be expressed.
Bav w dixwaze ku ew bixwne.

His father wants him to study.

Bav min dixwaze ku ez bixwnim.

My father wants me to study.

See note on the past tense of xwestin at 18.3 below.

16.3. Karn, To Be Able. The verb to be able is karn (present stem
kar-). Karn is regularly conjugated in the present, often without the diprefix, and it is followed by a subjunctive complement. The negative present is formed with ni- instead of na-. Below is given the full present conjugation, affirmative and negative, of I can go/I cant go:
43

KURMANJI KURDISH
ez dikarim biim em dikarin biin

ez nikarim biim

em nikarin biin

tu dikar bi

hun dikarin biin

tu nikar bi

hun nikarin biin

ew dikare bie

ew dikarin biin

ew nikare bie

ew nikarin biin

Heval hja, tu kar xwe bi me bid

nasandin?

Dear friend, can you introduce yourself

to us?

Tu dikar, ji kerema xwe re, hinek

behsa xwe jiyana xwe bik?

Can you please talk a bit about yourself

and your life?

Meriv nikare di hengamek de li end A person cannot be in several places at

cihan be.
once.

Karn does not form its present subjunctive in the normal manner. For it,
see 22 below. For the past tense of karn see 21.1 and note 3 on p. 54.
A dialectal variant of this verb, kann, is used by some writers.
17. The Imperative. The singular imperative of verb stems ending in
vowels is formed from b- + the present stem. To present stems that end in
consonants is also suffixed an unstressed -e. The plural imperative is identical to the 2nd-person plural subjunctive. As is the case in the subjunctive of
close compound verbs, the b- prefix is usually omitted; in open compounds
it is generally found but may be omitted.
INFINITIVE

PRESENT STEM

SING. IMPT.

PL. IMPT.

bn be

b-

bbe

bbin

-bn become

-b-

-be

-bin

be

bin

girtin

gir-

bgire

bgirin

hildan

hil-d-

hlde

hldin

kirin

k-

bke

bkin

rnitin

r-n-

rn

rnn

ustin

o-

bo

bon

vekirin

ve-k-

vke

vkin

Hatin and n form imperatives on their second present stems, wer- and
44

THE VERB
her- respectively.
hatin

wer-

were

werin

her-

here

herin

The negative imperative prefix is n-.

bn

b-

nbe

nbin

ne

nin

girtin

gir-

ngire

ngirin

hildan

hil-d-

hilnde

hilndin

kirin

k-

nke

nkin

rnitin

r-n-

rnn

rnnn

ustin

o-

no

non

vekirin

ve-k-

venke

venkin

17.1. The Vocative. In the vocative the stress shifts to the first syllable of
the noun and the following endings are added:
MASC. SING.

FEM. SING.

PLURAL

-o

-n/-no

Hi be, kro!

Be quiet, boy!

Were, k!

Come here, girl!

Krkern, yekgirin!

Workers, unite!

Z bin, hevalno!

Be quick, friends!

The difference between the -n ending and the -no ending for the plural is
dialectal.
18. The Simple Past (Intransitive). The simple past (preterite) of intransitive verbs is formed by adding unstressed personal suffixes to the past
stem of the verb. The past stem is derived by deleting the -(i)n ending of the
infinitive; this will leave a past stem in a consonant, , , or a.
AFTER CONSONANTS

AFTER VOWELS

45

KURMANJI KURDISH
-im

-in

-m

-n

-in

-y

-n

-in

-n

Examples of the simple past inflection are from hatin to come, bn to

be, tirsn to fear, and man to remain.
HATIN

BN

ez hatim

em hatin

ez bm

em bn

tu hat

hun hatin

tu by

hun bn

ew hat

ew hatin

ew b

ew bn

TIRSN

MAN

ez tirsm

em tirsn

ez mam

em man

tu tirsiy

hun tirsn

tu may

hun man

ew tirs

ew tirsn

ew ma

ew man

The negative is formed by prefixing n-:

ez nhatim

em nhatin

ez nbm

em nbn

tu nhat

hun nhatin

tu nby

hun nbn

ew nhat

ew nhatin

ew nb

ew nbn

ez ntirsm

em ntirsn

ez nmam

em nman

tu ntirsiy

hun ntirsn

tu nmay

hun nman

ew ntirs

ew ntirsn

ew nma

ew nman

The Kurdish simple past tense usually corresponds closely to the English
past tense.
Tu bi pelikan y jor.

You went down the stairs.

Demek j midr dibistan bm.

For a time I was a school principal.

Hem man bdeng.

They all remained silent.

However, since the Kurdish simple past tense indicates anything that took
place or has taken place in the past, it sometimes corresponds to the English
present perfect tense. In journalistic and advertising usage, the simple past
tense is used in headlines and story titles, where English normally uses the
46

THE VERB
present, as in the following:
Kaset cd derket li hem mzk
marketan.

The cassette and CD have come to (are

available in) all music stores.

Konferansa Tevgera Jinn Azad bi

daw b.

The conference of the Liberated

Womens Movement has ended.

Li bar Kurdistan di 10 saln daw 2,733 people have died and 4,913 people
de 2733 kes mirin, 4913 kes j
have been wounded over the last ten
birndar bn.
years in the south of Kurdistan.

A distinction between the two meanings of the verb bn, to be and to

become, is shown in the past tense by the placement of the verb. When it
means to be it follows the predicate, but when it means to become the
verb comes between the subject and the predicate, as in the following:
Ew zabitek jr jhat b.

He was a talented and worthy officer.

Ew b zabitek jr jhat.

He became a talented and worthy officer.

18.1. The Past Habitual/Progressive (Intransitive). The past habitual (I

used to go) and progressive (I was going) is formed by adding the habitual/progressive prefix d- to the simple past.
ez dhatim

em dhatin

ez dm

em dn

tu dhat

hun dhatin

tu dy

hun dn

ew dhat

ew dhatin

ew d

ew dn

Gava dim dibistan vedigeriyam, When I was going to school and coming
dlikek teva du cewrn xwe li ser riya back, a dog and her two pups used to
min xuya dibn bi min da direyan. appear in front of me and bark at me.
Lekern tirk wek pelkn daran di ser Turkish soldiers were coming down
pita hespan de dihatin xar.
from the backs of horses like leaves of
trees.

For past habituals in di-, the negative is regularly formed by prefixing nto the affirmative (and not, as in the present tense, by combining the negative prefix with di-):
47

KURMANJI KURDISH
ez nedihatim

em nedihatin

ez nedim

em nedin

tu nedihat

hun nedihatin

tu nediy

hun nedin

ew nedihat

ew nedihatin

ew nedi

ew nedin

Xwe t bra min xew nediket avn

I remember well that sleep used not to
min, heya diya min rokek ji min re come to my eyes until my mother had
negota.
told me a story.
Rojek derbas nedib, b ku ew
mirin li avn hev ne nihrin.

Not a day used to go by that he and death

did not look each other in the eye.

18.2. The Simple Past (Transitive): The Ergative. The simple past tense
of transitive verbs exhibits a phenomenon called ergativity, whereby (1) the
agent is marked, (2) the patient is unmarked, and (3) the verb agrees with
the patient.
The tense is formed from the past stem of the verb, and to it are added the
personal endings of the intransitive past, but these endings agree in person
and number with the patient (what we call the direct object). The agent (our
subject) is in the oblique case, and the patient is in the nominativei.e. just
the reverse of the present tense.
AGENT
OBL. CASE

PATIENT
NOM. CASE

min

ew

him

ez

he

me

w jin

tu

that woman

you

te

ew

you

them

VERB
AGREES WITH PATIENT

dt
saw-him

dtim
saw-me

dt
saw-you

dtin
saw-them

The first conjugation below reflects changing agents, and even if the 3rdperson singular patient ew were not expressed, it would still be inextricably
48

THE VERB
built into dt. The second conjugation reflects changing patients.
DIFFERENT AGENTS; STABLE PATIENT

min ew dt

I saw him

me ew dt

we saw him

te ew dt

you saw him

we ew dt

you saw him

w ew dt

he saw him

wan ew dt

they saw him

STABLE AGENT; DIFFERENT PATIENTS

w ez dtim

he saw me

w em dtin

he saw us

w tu dt

he saw you

w hun dtin

he saw you

w ew dt

he saw him

w ew dtin

he saw them

Negatives are formed by prefixing n- to the affirmative.

w ez nedtim he didnt see me

w em nedtin

he didnt see us

w tu nedt

he didnt see you

w hun nedtin he didnt see you

w ew nedt

he didnt see him

w ew nedtin

he didnt see them

The past habitual/progressive is regularly formed by adding the d- prefix

to the verb and ndi- for the negative.
min ew didt

I used to see him

w ez nedidtim he didnt use to see

me

Pronouns in the oblique case are the clearest indicators of agency. Noun
agents are also in the oblique case; however, masculine singular nouns are
not marked for the oblique.
Alfred Nobel pit mirina xwe, serweteke mezin li d xwe hit.

Alfred Nobel left behind a large fortune

after his death.

Mrik bi kenek ne ji dil got

The fellow said with a smile not from

the heart

Feminines, of course, are marked in the oblique, as are masculines modified

by a demonstrative and all plurals.
Jinikek aya me an.

A woman brought our tea.

W mirov ay an.

That man brought tea.

Gundiyan titek negot.

The villagers didnt say anything.

49

KURMANJI KURDISH
If any one in a series of co-ordinated verbs in the past tense is transitive,
the ergative construction takes precedence and the agent is marked.
Rewen Xanim demek bdeng ma,
kr kr fikir cigarek vxist.

Mme Rewshen remained silent for a

moment, lost in her thoughts, and lit a
cigarette.

In the example above, neither ma nor fikir is transitive, but since the final
verb in the series, vxist, is transitive and therefore ergative, the agent,
Rewen Xanim, is in the oblique case.
The ergative verb agrees in person and number with its patient (logical
object), but since the patient is in the nominative case and unmodified plural
nouns do not have an external plurality, the number is indicated only by the
verb, as in the following examples. Compare:
W kaxiz ji dest w girt.

She took the page from his hand.

W kaxiz ji dest w girtin.

She took the pages from his hand.

In the second example only the plural verb girtin indicates the plurality of
the patient kaxiz.
Me ew helbest xwend.

We read that poem.

Me ew helbest xwendin.

We read those poems.

Here only the plural verb xwendin indicates the plurality of the patient ew
helbest.
Just as in a series of co-ordinated nouns only the last noun shows case, in
a series of co-ordinated past transitive verbs with a plural patient, only the
last in the series shows the plural. In the following example, the patient,
destn xwe their hands, is plural, but only the second of the two verbs,
ann, shows the plurality.
Havalan destn xwe bi hustiwn hev
re bir ann.

The friends reached out and put their

hands on each others necks.

18.3. Number Agreement in Extended Ergative Verbs. In the past

tenses of compound verbs whose complements can be extended through the
construct (like behs kirin to discuss, which can be extended as behsa
50

THE VERB
kirin to discuss something, and bal kiandin to attract attention, which
can be extended as bala kiandin to attract the attention of someone),
the verb agrees in number (singular or plural) with with the last element
(not necessarily the last word) in the extension, i.e. if the last element in the
extension is plural, it attracts a plural verb, as in the following:
W ji min re behsa serphatiyn xwe
kirin.

He discussed his adventures with me.

Here the extended patient is behsa serphatiyn xwe discussion of his

adventures, and the past verb kirin agrees in the plural with the last element in the sequence, serphatiyn xwe his adventures.
Wneyn min bala rojname
hunermendan kiandin.

My pictures attracted the attention of

newspapers and artists.

In this example the extended patient is bala rojname hunermendan the

attention of newspapers and artists, and the plural verb kiandin agrees
with the last element in the sequence, the plural hunermendan artists.
Kemalstn tirk fermana bi dardakirina Emn El Bedirxan hers
kurn w j derxistin.

The Turkish Kemalists issued an order to

hang Emin Ali Bedirkhan and all three
of his sons.

In this example the extended patient is fermana bi dardakirina Emn El

Bedirxan hers kurn w an order to hang Emin Ali Bedirkhan and all
three of his sons, and the plural verb derxistin agrees with the last element
in the extended patient, hers kurn w all three of his sons.
18.4. The Past Tense of Xwestin. The past tense of a transitive verb like
xwestin is ergative, but the following subjunctive complement is not.
Therefore, even when the subject of the two verbs is the same, the two pronounsone oblique for the ergative and the other nominative for the subjunctivemust be expressed, and optionally ku may intervene between the
two verbs. An example is the conjugation of the phrase I wanted to say:
min xwest (ku) ez bibjim

me xwest (ku) em bibjin

te xwest (ku) tu bibj

we xwest (ku) hun bibjin

w xwest (ku) ew bibje

wan xwest (ku) ew bibjin

51

KURMANJI KURDISH
Min xwest ku ez ji gund derkevim ji
xwe re ber ber em bimeim.

I wanted to get out of the village and

walk by myself along the river.

Ew tit ku di ser dil min de b

min dixwest ez bidim, pk nehat.

The thing that was in my heart and mind,

and which I wanted to give, didnt
come to be.

18.5. Loss of Ergativity. For stylistic reasons ergativity may be lost in

past transitive verbs. Normally this happens only in expressions like I saw
that and I said that when the verb is followed by a subordinate
clause as its complement:
Min gotim ku

I said that (not min got)

Min dtim ku

I saw that (not min dt)

Otherwise all tenses and moods constructed on the past stem of transitive
verbs are normally ergative. In some eastern dialects, however, ergativity is
sporadically lost. The criteria for this loss have not been determined.
Di hundur kl da sosreteke re
giran dtin.

Inside the hut/hole ??? they saw

something unusual, black and heavy.

19. The Past Participle. The past participle is formed by adding - to the
past stem of verbs whose stems end in consonants. With past stems that end
in -a and - the participle is formed by adding -y to the past stem. With
past stems that end in -, the past participle is identical to the past stem.
CONSONANT STEMS

VOWEL STEMS

hatin > hat > hat come

man > ma > may remained

ustin > ust > ust washed

n > > y gone

kirin > kir > kir done

kirn > kir > kir bought

In meaning the past participle corresponds fairly closely to the English past
participle: hat come, vekir opened, ust washed as in
ciln ust

washed clothes

welatek pket

an advanced country

52

THE VERB
welatek lipamay

a backward country

kitbeke apkir

a published book

Negative participles are formed by prefixing ne-, as in

kitbn neapkir

unpublished books

ciln neust

unwashed clothes

benn nexuyay

unseen bonds

titn negot

unsaid things

20. The Present Perfect Tense (Intransitive). The present perfect tense
of intransitive verbs is formed from the past stem with the following endings:
STEMS ENDING IN CONSONANTS

STEMS ENDING IN VOWELS

-ime

-ine

-me

-ne

-iye

-ine

-ye

-ne

-iye

-ine

-ye

-ne

Note that the second and third persons singular are identical. Examples
from hatin to come and n to go are:
ez hatime

em hatine

ez me

em ne

tu hatiye

hun hatine

tu ye

hun ne

ew hatiye

ew hatine

ew ye

ew ne

The negative is formed by prefixing nez nehatime

em nehatine

ez neme

em nene

tu nehatiye

hun nehatine

tu neye

hun nene

ew nehatiye

ew nehatine

ew neye

ew nene

20.1. The Present Perfect Tense (Transitive/Ergative). The present perfect tense of transitive verbs is made from the agent pronouns plus the
endings given above, but the construction is ergative, as in the simple past.
53

KURMANJI KURDISH
Examples reflect changing agents (I, you, &c. have seen him/her/it) and
changing patients (he has seen me, you, &c.). The negative is formed by
prefixing n- to the verb.
DIFFERENT AGENTS;
3rd-PERSON SINGULAR PATIENT

3rd-PERSON SINGULAR AGENT;

DIFFERENT PATIENTS

min ew dtiye

me ew dtiye

w ez dtime

w em dtine

te ew dtiye

we ew dtiye

w tu dtiye

w hun dtine

w ew dtiye

wan ew dtiye

w ew dtiye

w ew dtine

min ew nedtiye me ew nedtiye

w ez nedtime

w em nedtine

te ew nedtiye

we ew nedtiye

w tu nedtiye

w hun nedtine

w ew nedtiye

wan ew nedtiye w ew nedtiye

w ew nedtine

Generally, the present perfect tense of Kurdish corresponds fairly closely to

the English present perfect (I have come).
Min heta niha ar kitb ap kirine.

Until now I have published four books.

Gelo ew j wek min winda bye.

I wonder if he too, like me, has become

lost.

But the Kurdish present perfect is in all respects the exact equivalent of the
Persian past narrative (hatime = , maye = ) . In Kurdish, as in
Persian, the present perfect tense is used for anything that happened in the
past, the effects or results of which are felt to be relevant to the present or to
the topic at hand. Compare, for instance, the following two examples with
their literal translations:
W tu caran titek wilo negot.

He never said any such thing.

W tu caran titek wilo negotiye.

He has never said any such thing.

The first example in Kurdish is a simple statement of fact, as in English.

The second example can only be said in English if the person about whom it
is said is still alive; if he is dead, we have to say, He never said any such
thing. In Kurdish, however, the present state of the person is irrelevant;
what pertains is whether his not having said any such thing is or is not felt
to be relevant to the presenti.e., is it still true and relevant to the topic at
54

THE VERB
hand that he never said such a thing? If so, present perfect; if not, simple
past.
Other examples of usage are as follows:
Jiyana min gelek bi equdeq bihuriya. Ten d bi kurt bibjim: Ez di
Sibata 1953an de, li Hedhedk hatime din. P, min xwendina ol li
cem bav xwe xwendiye. car pitre ez
derketime feqtiy li hin medreseyn Kurdistan geriyame.

My life has been spent mostly in misery

and hardship. I will only say in brief: I
was born in February 1953 in Hedhedik. First I had religious instruction
with my father. Then I became a religious student and made the rounds of
some schools in Kurdistan.

In this example, the writers first verb, bihuriya, is in the simple past tense
as a statement of fact, while English demands the present perfect. Thereafter, that the writer was born in 1953, studied with his father, became a
religious student, etc. are all relevant to his having had a miserable life,
which is the topic at hand. Therefore he uses the present perfect tense.
Diya min li wir bye meriyn w roj My mother was from there, and today
li her du hln xeta hesin bi ch dibin. her people live on both sides of the
Iron Line.1

In this example the writer says literally, my mother has been from there
because the fact that his mother was from there explains why he has relatives on both sides of the border.
21. The Past Perfect Tense (Intransitive). For intransitive verbs with
past stems ending in a consonant, the past perfect tense, which is functionally equivalent to the English past perfect (I had come, you had gone), is
formed from the past stem + i + the past tense of bn to be. Verbs with
past stems ending in a vowel form the past perfect tense from the simple
stem + the past tense of bn. Some writers shorten a final in the stem to i
(i.e. ez tersibm I had feared for ez tersbm). Examples of conjugation
are from hatin and n.
ez hatibm

em hatibn

ez bm

em bn

The Iron Line, coined on the model of the Iron Curtain, is Turkeys border
with Syria and Iraq, which divides Kurdistan.

55

KURMANJI KURDISH
tu hatiby

hun hatibn

tu by

hun bn

ew hatib

ew hatibn

ew b

ew bn

The negative is formed by prefixing n- to the verb:

ez nehatibm

em nehatibn

ez nebm

em nebn

tu nehatiby

hun nehatibn

tu neby

hun nebn

ew nehatib

ew nehatibn

ew neb

ew nebn

Tu caran neketib bra min ku ez

rojek ji hv j nefret bikim.

Never had it occurred to my mind that

one day I would hate the moon.

Pirraniya mirovn bajr bn havna Most of the people of the city had gone
xwe li ber lvn der dengizn
to spend their summers on the shores of
bar derbas kin.
the seas in the south.
Heta demek pir dirj bi heval dostn He hadnt spoken to his friends and budxwe re j nepeyivb.
dies for a very long time.

21.1. The Past Perfect Tense (Transitive/Ergative). The past perfect

tense of transitive verbs is formed, like that of intransitive verbs, from the
past stem + -i- + the past tense of bn on the ergative model. Past stems that
end in vowels add b directly without the -i-.
min dtib

I had seen (it)

me dtib

we had seen (it)

te dtib

you had seen (it) hun dtib

you had seen (it)

w dtib

he had seen (it)

wan dtib

they had seen (it)

w ez dtibm

he had seen me

w em dtibn

he had seen us

w tu dtiby

he had seen you

w hun dtibn

he had seen you

w ew dtib

he had seen him

w ew dtibn

he had seen them

ngilzan ziman hindiyan qedexe

nekiribn.1

The English had not banned the Indians

language.

W pirr caran biryar dab ku

Many times he had decided that

For the reason for the plural verb, see 18.3.

56

THE VERB
W roj, germa havn tu gj kiriby. On that day the heat of summer had
made you dizzy.
Bi fikira ku belk mrik li hember
polsan rabe titek bi kar bne,
polsek demanca xwe j kiandib.

Thinking that the man might resist the

police and use something [as a weapon], a policeman had drawn his pistol.

As in Persian, the past perfect tense in Kurmanji is not necessarily tied to

a temporal reference as it is in English. It is often used independently for a
past tense with a somewhat more remote signification where English would
have a simple past, particularly in narratives.
Gava min di hevpeyvneke bi Osman
Sebr re, pirsa ku w keng dest bi
nivsandin kiriye kirib, w gotib
ku

When, during a conversation with Osman Sebr, I asked (not had asked)
when he had started writing, he said
(not had said) that 1

Tu heta niha li ku b? Ez bsk

Where have you been till now? I went
bm mala Ehmed. Ji wir j em n to Ahmads house for a bit. From there
komel.
we went to the society.2

21.2. The Past Perfect Tense of Karn and Zann. The past perfect form
of the verbs karn to be able and zann to know is used as the normal
past tense. Thus ez/min dikaribm means I was able, I could, and min
dizanib means I knew. As in the present tense, the negatives of these
verbs are formed with ni-, as in ez/min nikaribm I wasnt able, I
couldnt and min nizanib I didnt know. Negatives with di- (past perfect progressive) are nedi-. Complements of the past perfect of karn are
either in the present subjunctive or in the past conditional (see 25.1 below). For sequence of tenses in clauses following the past perfect of zann,

In this example, both Persian and Turkish might very well have the past perfect
tense in both positions ($ $
$ $, sormutum and $ $
$ $ , demiti) to imply that
significant time has passed since the exchange occurred. Since the example is without a secondary time reference, English would not use the past perfect.
2
Here the first verb is in the past perfect because the speaker wants to convey that
he had gone to Ahmads house before he and the others went somewhere else.

57

KURMANJI KURDISH
see 33.
avn Naz nedikaribn d hstiran
pa ve vegernin.

Nazs eyes couldnt keep back the tears

any longer.

W ba dizanib ku w r a ne kiriye. He well knew that he hadnt made a

mistake.
A rast me nizanib em bi ku da diin. We really didnt know where we were
going.

Although, strictly speaking, karn is intransitive, in the past tenses the

choice of nominative or oblique subject pronoun is generally dictated by the
complementary verb. When the complementary verb is intransitive, the
nominative pronoun is used and karn is conjugated as an intransitive, as in
the following:
Ez d nikarbm li ser lingan rawesti- I was still not able to get up on my legs.
yama.
Ez nikarbm j re bibma alkar.

I wasnt able to be helpful to him.

When the complementary verb is transitive, the oblique pronoun is used and
karn is conjugated as an ergative, as in the following:
Te nikarib awirn xwe ji dest akt You couldnt take your eyes off the
vala dr bik.
empty sleeve of the jacket.
Qeder mehek min nikarb dora xwe For a month I wasnt able to see my surbidta.
roundings..

22. The Past Subjunctive. The past subjunctive is formed like the past
perfect, but instead of the past tense of bn, the present subjunctive of bn
is added, and to the whole is added the b- subjunctive prefix (which may be
omitted for stylisic reasons) or n- for the negative. As with all past tenses,
the past subjunctive is nonergative with intransitives and ergative with transitives.
INTRANSITIVE

TRANSITIVE/ERGATIVE

ez bihatibim

em bihatibin

min bidtibe

me bidtibe

tu bihatib

hun bihatibin

te bidtibe

we bidtibe

58

THE VERB
ew bihatibe

ew bihatibin

w bidtibe

wan bidtibe

ez nehatibim

em nehatibin

min nedtibe

me nedtibe

tu nehatib

hun nehatibin

te nedtibe

we nedtibe

ew nehatibe

ew nehatibin

w nedtibe

wan nedtibe

The past subjunctive is used (1) after all constructions that take subjunctive complements (see 16.1) when the complement is in the past.
It must have rained.1

Gereke baran barbe.

Ger car caran di hin cihan de irskin If occasionally in some places some
pketibin j, dewlet bi xurt ye ser
sparks have caught fire, the state has
wan, bi girtin, ldan kenc deng attacked them forcefully and silenced
wan birne.
them through arrest, beating, and torture.

(2) In past relative clauses with indefinite antecedents and in past clauses
introduced by indefinite relatives like whoever, whatever, no matter
who, no matter what, however much, &c.
Kurdn ku navn Salih Celadet
Bedir-Xan nebihstibin pir km in.

Kurds who havent heard the names of

Salih and Jeladet Ali Bedir-Khan are
very few.

Heriqas me berhemn van nivskaran However much we havent read the

ba nexwendibin j
works of these writers well
Te ev i kiribe div tu ji min re
bibj.

Whatever youve done tonight, you have

to tell me.

K bi i away nerazbna xwe ya li

dij dewlet anbe ziman, k bi i
away li dij dewlet derketibe, k bi i
away ji bo bidestxistina mafn gel
kurd tkon dabe, dewlet heta niha
bi eyn metodn nemirovane ye ser
wan.

Whoever has expressed by any means

whatsoever his discontentment with the
state, whoever has combatted the state
by any means whatsoever, whoever has
made an effort by any means whatsoever to attain the goals of Kurds, until
now the state has attacked them with
the same base methods.

(3) after weke ku as though in the past for hypothetical situations and in
1

Compare this with the present subjunctive: gereke baran bibare it must rain.

59

KURMANJI KURDISH
relative clauses with an antecedent preceded by wek or mna like.
like a sheep on whose head a stick has
landed

wek peza ku o li ser ketibe

(4) The past subjunctive form of two verbs, karn to be able and zann
to know, is normally used as the present subjunctive.
nsan naxwazin ku kesn din bizanibin People dont want others to know that
ew titn weha dixwne.
they read such things.
Em dixwazin bizanibin.

We want to know.

Ev girng e ku mirov bizanibe

Its important that one know that

Ez ne bawer im ku tu kes bikaribe

bibje ku rewa ziman edebiyata
kurd ba e.

I dont believe that anybody could say

that the style of Kurdish language and
literature is good.

Km berhemn gel miletn din yn There are few works belonging to other
evqas kevin hene ku mirov b alsuch ancient groups and nations that
kariya ferhengan bikaribe j tbigih. one could understand without the help
of a dictionary.
Ji bo ku bikaribim razm, min di ser
xwe de plana ku ez awa bi i away bikaribim w benderuh bikujim,
dikir.

In order that I be able to sleep, I was formulating a plan in my head how and by
what means I would be able to kill that
creature.

23. The Future Perfect Tense. The future perfect is formed, like the future, by adding to pronominal subjects or w to nominal subjects, and the
verb is in the past subjunctive. Effectively only two verbs, zann and karn,
occur in this tense, and they are used for a past modal of know and can,
like the English modal would know and would be able (and not like the
English future perfect I will have known), as in the following conjugations:
zann

karn

ez bizanbim

em bizanbin

ez bikarbim

em bikarbin

t bizanb

hun bizanbin

t bikarb

hun bikarbin

60

THE VERB
ew bizanbe

ew bizanbin

d her kes w bizanbe ku kar me

iqas bi zehmet e.

ew bikarbe

ew bikarbin

Now everybody would realize how difficult our work was.

Titek ne dihat xuya kirin ku mirov

Nothing could be made out that one
bibje ev bikaribe bibe sedema ewte might say it could be the reason for the
ewta kikn gund.
barking of the village dogs.

24. The Modal of Karn. The verb karn to be able in the past subjunctive and future perfect corresponds to the English modal could or would
be able. When the modal indicates present or future time it is followed by
the present subjunctive, as in the following examples:
Gava mirov pirsek wilo ji te bike, tu When someone asks you such a quesnav kjan romana xwe bid? Mition, which novel of yours would you
xabin, ez nikaribim bersiva v
name? Unfortunately I wouldnt be
bidim.
able to give him an answer.
Ji bo ku ew bikaribe alfabeya xwe di
nava kurdan de belav bike, ew biryara derxistina kovarek dide.

So that he could spread his alphabet

among the Kurds he decided (hist.
pres.) to bring out a journal.

Asr, ereb, ermen, faris crann me Assyrians, Arabs, Armenians, and

ne yn her kevin in, l mixabin di
Persians are our neighbors, and very
bareya edebiyata wan de titek
anciently so, but unfortunately I dont
nizanim ku bikaribim ya me yn
know anything about their literatures
wan bidim ber hev.
that I could compare ours with theirs.

25. The Irrealis Mood. Kurmanji Kurdish is particularly rich in irrealis

or contrafactualmodals. There are two modal tenses devoted to the irrealis, a past conditional and a past perfect conditional, of which there are two
varieties.
25.1. The Past Conditional. The past conditional is made by prefixing band adding the following endings to the past stem. In close compound verbs
the b- prefix may be omitted.
61

KURMANJI KURDISH
CONSONANT-FINAL STEM

VOWEL-FINAL STEM

b- stem -ama

b- stem -ana

b- stem -ma

b- stem -na

b- stem -ay

b- stem -ana

b- stem -ya

b- stem -na

b- stem -a

b- stem -ana

b- stem -ya

b- stem -na

The past conditional of intransitives is intransitive and non-ergative; the

past conditional of transitives is ergative.
INTRANSITIVE

ERGATIVE

ez bihatama
tu bihatay
ew bihata

em bihatana
hun bihatana
ew bihatana

w bidtama
w bidtay
w bidta

w bidtana
w bidtana
w bidtana

ez nehatama

em nehatana

w nedtama

w nedtana

The past conditional of bn does not normally have the bi- prefix when it
means be. Its conjugation is as follows:
ez bma

em bna

tu bya

hun bna

ew bya

ew bna

In compound verbs and when it means become, the past conditional of

bn does have the bi- prefix.
Nirvanek her dilr j newir b bi
roj di nav re derbas bibya.

Even a really intrepid hunter would not

have dared to pass through in the daytime.

W ferqiyeta herdu zaravayn kurd The difference between the two large
yn mezin hd hd hindiktir bibya. Kurdish dialects would gradually have
decreased.

The past conditional is used (1) as the complement to the past perfect
tense of karn, which is, as has been stated, the normal equivalent to the
English past tense of be able. While the present tense of karn is followed
by the present subjunctive, in some dialects the past perfect is followed by
the past conditional. See the following examples.

62

THE VERB
Wek ber d nikarib bar giran hilgirta.

He wasnt able to carry heavy loads any

more like before.

Heta destpka saln 1930 j, Celadet Until the beginning of the 1930s Jeladet
Ali Bedir-Xan nikarib nameyek bi
Ali Bedir-Khan couldnt write a letter
kurd binivsanda.
in Kurdish.
Her milet di hundur snorn mperetoriy de dikarib hunera xwe bi p
bixista, edebiyata xwe biafiranda, bi
ziman xwe perwerdeya xwe bikira.

Every nationality within the borders of

the empire could advance its own art,
create its own literature, and carry out
its education in its own language.

(2) It is similarly used as the complement to the past tense of diviya or

diva b, the past and past perfect tenses of div must, have to, and in
some dialects as the complement to the past tense of xwestin to want.
Mr Zoro nedixwast nav sultan
bibihsta.

Mir Zoro did not want to hear the sultans name.

Di v ders de her agirtek diva b li In that class every student had to speak
ser serphatiyek xwe bipeyiviya yan j about an adventure or to tell a story he
rokek ji rokn ku bihstib bigota. had heard.
Li gor peymana ngilz Sovyetiyan In accordance with the Anglo-Soviet
li gor biryara Yektiya Neteweyan, pact and in accordance with the decidiviyab Sovyet di demeke kurt de ji
sion of the League of Nations, the
ran derketa.
Soviets were supposed to withdraw
from Iran in a short time.

(3) It is used for the verb bn to be in both parts of a past contrafactual

conditional (see 25.2).
25.2 The Past Perfect Conditionals. There are two past perfect conditionals in use, but they seem to be mutually exclusive, i.e. depending on
dialect a given speaker will use either one or the other. (1) The first past
conditional is formed by prefixing the subjunctive prefix b- for the affirmative or n- for the negative and suffixing -(y)a to the past perfect:
INTRANSITIVE

ez bhatibma

em bhtibna

ERGATIVE

min bdtibya
63

me bdtibya

KURMANJI KURDISH
tu bhatibya
ew bhatibya

hun bhatibna
ew bhatibna

te bdtibya
w bdtibya

ez nhatibma
tu nhatibya
ew nhatibya

em nhatibna min ndtibya

hun nhatibna te ndtibya
ew nhatibna w ndtibya

we bdtibya
wan bdtibya
me ndtibya
we ndtibya
wan ndtibya

(2) The second past conditional is formed by prefixing the subjunctive bor n- and substituting ba- in place of b in the past perfect.
INTRANSITIVE

ERGATIVE

ez bhatibam
tu bhatibay
ew bhatiba

em bhatiban
hun bhatiban
ew bhatiban

min bdtiba
te bdtiba
w bdtiba

me bdtiba
we bdtiba
wan bdtiba

ez nhatibam
tu nhatibay
ew nhatiba

em nhatiban
hun nhatiban
ew nhatiban

min ndtiba
te ndtiba
w ndtiba

me ndtiba
we ndtiba
wan ndtiba

The past conditional mood is used in the following instances:

(1) In past contrafactual conditional sentences, the verb of the protasis
(the if clause) is in the past perfect conditional mood (with or without
bi-), and the verb of the apodosis (the result clause) is in either the past perfect conditional or the future perfect conditional. When either part of a past
contrafactual conditional contains the verb bn, it is in the past conditional,
not the past perfect conditional. When the apodosis contains the verb karn,
it is usually in the future perfect conditional.
Ma eger Aristo ne yunan, l n bya, If Aristotle had been not Greek but
w bikaribya felsefa xwe pk bne?
Chinese, would he have been able to
put his philosophy together?
Mewlana eger ne pars, l meselen bi If Mevlana had written not in Persian
tirk nivsandibya, ma w bikarbya but, for instance, in Turkish, he
Mesnew biafirne?
wouldnt have been able to create the
Masnavi, would he?
Ger ez nebma Drik, min Gir
Trcel nedtiba.

If I hadnt gone to Drik, I wouldnt

have seen Turjel Hill.

64

THE VERB
Ez bawer im ger ez ne kurd bma j,
min dsa li ser kurdan binivsanda.

I believe that, even if I werent a Kurd, I

would have written about Kurds anyway.

Ger wilo dom bikira ew erpeze dn If it had continued like that, he would
bibya.
have gone crazy.
Ger w dest xwe ji siyaset bikianda, If he had given up politics, he would not
w hewcedariya ku ew nameyeke
have considered it necessary to send a
dirj ji Mustefa Kemal Atatrk re
long letter to Mustafa Kemal Atatrk.
bine, nedta.

The phrase ne ji bya were it not for is a past conditional construction.

Ne ji Celadet Beg bya, me nizanb
ku ziman kurd ziman nivsandin
ye an na.

Were it not for Jeladet Beg, we wouldnt

have known whether Kurdish was a language for writing or not.

(2) as a past or modal complement of past constructions that demand a

subjunctive, like lazim in the first example and complement to an indefinite
antecedent in the second:1
Lbel lazim b ku me ji derek ve
dest bi v kar bikira me kir.

On the other hand, it was necessary that

we begin this labor somewhere, and so
we did.

Rskeke mezin heb ku wan ez tewqif There was a great risk that they would
bikirama.
arrest me.
Diviyab Sovyet di demeke kurt de ji
ran derketa.

The Soviet [Union] was supposed to

have withdrawn from Iran in a short
time.

Xelk w ax newrbn xwe nzk

kesn sosyalst bikirana.

People at that time didnt dare to get

close to socialist persons.

Some writers follow the Persian model and use the present subjunctive after
these expressions, but the past conditional is much more commonly used.

65

KURMANJI KURDISH
Te dixwest jinek porzer la sp
dagirt bi te re baya.

You wanted there to be a blond-haired,

white-skinned, well-built woman with
you.

Some writers use it after ber ku before with reference to past time:1
Aw nivsarn ku ji Hawar re dihatin Did anyone review the writings that
andin, ber ku bihatana weandin
were sent to Hawar before they were
kes ew di ber av re derbas dikirin? published?

(3) Following a past perfect or modal of karn to be able for an unfulfilled, unfulfillable, or unrealized situation, i.e. what one couldnt do,
couldnt have done, could have done but didnt, or should or shouldnt have
done.
Di mehn destpk de ez nikaribm j In the initial months I wasnt able to be
re bibma alkar.
helpful to him.
Ew dikarib bibya yek ji arn dema He could have become one of the most
xwe y her navdar.
famous poets of his age.
Meriv dikarib ew bi her tit bi nav
bikirina, l ne

One could call them anything but not

mkann min ku ez bikaribma vegeri- There were no possibilities for me that I

yama Batman, Srt an j Diyarbecould return to Batman, Siirt, or even
kir bimama, bijiyama, tune b.
Diyarbekir and remain and live there.
Kesn ku bikaribana binivsiyana j
gelek km bn.

Persons who could write were very few.

With the addition of /w/d to the past conditional, a future conditional

modal (would, should) is produced.
Ber min, kesin din ev ixul bi ser
xistibn. ima min nekira?

Others before me had put this business

in their heads. Why shouldnt I do it?

L w biryara xwe dab, w bixwenda.

But he had made his decision: he would

study.

Other writers prefer the present subjunctive exclusively after ber ku.

66

THE VERB
Ez p bawer bm ku meriv bikaribya, bi ziman kurd, romanek ava
bikira.

I believed that one should be able to produce a novel in Kurdish.

Ji rnitevann w, mirov d bigotaya To judge by the inhabitants of it, one

Kurdistan e.
would say it was Kurdistan.
Ew gelek neba bibya.

It would have been very bad.

(4) After xwez would that, I wish or the verb xwiziyan to wish for
unfulfillable wishes in the past, often without the bi- prefix.
Ax, xwez w zanbya ez iqas bi v
peyv diiyam.

Oh, would that he had known how

pained I was by those words.

Xwiziya w satila Naz j bi xwe re an

ba bo tij av bike.

He wished he had brought Nazis bucket

too to fill it with water.

26. The Passive Voice. The passive voice is constructed from the verb
hatin (conjugated in all persons, moods, and tenses) plus the infinitive. Examples of the passive are the following conjugations of hatin dtin to be
seen. For any other passive verb, simply substitute the infinitive for dtin.
PRESENT INDICATIVE

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

I am seen, &c.

that I be seen, &c.

ez tm dtin

em tn dtin

ez bm dtin

em bn dtin

tu ty dtin

hun tn dtin

tu by dtin

hun bn dtin

ew t dtin

ew tn dtin

ew b dtin

ew bn dtin

FUTURE

SIMPLE PAST

I will be seen, &c.

I was seen, &c.

ez bm dtin

em bn dtin

ez hatim dtin

em hatin dtin

t by dtin

hun bn dtin

tu hat dtin

hun hatin dtin

ew b dtin

ew bn dtin

ew hat dtin

ew hatin dtin

PRESENT PERFECT

PAST PERFECT

I have been seen, &c.

I had been seen, &c.

ez hatime dtin

em hatine dtin

ez hatibm dtin

67

em hatibn dtin

KURMANJI KURDISH
tu hatiye dtin

hun hatine dtin

tu hatiby dtin

hun hatibn dtin

ew hatiye dtin

ew hatine dtin

ew hatib dtin

ew hatibn dtin

PAST SUBJUNCTIVE

PAST CONDITIONAL

that I have been seen, &c.

had I been seen, &c.

ez hatibim dtin

em hatibin dtin

ez bihatama dtin em bihatana dtin

tu hatib dtin

hun hatibin dtin

tu bihatay dtin

hun bihatana dtin

ew hatibe dtin

ew hatibin dtin

ew bihata dtin

ew bihatana dtin

PAST PERFECT CONDITIONAL I

PAST PERFECT CONDITIONAL II

I would have been seen, &c.

I would have been seen, &c.

ez bhatibma dtin

em bhtibna dtin

tu bhatibya dtin

hun bhatibna dtin tu bhatibay dtin

ez bhatibam dtin

hun bhatiban dtin

ew bhatibya dtin

ew bhatibna dtin

ew bhatiban dtin

ew bhatiba dtin

em bhatiban dtin

In the present and present subjunctive of hatin, the third-person singular

forms are sometimes tte and bte (cf. Sorani
jk bet) instead of t and b,
as in the first two examples below. The agent of a passive verb is expressed
by the circumposition ji aliy ve.
Em hvdar in ew j di nzk de bte
ap kirin.

We are hopeful it will soon be published.

Her ziman edebiyat bi hin nav

kesan ve tte nasn.

Every language and literature is known

by a few names and persons.

Ji xwe ez ji welat xwe hatibm drxistin.

I had been exiled from my country by

my own self.

Bi salan bi v nav ve hatiye naskirin.

He has been known for years by this

name.

Ew di nava kurdn her ar pereyn

welt de t naskirin hezkirin.

It is known and loved among Kurds of

all four parts of the country.

l carek hatib vxistin divab ku

were kiandin.

but once it had been lit it would have to

be smoked.

Gavn w bi lez p ve dihatin avtin.

His steps were being taken quickly.

68

THE VERB
S r hebn; an ez d bihatama girtin,
di girtgeh de biriziyama, an ez ji
aliy MT ve bihatma kutin, an j
min welat xwe terk bikira.

There were three alternatives: I would be

caught there and thrown into prison, or
I would be killed by the MIT,1 or I
would leave my country.

Strann ku heta niha nehatine gotin,

ziman ku nehatiye vejandin,
edebiyata ku nehatiye nivsandin,
klaskn ku nehatine apkirin
belavkirin, kultura ku nehatiye
nasandin gelek titn din

Songs that havent been sung yet, a

language that hasnt been revived,
literature that hasnt been written,
classics that havent been printed or
published, a culture that hasnt been
recognized, and a lot of other things

27. Postposed Verbal Complements. Directional complements often follow the verb directly and are in the oblique case without a preposition.
Min pniyaza xwe and Swsrey.

I sent my proposal to Switzerland.

ew end libn ku digihtin wan

welatan j

even those few copies that reached those

countries

Ew ji welat xwe dengbj stranbjn He brings singers from his country to

tne Stenbol.
Istanbul.

The postposed complement is sporadically indicated by the addition of e

to the verb, but this is not so regular a feature of Kurmanji as it is in Sorani
(see Sorani 44). The addition of the directional -e to most forms of the past
tense makes most resulting verbs indistinguishable from the present perfect
tense, although the third-person singulars are different (pres. perf. hatiye
has come vs. directional hate came to). Context usually makes the tense
clear.
Ez me Sriy.

I went to Syria.

Me ji gund barkire Nisbn.

We moved from the village to Nusaybin.

Deng xixiek hate min.

A scratching sound came to me (=

reached my ears).

A postposed third-person pronominal complement is indicated by the ad1

MIT, Mill stihbarat Tekilat, National Intelligence Organization, the Turkish

secret police.

69

KURMANJI KURDISH
dition of -(y) to the verb.
Min got.

I said to him/her.

Bav w dest avt, l ne gihay.

His father stretched out his hand to him,

but it didnt reach him.

28. Factitive Verbs. The factitive infinitive, by which an intransitive verb

is rendered transitive, is formed from the present stem of the base verb +
-andin. The present stem of all such verbs is in -n-.
INFINITIVE

PRES.STEM

FACTITIVE

mirin to die >

mir- >

mirandin mirn- to make die, kill

ewitan to burn >

ewit- >

ewitandin ewitn- to make burn,

set fire to

tirsn to be afraid > tirs- >

tirsandin tirsn- to scare

Mala w ewita.

His house burned down.

Wan mala w ewitand.

They burned his house down.

Ez pirr ditirsim.

Im very afraid.

i wan ditirsne?

What is scaring them?

Exceptional are the verbs nivsn and nivsandin, both of which mean to
write without any apparent difference in meaning.
28.1. The Periphrastic Factitive Construction. To have something
done or to make something be done is commonly achieved by the verb
dan to give plus the infinitive, as naskirin to know (a person) > dan
naskirin to introduce, zann to know (a fact) > dan zann to cause to
know, and xuya kirin to be clear > dan xuya kirin to make clear.
Ew xwe dide naskirin.

He introduces himself.

W derd kuln gundiyan bi eskeran

didane zann.

He used to communicate the villagers

troubles and sorrows to the soldiers.

Gelo tu bikarib xwe bid naskirin?

I wonder if you could introduce yourself.

70

THE VERB
Ew di wir de dide xuya kirin, ku kurd There he makes it clear that Kurds are
ne tirk in.
not Turks.

71

OTHER SYNTACTICAL FEATURES

29. Subordinate Clauses and Subordinating Conjunctions. Subordinating conjunctions in Kurdish consist generally of prepositions + ku. A short
list of common subordinating conjunctions follows:
ber (or beriya) ku (+ pres. subj.)
ji ber ku because, on account of
before
the fact that
b() ku (+ pres. subj.) without
ji bo ku (+ pres. subj.) in order
ax ku when
that
da ku (+ pres. subj.) in order that
jibona (ku) (+ pres. subj.) in
digel ku although
order that
dema (ku) when
ku (+ pres. subj.) in order that
gava (ku) when
madem ku as long as
gelo whether
mna ku as though
gor ku as
pa ku after
hema ku as soon as (+ past or
pit ku after
pres. subj.)
ta ku as long as
herwek ku just as
weke (ku) as
heta (ku) (+ pres. subj.) in order
wexta (ku) when
that; (+ past) until
Conjunctions that mean after (pa ku, pit ku) are followed by an indicative verb, present or past according to sense.
Pa ku min pstiya wan dt, ez ji wan After I saw how bad they were, I avoided
bi dr ketim.
them.
Pit ku v merov end gotinn xwe
peyiv, agirt rnitin.

After this man spoke his few words, the

pupils sat down.

Conjunctions that mean before are normally followed by a present subjunctive verb. The correct tense for English translation is gained from context.
Ber ku ewrek re y n bi ser v
bajar de bigire, ji pit iyan rojeke
bhawe xwe bilind dibe.

Before a black cloud of mourning covers

this city, an extraordinarily nice day
breaks from behind the mountains.

72

OTHER SYNTACTICAL FEATURES

Beriya ku em dest bi dersn xwe bikin, Before we start our lessons, I want to
dixwazim ji we re l titek bikim.
discuss something with you.
Ber ku ez bersiva v pirsa te bidim, ez Before I answer this question of yours,
titek bik li ser gotina we bjim.
let me say a little something about what
you all have said.
Ber ku ez derkevim dervey welt, min Before I wound up outside the homeland,
soran nebihstib.
I hadnt heard Sorani.
Ber ku leker li ber xwe binrin, Ferzende ajote ser wan

Before the soldiers looked in front of

themselves, Ferzende attacked them.

Conjunctions that mean whendema (ku), gava (ku), ax (ku), wexta

(ku)are normally followed by an indicative verb (past, present, or future
according to sense).
Gava ku mirov ji derve li avahiya
hotl dinihr, hotel gelek xwe
luks xuya dikir.

When one was looking at the hotel building from the outside, it looked very
nice and deluxe.

Pirr nivskar, dema dixwazin li ser

kurdan binivsin, jiyana kurd di
pencerek teng de dibnin.

Many writers, when they want to write

about Kurds, see Kurdish life through a
narrow window.

Dema em d bighjin Ewropa ken

porzer li Ferensa li Swd w li ser
por me dn bibin.

When we get to Europe, blonde girls in

France and Sweden will go crazy over
our hair.

Dibe ku anuha pir neye, l wexta ku It shouldnt hurt much anymore, but
iya, tu bibje, em derman bidine te. when it hurts, you tell us so that we
may give you some medicine.

All conjunctions that mean in order that are followed by a present subjunctive verb (except karn and zann, which use the past subjunctive form
for the present subjunctive).
Ji bo ku b tirs fikar bikaribim
razm, min di ser xwe de plana ku
ez awan bikaribim w benderuh
bikujim, dikir.

In order that I might be able to sleep

without fear or worry, I was formulating a plan in my head how I could kill
that creature.

73

KURMANJI KURDISH
Div tu her bajr, ji bo ku tu tkev
mekteb.

You have to go to town in order that you

attend to school.

Serdar hsan Nr, Ferzende digel st Commander Ihsan Nuri, sent Ferzende
siwar ande nav ern serhedan da
with sixty cavalrymen among the tribes
ku sedek hesp peyda bike.
of the borders in order to find a hundred
horses.
Em radipelikn penceran da ku em
rokan bibihzin.

We used to creep up to the windows in

order to hear the stories.

Conjunctions like weke ku as, which do not necessarily take a following

subjunctive, may do so when doubt is implied.
Weke ku hun zanin

As you may know

Compare the above example with the following, where no doubt is implied:
Weke ku hun dizanin

As you know

The conjunction her ku has a variety of meanings for translation, but the
basic meanings are the morethe more when there is a comparative
involved (or implied) and every time for temporals.
Her ku roj bilind dibe, Mehabad
dikevin tevger.

The higher the sun rises, the more the

Mahabadis fall into activity.

Her ku ber bi dibistan t nzktir

dibe, btir j diyar dibe ku kalek
salmezin e.

As he approaches the school, the closer

he comes, the more it becomes apparent
that he is an old man of great age.

Her ku hejmareke n ya kovar

derdiket, ew mna zarokek dila
dib.

Every time a new issue of the journal

would come out, he used to be as happy
as a child.

Her ku with a 3rd-person singular form of n in an appropriate tense is

used for the constant increase of something (to keep getting).
Deng ji ezmn herku di btir dib. The noise from the sky kept getting
louder.
Her ku die dunya pik dibe.

The world keeps getting smaller.

74

OTHER SYNTACTICAL FEATURES

Tirs herku btir b tamarn
erko sist kirin.

The fear kept getting more and weakening Sherkos nerves.

30. Relative Clauses. Relative clauses in Kurdish are introduced by the

relative pronoun ku (or the variant ko) who, which, that. Unmodified
antecedents of the relative are in the construct case (tit ku the thing that,
sala ku the year which, welatek ku a country that, titek ku a thing
which, titn ku things that, rokn ku stories which). Modified antecedents have the construct extender (ziman me y ku our language,
which, dayka xwe ya ku his mother, who, titn din yn ku other things
which). When relative clauses are embedded within the main clause, there
is no distinction between restrictive and nonrestrictive relative clauses.
Min meqaleyn ku bi ziman kurd
hatibne nivsandin dtin.

I saw articles that had been written in

the Kurdish language.

Ji deng zarokn ku li der dor dilstin There was no sound from the children
ptir deng tuneb.
who had been playing in the vicinity
before.
Digel ku gelek saln dirj di ser re
Although many long years have passed,
derbas bne, ew alfabe rzimana
the alphabet and grammar that were
ku ji aliy Celadet Bedir-Xan ve hatiye established by Jeladet Bedir-Khan and
dann di kovarn w de hatiye bikar- were used in his journals satisfy the
ann, ro j bersiva hewcedariya
needs of the Kurdish language even
ziman kurd dide.
today.
Ew w ziman ku li ber mirin ye jndar dike.

He is revivifying this language, which is

on the verge of dying.

When relative clauses follow the main clause they are introduced by y
ku, ya ku, and yn ku and are nonrestrictive.
Deng segn gund erko dsa hiyar
kir, y ku ji kfxweiy hema hindik
mab bifire.

The sound of the village dogs once again

awoke Sherko, who was almost flying
from happiness.

Li ser milek w j trek mezin heb, y

ku di hindir xwe de ekir titn din
yn ku ji qaaxiyan hatibn kirn,
dihewandin.

Over one of his shoulders there was a

large sack, which contained sugar and
other things that had been bought from
smugglers.

75

KURMANJI KURDISH
With the exception of temporal expressions (the year in which, the
days during which, etc), in relative clauses in which the antecedent is other
than the subject or object of the verb in the relative clause (i.e. types like
the thing of which I was afraid, the man with whom I went), the syntax of
the relative is indicated by a referent pronoun (literally the thing which I
was afraid of it, the man who I went with him).
Tit ku Celadet Bedir-Xan j ditirsiya, bi ser kurdn Tirkiyey ve
hatiye.

The thing of which Jeladet Bedir-Khan

was afraid has happened to the Kurds of
Turkey.

Gelo tu ima na w welat ku tu li wir I wonder why you dont go to that counji dayik by evqas j hez dik?
try, where you were born and which
you like so much.
Mrik odeya min nivn ku ez t de The fellow showed me my room and the
razm, nan min da.
bed in which I would sleep.

Temporal expressions do not normally have a referent pronoun, and the

relative ku after temporal expressions is usually best translated as when.
Pit sala 1972 ku derketim Ewrp After the year 1972, when I went off to
Europe
Pit 12 lna 1980, ku cunta sisiyan After September 12, 1980, when the
a fast li Tirkiy hate ser hikim
third fascist junta came to power in
Turkey

Relatives without noun antecedents use y ku he who, ya ku she who,

and yn ku those who or kes ku one who, kesa ku one (f) who, and
kesn ku persons who.
Ya ku ji min re der vekir berdestka w The one (fem.) who opened the door for
b.
me was her servant.
ro di nava kurdn me yn Sriy de
yn ku kurd bi alfabeya ereb dinivsnin, i bigire tune ye.

Today among our Kurds in Syria, those

who write Kurdish in the Arabic alphabet are practically nil.

Ew kesn ku dixwazin huner edebiyat bikevin bin bandora poltkaya

roj

Those persons who want art and literature to come under the influence of the
politics of the day

76

OTHER SYNTACTICAL FEATURES

As in English, there is an occasional elipsis of the relative ku when the
relative is the object of the verb in the relative clause.
Min fahm kir ku titn min nivisbn,
ne ir bn.

I understood that the things I had written

were not poetry.

Te xwest bib baoke, ew teyr te pirr j You wanted to become a falcon, that
hez dikir.
bird you liked so much.

31. The Emphatic J. The Kurmanji enclitic j, equivalent to the Sorani

enclitic f -sh, the Persian , and the Turkish de/da, emphasizes the word
that precedes it. Its meanings range from even to also, but it is often untranslatable since the function it serves is taken care of in English by voice
inflection and intonation (italicization or underscore in writing). It is often
helpful to think of j as a spoken underscore.
Bguman ew ne Xweda ye. Kmas
aiyn w j hene.

Of course, he isnt God. He too has

weaknesses and faults.

Min mamostetiya ziman ereb dikir I used to teach the Arabic language, and
ez demek j midr dibistan bm.
also for a time I was a school principal.
Di gelek waran de ew h j mamostayiya me dike.

In many respects he is still teaching us.

32. Expressions of Temporal Duration. There are two constructions for

temporal duration, the first of which is the more commonly used.
(1) The formula for present expressions of temporal duration (Ive been
here for two hours) is as follows: (bi) length of time + e (or in) + (optional
ku) + present-tense affirmative verb or present-perfect negative verb.
Du saet e ku ez li vir im.

Ive been here for two hours.

zimanek mna kurd ku bi sedsalan a language like Kurdish, which has

e nebye ziman nivsandin
not been a language of writing for centuries
Ji keng ve ye ku tu bi kurd dinivs? Since when have you been writing in
Kurdish?

77

KURMANJI KURDISH
Hefteyek e ku min ew nedtime.

I havent seen him for a week.

Bst yek sal e ku ez neme welt.

I havent gone to the homeland for

twenty-one years.

Ev heft sal in ku gel kurd ji derd v The Kurdish nation has been complainnexweiya han dinale.
ing of the pain of that very sickness for
these seventy years.

In past expressions of temporal duration (I had been here for two hours
when), the formula is: length of time + b + (ku) + past-tense affirmative verb or past-perfect negative verb.
Du saet b ku ez li vir bm.

I had been here for two hours.

Bst yek sal b ku ez nebm welt. I hadnt been to the homeland for
twenty-one years.

(2) The second construction literally means this is my (X amount of

time) that I am (doing something), as in the following:
Ev panzdeh saln min in ez tgihtime, ku welatek b ziman ne tu
welat e.

For fifteen years now Ive understood

that a country without a language is no
country (lit. these are my fifteen years
I have understood that).

Ev 55 saln min in ku ez di nava v

xebat de me.

Ive been in the midst of this struggle for

55 years now (lit. these are my 55
years that).

Deh saln te li ehri Pars derbas

bbn.

You had been in the city of Paris for ten

years (lit. your ten years had passed).

33. Sequence of Tenses After Past Verbs of Perception. While presenttense verbs of perception (seeing, hearing, thinking, realizing, feeling,
guessing, &c.) do not pose any particular problem for English-speakers,
past-tense verbs of perception are followed, as in Persian, by the tense of
the verb that would have been used by the speaker at the time of the perception. In English all such verbs are thrown back by one tense.

78

OTHER SYNTACTICAL FEATURES

W hs kir ku ten ye.

He felt he was alone.

Ez tgihtim ku zimane- I came to the realization

k min y taybet heye.
that I had a special language.

(i.e., at the time, he would

have verbalized his feelings as I am alone)
(i.e. what I said to myself
at the moment of realization was, I have a special language)

Min dtim ku mamoste

ne t ye.

I saw that the teacher was (i.e. what I would have

not there.
said to myself at that
moment was, The
teacher is not here)

Em difikirn ku ev roj
ney.

We used to think that this

day wouldnt come.

Mna ku dizanib w
As though he knew the
pols dest w keleme
police were going to
bikin, herdu destn xwe handcuff him, he exdirj pols kirin.
tended both his hands
toward the policemen.

(i.e. what we used to think

was, That day will not
come)
(i.e., at the time, he would
have said to himself, the
policemen are going to
handcuff me)

Min zanb w saet ava I realized that at that hour (i.e., at the time, I would
germ peyda nabe.
there was no hot water to have said to myself,
be found.
there is no hot water)

34. Questions with Ma. The particle ma, which is the equivalent of the
Persian , introduces an affirmative question to which a negative answer is
expected (English, you dont know, do you?).
Ma rast e?

Thats not right, is it?

Ma ez karibim careke din ry diny I wont ever be able to see the face of the
bibnim?
earth again, will I?
Ma ji bo me tu dern b tehlke, b
tirs hene?

For us there arent any places without

danger, without fear, are there?

It also introduces a negative question to which an affimative answer is expected (English, it rained last night, didnt it?).
Ma em j eyn tit nakin?

We do the same thing, dont we?

79

KURMANJI KURDISH
Ma tu ne herdem di odak de y?

You are always in a room, arent you?

The reply to such a question need not be in the affirmative, but an affirmative expectation is implied by the asking of such a question, as in the following exchange:
Gava mrik bdeng ma, jinik dsa
got,
Er, ma ne wilo ye?
Na, ne wilo ye! mrik bi hrs got.

When the husband remained silent, the

wife said once again, Yes, thats how it
is, isnt it?
No, the husband said irritatedly, its
not like that!

Ma also has the contradictory force of but, particularly in questions that

also contain an interrogative (who, where, why) or gelo, which introduces a wondering querry and can be implied.
avn te girt bn germa dijwar la
te sist kirib, te gj kirib. Ma hi te
li ku b dema telefona li ber te, li ser
masa te, l xist?

Your eyes were closed, and the oppressive heat had weakened your body, had
made you dizzy. But where was your
mind when the telephone in front of
you on your desk rang?

Er, ez im, ma tu k y?

Yes, its me, but who are you?

Min xwe dt di Xonav de ma gelo

ew xwe di hinekn din de bibne?

I saw myself in Khoshnav, but I wondered if he would ever see himself in

others.

Ma saet and e?

I wonder what time it is.

80

READINGS IN KURMANJI
QEDRCAN
[Qedrcan ku nav w y esas Abdulqadir Ezz Can b, yek ji ar nivskarn her
bi quwet mekteba Hawar b. Ew him ar him j pexannivskar b. Digel
gelek irn w yn bedew, gelek kurterokn w yn xwe njen hene. Ew sala
1916an li Drika Mrdn hate din. W li mekteba gund dest bi xwendin bir
pa li Xwendegeha Bilind a Mamostayan li zmr xwend b mamosta. W li
Anteqy li skendern mamostat kir.]1

Rojn Derbasby
Pit jiyineke s salan jiyineke tal rn ez ji Amd bi dr diketim
end hevaln min n fedakar end sxteyn min n wefakar dora timobla
me girti bn. Yek, du heval xuya ne bn; Xwed zane ne ji bbext, dibe ko
ji diltengiya ji hev qetandin avn wan bar ne b b ne hati bn2
Bi kel gir min hevalan destn xwe bi hustiwn hev re bir ann. Me
hevd dispart Xwed Bi germiyeke wusan me destn hev diguvat ko
diln me ji hev re digotin: Em her her heval bira bimnin3
1

nav m name; esas original; ar m poet; nivskar m writer; her very; bi quwet
powerful; mekteb f school; Hawar a Kurdish journal; himhim bothand; pexan f prose; ir poetry; bedew splendid; kurterok f short story; njen modern;
hatine din to be born; dest birin bi (+ inf.) to begin; xwendegeh f school; bilind
high; Anteqya Antioch; skendern Alexandretta; mamostat kirin to teach.
2

jiyin = jyn life; tal bitter; rn sweet; Amda Amd, a town in Syria near
Qmishl; bi dr ketin (kev) ji to leave behind; heval friend; fedakar devoted;
sxte theological student; n = yn; wefakar faithful; dora girtin to surround;
timobl f automobile; xuya bn to show up; bbext disloyalty; ko = ku here as if;
dilteng f sadness; ji hev qetandin to part from one another; avn wan bar
nebb they hadnt been able to bear the sight.
3

kel gir crying and weeping; hustu m neck; spartin Xwed to entrust to God,
to say goodbye; germ f warmth; wusan thus; guvatin (guv) to squeeze; her
her forever and ever; man (mn) to remain.

86

READINGS
Gava timobl bi r ket, b hemd end hsir ji avn min herikn Ji alk,
ji hevalan bi dr diketim, ji aliy din birna hta min ez diandim; giyan
min dihejiya; min ne zan b a v birn ew iqas dom bike ew i li
eniya min binivse!1
***
Gelek rojn xwe pir rojn re min li Amd derbas kirin. Paiya pan
ez bm zell serencameke kirt.2
Gava dim dibistan vedigeriyam, dlikek teva du cewrn xwe li ser
riya min xuya dibn bi min da direyan. Cewrek gur b, avek w kwr
b, rek nviy ry w ewitandi b Cewrik din kurm b, mna bi
nexweiya firengiy l be, gava direya kewtn kazkaza w, nola kwsiy
lablabik bi berde ma be, bi der diket3
Bel van cewrikan tim dixwestin riya min bibirin min j guh ne dida
wan ne dihate bra min ko rojek hestiyek bavjim ber wan xwe ji wan
biparzim. Rojek ji nika ve cewrikekXwed zane kwr bji pa ve
bi hta min girt ez birn kirim
Tixtoran ji min re hewa guhastin cih guherandin berp Eyndwer
nan kir.4
***
Timobla me hd hd ji Amd bi der ket pa lezand; hevalan, hetan
1

bi r ketin to start out; b hamd reluctantly, unwillingly; hsir m tear; herikn

to flow; ji alk (= aliyek) on the one hand; ji aliy din on the other hand; ht f
thigh; andin to hurt; giyan m soul; hejiyan to be excited; f pain; dom kirin to
last; en f forehead; nivsn to write.
2

xwe good, happy; re black, bad; derbas kirin to spend (time); zell despondent (+ construct because of); serencam f outcome; kirt awful, vile.
3

dlik f bitch; teva with; cewr pup; li ser riya on front of; reyan to bark; gur
scabby, mangy; kwr blind; r f hair; nv (= nv) half; ewitandin to burn; kurm
wormy; mna like; nexweiya firengiy syphilis; l bn bi to be afflicted with;
kewtn barking; kazkaz f wail; nola like; kws m tortoise; lablabik m marsh.
4

tim always; riya birin to block the way of; guh dan to pay attention to; hest
m bone; parastin (parz) to defend; ji nika ve suddenly; kwr the blind one;
birn kirin to wound; hewa guhastin to have a change of air; cih m place; guherandin to change; berp kirin to propose; Eyndwer Ayn Dwr, a small place in
Syria directly south of Cizre; nian kirin to indicate.

87

KURMANJI KURDISH
em ji hev wenda bn, destn xwe ji min re kil dikirin. Timobl, her ko di,
xwe diguvat li aliy ep iyayn Kurdistan li al rast ola Cezr
orezara Erebstan diherikn. Xunaveke bdeng hrik hrik dibariya. ifr
digot: Xwed bike baran bo nebare em xwe bigihnin Qamilok1
Xwed em ji her irav parastin, baran ne bariya. L hetan em gihitin
Qamilok xwenav ryn me dialast.2
Bi lez bez min xwe gihand cem tixtor. Birna min pansiman kir hinek
derman da min. Roja din em gihitin Drik, li ba hevalek bm mvan, l
bi ev xewnine bi tirs ez vediciniqandim. Birna min diiya.3
Sibeh ez li timoblek geriyam, bi dest ne ket, vcar li ser hespan me
ber xwe da Eyndwer. Pit du saetan em gihitin wir. Ji xortn wir
Fetah Mele Sadiq Mihemed Mele Ehmed derketin piya min bi rken bi dilgerm dest min guvatin.4
***
Di yek Adar de gihitim Eyndwer. Herkes ji min re digot: Bext te
ba e, tu di ser bihar de hat vir, ji ro p ve bihar e, bihara Eyndwer
mna bihara zozann Kurdistan ye.5
Ev fala ko herkes ji min re vedikir, wusan derneket. Bi hjmar, mehek
s rojan, bi ev bi roj baran bariya. Bi hezar dijwar min xwe digihand
dibistan. Sxteyn dibistan, mna yn Amd, pir wan kurd bn. Ji lewra
1

lezandin to accelerate; hetan until; wenda bn to be lost; dest kil kirin jire
to wave at; her ko di the farther it went; guvatin to squeeze; iya m mountain;
ol countryside; Cezre Upper Mesopotamia; orezar f desert; Erebstan Arabia;
herikn to flow; xunav f sprinkle, light rain; bdeng silent; hrik hrik little by
little; bariyan to rain down; ifr driver; baran f rain; bo abundant; xwe gihandin
(gihn) to get oneself to.
2

her f mud; irav f muck; parastin (parz) to protect; hetan by the time;
gihitin to reach; xwenav (= xunav) f sprinkle, light rain; alastin (als) to lick.
3

bi lez bez hurriedly; xwe gihandin cem to get oneself to; tixtor doctor; pansiman kirin to dress; derman m medicine; li ba at the house of, with; ve-ciniqandin
to startle.
4

sibeh in the morning; geriyan li to look for; bi dest ketin to be found; vcar
then, so; hesp horse; ber xwe dan to set out for; saet hour; gihitin (gihj) to arrive at, to reach; xort m youth, young man; rken f smile; dilgerm f warmth.
5

Adar March; herkes everybody; bext m luck; zozan m mountain pasture.

88

READINGS
me z hevd nas kir me z ji hev hez kir1
Qeder mehek min nikari b dora xwe bidta, bi ev baran bi roj
baran d can me baw b b, hundir me zingar girti b. Birna min j
hj dixebit, min bawer ne dikir ko ew knga rehet bibe.2
Pit mehek bi un da, niva, roj derket, giya n b, gul ekn
rengereng xuya kirin min fam kir ko buhara Eyndwer bihareke welat
ye. Li hember: iyay Cd, wargeh Nh Pxember, di bin de em
Dicl diherike. Li ber em Cizra Botan welat Mem Zn xuya dike.
Ev her s bargehn drok di jiyna min de wergerandineke mezin kirin
giyan min bi axa w der ve girdan Di rojn baran de, dost hevalan
ji min re digotin: Malava bihna xwe teng meke, ro sibe, baran bisekine,
din bihar e, em herin Pira Bafet seyran, tiw bibn i cihek xwe e, i
cihek xwe Min hevalan end seyran kirin. Vcar dora Pira Bafet
bixwe hati b. Rojek, me xwarina xwe bi xwe re bir em n Pira Bafet,
pira drok (dibjin di zeman Mr Mihemed yekdest de ava bye). Bi rast
j cihek pir xwe b. Dicle, di bin lingn me re diherik. Birca Belek rind
xuya dib, li ser Cd berfa sip diiris3
Hetan var em li wir man Heval yekta rhrn Mehemed Mele
mna hergav weke allek dikir eqeeq, ji dwana Cizer pern dilewat
1

fal (f) ve-kirin to make a prediction; wusan like that; der-ketin to turn out; meh
f month; dijwar f difficulty; pir wan most of them; ji lewra for that reason; z
soon; nas kirin to get to know; hez kirin ji to like.
2

qeder f fate; can m body; baw rheumatic; hindir m inside; zingar girtin to rust;
hj still; bawer kirin to believe; knga ever; rehet bn to get well.
3

giya f grass; n green; gul f rose; ek f flower; rengereng many-colored; fam

kirin to realize; buhar f spring; welat country (adj); hember opposite; iyay
Cd Mt. Judi, the mountain on which Noahs ark came to rest; wargeh f camping
site; Nh Noah; pxember prophet; em m river; Dicle f Tigris; herikn to flow;
Cizra Botan the mesopotamian region on the Botan River; welat m country; bargeh f headquarters; drok historical; wergerandin f alteration; mezin great; ax f
land; der f place; gir-dan bive to attach to; malava be reasonable; bihn f
breath; bihna xwe teng kirin to be upset; sekinn to stop; din from now on;
seyran (f) -kirin to go on an outing; pir f bridge; tiw = tu + ; bixwe hatin to
come into ones own, to be at ones best; xwarin f food; zeman m time; yekdest as
a piece; ava bn to be built; birc f tower; rind beautiful; berf f snow; sip white;
irisn to gleam.

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KURMANJI KURDISH
dibijart dest xwe bi aheng kil dikir digot:1
Me di dil de heye narek ko disijit seqer
Erzihala ko nivs me bi xna ceger.2
Birna min hd hd rehet dib.
***
din wexta girtina dibistanan hat. Ji alk kfxwe, ji aliy din dilnexwe
bm. Ez vegeriyama am, min hevaln xwe n li wir n li ser r
bidtana. L dest min ji Eyndwer hevaln Eyndwer ne dib. arek
iqas rast gotiye: Gava meriv li cihek dimne, bi nsan axa w der ve bi
benn nexuyay tn girdan, knga meriv ji wir die, ew benn ha dil meriv
ber bi xwe ve dikinin dinin3
Gava ji Eyndwer derketim, mna roja Amd qirika min tije gir b b.4
***
Roj, meh, sal iqas z derbas dibin. Ev bn du salne km, ne zde
ji wan cihan, ji wan hevalan bi dr ketime. Li cihine wisan dimnim ko ne
here ne were dibsim; guh min ji v ahenga pireste b par maye. Li
dora xwe dinrim ji berdla Cd Dicl leylanine xapnok dibnim.5
Hevalek dewsa Mehemed Mel, ew dewsa vala, tij bike nneXwed
giyan w bihutn bikesxt min j ne Biro Remo nin, ji diyariya wan
deran bi ten titek bi min re maye; di hta min de hj jehra diran w
cewrik dilive. Ew cewrik b xwed; ew cewrik serberday6
1

yekta unique; rhrn lighthearted; hergav always; all magpie; eqeeq

chatter; dwan f divan, collected works; Cizer Jizar, a Kurdish poet; dilewat f
sadness; bijartin (bijr) to choose; kil kirin to wave.
2

nar pomegranate; sijn to ooze (disijit the archaic 3rd-person singular present =
disije); seqer f a poison that drips from a tree in hell; erzihal letter; xn f blood;
ceger f liver.
3

wext f time; girtin to close; kfxwe happy; dilnexwe unhappy; ve-geriyan to

return; n = yn; nsan people; ax f land; ben f string; nexuyay invisible; gir-dan
to attach, to tie; ew benn ha those very strings; knga when.
4

qirik f throat; tije full of; gir weeping.

bstin (bs) to hear; aheng f melody; pireste worship; b par deprived; leylan f
mirage; xapnok deceitful.
6

dews f place; vala empty; tij kirin to fill: hevalek dewsa tij bike nne

90

READINGS
OSMAN SEBR
[Her ziman edebiyat bi hin nav kesan ve tte nasn. Yan j, ji bervajiy, gava
meriv qala hin nav kesan dike, welatek, zimanek edebiyatek t bra merivan.
Herwek ku Victor Hugo ziman edebiyata klask Jean-Paul Sartre ya njen ya
fransizan; Goethe ziman edebiyata klask Heinrich Bll ya njen ya almanan;
Frdews ziman edebiyata klask Sadiq Hdayet Ehmed aml ya njen ya
farisan tnin bra merivan.1
Herwiha hin navn kurd j bi ziman edebiyata kurd re bne yek. B ik,
mezintirn nav ku bi ziman edebiyata kurd ya klask re bye yek, Ehmed Xan
ye. Ev yeka him ji bo zaravay kurmanc him j ji bo zaravay soran rast e.
L bel, her edebiyata kurd ya njen e, ji ber perebna welt, 1923, riyn
zaravayn kurmanc soran ji hevdu vediqetin. Zaravay kurmanc bgav dimne
nikare tevgern ge yn edeb bne pji bil tevgera Hawar.2
Hawar, ji aliy mr Celadet Bedirxan dihat weandin. Celadet Bedirxan serok,
peng, planker sernivskar kovar b. navn din yn v ekol li doraliy w
civiyabn. L kes ku heval, hogir agirt w b p re dimeiya, bi her away
alkar li kovar dikir, Osman Sebr b. Osman Sebr nav duduyan y v ekol b.
Li ser Hawar xebat wena w, gelek caran, ez bi Osman Sebr, Rewen Bedirxan, Cegerxwn Hesen Hiyar re peyivme. Li gor van xeberdanan, Osman Sebr
him wek nivskar, algir, rvebir him j, pir caran wek karker di wena kovar de
bedar bye.]3

there is no friend to fill the place of; bihutn in paradise; diyar f gift,
memento; der f place; hj still; jehr f poison; diran m tooth; livn to stir; b xwed
godless, damned; serberday stray.
1

leheng champion; ziman m language; edebiyat f literature; ji bervajiy

conversely; qala kirin to pronounce; klask classical; njen modern; fransiz
French; alman German; faris Persian.
2

herwiha likewise; b ik doubtless; zarava m dialect; perebn f fragmentation;

hevdu each other; r ve-qetn to take separate directions; bgav helpless; tevger f
activity; ge flourishing; ji bil except for.
3

ji aliy by (with passive); weandin to publish; peng scout; planker

planner; sernivskar editor; kovar m journal; ekol f school; doral m surrounding;
civiyan to gather; heval companion; hogir m intimate friend; agirt m apprentice;
meiyan to walk; alkar kirin to help; wen f publication; peyivn bi re to talk
with; li gor according to; xeberdan f information; algir helper; rvebir guide;
karker worker; bedar bn di de to participate in.

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KURMANJI KURDISH
ar Leheng: Leheng I: Ferzende Beg
Di sala 1929-an da er Agir hd hd berve xurtbn di. ervann kurd
li her al welt bern xwe didan Agir li dora serdar ore hsan Nr
xwe didan hev. Hing ji bo parastina snor iy gaziyn bi lez siwar divyabn di iy da hesp hindik mabn. Serdar hsan Nr, Ferzende digel
st siwar ande nav ern Serhedan da ku sedek hesp peyda bike, ser her
gund dewlemend hespek an dudu j dixwestin. Civandina hespan ne karek
e ku ji hikmet bihata veartin. Zuka haya hikmet j b. Serdariya
lekern tirk y rojhilat du alay siwar andin piya Ferzende. Herdu alay
ne dr hev ber dabn erdima ku t da hesp dihatin civandin.1
Li p Geliy Zlan alayiyek ji wan raste Ferzende hat, l nexwest bi tena
xwe er w bike, ji ber ku dizann Ferzende k ye. Ji lewra dredr li p
heya alayiya din j xwe digehne ser. L Ferzende bra v yek dibir nedixwest herdu alayiyan li ser xwe bigehne hev. B dudil hespn ku civandibn sipartin deh siwaran, bi pnc siwar dirj alayiya tirk kir. er bi awak
birskin dest p kir. ervann kurd b ku tifing biteqnin, li p bav Efrasiyab ajotin ser nveka alayiya dijmin. Dev tifingn wan b minet dighan
qefsinga neyar, wek colek gurn dev bi xwn bikeve nav keriyek pez. Turkan ev celeb er nedtibn, nedikarn snga xwe ji dev tifingn ehsiwarn
kurd biparzin. Kurdan tifing dest bi dest berra psra neyar didan. Lekern
tirk wek pelkn daran di ser pita hespan de dihatin xar. Bstek nebor
neyar dest ji ber hev berdan her yek bi alk da revn.2

er m war, battle; Agir Ar, in extreme eastern Turkey; hd hd little by little;

ber ve n to become; xurt strong, powerful; ervan warrior; ber xwe dan to
head for; serdar leader; ore f revolution; xwe dan hev to unite; parastin (parz)
to defend; snor m border; gaz warrior; bi lez in haste; siwar bn to mount; hesp
m horse; hindik few; er f tribe; serhed border; da ku in order that; peyda kirin to
find; dewlemend wealthy; xwestin ser to request from; civandin to put in
motion; hikmet f government; ve-artin (r) to hide; zuk obvious; hay f
attention; serdar f leadership; leker soldier; tirk Turk(ish); rojhilat east; alay f
regiment; ne dr hev not far from each other; erdim f region.
2

gel m valley; raste straight toward; bi tena xwe by himself; ji lewra therefore;
dredr far away; p behind, backward; xwe gehandine ser (gehandin = gihandin)
to arrive; bra birin to take into consideration; dudil hesitation; sipartin (sipr)
to entrust; bi awak like; birsk f lightning; tifing f gun; teqandin (teqn) to shoot

92

READINGS
Hol keysa dijmin ketib Ferzende digel siwarn xwe yn mrxas da
ser pita wan. Hespn tirkan ne evend beza bn, kurd bi hsan dighan
ew di ser pita hespan da tann xar. Saetek nebor, qada er ji cendekn
tirkan hate dagirtin, gelek hesp tifing b xwed mabn.1
Gava alayiya duduyan giha qada er ji Ferzende siwarn w p va kes
nedtin. Ber ku leker li ber xwe binrin, Ferzende ajote ser wan, wek
bazn ku dikevin nav ref qulingan, her ew di ser pita hespan da tann xar.
Herwek destn tirkan girdaybe bes deng ji tifingn kurdan dihatin. Ji
lewra er dom nekir, alayiya duduyan j rev pita xwe da kurdan.2
Ji ber ku hespn kurdan westiyabn ji hal ketibn gelek li p dijmin
nen li qada er vegern. Pirrtir dused pnc kut ji lekern tirkan
heb, ji kurdan ten s kes birndar bbn birna wan sivik b. Heke gotin
nivsandina byereke hol hsan be j bawerkirina w hinek dijwar e, l
ev b, ya ku w roj qewim. Pit er qediya Ferzende hesp tifingn
kutiyan civandin ber xwe da hla Agir. Piti v er bi ar pnc rojan
herdu alayiyn tirk nedikarn siwarn xwe yn pij belav buy bigehnin ser
hev. Pit hatina ser hev xisara xwe nasn, fed kirin ku Ferzende bi pnc
siwar ew hol erpeze kirine, qumandan herdu alayiyan raporek derewn
andin ji serdariya leker ra ku ern Geliy Zlan tevda alkariya Ferzende
kirine, ji lewra hinde leker hatin kutin. Li ser v rapor b ku hukumeta
tirk het gund li Geliy Zlan, tev kal pran, jin zarokan, da ewitandina het gundn kurdan.3

(gun); li p in the manner of; ajotin ser to attack; nvek f half; dev m mouth; b
minet relentlessly; qefsing f breastbone; neyar m foe; col m pack; gur wolf; ker f
flock; pez sheep; celeb m sort, kind; sing f breast; ehsiwar rider, horseman; tifing
berra dan to aim a gun at; dest bi dest continually; psr (= psr) f windpipe;
pelk leaf; dar f tree; hatin xar to fall down; bstek nebor it didnt take long before; revn to flee.
1

hol thus; keys f advantage; mrxas gentleman; dan ser pita to pursue; beza
fast-running; hsan ease; qad f field; cendek m corpse; da-girtin to cover; xwed
owner.
2

gihan to arrive at; baz hawk; ref m flock; quling crane; herwek (+ subj.) as
though; bes a lot; deng m noise; pita xwe dan to turn ones back on.
3

ji hal ketin to be exhausted; pirrtir more than; kut slain; birndar wounded;
sivik slight; heke if; byer f event; qewimn to happen; qediyan to be finished; hl

93

KURMANJI KURDISH
Mraniya Ferzende ne ten ev bye, di gelek eran de mraniyn hol
kirine, l zanna me di v war da gelek teng e. Yek j, di erek Agiriy
mezin (1930) da tirkan epera w li ser tehtek nasn. Nzka dused gulleyn
tepan berdan, eper bi ser hevda hilwe, Ferzende di ran xwe da birn b.
Hevaln w xwestin hinek ji epera hilwe bi drxin, heya hinak vehse,
l bav Efrasiyab qma xwe bi lavay daxwaza wan nean got:1
Gava rom bizane ku torinek Hesen du gavan ji epera xwe bi nda
ye, d v yek ji xwe ra serdest bizanin. Ez qma xwe bi mirin tnim, l
ne bi v yeka han.
Di cih xwe da ma heya var b er sekin. Rehma Xwed l bit, ew ji
pengn lehengn Kurdistan b ku dirjiya umr xwe rev nenas.2

KURDO HUSN
[Nivsandin jiyana gel e. Neynika byeran e, raxistina daxwaziyan e. Pirr nivskar,
dema dixwazin li ser kurdan binivsin, jiyana kurd di pencerek teng de, di kulekek
tar de dibnin, di dan standina end gund iyayiyan de dibnin. Ew pwist e ku
nivskarn me li ser jiyana gund axan biaxivin, l pwistir e ku ew ji br nekin ku
kurd li ehran j dijn, diin, mezin dibin. Pwist e ku nivskar kurd biriy zanebn nyn be, berhemn anda navnetewey bixwne, nas bike, ji wan fde
bike.3
Hviya min ji nivskarn roj ew e ku ew ryek n li ber romana kurd fireh vekin
f direction; pij scattered; belav bn to be dispersed; xisar f loss; fed kirin to be
ashamed; erpeze kirin to devastate; qumandan commandant; rapor report; derewn false; tevda altogether; hinde (+ sing.) some; kal old man; pr old woman; jin
woman; zarok child; ewitandin (ewitn) to burn.
1

mran f bravery; di v war in that regard; eper f barricade, hide-out; teht m

mountain range; gulleya tepan mortar fire; bi ser hevda hil-wen to collapse; ran
m thigh; bi dr xistin ji to drag away from; ve-hisn (hs) to rest; qm f satisfaction;
qma xwe ann bi to accede to; lavay pleading; daxwaz f request.
2

rom Byzantines, i.e. Ottomans; torin grandson; gav f pace, step; serdest f rule;
rehm f mercy; bit = be; peng vanguard; dirj f length; umr m lifetime; rev retreat.
3

gel m nation; neynik f mirror; byer f event; kulek f hole; iyay hillbilly; axa
agha, chieftain; bir hungry; and f culture; navnetewey international; fde kirin
ji to benefit from.

94

READINGS
kirasek n j re bidirn. L anda navnetewey mna lehiy ye: her tit li ber xwe
dibe. Naskirina edeba chan er pirr pwst e, l nivskar kurd nabe nasnama xwe
di nav de winda bike dr reh pencn anda xwe bikeve.]1

Baoke
Saet nzk dudiy pit nvroje b , w roj, germa havn tu gj kiriby.
Te pencere vekirib ji derve, pln bay hnik bi ermdar derbas hundir
oda te dibn. Pirraniya mirovn bajr bn havna xwe li ber lvn der
dengizn bar derbas kin. Hin ji wan, bi balefiran, ya j bi gemiyn mezin
drtir b, bn nav giravn Ferens, dr ji germa Pars bhna benzna
maknan. L tu, Siyamend Xelo, tu girtiy bajar Pars by, girtiy xwe
by, girtiy chan by. Te karek psik peyda kirib rojn te herdem
wekhev derbas dibn, wekhev bn. Pirraniya caran, dema kar te tev dib,
tu li klekn em Sen digeriyay. Te xwe ji br dikir te em bajar xwe
tan bra xwe, ava w gul sewsenn li kendaln w. Gelek caran gotina
helbestvan Ferens y ji sedsala nozdehan Alfred de Musset dihat bra te:
Piyala min ne mezin e, l ez ji piyala xwe vedixom. em bajar te mna
Sen ne pirr fireh mezin b qesir koik balaxane li her d aliyn w
nebn. L te pirr ji em ehr xwe hez dikir. Ava em te ji nav dil wan
iyayn bilind derdiket, xwe dida hev, pirr dib di nav xaniyn ji ax
kerpan, bi evn derbas dib, dr di di nav gundn dr re winda dib.2
Pencera oda te vekirib dil te girt b, teng b. avn te girt bn
1

fireh kirin to expand; kiras m appearance; dirtin (dir) to sew; leh f flood;
edeb f literature; chan world (adj.); reh penc root.
2

baoke falcon; nvroje noon; germ f heat; havn f summer; gj kirin to make
dizzy; pencere f window; ve-kirin to open; derve outside; pl f wave; ba m wind;
hnik cool; bi ermdar modestly; derbas hundir bn to pass into the interior
of; ode f room; pirran f majority; derbas kirin to spend (time); lv f edge; der (=
derya) f sea; dengz ocean; bar m south; balefir m airplane; gem f ship; girav f
island; bhn f stench; benzn f gasoline; makne f car; girt prisoner, imprisoned;
chan f world; psik nasty; herdem always; wekhev alike; dema when; kar tev bn
for things to be going well; klek f bank; em m river; Sen the Seine; geriyan to
stroll; av f water; gul f rose; sewsen lily; kendal f mountain slope; helbestvan poet;
Alfred de Musset (18101857), French poet; piyale f glass; fireh broad; qes(i)r f
palace; ko(i)k f pavilion; balaxane f balcony; ax f earth; kerp m sun-baked brick;
evn f love; winda bn to be lost.

95

KURMANJI KURDISH
germa dijwar la te sist kirib, te gj kirib. Ma hi te li ku b dema
telefona li ber te, li ser masa te, l xist?1
Siyamend? Tu y? Dengek bi ziman zikmak pirs. Dengek kr
hnik. Te l vegerand:2
Er, bira, ez im, ma tu k y?
dema heval te y bikaniy zaroktiy nav xwe hilda, km mab
ku dila te ji kfa ji snga te derkeve, b mna ivkn girt ku b berdan di
azmanek b aso. Dema Ceng nav xwe got ji te re got li i stgah li
hviya te b, te germa havna Pars ji br kir, te xwe ji br kir bi dengek
bilind te ji heval xwe re got:3
Ceng, di ciy xwe de bimn. Ez wek gule bm!
bi rast tu mna gula ji lla tufing derkeve, tu ji mal derket te ber
xwe da tirna di bin erd de, te ber xwe da Mtro. Te xwest bib
baoke, ew teyr te pirr j hez dikir te xwest bay drbn bi bask xwe
biqel.4
Deh saln te li ehr Pars derbas bbn. Deh sal ji jiyana ps, ji
windabn, ji sejtiy, ji sihitiy. Te xwe herdem didt mna qurm dara
mir, mna naynika ikest, mna peln kovarek kevin, avt di nav gemara
bajar Pars y sar. Mehek sax derbas nebb ji hatina te ku hem xewnn
te belav bbn, ji hev ketibn, bbn mna dmana cixarek li ber bay
xurt.5

dil girtin to feel sad; dil teng bn to be homesick; girt closed; la m body; sist
kirin to debilitate; hi m awareness; ku where?; mase f table; l xistin to ring.
2

zikmak native, inborn; kr deep; ve-gerandin li to reply to.

er yes; bikan f childhood; zarokt f childhood; hil-dan to blurt out; km

mab ku (+ subj.) almost; kf f joy; sng f breast; der-ketin to leap out; ivk
sparrow; girt captured; ba (obl b) wind; ber-dan di to release into; azman m sky;
aso f horizon; stgah f station; li hviya bn to wait for.
4

gule f bullet; bi rast truly; lle f barrel; tufing (= tifing) f rifle; tirn f train; di
bin erd de underground; baoke falcon; teyr bird; drbn f distance; bask m
wing; qelatin (qel) to split.
5

ps bad; sejt f filth; siht f irritation; qurm m tree stump; mirin to die; naynik f
mirror; ikestin to break; pel m page; avtin (avj) to throw away; gemar f filth;
sar cold; sax whole; ji hev ketin to fall apart; dman f smoke; cixar f cigarette;

96

READINGS
Er, pirr tit hatin guhertin di jiyana te de. Tu nikar bawer bik iqas tit
hatin guhertin. Her tit hatib guhertin qesir xaniyn xewnn rojan xwe
li ber germ serma w bxwediya Pars negirtin. Di nava te de, xweliy
na avahiyan xewnn rn girt mirine, ji rojn p, perda xwe ya re
raxist di nava te de.1
Deh sal buhurbn te ne gotinek ji heval zaroktiy j negirtib, ne
bihstib. Carna te ji xwe dipirs: Gelo ew j wek min winda bye, bxweda
bbawer maye? Di hundir mtro de, te ev pirs ji xwe kir, l pln
braniyan di qahf ser te de li hev ketin, kefdan te bersva w pirs neda.
Bi rast te ew pirs ji br kir ji ber ku te nedixwest bersiva w bidaya.
Merovn di hundir mtro de, li ber avn te bn mna rewrewk. Gelek
caran, te xwe di mtro de ji br dikir li stgahin dr peya diby. Loma, w
roj, hay te ji te heb, te nexwest dan tu ji piyan may avn te herdem li navn stgahan man. Deqe bi deqe, tu nzk heval xwe diby,
diket nava jiyana rast.2
Pirr bi te nexwe b ku tu bi tenha xwe, bi ser xwe bi piya dost
xwe. Te dixwest jinek porzer la sp dagirt bi te re baya. Te dixwest w
por xwe y zrn raxistibaya li ser miln te te ew bi heval xwe bida
naskirin. L mna kurm, tu rt by, w roj, tu diy prg heval xwe,
bi tenha xwe dil te mit kelem b.3
Gelek caran, dema tu Ceng diwestiyan, hn li ser kendaln li dora em
rdinitin we ji hev re digot: Dema em d bighjin Ewropa, ken porzer
li Ferensa li Swd w li ser por me dn bibin. We digot ke jinn
Ewrup yn porzer av n yan av kesk xwe didin kutin ji bona xortn ji

xurt strong.
1

bxwed lonely; xwel f ash; n f place; avah f edifice; girtin to die down;
perde f curtain; ra-xistin to spread.
2

buhurn to pass; bihstin to hear; carna sometimes; gelo I wonder if; bxweda
godless; bbawer unbelieving; pl f wave; bran f memory; qahf m cavern; kefdan to foam; bersv f answer; rewrewik f mirage; peya bn to get off; loma for that
reason; ji piyan standing; deqe bi deqe any minute now; rast real, true.
3

nexwe displeasing; porzer golden-haired; la sp fair-skinned; dagirt wellbuilt; por m hair; zrn golden; mil m shoulder; dan naskirin to introduce; kurm
worm; rt naked; n prg to go to find; mit full of; kelem m thorn.

97

KURMANJI KURDISH
Rojhilata Navn ji bona sngn wan yn pirr bi pir m.1
L Siyamend Xelo, baweriyn we pirr ji rastiy dr bn. Ken li ser
porrean dn dibn dihatin hijmartin le ser her deh tiliyn destan. Titek
din, xort zilamn Ewropa j, wek we, ji jinan hez dikirin, dikeniyan,
diiyan, xwed jin zarok bn. Rast e, Xwed ji rastiy hez kiriye, rast e
te pirr ke peyda kirin, ji ber ku tu pirr bedew by di du-s saln pe de, l
yek ji wan j nexwest bi te re bimne, jiyana xwe bi te re saz bike, di bin
banek de, li dora agirek xwe ji can dil bide te. Rast e destn te li ser sed
beden n hatin tiliyn te pirr sngn sp givatin. Rast e car-carna
lvn te yn herdem t tr dibn. L te i ji w windabn derxist? Ma tu ne
herdem di odak de y? Odake mna koxa mirkan, mna qula rviyan? Tite ji ber wan kean mab, end wnn zerby bn, end namn evn
qirktaliyek bi mezinbna dengizan. Dema te tifa xwe dadiqurtand, dev te
herdem zuha dib, p dib ziman te, mna perek text mir, di dev te
de giran b.2
Tu di hundir mtro de by mijl diby. Ser te ji braniyan giran b.
Te dizanb ku Ceng j, mna te, tenha b, ji ber ku ew bi tenha xwe ji
Swd dihat.
Roja daw, roja ku te paseportek peyda kir, tu Ceng hn ji bajar dr
ketin. We ber xwe da iyayn bilind. Gotinn we pirr bn dil we mit
b ji titn negot, l hn w roj bdeng man. Baran ketib bhna axa il
gihay ter xurt dihat digihat bvila we. Ava em j, wek we, bdeng b,
w roj. We ehr li d xwe hit hn n nzk iyayn bilind. Hn li ser
ken porzer avn kesk neaxiftin. We dixwest avn xwe tr bikin ji
wan iyayn aik sp, bikevin nav berfa wan. L snor herdem daxwaziyn
1

westiyan to stop; kendal f slope; em d bighjin = em bigihjin; gihatin

(gihj) to reach; w = ; dn bn li ser to be mad for; ji bona for; xort youth; bi
pir m hairy.
2

bawer f belief; porre black-haired; hijmartin to count; til f finger; zilam guy;
keniyan to laugh; bedew splendid; jiyana xwe saz kirin to make a life; ban m roof;
beden m body; givatin (giv) to squeeze; lv f lip; t thirsty; tr bn to be slaked
(thirst); kox f coop; mirk f chicken; qul f hole; rv fox; wne f picture; zer bn to
yellow; nameya evn love letter; qirktal f bitter aftertaste; bi mezinbna as vast
as; dengiz sea; tif f spit; da-qurtandin to swallow; dev m mouth; zuha dry; p
useless; ziman m tongue; pere f piece; texte m board; giran heavy.

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READINGS
we dibirin. Nrnn we difirn li ser hesin tirn. Lekern tirk bi tufing li
ber avn we winda dibn Belk ji ber ku hezkirina te ji wan iyayn
bilind pirr b ku te pirr ji baokan j hez dikir. Te herdem dixwest bib baoke, baskn xwe li hev x di ezmanek n de xwe berd li ser sern wan
iyayn bilind.1
Tu ji hundir mtro derket. Mtro wek rehn xwn, di can Pars de
belav dibn. Tu herdem aciz diby dema tu bi pelikan diket zik bajr. Her
car tu diket nava zemn de, te ji xwe re digot: Xwed, ma ez karibim
careke din ry diny bibnim? Ev tirsa han bi serphatiya te bi jiyana n
dijwar girday b. Li welat xwe, dema tu diket hundir ikeftan te xwe
li ser axa hnik vedizeland, tu diket zik dayika xwe. Di teriya ikeftan de,
tirs sawa te winda dibn. Te avn xwe digirt carna j te gewd xwe
digirt carna j te gewd xwe dida hev, ogn xwe dixist zik xwe tu
diby mna zarok e meh, di zik dayika xwe de. Nava mtroya Pars,
te pirr ditirsand li ber avn te dibn labrenta windabn.2
Dema mtro rawestiya, tu bi pelikan y jor bhna te fireh b dema tu
gihat ry zemn. Tirn bi rz rawestiya bn lan wan yn hesin
sincir di bin roka havn de bhna mirovan diikand. avn te li heval te
geriyan dil te di snga te de kir kurpe-kurp. Tirnin dihatin tirnin
din nsan, di hundir stgaha fireh bhewa mezin de, mna xweliy
bn, mna bizr kull bn. Te gez li lva xwe kir te nedixwest hsirn
avn te bne xwar. L dema te heval xwe dt tu bi ber de y, du hsirin mezin, card j, avn te il kirin. entek bik li ber, Ceng li hviya te
b avn w li avn te digeriyan.3
1

mijl bn to be preoccupied; il damp; gihay ter refreshed; bvil f nostril; li d

xwe hitin to leave behind; avn kesk blue- and green-eyed; axiftin li ser to
speak of; tr kirin to satiate; aik sp white-turbaned; snor m border; daxwaz
birn to block a desire; nrn f view; firn to fly; hesin m iron; baskn xwe li hev
xistin to flap ones wings together.
2

reha xwn artery; aciz helpless; pelikan stairs; zik m belly; zemn f earth;
serphat f experience; ve-zelandin to stretch out; ter f bottom; saw f fear; avn
xwe girtin to close the eyes; gewd xwe girtin to hug oneself; gewd xwe dan hev
to curl up; og f knee; tirsandin to frighten.
3

jor up; bhn (f) fireh bn to be out of breath; rz f line; sincir flaming; ro f sun:
roka = royeka; bhn (f) ikandin to suffocate; kurpe-kurp kirin to thump; fireh

99

KURMANJI KURDISH
W roj dtina Ceng b mna kra ku tu di birn de bigern. Dest rast
y Ceng ketib nav dev makinek li Swd hatib birn. W dest y
ep dirj dest te y rast kir. Dema te ew hembz kir bi herdu destan
bedena w li ser snga xwe guvat, w dest xwe y ep li pita te xist
hsirn w j bfed berm, hatin xwar, mna hsirn te. Hn bn du
zarokn deh sal di w stgah de born, bi we ket.1
hate bra te, dema carna tu Ceng di newaln li dora em de, li ser
kevirn pehn latn sivik digeriyan we ew heldibijartin. We bi hiner ew
kevir davtin li ser ry ava golan. Latn sivik ahtok ji dest we derdiketin dibn mna hechecikn ku, bi fir, nikiln xwe li av dixistin
bilind dibn. Pnc, het, deh caran ew lat bilind dibn ber ku giranbna
wan wan bikine bin gol. Bi dlana kevirn pehn li ser ry av, dil we
j dlan dikir bay welat ken we adiya dil we li hawrdora em belav
dikir. Di lstika xar kapan de di avtina latn sivik li ser ry golan de
Ceng pirr xurt b.2
W roja ku germa Pars te gj kirib, di w stgaha fireh de, Ceng dest xwe vediart, akt xwe avetib ser mil rast. L, Siyamend, w roj te
dikir nedikir, te nikarib awirn xwe ji dest akt vala dr bik.3
Ceng iqas di ber dil te da ji te re got ku ew hn bb bi dest ep
her tit bike, te dizanib ku birna w pirr fireh b kula dil w ji na
destek dijwartir b. Hundir Ceng j, wek hundir te, ji cam b ew cam
hatib ikestin, hrhr bb.4
vast; bhewa airless; xwel ash, dust; bizir m seed; kull cotton; gez kirin to bite;
card once again; il kirin to wet; ente f suitcase.
1

kr f knife; gerandin (gern) to twist; birn to sever; dirj kirin to extend;

hembz kirin to embrace; beden f body; guvatin (guvs) to press; bfed shameless(ly); berm unashamedly; born bi we ket you could be forgiven.
2

newal f valley; kevir m rock; pehn flat; lat f stone; sivik light; hel-bijartin to
select; hiner m skill; gol f lake; ahtok gay; hechecik swallow; bi fir in the open
air; nikil m beak; bilind bn to skip; giranbn f weight; kiandin (kin) to drag;
dln f dance; ad f happiness; hawrdor f surroundings; lstik f game; xar
kapan name of a game.
3

ve-artin (r) to hide; akt m jacket; te dikir nedikir try as you might; awir
f glance; awirn xwe dr kirin ji to take ones eyes off; vala empty.
4

hn bn to learn; kul f pain, suffering; cam f glass; hrhr smashed to smith-

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READINGS
W roja dawn, tu Ceng bdeng bn. Hn b axaftin ketin rehn mtro.
Hn di zik bajar Pars de winda bn. Deriy mtro veb hn hatin
daqurtandin, mna pirr mirovn din.
Hn btir pnc mitr di bin zemna Pars de bn hn li ser rya
vegera welat mejl bn. Hn li ser iyayn bilind li ser baokan axiftin.1

AHN B. SOREKL
[Di sala 1946an de ez li gund Mezr, bar rojavay Kurdistan, hatim din.
Bav min, M. El Sorekl ber destpkirina er chan y duwem ji gundek Soreg
(Swreg) hatiye ev be welt. Diya min, Nayla Bozan Ebr, li wir bye
meriyn w roj li her du hln xeta hesin bi ch dibin.2
Ez heft saln, b ku bi ziman ereb bizanibim, ketim xwendegeha bajar Koban.
Nav bajr y mr Eynilereb e. D xwendina het salan li wir ez me bajar
Heleb, li w der min xwendina ls di sala 1965an de kuta kir. Di dawiya w sal
de ez bo xwendin m bajar Viyen. Ta dawiya sala 1968an min li bajarn
Vienna, Graz Munn ziman alman dre be rzan aboriy dixwend. Bo
sedemn abor yn din, ez di dawiya w sal de hatim Australya ji w dem n
ve min piraniya rojn xwe li bajar Sydney derbas kirine. Di destpk de ez di kar
maknstiya trimblan de mijl bm, d re min biryar stend ez dsa vegeriyam
zanngeh. Di saln xwendin de ez bi roj dim zanngeh bi ev di klban de,
yan wek ofr taks dixebitim. Di dawiya sala 1977an de min xwendina xwe bi
ehadeyn bachelor of arts diploma of education kuta kir. Piraniya qrsn
xwendina min li ser zimann ngilz, alman, rzan pdagojk bn. Ji w dem
vir de ez di kare retvaniya hnkirna zimanan mamosteyetiy mijl dibim.3]

ereens.
1

axaftin (= axiftin) to speak; da-qurtandin to swallow; btir more than; zemn f

ground; r f road; veger f return.
2

bar m south; rojava m west; destpkirin f beginning; mer relative; hl f side;

xeta hesin f the Iron Line, the border between Turkey and Syria; bi ch bn to
live.
3

mr governmental, official; Eynilereb Ayn al-Arab, a small town just inside

Syria south of Sr; Heleb f Aleppo; ls lyce, high-school; kuta kirin to
complete; Viyen Vienna; Mun Munich; rzan f politics; abor f economics; ji w
dem n ve from that time on; maknst f mechanics; trimbl f automobile;
biryar stendin (stn) to make a decision; dsa again; zanngeh f university; klb
bar; ehade f degree; qrs course; retvan consultation; hn-kirin to teach;

101

KURMANJI KURDISH
Vegera Mal
Yad, bavo keng vegere? pirs Azad bi dengek nizim. Te digot belk ne
dixwest kesek din xeyn ji dayka w pirs bibihse. Naz kir ku w deng
kur xwe ne bihst, l nihri got: Z qedeha xwe vala ke, bo ez ji te re
dsa tij kim. Z, z heng ay sar ne bye. Azad dest ne avt qedeh ne
j li dayka xwe nihr. Ber end salan, dema ew h mindalek bik b, w s
ar qedeh ay li ser xwarina firavn vedixwarin, lbel aya roj wek ava
dilopan soravn b, ne tama xwe tama ay b ne j raniya xwe. Wek
rojn kevin ekir kapikn j di tas de tune b, bo mirov ke dev xw
ay li d bir xwe ve ke. Yad, bavo keng vegere? dsa pirs Azad ji
dayka xwe, ya ku ji dest na hat der carek din guhn xwe der heq pirsa law
xwe de ker bihl; rab ser xwe, berv Azad maiya, li ber w danit, her du
destn xwe li dora w gerandin, ew hembz kir bi dengek pir nizim di
guh Azad y ep de got: Azad, min j bra bavo kiriye, wek te; an belk
h btir. Ew were; ellah hefta li p. Ger na, meha t ew were. Tye
bra te ew awa evek tev hevalek xwe rakir trikn ekir xurman
kirin destn te. Ew di van rojan de dsa were; ez dizanim.1
Hejmara lxistina dil Azad bi bersiva dayka w re rab jor ba hat bra
w, awa bav w ew di kraniya ev de cara ber ji xew rakir. Berf w
dem h tune b; dawiya payz b, li derve vzevza b b. Ew saeta w
ev wek xewnek rn dihat bra w. Hundur xaniy wan ji dy cixaran tij
bb. Mirovek zixim, demane li pit, tifing li p, ser dawiya doega w
rnitib bav w j ew kirib hembza xwe, radimsa trikn armxanan didan w. D rohilat, dema ew ji xew rab, ji eva n ten bna dy
mamosteyet f teaching, pedagogy.
1

yad momma!; keng when?; ve-gern to return; nizim low; belk maybe; xeyn
ji other than; bihstin (bihs) to hear; kirin ku to pretend that; kur son; nihrn li to
look at; qedeh f cup; ay f tea; dest avtin to touch; h still; mindal child; firavn f
midday meal; lbel but; dilop m drop; soravn dark red; tam f taste; rani f
sweetness; kevin olden; ekir m sugar; kapik bran; tas f bowl; xw f salt; der heq
about, concerning; destn xwe gerandin li dora to put ones arms around;
hembz kirin to embrace; bavo daddy; ellah God willing; hefte f week; ger na if
not; meha t next month; awa how; ra-kirin to take away; trik m sack; xurme f
date; dsa again.

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READINGS
cixaran di hinder de mab. Dayka w trikn ekir xurman buhir, Naz,
dayka w, tenbe li w kirib.1
Azad h di hembza Naz de b, dema dayka w hat bra w. Zarokiya
dayka w j wek ya Azad derbas bb. Kal Naz, Heme, di navbera saln
1946 48an de ten s caran di nvn evan de hatibye mal d re evek
li ser snor hatibye kutin. avn Naz ne dikaribn d hstiran pa ve
vegernin, yn ku dest p kirin li ser ruy Azad bibarin. Kur d diln xwe
bi gir honik kirin.2
***
Mam Red ji br av dikiand. V sib din pirr sar b; bay eva buhir
berf li ser erd ik luht kirib. Her roj kea w Bihar di av, lbel roj
Mam Red z ji xew rabb, nimja sib kirib hatib ser br av ji ber
qza xwe ve bikine. Rojn Mam Red hem li v gund derbas bbn. Di
wan de yn xwe j yn re j hebn, l tev hem kmasiyan j, ew ji jiyana
xwe raz b, ta sala buhir, dema kulfeta w rojek nexwe ketib d-s
rojan mirib. Mirina a w ahiya dil w j bi xwe re kirib axa gorn
nema d kesek ken li ser lvn w dtib.3
Ji zaroyn Mam Red ten Bihar h bkar b. Ewn din hem xudan
kulfet bn roj li nn din diman. Lbel nuha bkek w tev mindal xwe
bi w Bihar re li gund rnitibn, iku kur w Seyid j wek mr Naz
pmerge b.4
1

hejmar f number; l-xistin to beat; kran f depth; ber first; ji xew ra-kirin to
rouse from sleep; payz f autumn; vzevz f rustling; ba (obl b) wind; saet f hour;
d m smoke; zixim huge; demane f pistol; doeg f mattress; ra-msan to kiss;
trik m bag; armxan gift; d after; rohilat dawn; bn f odor; buhirn to take
away; tenbe (= tenbih) kirin li to warn.
2

derbas bn to pass, be over; kal old man, grandfather; di navbera between; d

re afterwards; hstir m tear; bariyan to rain down; d mother; dil xwe honik kirin
to soothe the heart; gir f weeping.
3

mam paternal uncle; br m well; av (f) kiandin to draw water; din (= dinya)
weather; erd f ground; ik dry; luht kirin to leave bare; ke daughter; nimj f
prayer; qz daughter; hem totally; kmas f deficiency; raz bn ji to be satisfied
with; ta until; buhir last, past; kulfet f wife; sudden; ah f joy; gorn f grave;
nema d no longer; ken m smile.
4

zaro child; bkar unmarried; ewn din the others; xud kulfet married (of a

103

KURMANJI KURDISH
Mam Red satila xwe tij kir, ew li n hit hebk w de , li ser
kevirek re rnit, trik titn ji beriya xwe derxist dest p kir cixarek
bipje. Keleboxa ji satila av radib bi kin bala w kiand ser xwe, l d re
her du avn w xaniyn gund bo xwe kirin nan. Hat bra w ku awa w
Resl Mamend, xezr Naz, ber salne pirr xaniyn xwe di hindir zik s
heftan de, yek li kleka y din lkirin. B ku bixwaze, sty w berva hla
mezel gund leviya avn w tkoiyan ku gora Resl di nav yn din de bi
cih bikin. Dy cixar giran giran di her d bvln w re derdiket xwe di
nav bay sar de wenda dikir. Tama cixar ji her dem btir tal b di dev w
de li kfa w ne dihat, l carek hatib vxistin divab ku were kiandin.
Di dil xwe de Mam Red li pandina w poman bb, iku w pirr caran
biryar dab ku d li xurn cixar ne kine. Waye cixareyek li vala , di
ev rojn teng de, dema ku titn wek titn ay ekir bbn wek dermn.1
Mam Red kutek din li cixar xist, ew di bin lingek xwe vemirand, rab
ser xwe, satila av bi dest rast rakir hd hd ber bi mal meiya. Valabna dest ep di qaf de fikrek peyda kir, ku xwiziya w satila Naz j bi
xwe re an ba, bo tij av bike. Her der v sib gewr sp xuya dikir xeyn ji
malan. Sern kan li derdora gund ji mij xuya ne dikirin. Xeyn ji deng
segek tu dengn din ne dihatin guhan, l dirj ne kir, dema deng segek b
y duduyan sisiyan aran. Mam Red satil dan li dora xwe mze kir.
Titek ne dihat xuya kirin ku mirov bibje ev bikaribe bibe sedema ewte
ewta kikn gund. H Mam Red di v girik de mijl bb, dema deng
balefiran ji dr ve ket guhn w. Wisa, ew t gihit ima deng bi segan
man); n f place; nuha now; bk daughter-in-law; iku because; pmerge guerilla.
1

satil f bucket; hebk (= hebek) a bit; titn f tobacco; ber f pocket; der-xistin to
take out; pjn to light (a cigarette); kelebox f sloshing; bi kin slightly; bala
kiandin to attract the attention of; nan kirin to focus on; xezr father-in-law;
klek f edge; yek li kleka y din one next to the other; l-kirn to build; st m
neck; hl f direction; mezel m graveyard; levn (= livn) to move; t-koiyan to
make an effort; gor f grave; bi cih kirin to make out; giran giran heavily; bvl
nostril; tal bitter; kf f enjoyment; v-xistin to light; pandin to roll; poman bn
li to regret; iku because; li xurn before breakfast; waye look here, see now; li
vala n to be wasted; teng tight; derman (obl dermn) m medicine.

104

READINGS
ketiye; dsa dest avt satil, ew rakir mea xwe domand. Hatina deng
balefiran di van rojan de ne titeke ecb b.1
Deng ji ezmn herku di btir dib. Tu caran weha nzik gund me
ne kirine di dil xwe de digot Mam Red, dema ku gurmniyek wek deng
tavek meha nsan hat guhan, pirr dirj ne kir gurmniyek din wek btaran
car ji hlek gund hat erd di bin lingn w del hizand, satil v re ji dest
xist. Gurmniya aran Mam Red li ser qn xist, y ku ber xwe da bo rabe
ser xwe dt awa xaniy w y Resl di hundur dmanek gewr re de
winda bne. Her du ongn w ketin ber, dzn w sist bn janek zirav
xwe berda kraniy dil w; ew li ser zik ket xwar ry w di komikek
berf de winda b.2
***
Din h sar b, l yek dizanib ku zivistan d mala xwe hd hd bar
dik ye. S hefte ar roj mabn ku Newroz xwe bigihne hol. erko,
mr Naz, di eva re de nzk li gund dikir. roj ew bi ten xwe du
hevaln w li gundek din mabn ew ber rojhilat dsa li nek hevdu
bidtina. Bar erko ne sivik b. Xeyn ji klankov malek gullan li pita w
b; ar bombeyn destan di trikek de, bi qaya w de hatibn girdan li
ser milek w j trek mezin heb, y ku di hindir xwe de ekir, ay, ak
qazax titn din yn ku ji qaaxiyan hatibn kirn, dihewandin. ro kur
Mam Red j hin titn hr-mrn din bo malbata xwe tev erko
andibn.3

kut xistin to puff; ve-mirandin to put out; meiyan to walk; qaf m head; fikir f
idea; xwiziya (= xwez) if only; gewr sp grayish white; ka m slope; derdor f
environs; mij m mist; seg m dog; sedem f cause; dirj kirin to last long; gotin (bj)
to say; ewte ewte barking; kik dog; girik m conundrum; balefir m airplane; tgihitin to understand; domandin to continue; ecb strange.
2

ezman (obl ezmn) sky; herku di btir dib grew louder the closer it came;
gurmn boom; tav f downpour; nsan f April; btar storm; del hizandin to shake
violently; qn f backside; dman smoke; ong f knee; dz knee; sist weak; jan pain;
zirav thin; kran f depth; komik f pile.
3

h still; zivistan f winter; mala xwe bar kirin to pack up and leave; hol f view,
sight; mr husband; nzk kirin li to approach; hevdu each other; bar m load;
klankov f Kalashnikov rifle; malek gullan a cartridge belt; bombeya dest hand
grenade; qay f belt; tr m sack; e f bottle; qazax butane; qaax smuggler;

105

KURMANJI KURDISH
Ev bbn nzk pnc mehan ku erko ya xwe h pnc deqe ji avn
yn din dr bihev re derbas ne kiribn. Dil w dikir gupe gup gavn w bi
lez p ve dihatin avtin. Destn w yn ik sar bi can Naz y nerm
rn germ bibana. Wey hawar, w iqas bra Naz Azad kirib! ekir
xurmeyn Azad, ez ber ji mal derkevim bidim di dil xwe de digot
erko. D re ew demek din di hundur derd xeman de winda b: Ta keng
bidomne ev rewa xirab; keng ait vegere van dorhlan; keng azad
serbest tkevin na sitemkar zordariy? Deng segn gund erko
dsa hiyar kir, y ku ji kfxweiy hema hindik mab bifire. Kiandina
cixarek din ew bigihta mala xwe, bo xwe txe bin lihf bedena
xwe ya Naz bike yek, bo winda bibe di evna dilan de, bo dr keve ji
derd kuln din Ew d re qazax berde papor, av bo ay bide ser,
cixareyek qalind bipe, guh bide ser deng Naz ji w re bipeyive. Dema
wan tr or kirin, ew deng li Azad ke, w di hembza xwe de bide
rnitandin ramse, dsa ramse carek din. D re ew trikn naylon
yn tij ekir xurme bide w1
Tirsek sivik bi nika ve ket dil erko, y ku bi dengek nizim ji xwe pirs:
Kuro lawo, ka xan? W ba dizanib ku w r a ne kiriye. W segn
gund hev naskiribn kik Mam Red bi w re dimeiya, yan xwe davt
bin lingn w, wek ku dixwaze haya w bikine ser titek. Tirs herku
btir b tamarn erko sist kirin. Bi carek ve w dt awa tirsa nuha daye
ser tirsa ji mirin. Rojek derbas nedib, b ku ew mirin li avn hev ne
nihrin, l tu caran tirsa mirin tamarn w wisa sist ne dikirin, ew d fr
bb w rew. Dema ew gihit dara ku bav w di roja byna w de
andib, ten komn kevir xweliy li na xaniy w y Mam Red
kirn to buy; hewandin to contain; hr-mr little item; malbat f family; andin to
send.
1

spouse; gupe gup kirin to pound; gav avtin to take a step; wey oh; hawar
cry for help; derd pain; xem grief; ta keng how long?; rew f manner; xirab evil;
ait f truce; dorhl f environs; azad f liberty; serbest f freedom; t-ketin na
to take the place of; sitemkar f tyranny; zordar f oppression; hiyar kirin to
awaken; hindik mab bifire little remained that he fly = he amost flew; xwe txistin to throw oneself; lihf f quilt; papor f kerosine cooking stove; qalind thick;
peyivn jire to speak with; or kirin to chat; deng kirin li to speak to; trik m
bag; naylon plastic.

106

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1

xuya dikirin.

Pmerge pita xwe da dar kir ne kir bigir, l ne dikarib. Jan gurr
ewat qehra di dil w de ne dixwestin xwe txin hindir hstiran bo werin
der.2
Cumhriyeta Kurd ya Mehabad
Ndem, No. 9 (1994): 28285.
Cihek bajar Mehabad y taybet di dil me de heye. Ew di nava kurdn
her ar pereyn welt de t naskirin hezkirin ji bo ku ew di nava nive
nhat ngihit de ney jibrkirin, nav w li zarokan t kirin.3
Ber ku ewrek re y n bi ser v bajar de bigire, di 22 iley pan
1946an de, Xwed li v bajar t rehm, ji pit iyan rojeke bhawe xwe
bilind dibe, bi germ trjn xwe zivistana sar dijwar bi dr dixe, di na
w de bihareke ge tne. Gava xelk Mehabad, ji bo xweamadekirina roja
proz sibeh z radibn ser xwe av li w roja xwe dikevin, dil wan ge
dibe, kfa wan difre ji bo w roja xwe ya proz ji Xweday xwe duan
dikin. Her ku roj bilind dibe Mehabad dikevin tevger, ken Mehabadiyan, yn ku bi spehbna xwe navdar in, cil bergn bi reng, bi ser bejnn
xwe yn zirav bilind de berdidin, avn xwe yn mezin bi kiln Suphan
kil dikin, mna ku ew herin dlanek li w dlan prg hezkiriyn di
xeyaln xwe de werin, xwe li ba dikin bi ge dadikevin meydana ariray. Pr jin j cil bergn xwe yn kevin davjin, derd, kul, elemn
malbat er ji br dikin, xwe mna bkn nzewic dixemilnin bi zar
zn xwe, di kueyn Mehabad yn zvironek de tevl pla ken ciwan
dibin u xwe berdidin Meydana ariray. Xort peyayn Mehabad yn
bejinbilind, al apikn xwe bi ser bejnn xwe de berdidin, pitn kesk,
1

ka wheres; a kirin to be mistaken; tamar (= damar) nerve; fr bn to learn;

byn to be born; andin to plant; ten only; kom f pile; kevir m stone.
2

pita xwe dan to lean against; kir ne kir bigir he almost wept; jan f pain;
gurr f thunder; ewat f burning; qehr f wrath; xwe t-xistin hindir to put oneself
inside of; hstir (= hsir) tear.
3

cumhriyet f republic; taybet special; pere f part; nive nhat ngihit the
younger generation; ji br kirin to forget; nav hatin kirin li for a name to be given
to.

107

KURMANJI KURDISH
sor u zer li pitn xwe girdidin, bi co heyecan xwe di kue kolanan re
berdidin Meydana ariray. W roj, li Mehabad tu kes di hunduran de
namnin. Meydana ariray dibe mna deryayeke bi reng, tevgera mirovan
mna pln deryay dibin. W roja xwe, ya ku bihar ji zivistane dizb,
bajar Mehabad kirib mna seyrangehek. Li w meydana ku gel kurd
hem xwe hem j diliy jiyaye, te ax biava li erd nediket. Ew qerebalixa ge, bi kincn bi reng, bi ryn bi ken bi heyecan li benda peyayek
bn. Ew peyayek bihata, ji wan re bipeyiviya mizgna azadiya wan
bigihanda wan. W j wan re behsa girngiya w roja proz bikira. ew
peyay ku ew li bende bn, di nava end peyay din de, bi bejna xwe ya
bilind bi cubey xwe y fireh bi jor ket, ber maseyeke dirj li pit
mas li ser lingan rawestiya. Ew peya Qad Mehemed b. W demek bi
dilek ge avn xwe li ser w qerebalixa mirovan gerand, hs w yn netewey bilind bn, kf heyecana w friya bi dengek nizim giran dest bi
peyva xwe kir: Gel kurd, gelek serbixwe ye, div li ser axa xwe, bi azad
bij, qedera xwe bi xwe tayn bike, loma ro ez di huzra we de Cumhriyeta Kurd ya Mehabad lan dikim.1

ewr m cloud; n (= wn) f mourning; iley pan January; bhawe

exceptional(ly); germ f heat; trj f ray; zivistan winter; dijwar difficult; bi dr
xistin (x-) to drive away; xelk m people; xwe amade kirin to prepare oneself; roja
proz glorious day; ge joyful; frn to bubble, boil; ji Xweday xwe dua kirin to
pray to ones God; tevger f movement; speh beautiful; navdar bi renowned for; cil
berg clothes; bejn f stature; zirav thin; kil f collyrium, kohl; dlan f wedding
feast; prg hatin to meet; xeyal f dream; kevin old; avtin (avj) to throw
away; elem pain; malbat f family; ere tribe; bk bride; nzewic newly-wed;
xemilandin to adorn; zar z household members; kue lane; zvironek twisting;
de tevl mixed up with; ciwan pretty; xwe ber-dan dire to betake oneself to;
meydan f square; xort youth; peya man; bejinbilind tall of stature; al m baggy
Kurdish trousers; apik m short Kurdish jacket; os enthusiasm; heyecan excitement; kolan f street; derya f sea; zn (z) to come to life; seyrangeh f place for an
outing; gel m people, nation; jiyan to live; qerebalix f crowd; li benda waiting for;
mizgn f good news; gihandin to deliver; behsa kirin to discuss; girng f importance; cube m robe; mase f table; avn xwe gerandin li ser to look around at;
hs f feeling; netewey national; peyv f speech; serbixwe independent; qeder f destiny; tayn kirin to determine; huzr f presence; cumhriyet f republic; lan kirin
to announce.

108

READINGS
Pla mirovan diheje, ke jin dillnin, mr tivingan ber bi hewa ve
berdidin. Co geiyek dikeve nava wan mirovan, bang dikin, diqrin,
destmaln bi reng li ba dikin1
Di lankirina Cumhriyate Mehabad de piraniya axa serokern kurd
j bedar dibin. Serok nnern ern mna; Mehabad, Mame, Mingr,
Kevork, Zerza, Herk, Beyzade, Barzan hwd2
Qad Mehemed zde napeyive. Ew di w kurtepeyivandina xwe de ji bil
lankirina Cumhriyet, ji kurdan re behsa yekt, hevkar miletbna
kurdan dike. Hviya wan ya ilmis ge dike. Pa dadikeve jr, cubey xwe
y fireh ji xwe dike, bi tena unformayek Sovyet aika xwe ya sp
dimne.3
L xelkn Mehabad w roja han mna karnevalek proz dikin, dehol
zurnevann bajr ldixin, Mehabad j bi destn hev digirin direqisin.4
Hema pit lankirina Cumhriyet, di bin serokatiya Qad Mehemed de
seroker pevann kurdan li hev dicivin bi alkariya Sovyetiyan hukmetek ava dikin. Qad Mehemed dibe serokcumhr v hukmet wezrt
serokwezrt j di navbera pevann kurd yn din de tne belavkirin.5
Cumhriyeta Mehabad di droka Kurdistan ya nzk de yek ji byern
her girng e. Civateke feodal, ku h nenas kaptalzm ndustriy b,
hd hd ber bi bajarvaniy ve gavan diavje, bi alkariya Sovyetiyan cumhriyeteke ndem pk t, ji bo liserlingan mayna Cumhriyet artek t
avakirin, l bel li gor art welatn dorhl arteke qels, bi slehin sivik
1

llandin (lln) to ululate; tiving (= tifing) f rifle; co f enthusiasm; ge f joy;

bang kirin to cry out; qrn to scream; destmal f handkerchief; li ba kirin to throw
into the air.
2

piran f majority; serok-er tribal chieftain; nner representative; hwd = her

wek din etc.
3

zde much; ji bil in addition to; hevkar f cooperation; miletbn f nationalism;

hv f hope; ilmis faded; da-ketine jr to come down; ji xwe kirin to take off; bi
tena only; unforma m uniform; aik f turban.
4

karneval f carnival; dehol f drum; zurne f clarion; zurnevan clarion player; lxistin to play (an instrument); bi destn hev girtin to join hands; reqisn to dance.
5

hema immediately; serokat f leadership; pevan leader; civn to meet; alkar

f help; hukmet f government; ava kirin to establish; serokcumhr president;
wezrt f ministry; serokwezrt f prime ministry.

109

KURMANJI KURDISH
ku ji Sovyet t andin. L bel dsan j, serok birvebirn Cumhriyet bi
enerj baweriyeke xurt ji bo Cumhriyeta xwe dixebitin, dixwazin ji
civaka ert bi dr bikevin, elemann xwe hn ajotina otomoblan, hn er
xweparastinn modern dikin, ji bo pdexistina civaka xwe, xwendevann
xwe ji bo xwendina dibistann bilind dinin Sovyet. Herweha bi apxaneya ku Sovyet dide wan, p rojnameya xwe ya rojane Kurdistan,
kovarn mna Hawar, Agir, Hlale hwd. derdixin, pirtkn dersan yn bi
kurd ap dikin dibistann kurd vedikin. Bi weandina kovar rojnameyn bi kurd bal meyleke ba ji ziman u edebiyata kurd re dibe,
cih bi cih navn hin ar nivskaran t bihstin. Yek ji arn w dem
Hejar e. Hing mamosta Hejar ji bo mara Cumhriyet bi zaravay soran
helbestek dinivsne ew helbest bi alet awazek njen t gotin.1
Cumhriyeta Kurd ya Mehabad ji bo hem kurdan dibe hviyek, loma
Barzan digel hzeke xurt ya ekdar ber xwe dide Mehabad li wir der
dora wir bi cih dibe, dixwaze ji avakirina Cumhriyet re bibe pitgir
alkar.2
Digel ku temen Cumhriyeta kurd ya Mehabad gelek kurt e j, dsan
em dibnin ku kurdn me yn ku qet tradisyoneke wan ya dewletbn an
dplomasiy tune b, dsan ew z adapte dibin, di w kurtedem de gelek
danstandinn dplomatk datnin. L mixabin ku danstandinn wan yn
dplomatk j di hundur snorn ran de dimnin. Ji ber ku tit em dizanin
danstann wan bi dinyaya derve re qet nebye. Ji xwe ger danstandinek
1

drok f history; byer f event; civat f society; nenas unfamiliar; bajarvan f

bourgeoisie; gavan avtin ber bive to take steps toward; ndem modern; pk
hatin to come into being; liserlingan mayn to remain standing; art f army; li
gor in comparison with; dorhl f surroundings; qels weak; sleh m weapon; sivik
light; birvebir leader; bawer f belief; xebitn to labor; civak f community; ert
tribal; bi dr ketin to cease to exist; eleman teacher; hn kirin to teach; ajotin
to drive; er m war; xweparastin f self-defence; pde-xistin to advance; xwendevan literate; dibistan f school; apxane f printing press; rojname f newspaper;
rojane daily; kovar f journal; pirtk f book; ders f lesson; weandin f publication;
bal f interest; meyl f inclination; -bn to be created; hin some; ar poet; nivskar
writer; mar f anthem; zarava m dialect; helbest f poem; alet m tool; awaz m
sound; njen modern.
2

hz f force; ekdar armed; pitgir supporter; alkar helper.

110

READINGS
bi dinyaya derve re hebya dinyaya derve an yektiya neteweyan Cumhriyeta wan bipejirandina, ew ji bo hilweandina Cumhriyeta Mehabad
nebna alkar.1
Kurdn ran saleke bi hev buhurandin ji bo ku ew j d sermiyan
xwe bn, wan xwe gelek serbilind bi rmet hs dikirin. L bel hd hd
hviya wan diqurmi, kf ahiya wan di qirika wan de dima, her ku di
cih li wan teng dib. Li gor peymana ngilz Sovyetiyan li gor biryara
Yektiya Neteweyan, diviyab Sovyet di demeke kurt de ji ran derketa. Ji
ran derketina Sovyet dibe dawhatina Cumhriyeta kurd ya Mehabad.
Pit bipadevekiandina Sovyet ya ji ran bi demeke kurt, Cumhriyeta
Azerbeycan hildiwee pa j Faris ber xwe didine Kurdistan.2
Qad Mehemed, biray w Sadr Qad pismam w Seyf Qad, 31
adara 1947an, saet sis sibeh ji mal tne derxistin ber wan didine
Meydana ariray. Bajar kerr e, xelk bajr di xew de ne, Qad Mehemed,
bira pismam xwe li Meydana ariray, di bdeng kerrtiya ev de, bi
spiyn cih cih ve tne daliqandin. Lan wan yn pak, ji hem xerab
kirtiyan dr, di hnkahiya sibeha adar de li ba dibin. Dawiya roka
Cumhriyeta kurd ya Mehabad t.3

FIRAT CEWER
[Ez di sala 1959 an j 1960 li gundek Drika iyay Maz, li Balfis, li beriya
Mrdin hatime dinyay. Di s ar saliya min de ji ber tunebna mal dinyay me
mal bar kir Wranar. Li wir em du salan man. Pa bi belavkirina erd ya bi dest
1

temen m age; gelek very; kurt short; qet (+ neg.) not at all; dewletbn statehood; an or; adapte bn to adapt; danstandin f relation; mixabin unfortunately;
dinya f world; derve outside; ger even if; Yektiya Neteweyan the United Nations;
pejirandin to accept, recognize; hil-weandin to destroy, to cause to collapse.
2

buhurandin to spend (time); sermiyan head of household; serbilind proud;

rmet f respect; hs kirin to feel; qurmin to crumble; qirik f throat; peyman f
agreement; biryar f decision; der-ketin to pull out; bipadevekiandin f withdrawal; hil-wen to collapse; Faris Persian.
3

bira brother; pismam cousin; adar f March; kerr silent; kerrt f silence; sp f
gallows; da-liqandin to hang; kirt f defilement; hnkah f coolness; li ba bn to
go with the wind; daw f end; rok f story.

111

KURMANJI KURDISH
hikmet, perek erd li Balfis para me j ket. Em dsan bi pade vegeriyan gund
em hr gir di nav w erd de xebitn. hing ji ber dndariya bav min, min
biray xwe y mezin me dest bi xwendina dn kir. Min ta bi demeke xwendina dn
ya dibistan bi hev re meandin. Di saln 70 de me mal bar kir Nisbn. Pit w
bi demek ji bo kar ez me zmr. yna min ya zmr b guhertina jiyana min.
Nrna welathez li wir bi min re b. Sala 1977an ku ez vegeriyam Nisbn,
mijliya min bi ten b siyaset. Di 78an de me di bin nav Xortn oreger Yn
Demokrat de komeleyek vekir. Ji sala 1978an ta destpka 1980 ez serok ve
komel bm. Di 80y de ji ber hin sedeman ez ji welt derketim. Ji w sal heta bi
niha ez li Swd dijm.]1

Kzika Bnav
Pit rwtiyek dirj ez ji am gihtim Qamilok. Ji bxewiy ji
guhertina hewa xwarin ez gj bbm. W var, her iqas hin malbatn
kurdan nexwestin ez herim hotl bi yna min ya hotl dil xwe girtin
j, dsa min bi ya xwe kir; ji bo rehetiya xwe bi fikira ku ez her roj bikaribim ser xwe biom, ez m hotl.2
Qao hotel luks b. Ji xwe gava ku mirov ji derve li avahiya hotl
dinihr, hotel geleki xwe luks xuya dikir. Li gora hotlek Rojhilata
Navn bajarek pik, ger em paqijiy deynin aliyek, hwana w j ne
xerab b. Nizanim ima, l dibe ji ber ku ez biyan bm xwediy paseporteke Swd bm, ne agirtn hotl, l xwediy w bi xwe bi min re mijl

Mrdin Mardin; hatine dinyay to be born; ji ber on account of; mal bar kirin
to pack up and move; Wranar Viranehir; pa later, then; belavkirin f distribution; erd m land; hikmet f government; pere m piece; par f share; ve-geriyan
to return; hr gir xebitn to toil; hing then; dndar f religiousness; dn religious; ta bi demeke for a while; dibistan f elementary school; bi hev re together;
meandin to carry out; Nisbn Nisibin; kar m work, job; zmr Izmir, Smyrna;
guhertin to change; jiyan f life; nrn f thought, idea; welathez f patriotism; bn to be created; mijl f occupation; bi ten only, solely; xort (m) youth; oreger revolutionary; komele f society; ve-kirin to open, to start; destpk f beginning;
serok m president; sedem f reason; der-ketin ji to leave; niha now; jyn (j) to live.
2

pit after; rwt f journey; Qamilok Qamishli in northeastern Syria; bxew

sleeplessness; hewa f air; gj bn to be dizzy; dil xwe girtin bi to be put out by, to
be insulted by; bi ya xwe kirin to do as one wants; rehet f comfort; bi fikira ku
thinking that.

112

READINGS
1

dib.

Gava ku mrik odeya min nivn ku ez t de razm, nan min da,

galonek mazot j an ji min re sobe dada.2
Swd sar e; l evn biharan welat me j sar e, bi ken got, evba da
min derket.3
Ez demek wilo bdeng li ser nivn xwe rnitim min avn xwe li
hundir od gerand. Ji serutin razan pve tu tit nedihate bra min. Ji
ber ku min zanb w saet ava germ peyda nabe, di destn min de bi ten
razan mab. Her iqas pakbna nivna ne bi dil min b j, min kincn xwe
ji xwe kir, lampa xwe vemirand hd ketim nava nivn xwe. Hema ku
xilma bm deng xixiek hat min. Bi bihstina deng re min bi hz ser
xwe li ser bahlif rakir, guhn xwe mi kirin li w deng guhdar kir. car
ne bi ten deng xixi, her wisa deng zzik j hat min. Ez bi xwe ji
kurmik kzikan ditirsim, an j ez ji wan zehf acizim, loma ez ji nav nivna
pekiyam min z lampe pxist. er ku min lampe pxist, min dt ku titek
bi lez ket qelteka dwr. Demeke dirj sola min di dest min de b ez li
benda w tit rawestam. Di w navber de j, ji bo ku ez b tirs fikar
bikaribim razm, min di ser xwe de plana ku ez awa bi i away bikaribim w benderuh bikujim, dikir. Ez demeke dirj li benda mam, l ew
derneket. Ez weha westiyabm, ku d nikarbm li ser lingan rawestiyama.
Min sola di dest xwe de dan b ku lamp vemirnim, min xwe li ser
nivn xwe dirj kir.4
1

qao supposedly; derve outside; avah f edifice, construction; xuya kirin to

seem, to appear; gor for, as for; Rojhilata Navn the Middle East; paqij f cleanliness; ann aliyek to put aside; hwan f porch; xerab bad; ji ber ku because; biyan
foreign; xwed possessor, owner; agirt m apprentice, boy; bixwe personally; mijl
bn bire to take care of.
2

mrik fellow; oda f room; nivn m bed; ra-zan (z) to sleep; nan dn to show;
galon gallon; mazot f kerosine; sobe f stove; da-dn to light.
3

Swd Sweden; sar cold; ev f night; bihar f spring; ken m smile; ev ba dan to
say good night; derketin to leave, to emerge.
4

dem f moment; wel thus; bdeng silent; r-nitin to sit down; avn xwe li
hundir gerandin to have a look around the inside of; ser-tin to wash the
hair; bi ten only; her iqas no matter how much; pakbn cleanliness; bi dil
bn to be to ones liking; kinc m clothes; ji xwe kirin to take off; lampe f lamp,

113

KURMANJI KURDISH
Bi xixi zzeke din, min dt ku kzikek mezin (min tu caran kzikn
wilo mezin nedtib) ji qelteka dwr derket bi dwr ve rapelik. Er,
bawer bikin min kzikek wilo qet nedtib. Herdu avn w sor, wek du
pizotn gir bn. Poz w re deqeke sp l b. Ser w bik b, mna
ser mriyek; lingn w ba nedihatin xuyakirin, l ji aran zdetir bn.
Gava di ber zik od reng w kesk dib, ku xwe berdida jr rang w
dihat guhartin, sorere dib.1
Min j xwe li ser nivn xwe dirj kirib, herdu destn xwe xistibn bin
ser xwe her li w kzik temae dikir. Te digot qey ew bi min re ketib
qay, ez hrs dikirim. Carinan bi lez bi dwr ve radipelik, di ber zik
od, demek li wir radiwestiya, bi avn xwe yn sor li min mze dikir, ser
xwe end caran dihejand d re bi lez xwe bedida jr. Na, divab ew kzik
w ev bihata kutin, an na xew li min tuneb. Ez dsa weke ber bi lez ji
nav nivna pekiyam, min rahit sola xwe ku biavjim, l kzik ivek da
xwe dsa ket qelteka dwr. Ta ku ez li ser lingan bm ew derneket, l
gava min xwe li ser nivna dirj kir, ew dsa derket dsa weke ber bi jr
jor dwr ve hat. Ya reb, ez i bikim? min di dil xwe de got. Tu
nabj westandin zora min birib hema ez bi w away bi xew ve bm.2
light; ve-mirandin to put out; hd hd slowly; hema ku as soon as; xilma
sleepy; deng m sound; xixi f scratching; bi hz forcibly; bahlf f pillow; bilind
kirin to raise; guhn xwe mi kirin to prick up ones ears; guhdar kirin li to listen
to; car now; ne bi tenher wisan not onlybut also; zzik f buzz; kurmik m
worm; kzik m bug; zehf extremely, really; aciz helpless, unable to cope; loma
therefore; pekiyan to rise up suddenly; p-xistin to turn on; er ku as soon as; lez f
speed; qeltek f crack; dwar (obl dwr) m wall; sol f show; li bend (or benda)
waiting for; ra-westan to get up; navber f distance; b tirs fikar without fear or
worry; plan f plan; awan how; bi i away by what means; benderuh m creature;
kutin (kuj) to kill; plan kirin to make a plan; d (+ neg.) no longer; li ser
lingan on ones feet; dann (= da-ann) to put down; by ku without; xwe dirj
kirin to stretch out.
1

tu caran never; wilo so; ra-pelikn to crawl; bawer kirin to believe; qe at all,
ever; sor red; pizot m brand, torch; agir (obl gir) m fire; poz m nose; re black;
deq f spot; sp white; mna like (prep.); mr f ant; ling m leg; zdetir more; awa
ku when; zik od ceiling; kesk green; xwe ber-dan jr to put oneself under;
sorere reddish black.
2

temae kirin li to look at, watch; qay f rivalry, competition; hrs kirin to

114

READINGS
Min xewnek ecb di xew de didt. Di erek nenas de, hevaln min hem
ehd ketibn. Ez j birndar bbm di nava xwn de vedigevizm. Bi w
birna xwe ya xedar, bi rik hrseke ecb min xwe ji ber dijmin dida al
ez bi iy ve radipelikm. Ji bo ku xwe nedim dest op ji ser xwe winda
bikim min xwe davt ikeftek. ikeft teng tar b. Di w ikefta teng
tar de, ji nik ve mareki str bi qulo r tan min. Demeke dirj min
mr li ber hev dida. Geh w li min dixist ez bi end gavan bi pa de dipengizandim, geh min l dixist ew bi end gavan bi n de diand.1
Daw daw min bi hz destek l xist ez bi eke giran ji xew iyar bm.
Gava ez rabm, ez di xwdan de mabm. Her du ongn min dihejiyan
xureke ecb la min girtib. Min kir nekir av min y ep veneb.
Gava ku min di dest xwe dan ser, min hs kir ku wek hkek werimiye
titek pve zeliqiye. Min ew tit bi neynkan da al bi av rast wa ba l
nihr; min dt ku kzika min e.2
Ez hing tgihitim ku min di xew de dest xwe li ser av xwe xistiye
ji berdla kutina mr, min kzik kutiye.
Ji w roj p ve ez nem hotl heya bi hefteyek bi zor werimandina

enrage; carinan sometimes; ra-pelikn to creep; hejandin to shake; dv m tail; an

na or else; wek ber as before; ra-hitin to pick up; avtin (avj) to throw; iv dan
xwe to zigzag; cardin once more; ya reb O Lord!; zor f strength; zor birin to sap
the strength; hema right away; bi xew ve n to go to sleep.
1

xewn-dtin to have a dream; ecb strange; xem f worry, anxiety; er f war,

battle; nenas unknown; heval m friend; hem all; ehd ketin to fall as a martyr;
birndar wounded; xwn f blood; ve-gevizn to wallow; birn f wound; xedar terrible; rik f anger; xwe dan al ji ber to hurl oneself against; dijmin enemy; rapelikn to crawl; xwe dan dest to let oneself be captured; op f track, trail; op ji
ser xwe winda kirin to throw a pursuer off track; ikeft f cave; teng narrow; tar
dark; ji nik ve suddenly; mar (obl mr) m snake; str thick; qulo m league; r
ann to attack; li ber hev dan to tangle; gehgeh nowagain; xistin li to hit; gav
m step; bi pa de back; pengizandin to make jump; nde backwards; andin to
send.
2

daw daw finally; f pain; giran heavy; ji xew iyar bn to wake up; xwdan
f sweating; ong f knee; hejiyan to quake; xur f itch; la m body; min kir nekir
no matter what I did; hs kirin to feel; hk f egg; werimn to swell; zeliqn bive
to be stuck to; neynk f fingernail; nihrn li to look at.

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KURMANJI KURDISH
av min daket.1
L nav kzik ji min re b mereq. Min ji kjan xelk Qamilok, gundiyn der dora Qamilok, kurdn am Heleb pirs kzik ji wan re
terf kir, her gotin:
Xeyo, weleh em nizanin.2
Li Mala Rewen Bedir-Xan
Kurdistan Press, 1987
Pit rwtiyeke dirj, ez berdest var, li Banias, ji otobus peya bm.
Banias bajarek xwe e, bi a min yek ji bajarn Sriy y her xwe e. Bajar
li kleka deryay hatiye avakirin. Bi awira p piraniya bajarvaniyan
dewlemend dixuyin. Dibe ku j mirov dewlemendiya wan di lixwekirin
otomobln wan de dibne. Heriqas rnitevann bajr ereb j bin, dsan
mirov peyayn bi ef egal jinn sernuxumand km dibne. Li v bajar
Sriy y njen, xanimeke kurd dima. Kea Salih Beg, dotmam kevaniya
Celadet Beg Kaxeza navnana v Xatna han di dest min de b yn
ku ez prg wan dibm, min navniana w ji wan dipirs. Gotineke piyn
me heye, dibje Mirov bi pirs dihere Xurs. Ez j bi pirs gihtim ber
avahiyek, hebeki li ber deriy avahiy rawestiyam min hd bi heyecan li
der da. Ya ku ji min re der vekir berdestka w b. Jinek bi tirkiyeke
osman, l bi devoka erkezan bixrhatin da min, entey min ji dest min
girt ez birim odeya rnitin, ba Rewen Xanim. Rewen Xanim j bi
mvanperweriyeke kurd bi ryek bi ken bixrhatin da min ez bi cih
kirim.3
1

ji berdla instead of; heya bi until; hefte f week; werimandin f swelling; daketin to subside.
2

nav kzik ji min re b mereq I was curious about the name of the bug;
kjan whichever, no matter which; xelk m people; der dor f environs; Heleb f
Aleppo; terf kirin to describe; xeyo (Arabic khayyo) a typically Syrian form of
address, fellow, friend; weleh by God!
3

rwt f journey; berdest toward; bi a in the opinion of; klek f edge; awir f
glance; bi awira p at first glance; piran f majority; bajarvan citizen; dewlemend wealthy; xuyn to appear, seem; li xwe kirin to dress; rnitevan inhabitant;
ef f kafiyya, Arab headdress; egal the rope that holds the kafiyya on the head; ser-

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READINGS
Ez j bi dilah rnitim. Pit kurtesohbetek min avn xwe li resimn li
dwr gerandin. Resimn ku p li ber avn min ketin, resim hers biran;
Sureya, Celadet Kamran Bedir-Xan bn.1
Pit va var min ji Rewen Xanim pirs:
Gelo tu bikarib bi niyeta kurtehevpeyvnek xwe bid naskirin?2
Ez kea Salih Bedir-Xan jina Celadet Al Bedir-Xan im, got j p
ve tu tit negot.
Ji xwe bes e j. Kurdn ku navn Salih Celadet Bedir-Xan nebihstibin
pir km in. An j kurdn xwende brewer yn ku haya wan ji Celadet
xebatn w tunebin, i bigire nn in.3
ba e, xebat xwendina Rewen Xanim bi xwe i ye i b?
Weke kar, min mamostetiya ziman ereb dikir ez demek j midr
dibistan bm. Erebiya min ji kurd turkiya min tir b tir e j. Ji ber
v yek xebatn min yn rewenbr j btir bi ziman ereb dib. Min btir
bi ereb dinivsand ji zimann din werdigerande erebi. Min pirtkn j bi
nav Hin Rpel Ji Edebiyata Kurd bi ereb, berp xwendevann ereb
kiriye. Min carna j hin bend di Hawar de belav dikirin.4
Gava ew bi kurd dipeyiv w hin zehmet dikiand, ew carna di nav re bi
min re bi tirk dipeyiv; bi tirkiyeke pir xwe b kmas5

nuxumandin (= nixumandin) to cover the head; dotmam cousin; kevan wife;

kaxez f paper; navnan f address; prg bn to meet; Xurs Khurasan; avah f
building; hebek for a while; li der dan to knock on a door; berdestik servant;
tirk Turkish; osman Ottoman; devok f accent; erkez Circassian; bixrhatin dan
to welcome; ente f suitcase; odeya rnitin sitting room; mvanperwer f
hospitality; bi cih kirin to have s.o. sit down.
1

dilah f pleasure; kurtesohbet f chat; resim m picture.

v f dinner; gelo I wonder if; niyet f intention; kurtehevpeyvn f short interview;

xwe dan naskirin to introduce oneself.
3

xwende literate; brewer intellectual; an j or rather; hay (f) ji knowledge of; i

bigire nn in are practically nil.
4

mamostet f teaching; midr principal; tir better; ji ber v yek for that
reason; rewenbr intellectual; wer-gerandin to translate; rpel m page; berp
kirin to offer; bend f article.
5

zehmet (f) kiandin to have trouble; b kmas flawless.

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KURMANJI KURDISH
Niha j ez v pirtka han werdigernim ereb. (Pirtkek li ser Sultan
Evdilhemd b).
Ji bo i ev pirtk ne yeke din?
Weanxaneyek ev ji min xwestiye, btir v bala wan kiandiye. Tu ya
rast bixwaz, bi wergerandina v pirtk end quru pere j digihjin destn
min.1
Biv nev sohbeta me carna di dema rehmet Celadet Beg kovara
Hawar.
Yad, tu dikar ji kerema xwe re bi kurt behsa dema Hawar bik?
Hawar li ku u awan derdiket, yn zrek ku t de kar dikirin k bn?2
apxaneya Hawar li mal b. Yek ji mijliyn rehmet y sereke
derxistina Hawar b. Min j alkariya w dikir. Pit demek, gava ez hn
rzkirin ambelaj b, kar hsantir b. Hing Osman Sebr Qedrcan j li
ba me diman, herdu j pir jhat bn. D re brahm heb, ew bi rast j
rewenbr b. Osman Sebr ar mehan li cem me mab, hn j min nizanb
ku ew Osman Sebr ye. Wan Osman Sebr, bi Hec Husn bi min dabne
naskirin.3
Hin kes dibjin ku kovara Hawar bi alkariya fransizan derdiket, ma
rast e?
Na, ne rast e. Hawar ne bi alkariya fransizan, l bi destra wan derdiket. Ne bi ten Hawar, her wisa Roja N j bi destra wan derdiket.4
Gelo ku ro fransiz li vir bna, w rewa kurdan awan bya?
W rewa kurdan her wilo bya. Fransiz j kolonyalst in yn ku em
ro di bin destn wan j de ne kolonyalst in.
Ma rast e ku armanca Celadet Beg avakirina Kurdistaneke monar

weanxane f publishing house; bir more; bal (f) kiandin to attract the attention; quru piastre; pere money.
2

biv nev like it or not; rehmet the late; yad mother, an affectionate term of
address for an elderly woman; kerem f generosity; zrek hard-working; k who?
3

rz-kirin to sort; ambelaj f packaging; hsan easy; li ba in the house of, with;
jhat diligent; li cem with; X bi Y bi Z dan naskirin to introduce X to Z as Y.
4

destr f permission.

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READINGS
1

b?

K v bibjin ew bbextiya li rehmet dikin. W tu caran titek wilo ne

gotiye, ne j daxwaz kiriye. W her digot, div Kurdistan bi dest hem
kurdan bte ava kirin. i karker, i gund, i mele, i axa beg hem xwediy Kurdistan ne. Armanca rehmet Kurdistanek demokratk yekby
b. Ji xwe Kurdistan yek e. A niha j hin xort dibjin em ji Kurdistana Tirkiy, hin dibjin em ji Kurdistana ran, hin dibjin em ji Kurdistana Iraq
hin j dibjin em ji Kurdistana Sriy ne. Bi a min ev ne rast e, a e. Kurdistan yek e snorn ku li Kurdistan hatine kiandin ji dervey rada kurdan hatiye kiandin. Ew snorn emperyalzm ne.2
Ew Celadet ku ro ji aliy hem kurdan ve tte hezkirin, gelo ji Rewen Xanim re awan b?
Ew ne bi ten mr min, l ew her tit min b. Ew bav min, biray
min, heval min, mamostay min b. Ez j yek ji wan kurda me ku ro
kmasiya tunebna w dikinim.
Windabna v peyay bi rmet i tesr li jiyana te kir, ev trajed awan
b?
Mirana w ez meh kirim, dinya bi ser min de hiland. Mesliyeteke
siyas, civak abor di sty min de hit. Ji xwe dawhatina jiyana w ya bi
trajed j, ji bo bakirin hebek bipdexistina aboriya xwe b. L neb,
ew kar b sedema mirina w.3
i b ya ku b sedema mirina w?
Tacir, pembo Em gelek destteng bbn. Ji ber v yek rehmet rab
zeviyn hevalek xwe bi nv and, kire pembo. Ji ber kmbna av, w dest
bi kolandina brek kir u nav bra xwe j kire Bra Qeder. Ew di w bra
xwe wer b mir. W bra xwe bi dest xwe kola.4
Pit van gotinan Rewen Xanim demek bdeng ma, kr kr fikir

armanc f aim, goal; ava-kirin to establish; monar monarchical.

bbext f disloyalty; daxwaz kirin to desire; a mistaken; rade f will.

bi rmet honored; tesr f effect; meh kirin to wipe out; mesliyet f responsibility;
4

tacir f commerce; pembo m cotton; destteng poor; bi nv in equal shares;

andin to plant; kolandin to dig; wer bn di to fall into; kolan to dig.

119

KURMANJI KURDISH
cigarek vxist. Wilo xuya b ku w h j ew byer ji br nekirib. Min j
nexwest ez zde bi d sedemn ku ima w bra xwe bi destn xwe kola
bikevim, min gotin dagerande ser titek din:1
i ji xortn kurd yn li Ewrpay dikeve ser te? Ew dikarin i bikin?
Ger ew bibin yek, ew dikarin her tit bikin. Yekt, div hn yektiyek
di nava xwe de bikin. A niha bi dehan kovar rojname derdikevin, ira?
Ma ger hn werin ba hev sar kovar rojnameyn bi kalte derxin, ne
tir e?
Heya ku ez li ba w bm, w ji min re got, got got. Dest min ji v
mirova gotinxwe, zarrn, zana rewenbr nedib. Di mvandariyeke
kurt de w ez hn pir titan kirim, drokek ji min re got2
Sedsaliya Celadet Al Bedir-Xan
Ndem, No. 8, 1993
Di 26 nsana 1893an de, yan ber niha bi sed sal mizgn digihje Emn
Al Bedir-Xan, ku j re lawikek bye. Emn Al Beg bi v mizgn
neya han kfxwe dila dibe, pln evna dil w ya li hember jina w
ya erkez xurt gur dibin nav v zarok nby dike Celadet, Celadet
bik, zarok neviy Bedir-Xaniyan, ji dinyay bhay, ji sirgun zehmetiyn jiyan bxeber mezin dibe; zarokek esmer, xwnrn, biaqil qedirgir
j derdikeve. Rewa v zarok malbat kfxwe dike, biaqil giraniya w
dil bav w Emn Al Beg fireh dike, hv baweriyeke xurt dide malbat
merivn w. Bav w y xwende dinyadt, ji bo ku law w y eleng li
Stenbol di nava erxa asmlasiyon de asmle nebe, ji kultur ziman
xwe, ji stran rokn xwe yn kurd bi dr nekeve mna kurdek xwenas
bigih, ew ji welat xwe, ji kevnebajar kultur medeniyet, ji Cizra Botan, dengbj stranbjn kurd tne Stenbol Celadat bik jr bi stran
rokn kurd, bi hest hsn kurd mezin dike. Celadet car caran naveroka

kr kr fikirn to be lost in thought; ketin be d to go after; gotin da-gerandin

to change the subject.
2

yekt f unity; bi kalte quality (adj); dest min ji nedib I couldnt get
enough of; gotinxwe well-spoken; zarrn eloquent; zana learned; mvandar f
visit; drok f history.

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READINGS
stran rokn xwe ji hevaln xwe y erkez, ermen, yunan tirk re dibje,
bi w temen xwe y bik kultura xwe bi wan dide naskirin, bal meyla
wan dikine ser kultur ziman xwe.1
Celadet di xortaniya xwe de hewesa xwe berdide ser eskeriy, dixwaze di
dibistaneke esker de bibe xwed rutbe nanan di ordiya Osman de
tkeve cepheyan. Celadet ku w pa xwe bi hem hza xwe ve biavje
meydana kultur ziman bibe humanstek bhempa, ji bo i esker bala w
dikine ji bo i ew dixwaze tkeve dibistana herbiy, d u baw bi xwe j
p nizanin. Heta t gotin ku ev biryara w b dil d bav w bye. L w
biryara xwe dab, w bixwenda. W biryara xwe bi cih an, kete dibistana
herbiy, dibistana xwe bi serfiraz qedand b zabitek jr jhat. Celadet
Zabit di dema er chan yekemn de, di ordiya Osman de dikeve ceph
ji snorn Tirkiya ro bi dr dikeve, dihere Qefqasyay li Baku Tebrz
dimne. L ordiya wan zde li ber rsan xwe nagire ew mperatoriya ku ji
Qefqasyay bigire heta welatn Balkan bi sedsalan hukumdar kiribu, hd
hd ji hev de dikeve, ordiyn w cih bi cih diikn ew mparatoriya ku bi
sedsalan jiyana xwe domandib, d dimire. Hem mperatoriya Osmaniyan
dimire, hem j tu nemab ku Tirkiyeya ro j ji nav rabya. L di bin
serokatiya Mustefa Kemal bi alkar pitgiriya kurdan, er bi gotina
tirkan xelasiy t dayin u welat ji bin dest bi gotina tirkan dagirkeran
derdikeve, pit kongreyn Erzerom Swas bingeh Cumhriyeta ro tte
avtin ew roj ev roj e deolojiya avakir cumhriyet Mustefa Kemal Kemalizm dibe mna vrusek dikeve la mjiyn bawermend v deolojiy. Digel ku ev heft sal in di ser avakirina Cumhriyet re derbas bye
j, h ji v nexweiya han re tu derman nehatiye dtin, ser bijk opera1

sedsal f centennial; nsan f April; yan i.e.; mizgn f good news; lawik baby
boy; -bn to be born; ne f news; kfxwe happy; dila glad; li hember toward;
erkez Circassian; gur powerful; nev grandson; bhay ji unaware of; sirgun exile;
zehmet f trouble; bxeber ji oblivious to; esmer dark-skinned; xwnrn delightful; biaqil intelligent; qedirgir estimable; giran f gravity; dil fireh kirin to delight;
xwende literate; dinyadt experienced; law son; eleng handsome; Stenbol f Istanbul; erx f circle; asmlasyon f assimilation; asmle assimilated; kultur culture;
stran f song; rok f story; xwenas self-aware; kevnebajar m ancient city; medeniyet f civilization; dengbj singer; stranbj professional singer; jr talented; hest f
feeling; hs f emotion; naverok f contents; erkez Circassian; ermen Armenian;
yunan Greek; temen m age; bal meyl (f) kiandin to draw the attention.

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KURMANJI KURDISH
torn ku xwestine v vrus bikujin, an areyek ji v nexweiy re bibnin,
hatiye jkirin u ev heft sal in ku gel kurd ji derd v nexweiya han
dinale.1
Celadet Beg beek ji malbata xwe li dij neheqiyn sstem derdikevin
dixwazin ji bo kurdan, ji bo nasnav welat wan tkon bidin. Cumhriyeta ciwan nikarb ev debar bikira, bi r metodn nemirovane n ser
v malbata bermayn mrekn Cizra Botan gelek ji wan andin, kutin,
ji welt bi dr xistin, sirgn welatn xerbiy kirin. Di nava yn sirgnby
de Celadet Bedir-Xan malbata xwe j hebn. Stemkar sirgna kambax
ev malbata esilzade zexim ji hev de dixist, ber wan bi welatn xerbiy
vedikir. Bav Celadet Emn Ali Beg biray w y mezin Sureya Beg xwe
diavjin welat xwediy medeniyetn kevnar Misr, Celadet kek xwe
Kamran Beg j ber xwe didine Almanyay. Ev mirovn bi disipln
xwed berpirsyar li Almanyay nabin hsrn jiyana sirgn tk nain, l
bi jr dest bi xwendina unverstey dikin, di dersn xwe de gelek bi serket
dibin z xwe dixin avn mamosteyn xwe ji bo kurdan dibin mnakn
ak qene. Celadet Beg ji dervey ders xwe y dibistan j gelek berhemn
cih cih dixwne, li ser tevger, nrn felsefey cih cih radiweste. Mna
gelek ronakbrn w dem ew j gelek ji Nietzsche hez dike, cih bi cih di
bin tesra felsefeya w de dimne pirtka w ya bi nav Zerdet Wilo
Kerem Kir ji ber ser xwe hilnayne bi xwe j dibne ku ev filosof Alman
y mezin b iqas di bin tesra felsefeya pxember Zerdet de dimne. Pit
w bi saln dirj ew beek bik ji pirtka Nietzsche di Hawara xwe de
biwene bi w away Nietzsche bi br bne.2
1

xortan f youth; hewes f desir; esker f the military; rutbe rank; nan decoration; ord f army; cephe front; bhampa unparalleled; herbiye f war department;
serfiraz f distinction; zabit officer; jr hard-working; jhat assiduous; Qefqasya f
the Caucasus; rs Russian; mperator f empire; hukumdar kirin to rule; ji nav
ra-bn to disappear; pitgir f support; xelas f deliverance; dayn = dan; er dan
(dayn) to fight a war; er bi gotina tirkan xelasiy the war of what Turks call
liberation; dagirker founder; Erzerom Erzerum; Swas Sivas; bawermend believer; bijk physician; operator surgeon; j-bn to be excised; naln to lament.
2

li dij againt; neheq injustice; sstem f system; nasnav m culture; tkon f

struggle; debar kirin to manage; nemirovane unmanly; bermaye f remnant; mrek
petty ruler; sirgn kirin to exile; kambax devastating; esilzade aristocratic; zexim

122

READINGS
L her hi w li ser welat w ye, her liv tevgereke ku li welat w dibe dil w a dike, hviya wi xurt qewn dike. Gava di sala 1925an de
di bin serokatiya x Sed de li Kurdistan serhildan dibe, hviyn Celadet Beg xurt dibin, ji bo biserketina ore tit ji dest w t ew dike. L pir
nae, arta tirk bi ser serhildan de digire, serok birvebirn serhildan
digirin, bi r metodn nemirovane li nava kue kolann gund bajarn
Kurdistan gulebaran dikin. Gund bajaran j wran dikin heta gor ku
carinan kal prn kurdan niha behs dikin, he nav wan bi tpa dest
p dike, ew tne kutin. Gava ordiya tirk ji Kurdistan vedikie, li d xwe
gundn wran, xaniyn xerabe di nava ewat dixan de zarokn sw u
stxwar dihle. Ev byera han tesreke neyn li Celadet Beg dike, hviya
w diikne, demek dest w li kar xebata siyas sist dike1
Serhildana x Sed ikest, ew birayn ku bi tirkan re ji bo xelasiya
Tirkiyey er xelasiy kiribn, ji aliy birayn xwe yn tirk musulman
ve hatin gulebarankirin, gundn wan hatin wrankirin, daristann wan hatin
ewatandin. Ev hem ji bra Celadet Beg nain. Ew bi wan brannan radiz,
bi wan radibe. Gav saet ew di bra w de ne. Ew li riyek digere. Li riya
xelas serbixwebn. Li riya felat Ew bi w ser xwe y tij fikrn tvel
ber xwe dide Libnan, die Brd. Li Brd kurd gihane hev. An j
rewa kambax, stemkar, jiyana sirgn ew anne ba hev. Wan di nava xwe
de komeleyek bi nav Xoybn ava kirine ew dixwazin tola xwna
ehdn xwe wergirin, welat xwe y ji dest ye bi pa de bistnin ji w
jiyana zehmet ya welatn xerbiy rizgar bibin, li ser axa welat xwe bi
azad xwe bijn. Celadet Beg tavil xwe digihne v komeley dibe

strong; kevnar ancient; Misr f Egypt; kek elder brother; Almanya f Germany;
berpirsyar responsible; hsr captive; tk n to fail; bi serket successful; mnak
example; ak good; qene at least; berhem m literary work; cih cih various; tevger f activity; nrn f view; felsefe f philosophy; ronakbr enlightened; kerem kirin
to speak; filosof philosopher.
1

liv f movement; dil a kirin to gladden the heart; qewn strong; serhildan f
rebellion; biserketin f success; pir nae it doesnt take long before; bi ser serhildan girtin to put down a rebellion; gulebaran kirin to open fire; wran kirin to
lay waste; he whoever; tp f letter; ve-kin to withdraw; ewat f conflagration;
dixan f smoke; sw orphan; stxwar cowed; li d xwe hitin (hl) to leave behind
oneself; neyn negative; sist kirin to weaken.

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KURMANJI KURDISH
yek ji endamn w y girng. Hn wilo sal dibe 1927 di bin serokatiya
hsan Nr Paa de, li Agiriy kurd radibin ser xwe dixwazin biyaniyan ji
welat xwe biqewirnin. Ev serhildana ku li iyay Agiriy diqewime bi
alkar pitgiriya Xoybn dibe. Komeleya Xoybn tavil li hev dicivin;
axa, seroker, pengn civat li hev dicivnin dixwazin serhildan
berfireh bikin. Ew xeber digihnin serokatiya serhildan bi wan didin
zann ku ew ji mil Sriy de li tirkan bixin bi w away serhildan fireh
bikin bikin berxwedaneke Kurdistan. L tirk bi arteke xurt, bi tanq
top balafiran digirin ser Agiriy i benderuh dikeve ber wan, ew dikujin.
Serok serhildan hsan Nr Paa xwe dide al, die ran pit bi salan
di nava tent bdengiy de, bi hesreta welt avn xwe digirin ji v dinyay ko dike.1
Ev ikandina han j dil Celadet Beg bhawe diikne, heta t gotin ku
pit w baweriya w bi siyaset sist dibe, ew xwe bi hem hza xwe davje
meydana kultur, ziman edebiyata kurd. Ew dibne ku pit ikestina
serhildan liberxwedann kurdan, kurd ji aliy moral ve j diikn ji tirsa
karbidestn Cumhriyeta Tirkiyey ew ji ziman kultura xwe bi dr dikevin, dibin biyaniyn xwe. Ew tdigihje ku pit nifek du nifan d gelek
kurd asmle bibin, ji xwe ji nasnava xwe bi dr bikevin d bi w away
nav kurd Kurdistan ji ferheng nexeyn chan bte malitin. Ji bo ku
ew p li v yeka han bigire, ew tavil dest diavje alfabeya xwe, ya ku w
di saln 1919an de nvc hitib w li ser hm alfabeyn latn durust
tkz dike. Ji bo ku ew bikaribe alfabeya xwe di nava kurdan de belav bike,
ziman kurd y nivsk bi wan bide zann, ew biryara derxistina kovarek
dide nav kovara xwe dike HAWAR. Ew hejmara p ya Hawar di
panzdeh gulana 1932de derdixe. Di pgotina hejmara p ya kovar de,
1

daristan f forest; brann f memory; razn (raz) to go to sleep; serbixwebn f

independence; felat f freedom; tvel various; Brd f Beirut; komele f society;
xoybn f selfhood; tol (f) wer-girtin to take revenge; xwn f blood; ehd martyr; bi
pa de standin (stn) to get back; rizgar bn ji to be delivered from; tavil at once;
endam member; girng important; hn still; biyan foreigner; qewirandin (qewirn) to drive out; qewimn to take place; li hev civn to move together; berfireh
kirin to expand; mil m side; berxwedan f resistance; tanq f tank; top f cannon; i
benderuh like wild animals; xwe dan al to retreat; tent f isolation; bdeng f
silence; hesret f yearning; dinya f world; ko kirin to decamp.

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READINGS
di derheqa armanca kovar de wilo dibje: Hawar deng zann ye. Zann
xwe nasn e. Xwe nasn ji me re rya felat xweiy vedike. Her kes ko
xwe nas dike, dikare xwe bide nas kirin. Hawara me ber her tit heyna
ziman me d bide nas kirin. Lewma ko ziman erta heyn a pn e.1
Ew w ziman ku li ber mirin ye jndar dike, dixe war nivsandin bi
w yek erta heyna kurdan a p diyar dike.2
Ji bo ku kovara w di aroveyeke teng de nemne, nebe mal grp, part,
an j bi ten deologiyek, l bel ew bibe mal hem kurdan, deng hem
kurdan, ew dsan di pgotina hejmara p ya Hawar de weha dibje:
Hawar ji niha p ve bi her tit ko kurdan kurdt p bendewar e, d
mijl dibe. Tin siyaset j dr e, xwe naxe siyaset. Hawar siyaset ji
civatn welat re hitiye. Bi siyaset bila ew mijl dibin. Em j di war
ziman, hiner sinhet de d bixebitin.3
ew li ser ya xwe dimne. Ew mna ronakbrek kurd, bi her tit ku
hem kurdan eleqeder dike ve mijl dibe, l xwe ten bi nrnek, an j bi
deolojiyek ve gir nade, heta dawiya jiyana xwe, ew Kurdistan dimne.
L ez bawer dikim gava ew dibje ku ew bi siyaset ve mijl nebe, ne ku
ew ji rastiya Kurdistan direve, hebe tune be, ew naxwaze xwe bi rxistinek ve gir bide. Ger w bi hem away dest xwe ji siyaset bikianda,
w hewcedariya ku ew nameyeke dirj ji Mustefa Kemal Atatrk re bine,
nedta. Er, ew di sala 1933an de, yan pit weandina kovara xwe bi
salek pit avakirina Cumhriyeta Tirkiy bi deh salan di bin nav Ji
Res Cumhr Tirkiy Xaz Mustefa Kemal Paa re Nameyeke Vekir
nameyeke dirj dine. Ew w nameya xwe bi munasebeta branna deh1

bhawe unparalleled; meydan f field; liberxwedan = berxwedan; karbidest

authority; nif generation; nasnav f culture; ferheng f dictionary; nexe f map;
chan f world; malitin (mal) to rub out; alfabe f alphabet; durust kirin to make;
tkz kirin to arrange; nivsk written; gulan f May; armanc f aim; heyn f existence; ert f condition; a = ya.
2

li ber on the verge of; jndar kirin to revivify; war m arena; diyar kirin to
make clear.
3

arove f framework; pgotin f preface; ji niha p ve from now on; kurdan f

Kurdishness; kurdt f Kurdishness; bendewar bi connected to; tin (= ten) only;
xistin (x) = xistin; civat f social group; biladibin its all right if they are;
hiner m art; sinhet f craft.

125

KURMANJI KURDISH
saliya Cumhriyet efya git, ku Cumhriyet soz dab, dine. Celadet
Beg di v nameya xwe ya dirj de, ku pa mna pirtkek ap dibe, bi ilm
rexneyan li Mustefa Kemal digire wan ji bo sozdayina wan derewn
derdixne. Herweha ew di nameya xwe de li ser kurdan, li ser nasyonalzma
tirkan radiweste bi metodn lngiwstik mnakan ji ziman kurd dide. Ew
di wir de dide xuya kirin, ku kurd ne tirk in ew xwediyn kultureke cih,
zimanek cih miletek cih ne.1
Em vegerin ser Hawar. Dema ku Celadet Beg dest bi weandina Hawar
belavkirina alfabeya xwe dike, hejmara kurdn xwende km e, i bigire
tune ye. L, end xortn din n serwext, ku ew j ji ber gelek sedeman mecbr mabn, ku welat xwe terk bikin ko binxet bikin, digihn Celadet
Beg bi alkar tewqn Celadet ew dibin xwediyn navn mna Qedrcan, Nredn Zaza, Osman Sebr, Cegerxwn
Gava min di hevpeyvneke bi Osman Sebr re, pirsa ku w keng dest bi
nivsandin kiriye kirib, w gotib ku w bi xra Celadet Beg dest bi nivsandina kurd kirib ku ne ji Celadet Beg bya, w nizanb ku ziman
kurd ziman nivsandin ye an na. Herweha Nredn xort j deyndar
Celadet Bedir-Xan e. T gotin ku her tim Celadet Beg Nredn xort dipesinand ji bo tewqkirina nivsandin ew beramber Anton exov dikir.2
exov bi xwe j di dema xwe de xort dipesinandin, ew tewq nivsandin dikirin gelek caran bi wan dida zann ku ew bi nivsandina berdewam bibin nivskarn mezin navdar. Mirov w nefsbikah ruhiyeta
tewq di Celadet Bedir-Xan de j xwe dibne. Ji bil navn mn Qedrcan,
Osman Sebr, Nredn Zaza Cegerxwn; ger zarokek, ivanek an j
xwendevanek j re nameyek bianda, w tavil ew name di Hawar de di1

eleqeder kirin to concern; Kurdistan Kurdistanian, proponent of a united

Kurdistan; rxistin f organization; hewcedar f necessity, need; res cumhr president of the republic; xaz ghazi; munasebet f occasion; brann f remembrance;
efya git general amnesty; soz dan to promise; rexne f criticism; sozdayin f promise; derewn false; der-xistin to take to task; mnak m example; cih different,
separate; milet m nation.
2

serwext knowledgeable; hevpeyvn f conversation; pirs (f) kirin to ask a question; bi xra thanks to; ne ji bya were it not for; deyndar indebted; her tim
always; pesinandin to praise; tewqkirin f encouragement; beramber kirin to
compare to; Anton exov Anton Chekhov.

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READINGS
weand, pesn wan dida ew j mna nivskarn Hawar dinavandin.1
Em dibnin, ji roja ku Celadet biryara xwe daye ku ew bi ziman kultura kurd dakeve, ew p dadikeve, bi xebat fedekariyn xwe yn exs ji
me re bingeh ziman me y ku biyaniy nivsandin b dihle.2
Wek me li jor j qal kirib, gava Celadet Beg dest bi weandina kovara
xwe dike, hejmara kurdn xwende km e, ji xwe hejmara kurdn ku bikaribin bi kurd bixwne tune ye. L ew yeka han w bhv nake. Tunebna
xwendevanan w dilikest nake dest w li kar w sist nake. W xwe bi
xwe digot: Ger xwendevann kurd tunebin sedem w hene. Sedemn
w xuyabn. Kurdistan serbixwe nebb, erdn Kurdistan yn rizgarkir
tunebn, ziman kurd nebb ziman nivsandin perwerdiy. Rastiya
welt rastiya milet w ji w ve xuya b. Loma w pir bi sebir, l bi enerjiyeke bhawe dixwest ku ziman kurd txe war nivsandin bi w yek
kurdan bike xwed nasnav exsiyet.3
Di sala 1987an de gava ez li mala xanima w Rewen Bedir-Xan bbm
mvan min pirsa ku Celadet Beg awan Hawar derdixist, j kirib, w ev
bersiva han dab min: ev roj li rehmet tune bn. Gav saet kaxezin di
dest de bn, dixwend, rast dikir, diirand, dsan ji n ve dinivsand. Hawara
w mna zarokeke w b. Her ku hejmareke n ya kovar derdiket, ew mna
zarokek dila dib. L hem bar di sty w de b. Ew gelek p re diwestiya. Di mehn destpk de ez nikarbm j re bibma alkar, l pa
gava ez hn rzkirin ambelaj bm, min kar w hebek hsan kir.4
Ez ba bi traja Hawar nizanim, l tit ku Rewen Xanim ji min re
behs kir, w traja w ne ewend bilind be, w li dor end sed lib be.
1

berdewam constant; nefsbikah f modesty; ruhiyet f spirit; ivan shepherd;

pesin m praise; navandin to name, call.
2

fedekar f self-sacrifice; exs personal; bingeh (m) hitin (hl) to lay a foundation; biyany a stranger to.
3

li jor above; qal kirin to say; bhv kirin to make despair; dilikest kirin to
discourage; rizgarkir liberated; perwerd f education; rast f truth; bi sebir patiently; bhawe extraordinary; t-xistin war to establish as an area of; exsiyet f
personality.
4

mvan guest; gav saet at all times; kaxez f paper; rast kirin to correct;
irandin to tear up; st m neck; hn bn to learn; rz kirin to arrange; ambelaj
f packaging; hebek a little bit.

127

KURMANJI KURDISH
Piraniya w li nava kurdn binxet, yan kurdn Sriy dihate belav kirin,
end lib digihtin Tirkiyey, end lib digihtin Iraq ez ne a bim end
lib j digihtin ran. L ew end libn ku digihtin wan welatan j li hem
hezkirn ziman kurd belav dibn. Ji ber v yek ye ku em di kovar de li
gelek navn kurdn bar rast tn. Yan kovar di nava kurdn her welat de
bb pireya hevdunasn. Di kovar de mirov ji bil kurmanc li zaravay
soran j, l bi alfabeya latn rast t. Wilo xuya dibe ku di w dem de bi
ferm destra ziman kurd li wan welatan hatibya dayin hejmara kovar
rojnameyn kurd zdetir bya, em ro ji problema alfabeyn ereb latn
xelas bbna w mna ku di Hawar de j belav bb, hem kurmanciya
jr, hem j kurmanciya jor bi alfabeya latn bihata nivsandin w ferqiyeta
herdu zaravayn kurd yn mezin hd hd hindiktir bibya. Wek t zann,
Hawar li welatek ku alfabeya ereb dihate bikarann, bi alfabeya latn
derdiket. Em w tesra Hawar xwediy w Mr Celadet Al Bedir-Xan ro
j dibnin. ro di nava kurdn me yn Sriy de yn ku kurd bi alfabeya
ereb dinivsnin, i bigire tune ye. Digel xwendina wan bi ereb ye, digel ku
ew di dibistanan de hn alfabe nivsandina ereb dibin j, dsan ew xwe
hn alfabeya ziman xwe ya latn dikin u ro bi sedan nivskar, bi endan
kovar pirtkn kurd ji aliy kurdn me yn Sriy ve tne derxistin. Ev
yeka han biv nev ji tradisyona Celadet Bedir-Xan bi xra kovara w
Hawar dibe.1
tit ku Celadet Bedir-Xan j ditirsiya, bi ser kurd Tirkiyey ve
hatiye. Pit ikandina serhildan berxwedann kurdan, tirk bi metodin ji
mirovatiy dr ne ser kurdan, ew andin, girtin, bi dar ve kirin, ziman
wan li wan qedexe kirin dema ku Celadet Beg kovara xwe li am
derdixist, ji bo her gotineke kurd li Tirkiyey cezay peran dihate dayin, ji
cezay peran zdetir, pir caran cezayn bi salan heps dihate dayin. Pit
nivek, kurd di ber erxa poltkaya asmlasyon ya tirkan de heliyan, ji
ziman xwe bi dr ketin. Ger car caran di hin cihan de irskin pketibin j,

traj f print run; behs kirin to discuss; lib m copy; binxet f south of the border,
i.e. Syria; a bn to be surprised; rast hatin li to come across; hevdu-nasn to
know each other; ji bil aside from; ferm formal; destra ziman grammar; jr
lower; jor upper; ferqiyet f distinction; i bigire practically.

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READINGS
dewlet bi xurt ye ser wan, bi girtin, ldan kenc deng wan birne.1
Em dibnin ku ew tesra han ji ruhiyeta Kurdn Tirkiyey derneketiye,
oreger tkoer kurd, ku di ber Kurdistana proz de ser xwe didin, ji bo
bidestxistina zimane kurd bi salan di zndanan de radizn, l ew bi xwe
hewl nadin ku bi zimane xwe binivsnin, bi ziman xwe bixwnin, bi
ziman xwe bifikirin. Ez carinan ji xwe re difikirim, ku em kurd ten
mehek tirk protesto bikin (di vir de mexseda min ne ew e ku div em li
dij tirk bin, ez bawer im tirkn bi rast dilxwazn kurdan j w li dij
biryareke wilo dernekevin) kovar rojnamey xwe bi kurd derxin, kovar
rojnamey bi tirk nekirin, li dikan ayxann xwe bi kurd bipeyivin, li
mehkemeyan bi kurd fadeyn xwe bidin, yan bi kurtay di her war jiyan
de bi kurd bipeyivin bi kurd binivsnin. Er, ten mehek. Ez bawer im
bi cihanna biryareke wilo j w ne ewend zehmet be. Hing em bibnin
ku w awan cih li dewlet teng bibe, dinyaya ku pirsa me bi terorzm ve
gir dide, w awan li bin guhn hev bikeve. Gava ez van end rzan
dinivsnim, ez di bin tesra tevgera Mahatma Gand de dinivsnim. Gand ji
xelk Hindistan daxwaz kir, ku ew kincn ngilzan li xwe nekin, titn
wan nekirin. xelk wilo kir. Bi w biryara hindiyan gelek fabrkayn ngilzan ne flas, darbeyeke mezin ya ekonomk li ngilzan ket biryareke
wilo b sedema dawhatina mparatoriya Birtanya ya li Hindstan.2
L ngilzan ziman hindiyan qedexe nekiribn. Ger ngilzan ziman
nasnava hindiyan qedexe bikirana, mirov texmn dike, ku d Gand li hember byereke wilo, xelk hind vexwenda protestokirina ziman ngilz.3
Bi a min biryareke wilo ji bo me ekeke mezin e. Bi biryareke wilo hem
em bikaribin hebna xwe bidine spatkirin, hem em bikaribin hebna
ziman xwe bidine spatkirin, hem em mehkeme dareyn resm yn tir1

tirsiyan ji to be afraid of; mirovat f manliness, chivalry; qedexe kirin to ban;

ceza m penalty; peran heavy; heps f imprisonment; niv generation; erx f grindstone; poltka f policy; heliyan to melt away; irsk f spark; p-ketin to catch
(fire); l-dan to beat; kence f torture; deng (m) birn to silence.
2

oreger revolutionary; tkoer combatant; zndan prison; hewl dan to struggle;

protesto kirin to boycott; mexsed f intention; dikan f shop; mehkeme f court; fade
f testimony; rz f line; cne flas to go broke; darbe f blow; daw-hatin to come to
an end; mparator f empire.
3

texmn kirin to guess; li hember in opposition to; ve-xwendin to call for.

129

KURMANJI KURDISH
kan mecbr wergran bikin, hem em traja kovar rojnameyn tirkan li
Kurdistan li Tirkiyey bixnin, hem j em dawanna poltkayeke ku
heft sal in li ser nkariya milet me hatiye avakirin, bnin.1
NREDN ZAZA
[Dr. Nredn Zaza, nav w y rast Ysuf e. Ew di 1919an de li Maden (Paxirmaden) hatiye din roja 7 iriya P sala 1988an, saet di 6.30 de li nexwexaneyeke Lozan, ji ber nexwena qanser avn xwe ji dinya jndar girtine. Pit
dilovaniya v rewenbr hja, bi daxwaziya malbata w bi bedarbna gelek heval
hogirn w yn perwer, roja 11an, eyn meh, la w bi merasmeke ndar birine
sipartine Goristana ehdan ya li Lozan.2
Nivskar bi nav deng Dr. Nredn Zaza, zaroktiya xwe li Kurdistana Bakr
bihurandiye. Ew, pit rxandina agir orea kurd ya bi serokatiya x Sed, bi
kek xwe Dr. Nefiz re ye Binxet (Sr). Hj di ax xortaniya xwe de, w ciy
xwe li nav tevgern welatparz girtiye ji bo doza azadiya welt ixuliye. Herweha
w gelek nivs di kovara Hawar Ronah de j weandine.]3

Xurd
Xurd dewlementir gund b. Xortek bi bejn bal, eleng giran b.
Rojek li ber melay gund rawestiya got:
Kurek min b; j re navek rn ji te dixwazim.
Mela hinek ma, pa ser xwe rakir got:
Bila nav w Cemd be!
Wek nav min e, di gund de navek bi ten ye, ji xwe min j ev
1

ek f weapon; spat-kirin to prove; dare f bureau; resm official; mecbr

kirin to force to have; wergr translator; daw-ann to put an end to; nkar f
denial.
2

iriya P October; nexwexane f hospital; Lozan Lausanne; nexwen f

disease; qanser f cancer; avn xwe girtin ji to close ones eyes to; dinya jndar
the world of the living; dilovan f affection; hja worthy; perwer close (friend);
eyn the same; la m corpse; merasm f ceremony; ndar mourning; sipartin to entrust; goristan f cemetery; ehd martyr.
3

nivskar writer; bi nav deng renowned; rxandin f destruction; agir m fire;

kek elder brother; hj already; ax m time; welatparz patriotic; doz f cause; azad
liberty.

130

READINGS
1

dixwest.

Here bi arikariya Xwed kur te ji bo te ji bo milet ba be.

Xurd, pit ko spas xwe ji mel re pke kirin, derket bi dilge
mal.2
***
Pit anzde salan rojek Xurd dsa cem mela, wek ber xurt
xweik b. Mela j pirs:
Dsan i ye, mirza Xurd?
sal kur min Cemd xwendina xwe bir ser di nav hevaln xwe de
pn derket. Min dive ro j re mewldek bidim xwendin. Ez hv dikim
tu ev xwe bin b mala me bi deng xwe rn v mewld ji me re
bixwn.
Cemd hja ye, ez j re mewldek bi kurd bixwnim.3
***
Het saln din born. Xurd dsa rojek bi end mirovan ve li p mela
rawesta. Mela l nr got:
Tu her roj xurtir dib, di ry te de nann xortaniy jiyn dixwiyn.
Ev j i ye?
B derd im seyda, ima pr bibim?
Min div tu her we b. L bje dsa i ye?
Min ji kur xwe re kea camrek xwestiye, dewlemend e, pir pere
xwest. L kur min yek e li ber dil min biha ye. Ji kerema xwe mehra
wan bibire.
Mela mehir bir ew proz kirin.4
1

dewlemen rich; bi bejn bal tall; eleng good-looking; giran grave, serious;
bilabe let it be; ji xwe min j ev dixwest its just what I wanted.
2

arikar (= alikar) f help; spas m gratitude; pke kirin to offer; dilge f

happiness.
3

sal this year; ser birin to complete; mewld f a poem celebrating the birth of
the Prophet, traditionally recited at festive occasions; hv kirin to hope; xwe
andin to trouble oneself; hja worthy.
4

born to pass (of time); xuyan (xwiy) to appear; min div it is necessary for me,
I trust (+ subj.); we = weha thus; camr gentleman; biha bn to be valuable; mehr

131

KURMANJI KURDISH
***
Pit end heftan Xurd Cemd li ser ketike pik di golek da din
bajr, ji bo kirna ciln bk zav. Ava gol b pl b, di meha gulan de
bn. Doraliyn gol bi kullk hinayiy xemiland bn. Xurd li kur
xwe dinr xwe bextyartir din dizan. Cemd wek di xewnek de b. Bi
zendn xwe n xurt, destikn ketiy z dilivandin ket li ser av diemitand. L carna xwe ji br dikir, eql w di cihn din.
Ji nik ve destikeke ketiy ket av. Cemd z veger ser dest xwe
dirj w kir. Di w gav da dest w din j, ji ketiy emit xwe ne girt,
ket av.1
L Cemd melevan ne dizan. Bi carek di av de winda b. Derket kir
hawar. Bav w dest avt , l ne gihay. Cemd li ber avn bav xwe
bin av nema bi ser ket.
Xurd bi avn xwe bawer ne dib li benda derketina kur xwe dima.
L ji end piqpiqokn av p ve titek xuya ne kir.
Xurd s roj s evan di w cih da ma. Roja sisiyan la kur xwe
nepix da pita xwe bir mal, sibetir ew veart.2
***
Pit salek bi ev li deriy mel dan.
Der veb. Mel li p xwe mirovek dirj, kal, porsip u pitxwar dt.
Ber ew nas ne kir. Pa mel kr nr got:3
Ma tu ne Xurd , v nv ev te xr e?
Bel, ez im, hatime titek bi nav kur xwe Cemd bidim te, ji bo

(f) birn to conclude a marriage contract; proz kirin to congratulate.

1

ket f boat; gol f lake; bk bride; zava (obl zav) groom; pl wave; gulan May;
doral circumference; kullk f wild flower; hnay f greenery; xemiland adorned;
bextyar happy; zend m forearm; destik m oar; livandin to row; emitandin to
make slide; eql m mind; ji nik ve all of a sudden; gav f moment; emitn to slip.
2

melevan f swimming; hawar (f) kirin to cry for help; nema not again; bi ser
ketin to come up; man di benda to wait for; piqpiqok bubble; la m body; nepix
swollen; sibetir the next morning; ve-artin to bury.
3

li der dan to knock on a door; kal old, aged; porsip white-haired; pitxwar
hunched-over; ber at first; nas kirin to recognize; kr nrn to look closely.

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READINGS
xwendina zarokn gund n belengaz.
Xurd rab, ksek pere dan ser mas. Mela got:
Ev pere pir in pir.
Bel, ro min nv zeviyn xwe firotin. Cemd dixwest bi dest xwe ji
milet xwe re qenciyn mezin bike, l Xwed ne hit. Niha ez deyn w
didim.1
Mel dest w girt bi dengek nerm got:
Cemd kurek ba b. Xwed rehma xwe l bike. L dinrim tu pir li
ber dikev. Ew tit li min j qewim. Were, em hejkirina xwe bidin zaroyn
gund ji wan, xortn xwenda, xurt hja bnin p.
Xurd li ser gotina mel hinek pjin pitre ser xwe rakir li mel nr.
Di avn w da ronahiyeke dijwar heb. Xurd dile xwe da b zaroyn
gund.2
***
Xurd mal xwe, mela zanna xwe dabn milet. Pit anzde salan di
gund da daweta il xortn hja, xwenda miletperwer dib Xurd t de
bi ser sergovend girtib.3
Gul
Gund di mvanxana Reo de rnit bn daxaftin. Dijmin ji gund bi ten
qonaxak dr b, nixta gund adiyan di nzk de w biketa axa bav
kalan.
Herkes diponij, li arek digeriya.4
1

belengaz poverty-stricken; ra-bn to stand up; ks m bag; pere m money; dann

(= da-ann) to set down; zev f field; firotin (firo) to sell; milet m nation, people;
qenc f charitable act; deyn (m) dan to pay a debt.
2

nerm soft, gentle; rehm (f) kirin li to have mercy on; (li) ber ketin to feel sad;
qewimn to happen; hejkirin (= hezkirin) f wish, desire; zaro child; xwenda literate; ann p to produce; pj(i)n f feeling; pitre then; ronah f brightness; dijwar
hard.
3

mal m property; dawet f festive occasion (here, graduation ceremony); miletperwer nationalist(ic); bi ser sergovend girtin to lead a Kurdish dance line.
4

mvanxane f reception room; axaftin to speak; qonax f one days distance; nixt
f edge; di nzk de soon; bav kal forefather; ponijn to be engrossed in thought;

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KURMANJI KURDISH
Ezman girt b; bandevek ji reiya ev re hn btir tirs dida. Di v gav
de der bi idet veb; qiral iyan, Qooy Pola, bi het mirovn xwe ve ket
hundir. Ciln wan il bn; av di tifingn wan re dihate xwar. Gundiyan gia
da ber qran: Polay kurd, sergevaz iyayn Kurdistan, fermo!1
L Qoo rnenit; di nv od da ma wek serdarek bi dengek xurt
gur gote wan: Gundno! Ev panzde sal in ko ez gunehan dikim. Xelk
dikujim. Xerabiy dikim. Strann min di van rln rojnedt de hatin gotin,
l ji dih vir da ji dev tu kes dernakevin. Belk ji bo me hemiyan, ev ev, li
ser axa welt eva me a dawiy be. Ji bo avtina gunehn xwe ji ser xwe
min sond xwariye ko dijmin ji welt derxim.2
Sorahiya rivna agir zingan di tifik de li dwaran dihejiyan. Pola li dora
xwe dinr. avn w diirisn. il gund tev de rabn gotin: Em j sond
dixwin, em j bi te re ne, piling kurd!3
Di w gav de, ji nik ve der veb, jinikeke zirav, narn rn, wek
pelek dara beng li ber bay ket hundir got: Ez j bi te re me; ez j mr
pola!
Gundiyan gian bi dengek weke ken kir qr: Gula qehbik! Gula b
namus!4
***
Gul ji gund b. Ber end salan bav w bi zor ew da b yek. Gul
rojek mr xwe kuti b, ketib p Qoo li ser iyan p re digeriya.
Gundiyan bi avek neba l dinrn, her gav j re dijn dikirin deriyn
ar f remedy.
1

ezman girt b the sky was overcast; bandev f summit; re f blackness; hn

btir even more; idet violence; qiral king; il wet; qran shout; sergevaz
(sergevez) pride; fermo (impt.) please (come in).
2

serdar commander; xurt gur strong; gunehan kirin to sin; xerab f harm; rl
f forest; rojnedt that has never seen the light of day; sond (f) xwarin to swear an
oath; avtina gunehn expiation for sins; der-xistin (= der-xistin) to drive out.
3

sorah f redness; rivn f flame; zing m firewood; tifik f bellows; hejiyan to

tremble; irisn to sparkle; tev de altogether; piling tiger.
4

zirav slender; narn delicate; rn pretty; pel m leaf; dar f tree; beng f weeping willow; mr man; pola m steel; gian all; ken laughter; qr kirin to shout; qehbik f harlot; bnamus dishonorable.

134

READINGS
xwe her gav t digirtin. Ji tirsa Qoo ne bya belk ew dikutin. L, ne
tehqra gundiyan, ne j tajanga Qoo ji Gul re ev re nedida berdan. Gava
Qoo ew dida ber tajanga, Gul digot: Li min xe, piling min! Li min xe!
heya dest te biweste! Tu jna min ! Ez goriya te me. B te ez nabim!
Di iyan de bi Qoo re ger, di ikeftan de raketin, di berf de qufuln, j re
bextyariyeke mezin b.1
***
W ev Gul dsa digir, l car ne ji a tajanga Qoo ya ko wek marek
xwe li bejna w a zirav dipand. Xew, qet ne diket avn w. Dijmin d
biketa welt Rojn ge ji bo wan ne diman. Her tit dib xeyal. Deng
topn dijmin gelek nzik dihatin bihstin iyayn Qoo n serbest diketin
dest dijmin Jina gund a ps li ser v hal bi girn difikir. Li ara xelasbn digeriya. Div b ko gund xwe, welat xwe, iyay xwe serbestiya
piling xwe Pola ji dijmin biparze. Ji nik ve rab. Titek hatib bra
w. Xencereke bi iv girt. Ji ikeft derket. Riya aliy dijmin girt winda
b.2
***
Qoo, bi il gundiyn xort mrxas ve li p dijmin kemn girti bn.
Hingra ev b. Li ser iyay bilind, nvre heyveke sor bi dilek ikest
hd hd hildihat. Deng topan hati b birn. Pola av xwe li ser iyayn
xwe, li ser warn xwe geran bi keser li wan nr:3
W sond xwar b; gunehn xwe yn panzde salan w bi dest xwe
rakirina, ne hita ko dijmin derbaz tixbn welt bibe
Di dil w pola de agir serbestiy pketi b. W tu caran wek w ev
1

bi zor by force; dan yek to marry off to somebody; ketin p to fall in with; bi
avek neba nrn li to have a low opinion of; jire dijn kirin to curse at; tehqr f deprecation; tajang f lash, whip; gor f sacrifice; ikeft f cave; qufuln to feel
very cold; bextyar f happiness.
2

girn to weep; bej(i)n f body; pandin li to coil around; ge f joy; xeyal

fantasy, dream; top f cannon; serbest free, open; ps slutty; parastin (parz) to
defend; xencer f dagger; iv f handle; riya aliy girtin to turn ones face toward;
winda bn to disappear.
3

kemn girtin to lie in ambush; heyv f moon; war m camping ground; keser f
sorrow.

135

KURMANJI KURDISH
hej kutin hilanna tola xwe ne kiri b.1
Demek, Gul hat bra w. W hej v jinik dikir. Li dora xwe nr; l
Gula xwe ya ko wek sihek j ne dib ne dt:
Di w gav de nrevanek wan got: Bala xwe bidin! Ji aliy dijmin yek
t.
Siha ko xweya dikir b tirs tela dihat. Dengek ikn wan rakirin: Ev
Gula qehbik e!
Gundiyek din got: Qehbik em xistin fex!
Tifing berd Pola! Ew rberiya dijmin dike!2
Qoo ry xwe tir kiri b; birhn w l gijgijn, kr li p xwe dinr. W
j gotinn gundiyan rast didtin:
Gul li cem dijmin i dikir? Ne xwe cih wan an dijmin kiri b
qehbt kiri b!?
Qoo di bin ronahiya heyva sor re tifinga xwe dirj Gul kir got:
Ha ji te re, Gul! Ber dijmin berika pn para te be3
Berik wek qrek tariya ev irand armanca xwe a zirav wek
areveke hevrim raxiste erd.
Pit re Qoo rab ser xwe ji gundiyan re got: Z bin, hevalno! Em
nixta dijmin bigrin!
n. L dijmin b li berxwedan revn. Kurd ketin asgeh; her der vala
b. Bi ten di odek de titek ecb dtin.
Ser zabit dijmin ji la w hati b birn mezel bi xwn b. Li ser
nivn xencereke bi xwn diiris.4
1

derbaz bn to cross; tixb m frontier; p-ketin to be kindled; tol (f) hil-ann

to take revenge.
2

sih (= s) f shadow; nrevan scout; bala xwe dan to pay attention; xweya (=
xuya) kirin to emerge; tela commotion; ik f doubt; xistin fex to put in a trap;
rber kirin to lead.
3

ry xwe tir kirin to scowl; birh m eyebrow; gijgijn to be knit (brow); an

kirin to show to; qehbt kirin to prostitute oneself; berik f bullet; par f lot.
4

tar f darkness; irandin to tear; armanc f target; arev f sheet; hevrim m

silk; ra-xistin to spread; erd f ground; hevalno (vocative pl.) friends; nixta
girtin to cut off; b li without; berxwedan f resistance; revn to run away; asgeh f

136

READINGS
***
Qoo xencer rakir; w ev xencer dab Gul. Di kulma zbit a guvat de
gurzek porn Gul n zer pl dida.
Qoo kulmikn xwe gez kirin w piling ko iya dihejandin ji bo cara
pn gir gote gundiyan: W bi min guneh pan da kirin, ji Gula
qehbik re me qehbt kir!1
Bi dengek tr, trpoman trbirn gotina xwe a pan kir: Gul! Te
deyn xwe da, te gunehn xwe rakirin! Niho dora min e, Gul! Gula min a
zer!
Bi xencera xwndar wek bayek ji od derket, ber xwe da dijmin nema
xweya kir.2

ZEYNELABDN ZINAR
[Jiyana min gelek bi equdeq bihuriye. Ten d bi kurt bibjim: Ez di Sibata
1953an de, li Hedhedk hatime din. Ew gund girday bi Qubn (Ber) ve ye. Di
w dem de, bav min li wir melet dikir. P, min xwendina ol li cem bav xwe
xwendiye, heta temen min gihaye deh-dozde salan. car pitre ez derketime feqtiy
li hin medreseyn Kurdistan geriyame, li xwendina nehw serf, eriet, tefsr,
heds hwd. domandime.3
L demek hat, d ew xwendin li Kurdistan pir sist b. car piraniya kurdan ber
xwe dane xwendina n. W hing ez di 24 Hezrana 1968an de li Pran (Dcle)
fortification; vala empty; zabit (obl zbit) officer; la m corpse; mezel f room; bi
xwn bloody; nivn m bed; irisn to glitter.
1

kulm f fist; guvat clenched; gurz m hank (of hair); pl dan to wave; kulmik f
fist; gez kirin to bite; hejandin to cause to tremble.
2

tr full of pain; trpoman full of regret; trbirn full of wounds; deyn (m)
dan to pay a debt; gunehn xwe ra-kirin to cancel ones sins; niho (= niha) now;
dor f turn; xwndar bloody; nema never again; xweya = xuya.
3

Note that Zeynelabdn Zinars dialect does not always maintain the ergative
construction in past transitive verbs; equdeq hard knocks; bihurn to be spent;
Sibat f February; Ber Beiri, a town east of Batman; melet kirin to be a
professional mulla; ol religious; dozde (= dwanzde) twelve; feqt f higher religious
studies; medrese Islamic school; nehw serf Arabic grammar; eret Islamic law;
tefsr Koranic commentary; heds hadith, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad;
hwd. (abbreviation for her wek din) etc.

137

KURMANJI KURDISH
ketim imtihana dibistan dploma wergirtim. Di eyn sal de j, min li mamHatpa Diyarbekir domand. L pit yazdehn Adara 1971, bi hatina cunta fast a
diduyan re, ez j hatim avtin. min li dibistana navn a petrol (Batman) domand.
Ez di 08.11.1973an de m eskeriy. L pit e meh 14 rojan, ji aliy Nexwexana Gmsuyu ya leker ve, bi rapora Pkirina ji Eskeriy j hatim derxistin.1
Di wan saln bihurn de, min hin melet kir li na bav xwe j gelek car dikirim. Pitre ez di 25.07.1974an de, li Belediya lih (Batman) bm memr heta
1983an, i di Belediy de i j di Maliya Batman de, hin wezfeyn girng n
Berpirsyariya Abor wergirtim. Herweha min ji sala 1976 heta 197980, lseya
ev ya Batman j xwend.2
Pit 12 lla 1980, ku cunta sisiyan a fast li Tirkiy hate ser hikim hetan
1984an, ez het caran hatim girtin. Ten di s girtinan de, ez 178 rojan kence
bm. Di yek Adara 1984an de j bi biryara Dadgeha Leker ya li Diyarbekir,
Nimre-1, cezay pnc salan girtgeh 20 meh j chlkirin wergirtim.3
Bi rast pit hewqas kenceyn bi sosret j ku li min hatibne kirin ez bi mana li
welt raz bm. L dijmin semaxa saxhitina min, mna ya gelek kurdan, nedikir li
pey min ketib aqoberk. car ez ji ber w yek near mam di dawiya 1984an de
ji Kurdistan revm, hatim li Swd bi cih bm.]4

Bav Naz
Bi adet, yn ko hindik dizanin gelek dipeyivin yn ko
gelek dizanin hindik dipeyivin. Ruso5
1

piran f majority; w hing at that time; Hezran f June; Dcle Dicle, a town
north of Diyarbakr; imtihan f examination; dibistan f high school; mam-Hatp
imam-hatip, a Turkish religious training college; Adar f March; cunta junta; fast
fascist; avtin to expel; navn central; petrol f petrolium; esker f the military;
leker military; rapor f report; pkirin f refusal; der-xistin to throw out.
2

li na kirin to act in place of; belediye f municipality; memr government

official; maliye f tax office; wezfe f duty; berpirsyar f responsibility; abor
economic; wer-girtin to take up (employment); ls high school.
3

ll f September; hatine ser hikim to come to power; kence bn to be tortured; dadgeh f court; ceza (m) wer-girtin to receive a sentence; girtgeh f prison;
chlkirin surveillance.
4

bi sosret unusual; raz bn li to be content with; semax (f) kirin to bear; saxhitin to let go in good health; li pey ketin aqoberk to hound; near man to
have no alternative; bi cih bn to take up residence.
5

naz f coquettishness; bi adet usually; heke if; Ruso Rousseau.

138

READINGS
Heke mirov ev herdu tit danne ber hev dibne ko titn
ko p dizane, li gore titn ko p nizane, gelek hindik
e. Fontnl1
Nay bra min keng min xwe naskir, l xwe t bra min xew nediket avn
min, heya diya min rokek ji min re negota. Bi riya rokan ez hogr od
bm. Ev oda ku bi ev kesn mezin bi gurdar kirina stiran rokan evbrkn xwe t de dibuhurandin.2
L mixabin rnitina li wir ji me zarokan re qedexe b. Dsa j her her
me hewl dida derbas bin hundir od. her car xulam ax bi guhn me
digirt, em diqewirandin. L ku dihat Xwed li hev tan, bi fen ftan em
derbas hundir dibn. Ciyn me ji na ekalan bn. L dema em diman ji
dervey od (ew j gelek pir bn) em radipelikn penceran, da ku em rok
ivanokan bibihzin. Le cam nedihit deng b me. Loma ji rh me, qas
ku ji xulam ax di, hewqas j ji cam di.3
Di vir de, div ez rastiy bjim; heger em deynin ber carn heval hogir
xwe, ez gelek km caran li ber pencer dimam. Ji ber ku bav min qedr w
li gund heb yek carna ji min re dihitin ku ez evbrk li nav mezinan
bikim. Tev ku di od de ez di nav ekalan de nzk ciy xulam rdinitim j her her ez kfxwe bm. Li gor v bextiyariya min iqas heval
hogirn min ji min diqehirn. avn wan bar ne dibn! L min ev tit di
ber guhn xwe re ber dida xwe di chana rok destana de ji br dikir.4
Heger mezin bi ode bn, em zarok ne km wan bn. Oda me garsna
1

li gore in comparison with; Fontnl Bernard le Bouyer de Fontenelle (1657

1757), French mathematician.
2

heya (= heta) ne until; d (const. diya) mother; bi riya in the view of;
gurdar kirin to pay rapt attention; stiran f song; evbrkn xwe buhurandin to
spend ones evenings.
3

mixabin unfortunately; qedexe jire forbidden to; her her always; hewl (f)
dan to make an effort; xulam manservant; axa (obl ax) agha, chieftain; bi guh
girtin to grab by the ears; qewirandin to drag away; bi fen u ftan by hook or
crook; ekal f shoe; derve outside; ra-pelikn to creep; pencere f window; da ku in
order that; ivanok f fairytale; bibihzin = bibihsin; cam f glass; rh m spirit; qas
ku as much as; hewqas that much.
4

qed(i)r m power; tev ku although; hogir friend; qehirn ji to get angry with;
avn wan bar ne dibn they couldnt stand to see it; chan f world; destan tale.

139

KURMANJI KURDISH
nava gund teyan zolilkn dora w bn. Heger rokvan mezinan nzki
ax rdinit, l ez rokvan zarokan di nav wan de, ez di ciy xwe u ba,
bi ahnaz payet rdinitim. Lewra min xwe bi zanbna rokan di ser
heval xwe re digirt. Di nav wan de haway dengbjn mezinan dikir, xwe
bi v al w al de dihejand, dikuxuyam da ku deng zelal bibe min rokn ku di od de bihstibn ji wan re digot. Carna j min hin rok ji cem
xwe dikirin. Bi hawak ku min hinek ji v rok, hinek ji ya din digirt
bi hev pern dikir. L hevaln areza diztiya min nasdikirin digotin:
Te ev ji w rok ev j ji yan han biriye. Bi kurt, qulopaziya min nedi ser.1
rojek ji rojan, dawiya havn titek ku h ne li ber bala min b bi min
re bihur. Bav min ji min re got:
Div tu her bajr, ji bo ku tu tkev mekteb.
Min nav bajr bihsti bu, imk mala bir min mezin li wir b. by
ku ez zanibim ima, l tim tim nav bajr li cem min bi nav nan firn,
ekir helaw hatib girdan.2
L bxwediya mekteb i ye?
Tu dib qey bav min di dil min de b, dema peyiv:
Kur min, mekteb mna od ye, l ten ji bo zaroka ye. Di vir de ji
rok odan xwetir dibjin.
Ji kfa, min xwe negirt, bi bazdan ez derketim nav gund ban ban kir:3
Ez herim bajr Ez herim mekteb.
di nava xwe de min digot l btirs ez roka bibihzim.
Di demek kurt de hevalan hemyan xebera na min a bajr bihstin. Wan
j doza na mekteb ji d bavn xwe kirin. L doza wan bi c nehat,
1

heger if; garsn f village square; teyan large bathhouse basin; zolilk bloom;
rokvan storyteller; ahnaz f pride; payet f honor; dengbj singer; kuxuyan =
kuxn to cough; zelal clear; bi hev pern kirin to rivet together; areza proficient;
dizt f secret; qulopaz f patchwork; n ser to succeed.
2

havn f summer; li ber bala bn to be on ones mind; mekteb f elementary

school; imk because; bira (constr. bir) brother; by ku without; ima why; tim
tim ever and always; nan m bread; firne f bakery; ekir m sugar; helaw f halvah.
3

baz-dan to dance; ban ban kirin to shout.

140

READINGS
lewra ji z de qedera wan bi ivantiy gavantiy ve hatib girdan. Bi
qiriktal giriyan. Ma gelo i ek di destn zarokan de heye ji xeyn rondikan!1
Demek dirj ne, min ber xwe da bajr cara yekem ji xuka xwe ya
bik diya xwe bi dr ketim. min dev ji heval hogirn xwe yn ku bi
xemgn min bi r kirin, berda.2
Di bajr de ham tit li ber avn min bi nuht xuya dikir. Trimbl, avay
heya hesn vir ne mna yn gund bn. Da ku ez xwe biyan di nav zarokn
vir de nibnim, min ew didan ber hevaln gund, min digot: Ev mna Felemez e, ev han wek Husnko ye ev bira j mna Cenbelko ye. ev?
Zarok wiha li bajr pirr bn, mna grikan. Ez ji hejmar diketim li ber
avn min zarokn nenas di na dostn min de radiwestiyan. Di vir de hn
btir dil min bi ser gund mal ve b min briya wan dikir.3
Dawiya daw ew roj hat, ku bir min mezin ez birim dibistan. Er!
Dibistana ku ji bo w ez li vir im. Di sikakn bajr de me gelek fitil iv
dan xwe heya em gihtin avayiyek mezin mna oda ax. Bir min dest
xwe bi al w ve kir got:
Ev mekteb e.
Hn em negihtin, ku derbas hundir w bin, agirtn dibistan mna
kulmoz di me derbn. Er, ez j wek wan bi birdilka re bm. L min xwe
didt qijakek sip di nav qijakan de.
Biray min derbas ba mudr b pit demek ne dirj li min vegeriya
got:
Min nav te nivsand. di v seff de t bixwnbir min dest xwe
bi al odake ve kir t bi van zarokn re b. Di vir de w dest xwe bi al
komikek zarok kir bdeng ez hitim derket.4
1

doz f cause, reason; ji z de from early on; qeder f fate; ivant f sheep herding;
gavant f cow herding; qiriktal f bitterness; ek m weapon; ji xeyn other than;
rondik f tear.
2

xuk f sister; dev ber-dan ji to leave; bi xemgn sorrowfully; bi r kirin to see

off.
3

nuht f newness; trimbl f automobile; avay f building; hes f emotion; bira

really; grik ant; br (f) kirin to miss.
4

sikak street; fitil dan xwe to turn; iv dan xwe to zigzag; agirt pupil; kulmoz f

141

KURMANJI KURDISH
Bi rast heger ez ne iyay bma ji gotinn xelk netirsiyama, min bida
pey bir xwe. L min bi iyaytiya xwe girt, ez mam li ciy xwe bdeng.
lxistina zengil riya veger li ber min bir. Bi dengdana zengil deng ji
agirtan biliya bpejniy perdn xwe avtin ser hew. Bi dengdana
zengil duduyan hemyan bi bazdan ber xwe dan dev deriy seff xwe
bi rz rawestiyay man. Ez j ketim nav ref xwe. Pit re yeko-yeko em
derbas hundir bn. Li hundir cara yekem min kurs mas dibistan dt. Di
dil xwe de min got: ev j di oda de tuneye!1
Di seff de li ck vala rnitim, b ku ez ji kes bipirsim. Ji nika ve
merovek bi kincn efendt derbas hundir b. Gurn bi agirtan ket, ji ber
rabn. Bi gurna wan ez veciniqm, l min xwe girt ez j mna wan bi
temene sekinm. Pit ku v merov end gotinn xwe peyiv, agirt rnitin,
ez j bi wan re Dre deng ji seff biliya. Merov efend bi awirn xwe di
nav me de geriya, heya li ser min sekin. Li min nr peyiv. Hemya ber
xwe bi al min de vekirin. Min c ji xwe re nedidt, dil min dihat guvatin
b ku zanibim ez i bikim. Di v dem de kurik tenita min hilmisek li
min da bi ziman me got:2
ima tu bersva mamoste nad?
Bi dengek bilind min l vegerand:
Ma efend i ji min dixwaze?
agirt li tenita min p re yn din j bi hl keniyan. (Diyar b li ser
gotina efend dikeniyan.) Efend awir di wan veda hem man bdeng. Pit
re agirt li tenita min b tercuman di nav min efend de. Hat diyarkirin

beehive; der-bn di to burst out on; bi birdilka (= bi berdlk) in value; qijak

raven; ba presence of; mudr principal; seff f classroom; komik f small group; bdeng without a word.
1

heger if; iyay hillbilly; dan pey to go after; iyayt f hillbillyness; zengil m
bell; veger f return; deng-dan to sound; biliyan to arise (sound); bpejn f tranquility; hew f courtyard; dev m entrance; ref m row; kurs f chair; mase (obl mas) f
table; ev di de tuneye this is nothing like
2

ck = ciyek; kincn efendt westernized gentlemans clothes; gurn clamor;

ve-ciniqn to be seized by fright; bi temene respectfully; sekinn to quieten down;
dre then; awir (f) sekinn li ser for a glance to light on; hamya = hamyan; ber
xwe ve-kirin bi al de to turn toward; tenita next to; hilmis poke.

142

READINGS
ku mamoste (dre pit demek min naskir ku ji wan kesan re dibjin
mamoste) pirsa nav temen min hin pirsn din dikir.
Min li dibistan end saet qedand, ku ji min re bbn wek salan. Hn btir
min briya gund, d heval hogirn xwe kir. hn btir rh min ji bajr
xelkn w . Ez bi dilikest vegeriyam mal min naskir ku bav min
cara yekem ez xapandim. Ez ku gihtim negihtim mal, min ber xwe da
bav xwe (hn ew li bajr b) min j pirs:1
Kan stranvan rokvann te? ima ne bi zimann me dipeyivin?
Bav min dt ku bi van gotinn han min nign xwe zdey xwe avtin, l
tev wilo ew ji iyar xwe derneket, bi ry min de ne pijiq. Berovaj, bi
dengek dilovan, ne wek hercar y di van halan de bi min re peyiv:2
Kur min, hn tu bik Demek dirj w nere t hem tit nasbik.
roka j w ji we re bjin. L li ser ziman; div tu nasbik ku ziman me
y mal ye, ew ziman din mekteb yebav min dest xwe dan ser
mil min berdewam kirkur min, baweriya min bi te t. Maellah tu bi
hi di demek ne dirj de t wek bilbil bi ziman hukmet bipeyiv.3
Min ji bav xwe ne pirs, ima ziman me y mal ye ima y din y
mekteb ye. Lewra di mala me de gotinn mezinan nedibn didu her her
w bi ya wan bna.
Roj meh buhurn, l her her dibistan neb mna od ji xeyn dersa na
imk ew dersa han ji drah rok vanok tan bra min. bi rast j v
ders ji yn din btir ez dandim. Ne ten wilo, heya ruh min ji dibistan
dibir.4
Di v ders de her agirtek diva b li ser serphatiyek xwe bipeyiviya
yan j rokek ji rokn ku bihstib bigota. Dema dor digiht min, min
1

bersv (f) dan to answer; bi hl keniyan to laugh out loud; qedandin to complete; dilikest f disappointment; xapandin to deceive; ku gihtim negihtim as
soon as I arrived.
2

kan where are?; nign xwe zdey xwe avtin to overstep ones bounds; iyar m
skin; pijiqn to blow up; berovaj to the contrary; dilovan f affection.
3

mil m shoulder; berdewam kirin to continue; baweri f belief; maellah goodness! (said to ward off the evil eye when something is admired or praised); bi hi
intelligent; bilbil nightingale.
4

dersa ina composition class; ji drah remotely; andin to pain; ruh m soul.

143

KURMANJI KURDISH
dixwest roka li ber dil min rntir kjane w bjim, l min nikarb;
lewra dev min diket hev sermiyan min ji gotinn ziman nuh hindik bn
nikarb alkariya min bike ji bo ku ya dil xwe bjim. Di na ku mamoste
alkariy bi min re bike, digot:
li d w.
Ax, xwez w zanbya ez iqas bi v peyv diiyam! er gelek sal
bihurn di jiyana min de l her her ew gotina han man kuln giran di dil
min de. iqas ji bo v gotin di xew de qarn bi min diket, diya min ez ji
xew radikirim digot:1
Kur min, te xr e, ima tu di xew de dik qerebalix! Hebe tune be
kabs li ser dil te rnitib, ima te dikir qarn?
Helbet min a rast ji diya xwe re nedigot a rast ew b, diya min, ez ji
xew radikirim, gava mamosta digot, li d w.2
Carna j diya min ez ji xew radikirim dipirs:
Te xr be, kur min, tu di xewa xwe de dikeniyay?
Diyar b ku dema mamosta bi ziman me dipeyiv dipirs ez dikeniyam.
K w rokek ji me re bje?
Min tiliya xwe bilind dikir digot:3
Ez ez
Mamoste r dida min ez bi arezay dipeyivm. Pit temambna rok
mamoste digot: Bravo! ber xwe dida agirtan, J re li epika xin!
Bel, roj meh n, d re salan j dan d wan. Gelek tit di jiyana min de
hatin guhartin, ten xweztiya nivskariy bi min re ma.
Er, sal n ez j bm mamost seffa yekem li gundek. Ev dersa yekem
e. agirt ji ber min rabn bi temene man rawestiyay. Mna hem mamostayn chan min xwe bi wan da naskirin, yeko yeko navn wan j pirs di
defter de nivsand. Dema dor giht yek ji wan, ew ma bdeng bersiva

serphat f adventure; dor turn; kjane which?; sermiyan m capital; di na ku

instead of; li du behind, backward; xwez would that; peyv f words; kul f sorrow;
qarn f crying bitterly; ji xew ra-kirin to rouse from sleep.
2

qerebalix kirin to act up, to flail around; kabs nightmare; helbet of course.

keniyan to laugh; til f finger; bilind kirin to raise.

144

READINGS
pirsa min a li ser nav w neda. Min l nr pirsa xwe ducar kir.1
Nav te?
Ma bdeng ser xwe xist ber xwe, ez bi ber w de m. Lewra baweriya
min hat ku ji min fam nake. Ji bo wilo min bi ziman kurdbibuhurin, bi
ziman malj pirs:
Nav te i ye?
agirt ser xwe rakir. avn w mit hsir bn, bi dev li ken lv ricif
got:
Nav min Xonav e
Teviznok bi la min ketin min xwe dt di Xonav de Ma gelo ew
xwe di hinekn din de bibne?2

MAHMUT BAKS
[Ez 46 sal me. Bav ji Bils ye, dayik ji Biriy ye. Ez ji sala 1970 vir li Swd, li
Ewrpa dijm. Eva hema b bst yek sal e ku ez neme welt, yan kurdistana
Tirkiy. Ez m kurdistana Iraq, ran Sriy, l mixabin nikarim biim kurdistana Tirkiy, sedem, qelem e, fikr e, hezkirina welt e tirkan ev r, ev heq ji
min stendiye. Bi kurt jiyana min ev e.]

ar Aliy Me Agir E
Di navber de het roj derbas bn. Melkemot hd hd xwe nz me dikir.
Ji v gav me avn melkemotn bi tirs didt. Em ketibn taya mirin. Diya
min ser me t, kincn paqij li me kir. Pit du rojn din em winda
bibna. Me bi avan ji gundiyan xatir xwest. Dtina me wan mab roja
qiyamet3
evek, evek havn pirr dereng, li deriy me xistin. Ev ev deh rojn me

arezay expertise; li epika xistin jire to applaud for; xwezt f desire; bi

temene respectfully; defter f register; ducar kirin to repeat.
2

fam kirin to understand; bibuhurin excuse me; mit hsir full of tears; lv lip;
ricifn to tremble; teviznok numb feeling.
3

melkemot angel of death; ta f fever; paqij clean; xatir xwestin to bid farewell;
roja qiyamet day of resurrection.

145

KURMANJI KURDISH
qediyab. Dad kincn xwe li xwe kir bi al der ve. Hinek sekin, li me
mze kir. Tiliya xwe avte engel der vekir. Em ji tirsa dilerizn. Me ap
xwe Temo z nas kir. Tivinga Apo di dest w de diilwil. Nifirn agir ji
ry Apo dibariya. avn Apo tij xezep kn b, armerg li erd rnit,
tivinga xwe dan ser okn xwe, qutiya cixar ji berka xwe derkir. Apo
nefes ser nefes li cixar dida. Dest w y bi cixare dileriz. Tilkn Apo ser
lvn w nedisekinn. Deng j dernediket. Apo roka dad seh kirib.1
Beriya s mehan bav min ji hepsa Diyarbekr firar kirib. Babo mehkm dam b. Cunta fast ser bavo dexwest. Ji bona wan, bavo merivek
pirr girng b. aral l digeriyan. L bavo xwe ji lepn wan xilas kirib
derbas Binxet bb. Zabit Tirkan deh roj muhlet dab diya min. Dad
gerek di nav van deh rojan de bavo teslm bikira. Nexwe di ciy bavo d
dad bigirtana. Girtina dad dib derbeke mezin ji me re. Ji bo v yek ap
min dixwest ku em ji gund derkevin biin ba bavo.2
Pit cixar apo rab ser xwe ji min re got:
Em ev ji vir herin. Esker ha hatin, ha hatin. Em nikarin zar zn
xwe, namsa xwe di bin lingn eskeran de bihlin.3
Dad di destek sivik titn ku ji me re pwist bn da hev. Di nav end
deqan de dad s boxe gir da. Livn, sindoq, firaq titn giran li cih
xwe man.4
Em ji mal derketin. ev tar b. av avan nedidt. Giraniya ev wek
perdek re kiiyab ser me. Haya tu kes ji me tune b. Strk di tartiy de

dereng late; qediyan to come to an end; dad momma; mza kirin to look;
engel m hook; lerizn to tremble; apo (const. ap) uncle; tiving f gun; ilwiln to
gleam; nifirn f malediction; tij full; xezep f rage; armerg cross-legged; ok f
knee; qut f box; cixare cigarette; berk f pocket; nefes dan to puff; tilk f finger;
seh kirin to understand intuitively.
2

babo daddy; heps f prison; firar kirin to escape; mehkm sentenced; dam f
execution; lep m paw; xilas kirin to be saved; muhlet f grace period; gerek (+ past
conditional) was supposed to; teslm kirin to turn in; nexwe otherwise; derb f blow.
3

ha hatin they were coming; zar z household; nams f womenfolk; ling f

foot; hitin (hl) to leave.
4

sivik light; dan hev to put together; deqe f minute; boxe f bundle; livn m bed;
sindoq f box; firaq m dishes; giran heavy.

146

READINGS
nd ge bbn, diirisn. Carna yek ji wan difiriya ciy xwe diguhart. Me
ji wan re digot strkn bi dv. Prika min digot, strk zarokn ezman in. Ew
j dimirin, dikenin, a dibin dizewicin.1
Bel, em di bin perda tar de dimeiyan. Ne haya mirovan, ne j haya strkan ji me heb. Strk di kf sefa xwe de bn. Dest eskern tirkan nedigihite wan. Tirsa wan ji tu kes, ji tu quwet tune b. Min xwaziya xwe bi
wan tan.2
Em berjr newal bn. Newal dev xwe wek dwek vekirib. Carna em
ka dibn, diterpiln, diketin. Giya, sitir, kevir li ber avn me dibn wek
lawuran, wek cinan. Ji me tir ku me di jiyana xwe de v newal nedb. L
ry tartiy sar e, nexwe e. Di tartiy de qeza bela tim dikarin bn ser
yek. Mezinn me bereday negotibn, pita xwe nedin mirovn tar. Yan
mirovn dur, bbest zalim3
Em li d hev rz bbn. Apo ketib pe. Ji nika ve hestek iris. Em
veceniqn me xwe avte erd. Apo bi hesta xwe bersiva wan da ji me re
got:
Metirsin. Heval in. Ew alkariya me bikin w bi me re werin.4
ar kes bn. Bi ek rext bn. Yek ji wan Brvan da pita xwe. n din
bi destn biray min girtin em meiyan.
Dest min biray min Azad di nav dest ev de b. Em ji newal derbas bbn me dab qntara iy. A rast me nizanib, em bi ku da diin.
Apo ji me re titek negotib. Min bi dengek nizim ji Azad re got:5
Bra te t Azad? Te dt bavo carna digot, ez hefteyek bikevim bin
erd.
Azad keniya bersiva min da:
1

tar dark; giran f heaviness; perde f curtain; hay f awareness; strk f star;
firiyan to fly away; dv m tail; zewicn to get married.
2

meiyan to walk; kf sefa pleasure; xweziya xwe ann bi to put ones hope in.

berjr down (prep.); newal f valley; dw demon; ka bn to fall backwards;

terpiln to roll; giya plants; sitir m thorn; kevir m stone; lawur wild animal; cin
genie; tart f darkness; sar cold; qeza bela misfortune, calamity; tim always;
dur hypocritical; bbest uncontrolable; zalim tyrannical.
4

heste f lighter; irisn to flicker; ve-ceniqn to be startled.

rext m cartridge belt; qntar f foot of a mountain; nizim low.

147

KURMANJI KURDISH
awa nay bra min, Hln. Ji me ku bavo bi rast diket bin erd. Ez
nizanim v nav ima bi kar tnin. Em j ev ketine bin erd, wek bavo. Ma
ne wusa ye?
Bel, rast e, min got. Titn ku bi diz tn kirin, dibin titn bin erd.
Ger ku bin erd tunebya, kes nikarib, kes nikarib di ber ordiya Tirkan
bida. D bila di v tartiy de werin. Wele newrin ji qula xwe derkevin.1
Apo hevaln din bi peyva min Azad keniyan. Deng me b wan.
Ap min dest xwe dan ser pita min got:
Afern ji we re. Ji vga ve hn pirr tit hn bne. ordiya tirkan zor e.
Bi milyonan zarokn me iyar dibin w tola me bistnin. Dawiya iyan,
newalan nedihat. ketibn lingn me. Di me de taqet nemab. Ber ku
dinya gewr bibe, em ber der ikeftek sekinn. Berqa zerin ketib ry
ezmn. Roj hd hd ser xwe bilind dikir iyan dixist bin hikma xwe.
Ap min du kes n nava ikeft. Dev ikeft di giya, qami u qiran de
mab. Em li ser iyak pirr bilind bn. Roj xwe nz me diketina roj,
ry me ge kir. Daran s da, kevir beriqn. Tabet ji xew iyar b. Deng
zarokn tabet dahl deviyan, newalan, qulan, ikeftan tij kir2
Pit qontrol em ketin zik ikeft. Ap min elektrka desta p xist.
Hevalan ji derve hinek qir ann, di torbn wan de her tit heb. Nan, penr,
ekir, ay. Apo aydan dan ser agir. Em li dora tifik kom bn, nava
ikeft honik b. Zarokn me ketibn xew. Haya wan ji dinyay tuneb.
Belk j, di xewna xwe de bavo didtin. Dad, n ay dan ber me
penr hr kir. ay dem digirt. Ji birna ze-za zik me b. Pit hewqas
rven, zik me dest bi syan kirib. Dad, an tij kir. Me bi zilikan
ayn xwe li hev dan, ji nika ve ap min li pita xwe zivir elektrk da
kraniya ikeft. ewqa elektrk zik ikeft qul kir; tart qeli, pa de .
Marek gewr wek stnek dev xwe vekirib pifin dikir. Li ber mar
dpikek re xurt dv xwe dab ser pita xwe dilebit. Herdu rawir
wek neyarn hezarsal r hev dikirin. ekn xwe yn bi jahr tehlke
1

bi diz in secret; ordu f army; bila (optative particle); wrn to dare; qul f hole.

afern jire good for; ji vga re now; f job; iyar bn to wake up; taqet endurance; gewr whitish; berq f lightning; zer yellow; qami reed; qir stick; nz
near; ge happy; s dan to cast a shadow; beriqn to glisten; tabet f nature; dahl f
grove; dev f bush.

148

READINGS
nan hev didan. Nefreta wan mezin b. Ne hebna me, ne j ewqa elektrk bala wan dikiand. Qerar xwe dabn. yek ji wan bimra. Herhal
ikeft tra du rawuran nedikir. Mar radib hicm, xwaroviko dib, di nav
toz telaz de dima. Dpik bi sivikbna xwe nediket faqa mare, xwe ba
diparast. Em ji tirsa lal bibn. Ji me tir ku hawrdora me tevde mar
dpik in. Ap min ber tiving dab wan, tilika w li ser tetik b.1
er wan dirj ajot. Daw mar dpik qefiland w xiste quncek as.
Ziman xwe y etel derxist, dev xwe vekir ku dpik gez ke, dpik ji
nedve xwe li dwar ikeft xist xwe avt ser pita mar. Ser mar sist
b. Mar ricif, geviz, perpit. Mar xwest bi r keve. L neb Dpik ser
pita w xwe bdeng kirib l mze dikir. Neyarek ji xwe mestir
zexmtir kutib. ikeft d j re mab.2
Ap min da xencera xwe bi al wan de . Diya min bi al Apo girt
kiand. Qrniya w zik ikeft tij kir.3
Em ji vir herin, diya min got. Ez pirr ditirsim. Mar dupikn v ikeft xelas nabin. Ez naxwazim ez zarokn xwe bibin xwarina mar dpikan.
Ap min Temo keniya got:
Tu dn by, ke? Ma ji bo me tu dern b tehlke, b tirs hene?
Tehlka me bi me re ye. Li bra xwe nebe, em mahkm hikmat ne. Em
gurn ser iya ne. Ji bo me mar dpik ji eskeran tir in. Mar dpik
1

qontrol f check; elektrka desta flashlight; p xistin to switch on; torbe sack;
penr m cheese; aydan f teapot; tifik f hearth; kom bn to gather; honik cool;
ketin xew to fall asleep; e f glass; hr kirin to crumble; dem girtin to steep;
birn f hunger; zez f rumble; syan f rebellion; zilik straw; li hev dan to stir;
zivirn to turn around; ewqa elektrk flashlight; qul kirin to pierce; qelin to be
split; gewr whitish; pifin kirin to hiss; dpik (f) scorpion; lebitn to move about;
rawir wild animal; neyar enemy; hezarsal age-old; r (m) kirin to attack; jahr f
venom; tehlke danger; nefret f hatred; bimra (= bimira) would die; tra kirin
to hold; hicm f attack; xwaroviko coiled up; toz telaz f dust; ketin faqa to fall
beneath; lal speechless; hawrdor f environment; tilik f finger; tetik trigger.
2

dirj ajotin to last long; qefilandin to tire; xistine quncek as to corner; etel
m fork; kez kirin to bite; ji ned ve suddenly; ricifn to tremble; gevizn to writhe;
perpitn to convulse; mestir (= meztir) bigger; zexm huge.
3

al m trousers; qrn f scream.

149

KURMANJI KURDISH
zaf zaf ne ji me end kesan dikaribin bikujin. L esker ger bi me bihesin,
yek ji me sax namne1
Apo a xwe teze kir. Ser xwe dan ser dest ep dom kir:
Ma hewqas j dibe. Agir bi mala min nekeve Titn Xwed pirr ecb
in, tu li v tit mze ke. Dinya tev dijmne mar dpika ne, ew j dijminn
hev in Ba e, firqa navbera wan kurdan i ye gelo? Ma em j eyn tit
nakin. Herar dewletn kolonyalst njadperest dixwazin me ji chan
rakin. Ev ne bes e, nca em j hevdu dikujin, xelas dikin Herhal em
maran-dpikan pismam hev in Kn xezeba me li hev ne2
Pit peyva Apo em raketin. L ji tirsa xew nediket avn min. avek
min girt, din vekir b. Dad digot ku, gava rawir hev dikujin, xwediyn
wan tn termn xwe dibin. av min tim li krahiya ikeft b
Em bi deng helkopteran rabn. Ew mar dpikan bi per bn. Apo xwe
li ber dev ikeft dirj kirib bi drebn li wan mze dikir. Li gora
rew ya me er bikira, an j em biketana zik ikeft kr bina3
Roj li ber xatirxwastin b, gel bi gel, iya bi iya r distand mehll
dib. Quweta w d nedigihte iyayn bilind sertj. iya hindik hindik,
pere pere av roj digirtin xwe ji germa w azad dikirin.4
Roj ava. Bak honik derket. Em h di ikeft de bn. Apo li ber dev
ikeft sekinb li ezmn mze dikir. ewqa hv dev ikeft tij zv
kirib. Min di jiyana xwe de heya ro titek wusa delal, xweik rind
nedb. Di zik ikeft de seyra hv b emsal b. Hebna hv dil min a
kir. Xem kuln min, kesera dil min, di nav hv de winda b. Di bin hva
zvn de, iyan ser xwe dabn hevdu diirisn.5
1

dn bn to go mad; tu (+ affirmative verb) any; gur wolf; zaf zaf ne ji me end

kesan not many more than a few of us; hesn bi to perceive; sax man to remain
alive.
2

teze kirin to refresh; firq f difference; navbera between; gelo I wonder; kolonyalst colonialist; njadperest racist; bes enough; nca in that case; pismam cousin;
kn f enmity; xezeb f rage.
3

ra-ketin to sleep; term m corpse; krah f depth; per side; drebn f binoculars.

xatir-xwastin to bid farewell; gel m gorge; r standin to take ones way; mehll bn to dissolve; sertj towering; xwe azad kirin to free oneself.
5

n ava to set; bak = bayek; h still; ewq f light; hv (= heyv) f the moon; zv

150

READINGS
Me haziriya rwitiy dikir. Em d ne b dost yar bn. Hv hatib
hewara me. L em bi r neketin. Hv iya bi iya baz dida di. iya j
reng hv derdiketin re dibn. Apo carina li me mze dikir digot:1
Hv haziriya xwe dika, li ber razan ye.
Peyva Apo ser min tevlhev kir. ima gelo? i gun hv heye? Bo i
em ji ikeft dernakevin nain?2
Min ji Apo pirs:
Apo, em ima nain?
Apo li min zivir bersiv da:
Hln, kea Apo, ez dizanim tu i difikir, l ez ji te ra awa bjim, ma
gelo n ku ji hv hez nekin hene? Hva delal, rind, xweik, hv ronahiya
dila, sembola evn ye L i feyde, Hln Hikmeta Tirkan v hva
delal j kiriye dijmin berdaye me. Ew bye cass hikmet me taqb
dike. Di bin ronahiya w de em nikarin ji ikeft dern. Ew esker me
bibnin. Dijmin ji me ronahiy sitandiye tart bye dost me.
Peyva Apo z kete ser min. Apo rast digot. Hawrdora me tij esker
qereqol b. Esker tim li welatparzn kurdan digeriyan. Tart dijmin eskeran, dost me b, tart me xelas dikir, wana dixwar3
Ez pirr caran fikirme, mirov dikare ji diya xwe, bav birayn xwe
bixeyde, nefret bike. L tu caran neketib bra min ku ez rojek ji hv j
nefret bikim. Hv ahd zarokbna min b. Li gund ax em li ser bana
radiketin, min tim l mze dikir. Ez aiq w bm. Min derd dil xwe j re
digot di xew de dim. Ez i bikim, jiyan xerb e, jiyan zalim e Ez h
pirr tita derbas kim.4

m silver; delal lovely; rind beautiful; seyr f view; b emsal without equal; a kirin
to gladden; keser f sadness.
1

hazir kirin to make preparations; rwit f journey; baz dan to jump.

razan f sleep; tevlhev kirin to confuse; gune (= guneh) m fault.

cass spy; taqb kirin to pursue; qereqol police station; welatparz patriot;
xwarin to devour.
4

xeydn ji to angry with; nefret kirin ji to hate; ahd witness; ban m roof; aiq
bn to be in love with; xerb terrible; zalim unjust.

151

KURMANJI KURDISH
HESEN MET
Labrenta Cinan1
Berdin ha, berdin! Berdin, naxir die ha!2
Pit du s bawkn sib, mamoste Kevanot bi v deng gavan gund ji
nivnan radibe, ber bi pencer die, li dmena gund dinre. Nrgis ji z ve
iyar bye, li ser kaniya hewa dibistan av dikine ew j carina li
bergeha v gund n temae dike, gundiyn ku dewarn xwe rast naxir
dikin qrewra wan heywanan li nav hev dikeve, end ke bkn gund li
ser kaniya kleka dibistan li hev sekinne, gavan li berwar goristana gund
dewarn hat li hev dicivne her bi w deng xwe bilind diqre:3
Berdin ha, berdin naxir die!
Mamoste Kevanot pencera lojman vedike, bayek payza pn li ruy w
dixe dilxweiyeke bpvan di xwe de hs dike, bi gavn mamosteyek
bextiyar ber bi der eywan die, ekaln xwe bi ser lingn xwe ve dike, bi
bertena pjam xwe der dikeve hewa dibistan, li ser kaniya dibistan li
dmena gund, gund, goristana hember dinre, mna ku destpka jiyaneke
bextiyar ji nuha ve bi w ve xuya bibe, ber bi Nrgis dipiire, li ser riya
kaniya gund, li axpna tenit di riya rezan de gund li hewa dibistan
dizivirin, dinrin, ji peyayn gund hinek ji dr ve silav li w hildidin bi
v away xrhatin l dikin, du jinn gund dane ser riya dibistan tn,
nzktir dibin, tev xwarinn sib heta ber der lojman tn, mamoste Kevanot av li wan dikeve bi matmayn dibje:4
Ev i ye? bi Xwed ev tevgera we naxo e. Ma qey mala me j mal e
me j xwarin vexwarin heye. Me ham titn xwe bi xwe re hanne
Bila, xoce, bila, dibjin, xr xweiy li hatina wan dibarnin bi van

Hesen Met, Labrenta Cinan (Istanbul: Avesta, 2000), pp. 2328.

berdin ha hey, let [the animals] out (the village herdsman is telling the villagers to let their cattle out); naxir f herd.
3

bawk f yawn; gavan m cowherd; dmen f view, sight; Nrgis Kevanots wife;
bergeh f view, vista; berwar m slope; qrewr f cry, shout; goristan f graveyard.
4
lojman f lodging; bpvan immeasurable; berten f trousers; piir- to ruminate;
axpne f field; matmayn f astonishment.

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READINGS
gotinn xwe re av li jina w dikevin, mamoste Kevanot derbas hla hundur
dibe, hers jin li hev disekinin, li hev dipirsin, xr xweiy li hev dikin, d
re ew xwarinn sib di dest Nrgis de dimnin jinn gund drdikevin.1
Tat di lojman de t xwarin, mamoste Kevanot xwe tevgirdide, derdikeve hewa dibistan, ro bi s ar qaman bilind bye, ji ser sipndarn kleka dibistan, li pa wan sipndaran ji ser darn Mekan Mala Dnan, ji dar
kevirn hawurdor deng ikan bilind dibin, ji zeviyn dr cirecira deng
bihukan t bihstin, ji bil end zarokn ku li ber dwarn hewn maln
gund dilzin kesek bi ber avan nakeve, herkes mijl karbar xwe payz
ye.2
Di v navber de li pa maln gund, kalek riy w sip dirj daye ser
riya dibistan ber bi jor t, her ku ber bi dibistan t nzktir dibe, btir
j diyar dibe ku kalek salmezin e, l di rven de ewqas nade xuyakirin,
mna ku ne ji bo alkariy l ten ji bo nana prbn gopalek kevin
xweik di dest premer de ye, hn ji dr ve bi deng salmezinek silaveke
xrhatin li mamoste Kevanot dike nzktir dibe, mamoste Kevanot ji
hewa dibistan derdikeve, die dest w digire xwehaliya xwe dibje,
herdu j li wir li hla der li ber dwar hewa dibistan rdinin, beriya ku bi
hev re tkevin galegalan an j ji bo ku tkevin galegalan mamoste Kevanot
bi tevgereke giramgr ber xwe bi premr de dike dib:3
Nav te bi xr, sof?
Premr c li xwe xwe dike, bi avek dostane li mamoste Kevanot dinre
by ku avn xwe j bikute, dibje:
Xwed te bihle! nav min Svdn e, Svdn Selm ji min re
dibjin, sof Svdn.
Nav min j Kevanot e, sof.
Sitara Xwed li ser te be! tu ji kjan er , xoce?
Kevanot bi giram bi zanebna mamosteyek dibje:
Era me ne maye, sof. Di jiyana bajarvaniy de pvann wusa wenda
1

barandin v.t. to rain down; hl f direction.

tat m breakfast; qam f stature (measurement for the height of the sun); sipndar
f poplar; ik f bird; cirecir f talk; bihuk insect; karbar m work, business.
3
kalek m old man; salmezin aged; galegal f conversation; giramgr respectful;
dib = dibje.
2

153

KURMANJI KURDISH
bne d.
Mna ku sof Svdn dil xwe j bi rewa royn biewitne bi keservedan
di ber xwe de dib:
Her ku die dunya pik dibe civak j dibe weke nokn taht. Dilovaniya dem dewran ne maye d!1
Ji bo kfxweiya sof Svdn, mamoste Kevanot deng xwe j hinek
bilind dike dib:
Maallah te gelek sal derbas kirine, sof.
Sof bi rkeniyeke rn l dinre, dest xwe vala davje riy xwe mna
hir, avn xwe bi hev de dikute :
dibje, ez j km ne jiyame. Xwed batir dizane l bi qas ku
ez dizanim li v dunyay min j xwe bi qas sed bst salan kevin
kiriye
Mamoste Kevanot:
Maallah! Xwed jiya te dirjtir bike, sof! dibje di dil xwe de
didomne: Sed bst sal j ne hindik e.
Sof Svdn dest xwe dide ser ogn mamoste Kevanot, ditepne dib:2
Xwed te bihle! Xwed jiya te ji ya min dirjtir bike!
Maallah! tu hn j li ser xwe , sof.
Xwed bi ya xwe dike. Hertit di dest w de ye, dibje mna ku
sof Svdn van gotinn xwe j bipeyitne, v car dest xwe ber bi goristana
hember radike bi keservedan didomne: Gelek meriv di pey min re hatin
ber min n n xwe li v pal ramedandin. Dema bav min li vir cwar b, weke anuha t bra min, end maln Mala Dnan li w hla kaniy,
li berwar v goristan hebn. Miriy xwe dibirin bi qas ar wersan ji
maln xwe dr, di nava daran de dikirine erd. Ji ser v kaniy, heta pita
iyay jorn darn kelber di nav hev de bn. Hla jrn j wusa nirvanek her dilr j newir b bi roj di nav re derbas bibya. Ev geliy ha bi
daristaneke kv hatib nixumandin. L ka? herdu destn xwe vedigire
1

sof Sufi, respectful term for an old man; sitar f protection; giram f respect;
pvan f criterion; keservedan f sorrow; nok f chickpea; noka taht pebble; dem
dewran m olden times.
2
kfxwe f comfort; hir f wool; og = ok; tepandin v.t. to pat.

154

READINGS
li dora xwe mze dike hem birn, kirin erd hajotin. Bi xra ruh
prozwer re end dar li v pit mane ne min got, di demn me de dunya
mezin xal b. Ciy herkes hertit t de heb. Meriv dikanb bi neviy
neviy xwe re, li ciyek, di hewek de bijiya. L anuha?1
Mamoste Kevanot bi avek lkolner li v premr dinre dibne b i
por ku bi ser w ve maye, i pira li dora hustuy w qermi i myn
li ser zenda w, gitik j weke hiryeke t sip bye, mna ku di qermin
eniya premr de hunera jiyan, nexn drok bibne, di dil xwe de: Ser
bin v gund, ez bikanibim ji v premr hn bibim. Rasterast ferhengek
e, ferhengeke dewlemend e dibje bi mereqdar ji ferhenga dewlemend
dipirse:2
Ma hn ne ji v gund bn, sof?
Dema ku premr dibne guhdarek dilsoz heye, daxwazeke peyivn li w
j radibe ku wan hem demn xwe yn buhur rpel bi rpel veke, bi xwnegot bike wan ji n ve bij:
De w ax j gund tune b ku ne min got Mala Dnan b. Ew j bi
tevay end mal bn. Dema em ji Serhedan daketin, bav min b li ser
kulav Sof Dno rnitib. Sof Dno, mezin wan malan b. Merivek
saxik dilpak b. Tavil bi bav min re b b destbirak ne xwestib ku
bav min bi n de derkeve Serhedan.3
Mna ku titek bala mamoste Kevanot bikine an j titek n tkeve bra
w, pirseke din ji premr dike:
Ev nav ha nav Sof Dno, k li w kiri b?
Premr herdu destn xwe ber bi jor vedigire mna ku bi xwe j nikani
be ji nav derkeve, dibje:
Bi Xwed di wan deman de em zarok bn, l li gor tit ku ez
dizanim, ev nav ha ne nav w y rastn e. Ji ber tevgern w yn nexn ji
1

peyitandin v.t. to prove; pal f mountainside; xwe ra-medandin to lay oneself

down; wers m rope; kelber wild; nirvan m hunter; dilr intrepid; wirn =
wrn; kv wild, terrifying.
2
qermi wrinkled; qermi f wrinkle; ser bin m the ins and outs, everything;
bi mereqdar with interest, with curiosity.
3
dilsoz sympathetic; xwnegot flesh and blood; kulav m felt mat; saxik honest;
dilpak pure of heart; destbirak blood brother; serhed f border.

155

KURMANJI KURDISH
malbata w hinek rabn ew bi rengdra dnitiy navandin hinekan j ev
rewa w weke softiy bi nav kirin. Herweha nav w j ma Sof Dno. L
pit end nexn w, j tirsiyan, pang li ser v ruh prozwer ketin dudiliyek d re j ghtin w baweriy ku ne merivek vala ye.
Mereqdar li mamoste Kevanot trtir dibe dib:1
Sof, heyran! li gor nex kerametn awa ev nav ha ev nav ha
li w kirin?
Ne min got di destpk de navnot bi d ket digotin: xerf ye
Rihma Xwed li ruh w y prozwer be, digotin de w ax em zarok
bn me hay ji titn weha tune b l digotin, di dawiya jiyana xwe de
evndar bka xwe b b ji d w venediqetiya. Digotin, w ax kur w
gelek erm kiriye, xwe havtiye dest lingn w ku ew dev ji v xwiy xwe
berde. L ne bye ev xwiy ha ji ser ne ye. Evneke asiman girti bye
ser. Ji ber v yek ji evan evreeke buhar kur w ew li hesp kiriye ku
bibe ikefta Zoncik meriv nizane ke d kur w i fikirye l li gor
gotina jina kur w, li nzk dev ikeft du aferdn seyr hatine piya v
kur w j re gotine:2
Ku tu w tit di dil xwe de bik, em tiliyn xwe di avn te re bikin! Xwed dizane b d i di dil kur w de bya W ev kur w
bav xwe bi n de tne mal herdu j dikevin nivnn nexweiy. di w
ev de, di w nexweiy de kur w radibe v byer ji jina xwe re kat dike
bi dest sib re j dimire. Amentubllah, kar Xwed nexn e! Dema
niyn van end malan cendek kur w hilann, Sof Dno di nivnan de
b. Ji xwe heta ku mir j ji nivnan raneb. Rasterast s mehn dawiya
jiyana xwe di nivnan de buhurand. Di ber mirin de De car i mirin
bye, Xwedyo! Mirineke aswar! Em w ax zarok bn bav min
rihma Xwed li hem miriyan, li w j be!bav min w ax li pa ser w
bye. l mirina w dikir digot:3
1

nexn miraculous; rengdr f description, quality; nex miracle; pang later;

tr dense, dark.
2
heyran amazing; keramet saintly miracle; navnot f notoriety; xerf senile;
havtin = avtin; xw m habit, disposition; asiman heavenly; evre f dark night;
aferde m creature; seyr strange.
3
ku unless; kat kirin to divulge; amentubllah I believe in God, an exclama-

156

READINGS
Bayek eyb l rab b. Li gor gotinn ku bav min digot, Sof Dno
rabye kincn xwe irandiye, xwe dever havtiye erd, mna Eyb
pxember w j gotiye:
Ez ji kezeba diya xwe ilftaz bm div ez ilftaz j vegerime
wir! Wek ku min got, dre j gelek irove hatin kirin gotin: Ev ruh ha,
ruhek asiman ye.1
Reading Selections in Cyrillic-Script Kurmanji

, 11- 1996-
, .
w , w
, () . w , , w .
C q . w , w
w ( w) .
O w (w) ,
(w) q. ,
; , q . w
, w, () q, q ,
.

w , Q
w . ( w w q w . ,
w ).
, ww
tion; n pl people, residents; aswar untimely; rihm f mercy; l kirin to talk
about.
1
bayek eyb Job-like turn; xwe dever avtine erd to throw oneself face
down on the ground; kezeb f womb; ilftaz buck naked.

157

KURMANJI KURDISH

.
(),
ww . .
w (), , , q
, w .
, w q.
. ,
w, w.

w w, , w, w,
w , q . M
: w w w w
w, w . w, w ,
w , w, w w .
w w q w w , : , . w
; q , , w
w, w ( ), .
q w w .
w , w
w . q .
w , - w-w w
q .
. w , , w
, , , q .
, .

, 25- 1998-
(xw , )
q. x w w
w , 3 q , wx
158

READINGS
M ( ) -w
. wx q-q
w xw , q-q w w
. w w M (q VIIV w ). ,
, q, x x
w . q XIX
x .
1813- 1828-
- - ,
, x ,
w w q .

O
. x
M .
w , w -
, x w, , q, . x, ,
1923- qw.
q w 40 .
- xw q .
q w 20 , 9 , q
5,5 , 1,5 . x q w
w ,
w .
xw ,
, w w .
,
, q
w xw , w,
- x
. M 1992- (q)
q w
159

KURMANJI KURDISH

- q .
x q w q q , x 20-
, , , w .
Mx , w x
w , w ,
. 70
w ,
w q. q . 1915- 74
(.. 19201994) .

,
w !
. , ,
w q , x
q . Q w
.
M q , , , , w, .
w qw w w w
q XIX XX w . , , , ,
M q q x O , , .
, x, w , w M .
, ,
O .
w
1980- ,
160

READINGS
, 1978- O.

q w , ,

1997- q ,
.
w
.
w
q. , w
xw , w - ,
w q w w w qw.
w q , O, .
x , w w , w
xw .
90-
q .
x

.
, q , w w ,
, , xw
w .
w, , w x
.

x 161

KURMANJI KURDISH

w.

( )

. ,
qw- w .
,
, w , w
, .
w q, ,
q
-
q.
, w w .
. W
: q 12
, w q
, ,
, , , , w w qw.
: w ,
, w w,
()
w .
, ! w
w . qw
1995- , w
w w
q 50-100 ,
,
: .
.
,
162

READINGS
. w , w
. W .
, , w ,
, .
. ?

w w ? . , w,
q. ,
qw ,
. , ,
- ,
-
w.
w w
? .
- 13 , 26
, 2500 w ,
w .
, .
. , w ,
q
. :
xw .
, xw xw.
xw xw
,
qw .
,
.
, w w.
,
, w w .
, w
w , q
163

KURMANJI KURDISH

.

q .
, , w
q ,
13 . ,
, , w
q , w w .
w
, w w. w w
, ,
q w
q . w
q , .

q w
, w xwxw xw, w
w w xw,
w , q,
w .
w
xw
. q .
w
w w
, 1995- .
1973- xw
, x
,
, . ,
w w xwxw xw w
w w xw . W
. .
164

READINGS
W - 1993- w 56
w 20- .

q w
,
w,
.
, ,
w , . w
.
-. w ,
w , 1994 , 400 ,
.

,
w w , w .
,
,
. w
q : .
,

(18661948)
[ . 1917- w w

M , . 1919- . (. 1918-)
w . (. 1920-)
w q (. 1921-) (. 1922
1923-) . . .
w -, q , w

.]

165

KURMANJI KURDISH

-
,1
, 30- . 1999
M , , - .
, . W ,
, , , ,
, w
. , , ,
- , , w .

.
,
, .
.
O , .
, w w , w .

, , w. w
. q , w
. w
.
, w ,
, w q .
w w , ,
, ,
w, , ,
-
, , w , -
, -, -,
, q
w, w . w
w w, w w . q.
, , , .
For the Armenian original of this story, see . ,
, vol. 10 (Boston, 1951), -, pp. 31728.
1

166

READINGS
, w
. qq
, w .

. ,
-, , - ,
w , :
, !

, w
.
w w .
, w .
w w ,
. w,
w , , w , .
, w ,
w . , w
. w w , w . Q w
-, w . ,
q w . ,
, , .
ww q . - w
, w w q , w
w , ww w , , w .
w : M ,
w , q q
,1 , , ,
, , ww .
, q, w
.
, , , q.
1

Esabe has no meaning that can be found in any dictionary; the Armenian
original has like a dragon here.

167

KURMANJI KURDISH

w .
- - q
w- w - .
w . M ,
, q , , q
. . w w ,
, w, w,
, .
, ,
w, w w .
, w w,
w, w w , w
w .
, , . w , w
.

, .
2

w -, w w , ,

, w -.
, w ,
ww w w, w w, w
q w w ,
q. W w ,
, , w ,
q w w w. , w
q ww M
w w , w
, w . ,
.
w w w,
w w .
168

READINGS
,
q ,
w .
1

, q, , ,
, , w
q , w w, w
w . -.
, .
-,
, w , w q,
,

, , .
.
, w , w
.

.
W , - .
w, ,

, , ,
, w ?
, ,
, w
, w , .

.
3

.
. -
, , w
1

In the original this is the Feast of the Mother of God, August 15th. The translator
has substituted a Yazidi female saint, usually called Xatna Fexre, who is invoked in
cases of difficult childbirth.

169

KURMANJI KURDISH

w , , w ,
. , ,
- w.
.
, , ,
, q , - w , , .

.
, w w w .
q.
, w , ? w
, w .

.
w, w w w
w w .
w? w w .
w? , , , .
, w -q , w
.
, q, , w
w w .
, q, ? w , w ,
w , , ,
w .

, , w
. w , , -;
, , w . w
w w , .
, w , ,
w, .

, w .
170

READINGS
. .
, . , ?

w , w , , w .
.
, , w .
, w , .
, , qw? .
, , .
, , w .
W, w , .
w , , ,
, .

,1 w .
, . , ; , ; , ,
. w -q .
.
.
, .
- ?
, - .
?
, w,
w , , , - , w w .
W , w , -. ,
, , , .
w .

The Armenian text has stunned here.

171

KURMANJI KURDISH
w ? .
, w1 , .
w , w . , w .
w; , :
.
4

w , w .
q .
. , w
- . w
w , w - .
- w , , . w
w , w w
. .
, w, , .
. ; w w .
w w .
, . .
w , ,
. , .
w .
- .
, .
! , q.

.
w w qq ,
q w .
.
1

The meaning of weym has not been ascertained. In the original the priest says to
Tatos, who begins everything he says with the word particularly (which is omitted
from the translation), Curse your particularlys!

172

READINGS
? , ?
, w , w .
, .

q .
, , .
W , q .
q , .
w , ?

M , w , ,
w .
, .
? ? , ? ,
w ? , w ?
? W , w .
.
, . , ,
w ? w, ,
?

- . .
.
, .
w

2, 25- () . 1998-
1997-
. Q w ,
1996- xw.
173

KURMANJI KURDISH

h .
,
h .
q
. q
h, .
. q w,
hq q 20-, qw
.
q ,
hq w h ,
1990-1991- qw.
. q xw qw
- hq w qw ,
xw w h qw
, .
q . .
, h qw .
q h
.
. . q xw
w , h
q .
. h q xw h h
.
q w w h w
.
q hq w w
, 90-
h w .
174

READINGS
w q h w
hw, w w h
, h w .

q w h
.
Reading Selections in Arabic-Script Kurmanji
CELADET ALI BEDIR-XAN (18931951)
Hawar (Sal 1, Hejmar 19: Duemb 17 Nsan 1933)1

(# #
./ -

Kurd Kurdistan
Bi av Biyaniyan
Fnf Fortrage ber den Islam
(Leipzig: 1912)2

.(
#
./ #
K
.# J .
V
J .J
^ .^ J
.b b a

Kurd em in. Kurdistan welat me ye.

Biv nev, em xwe welat xwe ji
herkes, ji biyaniyan btir tir nas
dikin. Kitkitn her gund, er
bajar xwe wek hundir brika al
xwe dinasin. Di nav me de mirovn
wel hene, dikarin zer zinarn iya
serjorek serjrekn bilindcihn
welat xwe ji ber bijmrin.

Jeladet Ali Bedir-Khans article is reproduced here as it appeared in Hawar in

both Latin and Arabic scripts. The Latin-script version has been edited only in that
in the first year of publication q was used for the modern k and k was used for
the modern q. Thereafter modern orthography was adapted. The title of this article
in the original is Qurd Qurdistan. For more information on Bedir-Khan, see
www.celadet.de.
2

Martin Hartmann (18511919), Fnf Vortrge ber den Islam (Leipzig: Otto
Wigand, 1912).

175

KURMANJI KURDISH

# ( e
g k / g
.

Digel v hind hin titn welat

me hene ko em xwe bi xwe, nikarin
wan bibnin, hj btir nikarin wan ji
hev derxnin, liser vebin.

J . r #
v J .
{ # y
J # b
.K

Her kes hundir mala xwe ji xelk

tir nas dike. L biyan wek dikevin nav malek ji xweyiy btir qenc kmaniyn w dibnin. Ji ber ko
ew ji bona dtin seh kirin hatine
tketine.

#
V J V
r g b .J
y .. ^./
(
{ # y

e
y . /

g( .#( J
/ .( e #
.k
#
# # J
./

L em ko ji xwe tde ne avn

me l hn bne, rind bala xwe nadin,
li dwar bann xwe nanihrin. Binihrin j, nikarin wek xelk biyan
bibnin. J re avinen din divt.1 Ji
hla din dtina qenc kmaniyn
welat miletek ne titek hsan ye.
Ji wan re ji dtina wan re mirovinen
zana pisporin gerek in. Nemaze
pisporinen biyan, da ko her tit b
alkar meyeldar bibnin bibjin.

g
....
b gb /
.b J (

Kitbinen wel di her zman

ewrpay de hene, rs, elman, frensiz, ingilz, talyan h.p.

Gelek mebin j hin biyan hene ko

hatine, ketine nav welat me, l temaa kirine, km zde hn zman
me bne di hek me de kitbin
nivisandine.

Min dil heye, ji wan kitban birinen bikr wergernim kurdmanciy

di van stnan de belav bikim.

Bedir-Khan often uses the old literary third-person singular ending -t and -it for
the modern - and -e; thus divt for the modern div and bit for the modern be.

176

READINGS

J #
.b/

.# . v
. b /


# #
.{ #
v # ..
# J /

.g
.J # J
. J

Heye ko ew biyaniyn ha carinan

di eleyh me da j got nivisandi
bin. Ji xwe piraniya wan di lh me
de gotine meyldariya me kirine.
Heri j bit1 her du texlt nivsar bi
kr me tn. Yn ko eleyhdariya me
kirineheke ne xerezkar ye
kmaniyn me an me didin. Em bi
wan kmaniyn xwe diedilnin. Bi
n din ko di lh me de hatine nivsandin, miln xwe n rind nas dikin
xwe bi xwe qedr xwe dizanin.
Heke mirov bi xwe qedr xwe nagirit nik tukes biqedr nabit. Bel ev,
nav di me didin.

.J ^ b
b ( #
.b #

Di wergerandin de bi rz tarix
ve naim. Heri ko dikevin dest
min bi kr me tn ez wan wergernim kurdmanciy hd hd
belav bikim.

#
y # / J #
^ ^ # . y
# /( e #
. #

Ez wan bi awak wel wergernim ko mana rind bte seh kirin

qise herend heye, ewend kurdand
bibit, ne ko pirsan yeko yeko wergernim kurdmanciy titek wel
bnim p ko pirs kurdmanc l awa
biyan bibit.
Ji mil din, di zman me de berdlka her pirs hj ne hatiye dtin
hevedudann. Ji lewra di mehcet de
ez away hin qisan li gora pirsn
me biguhrnim, ji hev veqetnim
p pa bikim. L j re ne km ne
j zde dikim. Ez bala xwe bidim

b
k
v
.b /
K b
V . #

See note above.

177

KURMANJI KURDISH

/
/
( #
.

ko qesta nivsevan giyan nivsar

weke xwe hilnim weke xwe bidim
zann.

:b k /

. r y

Ez bi nivsareke kurt l hja dest

p bikim: end xz ji Marten Hartman.

(
# J . J
/
.
.# k /
()
( e /
/ .#
. ^ .

Hartman zanayek elman e. Di nav

Kurdistan de geriyaye, hn zman
me bye. Kitbeke w heye, Botan, kitbeke hja kr. Herwek ji
w kitb xuya dibe Hartman li her
tit welat me hr mze kiriye. Min
ew kitb li Germanyay dt xwendi
b. L r ne bi min re ye.

r y/ v
. #
y #
.
J . /
^ ^^ r

. ( y/ )/
.#

K/ /
b
J
y
. #
.# (
J
.b

Li gora bihstina min Hartman

Memozna Xan werdigerand elmaniy, l emr w tr nekir. Pa ko
end rpeln w wergerandi bn
rehmet.
Xzn jrn ji kitbeke w hatine
girtin. Nav kitb (Pnc gotar liser
islam) ye. Di Leypiig de di sala
1912de hatiye apkirin.
Rpel 135Heke di qelemrew
Osmaniyan de pveketineke manew xurt bte p, eva ha ji nav wan
miletn misilman d dest p bikit ko
ne tirknijad in. Ev miletn ha herend li tirkan raser bibin j heta niho
bindestiya wan kirine. Di nav wan
miletan de mirov dikarit Ernewid,
Ereb Kurdan bijmrit.

178

READINGS

# J
# J y/
^bb / b
#
.
.J #
g # # K/

. .

Rpel 137Wek ez di nav miletn ko li anda ewrpay tne wergerandin nav kurdan j hildidim,
dizanim ko p bikevim pber berberiyeke dijwar.

J #
g ^
v
J #
. # K/

# K/ /

y/ b
^
..# ^
J
r /
#
..J /
.y/
(
b J
V b
. .

Digel v hind her rwiyn ko di

nav wan de geriyane bi yekdeng
wesfn wan dane gotine ko kurd di
nav qalikeke hik de an hesasiyeteke kr zirav didin. Ji mil din bi
guvahiya gelek nivsaran tte zann
ko kurd di tj zrekiya teb, zbrbir di dayna hikm qerarn rast
de j ne km in.

Bel hikahiya adetn kurdan nas

e. Ji aliy din tte gotin ko kurd ji
zorkirin nijd re meyildar in ji
a rahetiy direvin.1

Kurd di navbera ereb h livok,

di tgehitin de bilez, t xask;
tirk tiral, di raman de tenbel ko bi
diwar hn jiyna civat dibe, tp
navn e.
Kurd pismamek eceman rastn
e. L ew bi tkilbna birek mezin ji
xwna tirkan li xwna w bi baweriyn tesewif, wek pismam xwe
xerab ne bye, xwe pak zind hilaniye.

:kJ . r
( )..

Xebera w ye. Ma em bi xwe nabjin:

er ji betaliy tir e. (Hawar)

179

KURMANJI KURDISH

(

# . #
^
.
J #
g g
/
.b
k kb /b
^ # b
.(/ / g
r . .

Heke ev milet ha, rjk, mirov

rastn peyda kir bi xurt zexmiya
xwe bi vna ko xwe li anda dinyay a r d wergerne, dinyay
tevda ecbmay d bihle.
Ji xwe b ik e ko ji bona zman
xwe rengn gelek nigardar, ji
hikm zman biyaniyan pakhilan
herfn latn j d qebl bikit.
Heke berbn berbjiyn Hartman hj tevda ne bin j ser, evend heye ko em r zman xwe
rengn bi herfn latn dinivsnin.
Celadet Ali Bedir-Xan

x Evdirehman Garis Rehmet

(
Hawar (Sal 1, Hejmar 11, Pncemb 10 iriya-Pa 1932)

.^b b b .

nnnher der re, ne ma

hen. Dil bi kul, can bi keser, av bi
girn.

( gV
r

Bang dan, x Evdirehman Garis ne ma, hati b xr, rehmet

***

***

(
y^ # . (
#
. b
. JV ^

Her x Evdirehman Garis,

ruhniya avn Kurdistan, germiya
diln kurdn Qenc, bi du berikn
bbext, dest ji me kiand . B
ehd dn milet xwe, qurbana
armanca xwe.

180

READINGS

#
. . y
y ^ .
.// b
#
.b b

Her bi bbext hate kutin. Ji xwe

wekdin kutina w nn b. Bi mran ne dihate kutin. Li pey w gelek
geriha bn. Ew mrn Qenc peyda
ne dibn, ne dihatin dtin ko bikevin
piya w, dor l bigirin, p biberizin
w bikujin.

y ^
.. . b
. . J

J re, ji kutina w re an bbext an

berikek xlk diviya b. An ne, wek
mirovek adet, di nav nivna xwe de
d bimiriyaya.

. . J a J J
# ^
^( e
a J y (
V
^ (/
.K
.(
. v J ^
b b
#
y b (
.y
. #
#
.J
.
(
.

g r
. .

Mirina di nav cihan, ne mirina w

b. Heyfa xwed j j re dihat, p
qail ne dib ko ev mr bi her tit
xwe bi dn, bi zann, bi dest xwe
qenc, di nav cihan de wek mirovek
adet bi bay an bi tay binit di
pey re qasid xwe verkit emanet
xwe j bistnit. Evdirehman ne stelih
b.
J re qatilek ji nav mal, golik
mal diviya b ko b tirs lerz
bikeve bin paila w, here destn w
wel w bide ber tifing xencer.
Heke dar xirab dibe, kurm w j
ye. Ji xwe kurm dar ji dar mebit
dar tucar xirab nabit.
Wel j b. Dinya li x me b
b hvar. Roj b ava, hevaln w
j dr keti bn, ew bi xulamek xwe
ve di nzing gundek de li hviya
qasidek dima.

181

KURMANJI KURDISH

k .#

(
. b .
r y

. b / #
.y
b r
y ( #
.# y/ b

Hingra ev dest bi ketin kiri

b. Dema nimj j hati b. Di ber
wan re avek diherik. x delal xwe
vemalt, tifinga xwe da xulam xwe,
ket piy, ber bi av ve di.

J ^ r
.y b ^ y
(
# b ( y

.# y/
.# r
. r

Xulam, yek Seirt bi nav Necmo,

ser x xwe bi xencera w jkir
bir dijminan. Her bi xencera x
xwe, ji ber ko ya xwe di singa w re
kiri b.

***

Xulam w, ji par re, ew da ber

tifing. Derb l ket, x li xencera
xwe xebit l zivir, derbeke din
singa w qul kir.

Necmo hate xelat kirin. Em j pre, hewraniyek re b xelata me.

***

( gV
. J Kr J

Her bang dan, x Evdirehman

ne ma, ji bona xidmeta milet xwe
za b, ji bona w j mir.

.( b g

Nizanim ez awan bikarim wesf

pesn w bidim. x Evdirehman ji
wan mirovan b ko dyn dinyay
km di zikn xwe de gerandine.

r ( (
^ r ( .
.
. (
# J . . J
# # .J
J
.# r J(

ex b, mela b, seyda b, mr
mrxas b. x b, xwedan terqet,
merdn w l wek pxemberek dinihrtin.

# (
. #

Mela seyda b. Di mezheb afiiy de zanak zor b. Islamiyet weke

xwe nas dikir dida nas kirin. J ne
mwek km dikir, ne j wek melayn din, ji bona veartina nezaniya
xwe landina xelk, l zde dikir.

182

READINGS

y y
/

(e # r J .
/ .
.
J/

/
.
: y


J
. ^
/
b . #
# !^
. K .

Herend mirov axiret b, ewend j mirov dinyay, mirov nwin pveketin b. Nav di xelk
dida ko bixwnin, her tit hn bibin.
Piraniya feqehn w bi herfn latn
j dizan bn.

(. r
( g y # b
r g .
b .# b
.# # g y

Min got mr mrxas b. Heri

mesela Berwar seh kirine qenc
dizanin, ew x delal i mrek zor
b. Bi deh panzdeh xulamn xwe ve
qeza Berwar rakiri b. Wek xwe
dida ber kevirek, sed zilamn qenc
nikari bn epera w rakin.

. b

( . K
y y
/
.

Ber s salan gava me da b

iyayn Hevrkan, li xwe ne dan b
suwar bibe, xwe vemalt, du rextn
xwe avtin stow xwe, tifing bi mil
w ve, bi pncih end saln xwe,
wek xortek bstsal da b ka
eharan.

Cark min j pirs b, heke ji

nivsandina zman me bi herfn latn ji aliy ert ve tu man heye. Rw w delal binr, bi devkenek
zelal b li min vegerand:
Ma ire hebit? Xwed emr
nehyn xwe ji me re ne bi herf iklan, l bi qisey daye zann. Ji xwe
ikln herfn qurana pn ne ji ikln r bn. Ji lewra, mir min, te ko
xwendiye dinya dtiye, seh bike
ji me re herfinen wel bibijre ko
milet me zka hn xwendin bibit.
Fetwa bi min re ye.

183

KURMANJI KURDISH

r .

/
.y
.(
b . .
./^ %
(
(
#
k ^ .
( # J #
. & .
b k
&. g
.( /

Peyayn sist p xurt dibn. Xelk

p disekinn. x Evdirehman kitbek, kitbeke mezin bpvan b.
L sed heyf mixabin, li ber nisxeyeke din ne hate nivsandin.

***

***
Bel, x min, tu mirovek hol
by, l r tu y destn me ji te
bne. Nizanim heyfa min k re bt.
Ji te re an ji me re? Tu y rehmet,
em hitin di nav derd n de.

(

g ..(
^
./ .

/ J
.
( :k r
.'
(
#
y!

! # # !
r ! y
.
y

. J K #

Liser Kurdistan te heri j bixwesta nik w peyda dibn. Droka

eran, mjvemayn milet kurdan
Di nav Kurdistan de zehf geriha b.
Nemaze hal welat Botan ecb
dizan b. Dikar b bibje ser bin
her ber Botan ji i reng ne. Ser
hakim mrekn Botan rokinen
nebihst dizan bn.

Xelk d bibjin: x Evdirehman

, kela w di ol de ma. Her
mala xwe guhast, b tirb gorn, b
r op, warkor
No, kurdino, nekurdino! yarino,
neyarino! dostino, dijminino! Evdirehman bi tirb gorn xwedan war
.
L veartina w j wek mirin
kutina w ne bi awak adet, l bi
awak din, bi awak wel b ko heta
niho nenas nekir

184

READINGS

y
(

' )k # b
# # b
.
# ( :#
J
. #

Bel, x min, min ji te re

kefenek wel bijart ko hj tu kela
p ne hatiye pandin, min ji te re
tirbeke wel koland ko hn tu mir ne
ketin.

# # b V
^

b
r V V
. V
(
# /
V
K b(

.
.(
J . V V
# b .# b

.J
y J# .
./
' b #
.


K
b
y +(

#
^J
k g e
.

Tirba te tirbeke wel ye ko ne kla

w bi brskn ezman diike, ne cax
dwarn w bi ba bager hildiwee, ne axa w bi baran lehiy
qul dibe ji hev dikeve.

Min kefen te kir: sor, sip kesk

zer, ala te, min tu veart nav
rpeln Hawar li ser w kla te
daikand.

Tirba te kitbek e, ko nifn

milet me deste-desta bikin her
nif ji nif din re heta paiy, hinda
rja qiyamet, ji hevdu re d
bisprin.
Ev tirba te a abadn e. Min eva ha
ji bona te bijart koland. L te
tirbeke din j heye ko tu bi xwe b
hemd xwe b hemd min hat
ket nav. Ew j dil min, dil min
jar biderd e. L bi hevn hejkirina te ewend xurt e ko bikare
la min kela te heya paiya
emr min hilgire, me her du heta
hing bi xwed bike
x min bi pncih end saln
xwe ve wek zarokek ko di paila
dya xwe de dimirit, b ax, b naln
zarn, b teq--req texele, b
deng pjn, bi r ket y.

185

KURMANJI KURDISH

(
(
J(
.b

***

b b (# b
b ^b^ b b
.b
(
#
b ^ b
b
.// b! b .^b
. b
/(

y/ . /
# ( (

.
#

.#

Bel tu diy bi te ne dihesiyan,

br ne dibirin. Ji xwe bi te bihesiyana, keng ew dest bbext berm
li te radib?
***
Bigir Kurdistan bigir, bigir
Botan bigir, bigirn Garis bigirn,
bigir Gozgeh bigir.
Ke bkn Kurdistan, guliyn
xwe kur bikin, xwel li sern xwe
bikin, rea xwe girdin, nn
bikin, bi ax zarn bigirn. Tu j,
mro, bigir, bikeve piya hemiyan,
bigir binal.
x Evdirehman ji ks hemiyan
, l nemaze ji ks te . Bne bra
xwe, wek bi x xwe re rudinit
awan li te fedkir, kusan avn w
bi hej hevin tu himbz dikir
***

***

(# r
( J
:k b

. y/

# b

Ey axa Kurdistan, welat Botan,

era Garisan, halanan di xwe bidin,
pesn xwe bidin, fortan zirtan
bikin bjin: Evdirehman ji ax
toza min hati b p
Evdirehman ji henahiya iyayn
min belgih girti b
Evdirehman di bin konn min da
rab b

186

READINGS
:k(

( V
# J
.

#
#^

Tu j, Hawar, pesn xwe bide

bje: Tirba x Evrirehman di min
da ye; min ew veartiye nav rpeln
xwe, kla w daikandiye raser xwe.

***

Ey erd, ji min bidexise ko min ew

ehd dn milet ji te re ne hit ne
kir para te
***

.^b b b .

nnnher der re, ne ma

hen. Dil bikul, can bikeser, av
bigirn.

( gV
. r
r

Bang dan, x Evdirehman Garis

ne ma, hati b xr, rehmet.
Celadet Ali Bedir-Xan

Gur Tekane

a ^
Perwz Cihan
(- : )

9 8 . V
J .
^ > ?>
! @ ./

bJ J !
C ? ? A
.b@

Bihar havn payz li d hev ra

hatin derbas bn. Dan xwey i
xwe bihor. Xwe ge, ronah
germa bihorn re he sir
seqem* p ra gihetin*. Xwe i z,
bi lez bez direve! re nexwe
i girane! Nalive nabizive, girany dike ptgiran grte bhnikn lebizdn e.

187

KURMANJI KURDISH
Gul ekn bihar li ber tava
havn hik bn bay payz j
kiras wan revand berfa zivistan
j ew kefen kirin. Dan zivistan di
gel bakurofa rbendan li ser bhna
chan da peya b* b mvan.
Ren kirwe ep dest dane hev
*tev hri birin ser ya tepn
bilind herejor. il ya li sir
seqem mij tem dman firton
da wenda bn.

). ? .E

9V G H
8 G.
(
8 ( 8 GV I 8
J . GI
C a 8

H ? b
. C .
H
. >
8 .

Ewir bnan helqeyek gulekn

zozanan ketye gerdena yan
sern yan li nav ewiran ra* derketine derva bi esmanan va zeliqne. Tu dibj qey dl hene p qo
xwe sng asiman by ser bin
*biqewlin u hevraz* hilkiin. Det
olan di gel herd dolan fstann
sip le b nan li xwe kirine.

).H
y/
J ./ J J J
J
. ? H H
.
y/ HL 8b b G G

? . H
?
H/( ( .
L/ G.
Kr
C

. b
r Gr .
r J J)H
@ H

C g H .
J . 9 .
V 9V g .9J gH
^ y/ J V
@ .
J.

Zozan ya li bin lihfeke iftexase kever da ketine xeweke giran

kr, xew ra ne, xewna* gul
ekn kesk n belek, halhalkn sor al, beybn sosin mendik heliz, bhna sorgulan deng
bulbulan dibnin.
Li qn yayn here jor, ji bil
givna bager vizna bay i deng
nay. Ne deng teyr tyan t, ne j
*xuna avn rbar ok kanyan.

188

READINGS

(O
Avn kanyan bnan mencel J ./ y/ K/C
stiln mast myan meyne li c da. y/ . y/ .
qerisne. Zemzellkan li dev sln H
dwarn zang kendalan
newalan, P Q Q V / y
va bnan eyn gircgirc ba day, xwe jor da berdane li ser
C
ser daliqiyane. bnbern cuwan . .
* dmenn ber bi av afirandine.- .
Siruta pr xew ra ye li hej ( r
liv we ketiye. Dunya kir mit ./ . > L
mat bye by hejiyan livat maye. .C g 9.
ya gel dagr kirye.
G Bdengy . 8
Her ten end heftyan, yan j end
rojan carek, li dwar gelyek kr H G ?
psra yayek bilind dr qrna. .
renyan di gel zrn lrna gurn^ I b C g
birs, bdengya il yan mat . J . bna dol gelyan dikne ewana J r RG kk r H
li xew hildipekne*.
.
Sy ^
Heme bi kestina renyan ra ?
(& 8
zrn bi revdn guran dikeve. Gurn .I
zivistan hem revde digirin. L car H caran gurn tekane j ber avan dike .
vin.
Dr va revdeyek gurn birs li ser
berfa pk kurenegirt li d hev ra
rz girtibn.* Te digot qey ketine
tar. Carna hindek ji wan heta navteng di berf epe da ik dibn.
Carcaran li hvya hevdu diman, l
hinde caran j qet guh xwe nedidan
zrn lrna hevaln xwe yn nav
berf da ik by.

b
G >
. T
. J
& J K g H U
. C H
H ^
C J J
.

189

KURMANJI KURDISH

? H
H .? ?^
? ?. C
(

?
I
C Hy/
H
.
. Hg ?
.G

U
g .
H .V 9J
. 8 H y/

L heme dr hev teko, teko

p da din nzk hevdu nediketin. Yek pita xwe bi y d va*
gir nedida. Li payka* w revd
da gurek gewir pithiin p sng
xwe epe diqelat yn may j
ketibn dv w.

b (. G I
J H
?
r ( ? ?

. r G
.
g
L @ y/
b H H
.
.X V U
. ( e ) I

G r .Z
. C ?
J 8 b H .) C
J ^ g .
? UG V
.b H

Ew gurn ku havn da hind gotn

bizin berx kar, dvn hogi
mh beranan, bezn hesp ker
hstir htiran, gotn kew krk karxezal pezkv ivran*
xaribn, kej dabn. Kej engn
wan li ser berf ra* dixiikn. Rewneq dikete pira wan, l diln wan ji
birsna dilerizn btaw dibn.

Ew peng revd b. Pir keja

w li ser berf ra dixiik hln
zirav li d xwe ra li ser berfa pk c
da dihla.* Yek gir bi gevde b.
Rewneq dikete pir keja w.*
avn w bnan du kasikn xn
sor* bn.

Berf bager r dirb xitimandib. op ra i tit nedihate

xyan. Ker ter garan cbne
hel gov pag axilan. Xezal
pezkv kew krk d li ber
avan nediketin. i nr nemabn.
L birsbn ew li nav hev da girtibn. Nikarn li nav w berf bager
ep da p da herin, li d ra v
bigerin.

190

READINGS

e
H b H ../ H
Hg ? . C( H /
U Hy/ g y/ C
.- ( ?
? (
. ?

Eva endik end rojin, ku i tit

li ber dev wan neketye. Zik wan
birs, dil wan b taw* avn wan
l bibn. Peng wan d bnan
ber nikar sng berf biqelata
p da biya. Hinde caran li payka revd da, vedima radiwesta
pit xwe ra dinihr, li hevalan
mze dikir.*

H ./
b ? J
E. C .
G
gV @ [ >
H ? H
G J .
I)C C (
.G & .

avn w li avn hevaln ji

wedaket diketin.* Dann buhar
havn, landa xwe ya payz dihan
bra xwe. Dema ku di gel koma
guran dileystin ser hev ra banz
didan, zik wan tr dil wan a
beera wan ge * xwe b. Demn
ku landa wan tij got hestyn
nrn cure cure bn. Hng end
hej hevdu dikirin.

?
y/
b H
&^ . U
! [H ? .
H 8V &
9 Hb
G H
U G
. G G J@
?> I
\ G y/b
r L 9. H .r
H G !
C ? b ?
!

L niha birsna nen r herin li

nav berf da vemane. Gelo niha j
ew hez evna p da li dil wan da
maye? Gelo dsan j seha dilovan
hevhebandin li dil wan da maye*?
Yan birs grodary diln wan re
kirine?
Kundk ser berf rnit ber xwe
hewale ser esmanan da kir kr
zriya. Gurn mayn j p ra zriyan.
Te digot qey birsna gaz xwed
dikirin risk xwe j dixwestin. L
li w yay bxwed xudan da i
heb?! i li dest diket, ku zik wan
tr okn wan bi hz taw
bikira?!*

191

KURMANJI KURDISH

9 >
.G C C C ?
. & ? L

Hewa berebere sartir dib sir

sermay hz tawa wan hd hd
km dikirin. Zor giran bhemd
xwe p da dicn.

.
g
E U . C ./
g ?/
G (.
g ?
C g ?I .&
.
g ?J
.G ( e

.v U
I G . 8
H G G H @
. .

./
J
b I .^
.
G 9 H H .G

^

Li nizar yayek da revda guran

b du tan. Yn pr westiyay li
nav berf da li bin gely da man.
Tek j li d peng ketin li pit
girik da qulibn. Desta ku li d peng ra din, ser hev di gel peng
ar heb bn. Dlegur peng du
tln wan.
avn peng dr va li rex avek
titek qeter kirin. Bi revda xwe va li
nav berf da ber bi w re lik.
Dna xwe dan, rvyek kej, ku dla
w ya pan giran li le w y kke
dikir, li rex av disimsime. Her ar
guran dora rv girtin. Rv bi w
flbazya xwe va, neiya ji* gr
helboqa guran rizgar bibe. Gurn
birs rv li nav hev da girtin
waqewaq p xistin kirin piroze*
pirtvekirin. L cendek rv y
kke hindik i dikar tendra zik
her ar guran gur bikira* dzka
hr wan dagirta?*

192

READINGS

.
@
. 9 H .
/
?> I g ?J
H H
G y/
U

. T
y/ [ H .

Herdu tle li ser pa rv devojen

hevdu bn. Yek xwe li y d da. Li
w dem da peng dlegur j
xwe p ra ghandin* hersk li ser
yek berev bn ew j wek rv
iqiq kirin. Prta w j wek tka
rv li ser berf xistin ew j daqurtandin rya xwe girtin n. L
dsan j bnan ber rz revde.

G

8 C
.
O [ (H g?
H G H)C .r
. ?
G ? . ?
?> H ?
. ?

Hewa hind sar hikesay b, ku

tk li hewa diqeris. Bhna xn
dab ser peng dil w dsan j
got germ dixwest. Li nrek
digeriya, ku zik w y nvetr tij
bike. Hey di hey j li pit xwe ra
dinihr li herdu hevalan mze
dikir p da di, l dudil
nihran. Te digot qey gavek p da
die du gavan pa da dizivire*.

9V G G @
U H G
H ( .
9V y/ g ?.v
9 ? C>
. U J /

.EC G Q
v J . I
v J .
b y/ .
. U
( . ?v J(

v Jr G
. O(

Li dwar kendalek kr bilind

da, ku bay tij berf kirib, tl may
nikava li berf da ik b kastn j
hat li ser kendal da likum. Peng
bnan bay bez li ser da zivir d
firk p neday neht ew ji nav
berf da derkeve. Dev di patika w
da c kir kete ser bhn. Dlegur j
hate ar. Ewana tlik dane ber qlan
xna w ya sor rijandin* ser berfa
kever prta w j bnan pira bizin
hirya mhan li ser berf b berate.
Herdu guran heta hestikn tlik j
vehran. Pit pirtvekirin xarina
tlik ketin r ber bi det daketin.

193

KURMANJI KURDISH

?C?
Gur gewr pithiin d frey
. O (got hevalan bib. Dizan awan
H . Q hevalan li erd bide dev di patika
da c bike. L dlagur bxeber li
. r L I wan
d ra di. Agah li i tit neb.
.( e
> . V G Mideheke kurt li ser ra derbas b.
.>b V V Sir seqem ba bager mecala
b wan birb. i re reat li ber
avan nediketin. Birsbn zor dab
. 8
wan.
G U
g I .G H .

H Jr
. r J .y/(
.G ? I .
(
I
C(
I ( .
.( r
b 9 g
.

Gur gewr kundk li ser berf

rnitib, av kutab dlegur kr
diponij. Te digot qey xewna ker
tern ivannivist dibne. Li nav
deriyaya xewn xyalan da zr
mab, li dlegur mze dikir. Dlagura ji her der bxeber j,* pita
xwe daby*, hay j nib. Rast j
dlagur pita xwe bi peng va
girdab. J dilnya pitgerm b.
Ew j dihnij diponij. Li hizra
zik xwe y birs da b.

194

READINGS

. V C
.b EC H
8 . ? 8
.J H O (Jr ?G
. 8 b
J
J
. Q @
> b H I
G Q H &g H .
G J EC
@ ?. R
Jr ( .r
U I
9 H . H
.G

Kelnek ba hilketib*. Gur

gewr nedikar v derfend* ji dest
xwe bike. Dev didann w frey
got hevalan bib*. Dev didann
ku frey got hevalan bibe, ra l
nabe. Birsbn zor dab gur gewr.
Teletel ji c rab, ne ji gav* da xwe
avte ser dlegur mecal mikan
delve* j bir ql di patika w*
eng li hewk da c kir kete ser
bhn di gav da ew iqiq kir
hildirnd kete ser cendeka. Bi
dilek tr got xwar. Pit bijiqandin
xwarina dlegur xwe li ser berf
gevizand li ber bay* qelizand.
Dev xwe alast tevizyn xwe rast
kir.

./ T(
G C . ?
C .G U b
8 . Hg?
.
.)C 8
. ? H ) C

Pit midehek dr dirj taze

iyab zikek tr got bixo. Berf
pkol dikir poz xwe li bin ra
dikir. d peng guran bib gur
tekane. Tek ten mab.

)C C
G . ./ &H C H .G
>9 ?^ &
H . G E/?
(e H
H .
.Jb ^ T

fre bib, di dev dorn gundan

seyn gundan nr dikir. L seyn
gundan p hesiyabn. Gava ku gur
nzk bi wan dikir, hemuyan bi hev
ra hri didan dikirin zrezr. L
gur tekane awa heba, ji nav w
kom da, ji xwe ra titek direvand.
Tirsa w ketib dil segan da se
nediwrn ser sya w biketana.

Ew d berebere hm dib, ku ten

bie nr. Li ber sir seqem, li il
yan nr dest nediket. L ew

195

KURMANJI KURDISH
evek dsan gur tekane ber bi
gundek r ket. Hm br ya bivan
bib. Berf bager dest p kirib.
Givegiva bay b, l gewro h li ber
avan ra nedihat. Tendra zik w
by ard mab. Bnan her car hri
bire ser* segan. L xudan segan p
hesiyabn ketibn bsy. Deng
gulleyek zrn bi gur gewr xist
ew li erd vexist seyd gund li ser
cendek w berev bn.

[
C
.. ?
. U V G H .
9V H C
. H L .
/y ? b .H
8 & H (
.9g H ^

C H
.

196

KURDISHENGLISH VOCABULARY
Abbreviations: adj. = adjective; Ar. = Arabic; ccmp. = circumposition; const. =
construct case; demon. = demonstrative; dial. var. = dialectal variant; f = feminine;
impt. = imperative; m = masculine; mil. = military; n.p. = narrative present
(couched in the present tense; past-tense translational value); obl. = oblique; Pers. =
Persian; pl = plural; pron. = pronoun; pres. = present; subj. = subjunctive; Syr. Ar.
= Syrian Arabic; Tk. = Turkish; v.i. = verb intransitive; v.t. = verb transitive (here
transitive means that the past tense is formed on the ergative model, not that the verb
necessarily takes a direct object either in Kurdish or in English); voc. = vocative
*
a = ya; bi ~ in the opinion of: bi a min al1 red
in my opinion
ala = al
abadn eternal
alal tulip
abor economic, financial; f economy; alandin v.t. to twist
~zan economist
alastin als- v.t. to lick
aciz helpless, unable to cope (ji with): ala thatch; ~kir thatched
ez ji kzikan zehf aciz im I am utterly alav f flame
incapable of coping with bugs
alay f troop, regiment
Adar f March
alet m instrument, tool
adet f custom; ~ ordinary
als- alastin
aferde m creature
alfabe f alphabet
afern bravo; ~ ji re good for
alim m scholar
afirandin v.t. to create
al1 m side, part; bi her ~y ve in every
af f poster
direction; dan ~yek v.t. to put aside,
aga aware (li of)
to draw to one side; ji ~yek / ji ~k
agadar f information, announcement;
on the one hand; ji ~y din on the
awareness
other hand; ji ~y ve by (passive
agah = aga
agent), on the part of
agahdar = agadar
al2, ar f help; ~kar helping, helpful;
agir m (obl. gir) fire; ~ dann bi to set
~kar f help, support; ~kar kirin v.t.
fire to
to help: min alkariya w dikir I used
Agir f Ar, in extreme eastern Turkey
to help him
aheng f tune, tone
al3 supreme
ajotin ajo- v.t. to drive (vehicle); to alkar partisan; ~ kirin v.t. to take
pass, last (of time): pir neajotib ku
s.o.s part, be partisan
not much time had passed before, alnegir neutral
v bdangiya han heta sala 1980 ajot Alman German; ~ya f Germany
this silence lasted until the year 1980; aloz scattered, random
~ ser to attack
amade ready; ~ kirin v.t. to make
al1 f flag, banner
ready; xwe ~ kirin f to get oneself

196

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
ready
ambelaj f wrapping, packing
Amerka/Amerqa f America; ~y
American
Amda f Amd, a town in Syria near
Qmishl
an or; ~ na or not; anan eitheror
ancax so much
ann v.t. (pres. ind. tnim, neg. naynim;
subj. bnim, neg. subj. neynim) to
bring
anzaz f cleverness
Anteqye f Antakya, Antioch
anuha = niha
ap, apo m paternal uncle
aqil1 m mind, intelligence
aqil2 intelligent
aqbet f end
ard m fuel
ar (dial. var.) = al2
armanc f aim, goal
arm m a sheaf of grain
armxan m gift
arnawid Albanian
arv f archive
art f army
ark m ceiling
arxayn confident
as rugged, steep; ~geh f fortification
as kirin v.t. to catch
aswar untimely
asiman, asman m heaven; ~ heavenly
asmlasiyon f assimilation
asmle assimilated
aso f horizon
asteng m difficult road, rough terrain,
obstacle
asin m (dial. var.) = hesin
aiq in love; ~ bn to be in love
with
ait f peace, truce; ease, comfort
a = ait
atif emotional
av f water; ~ hewa f climate

ava1 built up, prosperous, developed; ~

kirin v.t. to develop; ~ker m developer, founder
ava2 n v.i. to set (of the sun)
avah f building, edifice
avay = avah
avday tempered (steel)
avj- avtin
av f balm
avtin avj- v.t. to throw, throw away,
throw out; lay (foundation); ~a ji text
de dethronement; dest ~ to touch
s.th.
awa f manner, means; bi ~yek somehow; bi w ~y by this means; bi
hem ~y by all/any means
awaz m voice, sound, singing
awir f glance, backward look
awur (dial. var.) = awir
ax1 sigh, ouch; ~ avtin v.t. to say ouch
ax2 f land, earth, dirt; ~a welat homeland; ~a Sriy the land of Syria
axa m (obl ax) agha, feudal lord, master
axaftin axiv- v.i. to speak
axar ???
axil corral
axiftin (dial. var.) = axaftin
axiret f the other world: mirov axiret
an other-worldly person
axn v.i. to cry, to cry out
axpne f patch of ground, field
AY = Ameriqay Yekby USA
azad free; ~ kirin v.t. to set free; ~ f
liberty
azar f anguish; ~ dan v.t. to torment,
vex
azman m sky
b- birin, bn
ba1 m (obl b) wind
ba2 m turn
ba3 (prep.) with, in front of, in the presence of; li ~ with, chez

197

KURMANJI KURDISH
4

ba m rheumatism; ~w rheumatic
babet f regard: di v babet de in this
regard
babo daddy
ba-dan v.t. to turn, twist, wring
baday turned, twisted
bager f snowstorm
bahar = bihar
bahlif f pillow
bajar m (obl bajr) city; ~ m merchant,
citified; ~van citizen, city dweller;
~van urban: jiyana bajarvaniy urban life
Baku f Baku
bakurofe f gust of wind
bakr m north
bal1 f wing, arm
bal2 f attention, mind, thought; ~ kiandin to attract the attention: wneyn
min bala rojname hunermendan
kiandin my pictures attracted the
attention of newspapers and artists;
~dar attentive, discerning; ~drj patient, careful; ~fireh patient, calm;
~k attractive, interesting
balaxane f balcony
balefir m airplane; ~geh airport
balg m pillow
balf = bahlf
ban m roof
ban ban kirin v.t. to shout, to yell
bandev f summit
bandor f influence
bang f call, cry; ~ dan v.t. to give out a
cry, to herald; ~ kirin v.t. to shout
banz = baz
bar m load; ~ bn to be loaded; to bear
up: avn wan bar nebb they
hadnt been able to bear the sight; ~
kirin v.t. to load up, move (household); ~k m porter
baran f rain; ~din v.t. to rain down
bare: di ~ya de (prep.) about, concerning

bark slender, thin

barn/~iyan v.i. to rain down
bask m arm, wing: bask ep partiya
sosyal-demokrat the leftist wing of
the Social-Democrat Party; ~n xwe
li hev xistin to flap ones wings
ba good; ~ kirin v.t. to improve;
~kirin f improvement
baok(e) falcon
bar m south
bav m (voc. bavo) father; ~t f fatherhood, paternality
bawer believing: ez ~ im ku I believe
that ; ~ kirin v.t. to believe: gelek
kes bawer dikin ku many people believe that; ~ f belief, trust; ~mend
m believer
baw1 m father
baw2 ba4
bawk f yawn
baxe m garden, yard
baz jump, leap; ~ dan v.t. to dance; to
run away in fear, to flee in haste
bazar f market; ~a re black market
beden m body
bedew beautiful, splendid
bedym ill-omened
befr f (dial. var.) = berf
behr f sea
behs f discussion; ~kirin v.t. to discuss
bejin f height, stature; ~bilind tall; ~
bala tall stature
bel straight; ~ kirin v.t. to straighten,
prick up (ears, &c.)
bela f catastrophe
bela for free, gratis
belav widespread, scattered; ~ bn v.i.
to be scattered; ~ kirin v.t. to spread,
broadcast, disseminate; ~ok f publication
belay nav bn v.i. to spread out
through
belediye f municipality
belek speckled, spotted

198

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
belek f water spring
belengaz poor, destitute; ~ f poverty,
destitution
bl yes
belg m leaf
belgih m suit, clothing; ~ girtin v.t. to
garb oneself
belk maybe, perhaps
ben = bend
bend f bond; li ~a for the sake of,
chained to, waiting for: div em d li
benda sibeh ranewestin we shouldnt stand around waiting for tomorrow; ~ kirin v.t. to fetter, arrest; man
di ~a to wait for
benderuh creature
bendewar bn bi to love, be in love
with
benzn f gasoline
beq m frog
ber1 m breast, fore; ber-dan see alphabetically; ~ bi hev hatin v.i. to cooperate; ~ (ve) (adv.) before; ~ ku
(conj.) before; ji ~ kirin v.t. to memorize; ji ~ jmartin v.t. to reel off from
memory; ji ~ ku because (conj.); ji ~
ve (ccmp.) before; ji ~ zann v.t.
to memorize; li ~ (prep.) before, on
account of; li ~ (+ inf.) on the verge
of: ew hviya ku li ber gebn b
ilmis that hope, which was on the
verge of blossoming, withered;
wek(e) ~ as before
ber2 m yield, fruit; ~ wergirtin ji to derive a yield from
beramber equal, equivalent; ~ f equality; ~ kirin v.t. to compare to: w
ew beramber Anton exov dikir he
used to compare him to Anton Chekhov
beran m ram
ber-ann (ber-n) v.t. to imagine
berate f carcass
berban m ceiling

berber f comparison
berbj f prediction
berbiav conspicuous
berbihevhatin f cooperation
berbn f imaginary image, vision
bercnk ???
berav visible, clear, before the eyes; ~
anin v.t. to pay attention
ber-dan v.t. to release, let go; to put on
(clothes); to close, stop, give up: dev
~ ji to close the mouth to, stop, give
up; ~ ser to direct toward; tiving ~ to
fire a rifle at: xulam w ew da ber
tifing his servant fired the rifle at
him; xwe ~ ser to turn oneself toward, direct oneself to
berdest servant
berdewam continual(ly), constant(ly); ~
kirin v.t. to continue
berdl f equivalent; ji ~a instead of
berdlk = berdl; bi ~ equivalent in
value
berebere more and more, ever more;
gradually, little by little
bereket m blessing; bi ~ luckily
berev = berhev
berf f snow
berferih spacious; ~ kirin v.t. to open,
initiate
bergeh f view, vista
berhem m product, literary work; ~bar
productive
berhev gathered, collected; ~ kirin v.t.
to prepare, gather; xwe ~ kirin v.t. to
pull oneself together
berhevok f collection
berik f bullet
beriqn v.i. to glisten
berizn bi v.i. to fight with, do battle
with
ber f pocket
berde perplexed, lost
berk f pocket
ber-ketin v.i. to feel sad

199

KURMANJI KURDISH
bermil f load
bername f program
bero f pot, pan
berovaj to the contrary
berp kirin v.t. to suggest, to propose
berpirsiyar responsible; m manager; ~
f responsibility, management
berq f lightning
bersv f answer, reply; ~ dan bi to reply
to, answer; ~a dan to satisfy the
needs of; ~andin v.t. to respond,
reply
berten f trousers
bervaj f opposite side; ji ~y contrariwise, conversely
berv prep. toward
berwar m slope
berx lamb
berxwedan f resistance
bes much, many a; enough
best f plain
best m joy, glee, relish
be m part; ~dar participant; ~dar bn
v.i. to take part, participate
beavend f rhyme
beer f flesh
betal f unemployment, uselessness,
idleness
bexe = baxe
Bexda f Baghdad
bext m luck; ~iyar fortunate, happy;
~iyar f good fortune, happiness; b~
unfortunate
beybn f camomile
bez1 f speed: bi lez ~ quickly, with all
speed; bay ~ the racing wind; ~n
bez- v.i. to run
bez2 m kind, sort
beza fast-running, galloping
bezir lost
b1 ba
b-2 (prefix) without; see compounds alphabetically
baqil stupid

bbawer disbelieving, unsure; ~ f disbelief

bbest uncontrollable
bbext unlucky, unfortunate; ~ f unluckiness, misfortune
bare helpless, poor; ~t f helplessness
bine useless
biqas inordinately
bdar treeless, barren
bdeng silent; ~ f silence, obscurity
bdil halfhearted, unwilling
bfed lack of embarrassment
bgav impossible, helpless
bgot skinny
bguman doubtless(ly)
bhamd reluctantly, unwillingly
bhawe unparalleled, extraordinary
bhay unconscious, unaware; dinyay ~
the subconscious world
bhejiyan livat without movement or
motion
bhejmar innumerable
bhempa unparalleled, peerless
bhv without hope, in despair; ~ kirin
v.t. to make s.o. despair
bhz f weakness, debility
bhiiyar without feeling, numb
bhn1 f breath; ~a min teng b I was
bored; ~a xwe teng kirin to bore oneself, let oneself get bored; ~a
ikandin v.t. to suffocate; ~teng f
boredom
bhn2 f smell, odor; ~ berdan to leave
an odor behind; ~ dan to give off an
odor; ketin ser ~ to pick up a scent;
~ikn dry-smelling
bhteng = bhnteng
b prep. without; ~ ku (conj., + subj.)
without: ro j b ku mirov tu zehmetiyan bikine, mirov bi hsan ji wan
t digih even today one easily understands them without going to any
trouble
bmkan f impossibility

200

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
bj- gotin
bje f word: ~ bi ~ word by word; ~r
speaker
bjing f sieve
bkar unemployed; ~ f unemployment
bkes lonely, alone, unprotected
b li prep. without
bmane fearful, dreadful
bmecal f lack of opportunity
bminet relentless(ly)
bnamus dishonorable
bnav nameless, unnamed
bnavbir incessant
bnihtin v.i. to freeze
bnan spotless
bpar deprived
bpejn f tranquility
bpvan immeasurable
br. See xr.
br f longing; ~ kirin v.t. to long for,
miss
brik = brk
brk f pocket; wek hundir brika
al xwe nasn to know something
like the back of ones hand
Brd f Beirut
bsedem without reason, unprovoked
b serbin endless
berm shameless; ~ f shamelessness
bik doubtless
btar storm
btaw impatient, restless
btir more
btn powerless, weak
bvil, bvl f nose, nostril
bxan homeless
b xay limitless
bxeber unaware (ji of); ji her der ~
totally oblivious
bxew sleepless, suffering from insomnia; ~ f sleeplessness, lack of sleep
bxudan = bxwed
bxweda godless, damned
bxwed godless, ownerless, orphaned,

poor, lonely
by = b
bzar f nuisance, headache
bzaro childless
bi- subjunctive prefix
bi re (ccmp.; bi + w/w > p) by,
with, upon: bi tirn re by train; bi min
re with me; bi bihstina deng re upon
hearing the sound
bi ve (ccmp.; bi + w/w > p)
through, up to: ji w roj p ve from
that day to this
bi- subjunctive verbal prefix
biaqil intelligent, smart; ~ f intelligence
bik little; ~an f childhood, youth
bidardakirin dar
biha bn v.i. to be valuable
bihar f spring, springtime; ~ pertaining
to spring
bihin = bhn; bi ~ with odor, with fragrance; ~dar fragrant
bihimet magnificent
bihit f paradise; ~n paradisiacal, heavenly
bihstin bihs-/bihz- v.t. to hear, listen
bihn = bhn1
bihorn v.i. to pass
bihostin v.t. ???
bihuk insect
bihurandn bihurn- v.t. to spend
(time): ew zaroktiya xwe li Kurdistana Bakr bihurandiye he spent his
childhood in North Kurdistan
bihurtin bihur- v.i. to pass, be spent
bihut f span. See also bihit.
bihr- = bihurbijarte choice, select
bijartin bijr- v.t. to choose
bijiqandin v.t. to tear to shreds
bijjk m physician
bijn lively
bijv f sustenance
bikarann kar
bikr useful

201

KURMANJI KURDISH
bla (+ subj.) let: i dibe bila bibe whatever happens, let it happen
bilbil nightingale
bilez quick, hasty
bilind high; ~ kirin v.t. to raise, to
elevate; ~cih m height, high place
biliyan v.i. to arise (sound)
bil other than, aside from; ~ ji ditto
bilr f shepherds pipe, flute
bin m bottom; di ~ under; ~dest underling, oppressed; ~geh m foundation,
basis; ~geh avetin to lay the
foundation of ; ~gehn basic; ~xet f
south of the Turkish border, i.e. Syria
and Iraq
binr luminous
bipdexistin f advancement, improvement
biqedr worthwhile, valuable
bir m part
bira1 m (obl. pl biran) brother
bira2 = bila
bira3 really
birc f tower
bir hungry; ~n f hunger; ~t f hunger
birvebir m leader
birh m eyebrow
birin b- v.t. to carry, take; ~ jr to
bring/take down/away; ~ jor to bring/
take up
birisqn v.i. to sparkle, shimmer
birn1 f wound; ~ kirin v.t. to wound;
~dar m wounded
birn2 = birrn
birrn v.t. to cut, to cross: w snor birr
he crossed the border
birs hungry
birsn f hunger
birsk f lightning; ~e f telegram
biryar f decision; ~ dan v.t. to decide
biserketin f success
bikul m goat and sheep droppings
biv m buzz
biv nev willy-nilly, like it or not

bivir m ax
biwa (alternative past conditional of
bn) = bya
bixrhatin dan v.t. to welcome
bixwe by oneself, personally
biyan m foreign(er), stranger, alien;
~stan f any foreign place, foreign
parts; ~t f strangeness, alienation:
jiyana biyantiy life of alienation
bizin f goat
bizir m seed
bizivn v.i. to budge
bhin = bhn
bn = bhn
bn- dtin, ann
bna (dial. var.) = mna
bnah f sight
bnan prep. like
bnber m sight
br1 f memory; bi ~ ann v.t. to remember: ba bne bra xwe ku remember
well that; ~a birin to take into
consideration; ~ hatin v.i. to remember: t bra min I remember; ji ~(a)
kirin v.t. to forget; ~ann f memory,
reminiscence
br2 f well
bran f memory
bst1 twenty; ~sal twenty-year-old
bst2 f moment, a short period of time:
bstek nebor it didnt take long before
bstin bs- v.t. to hear
beng f weeping willow
bz- = bihz bihstin
bzbz matted
bo (prep.) for; (conj.) so that, in order
that
bo f tail
boik f tail
bombe f bomb; ~yn destan hand
grenades
bona prep. for: ~ v yek for this reason
borandin v.t. to spend (time), make

202

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
(time) pass
bor f pipe
born v.i. to last, pass (time): end meh
naborin not many months passed
(n.p.); v.t. to excuse: min bibore excuse me
bostan m garden
bo wide, widespread, abundant
boxe f bundle
brat roasted
brsk = birsk
buhar = bihar
buhirn v.t. to take away, clear off
buhurandin buhurn- v.t. to spend
(time); ~n v.i. to pass, pass away
buhurtin buhur- v.i. to pass, pass
away, go out
buhur last, past: sala ~ last year
bulbul nightingale
bk f bride, daughter-in-law; ~an f
wedding
bn b- v.i. to be, become
bs f ambush
byer f incident, event
bz ice
BZ = ber zayn B.C.
ca (used with imperatives): ~ were come
on!; ca bifikire ku just think what it
would be like if
cam f glass
camr courageous, gallant, gentlemanly
cass m spy
car f time; ~ ~an often, many times;
~din again, once again; ~inan from
time to time; ~k = carek once; ~na
sometimes
cax protective fencing
cazbedar interesting
cebhe f front (mil.)
ceger f liver (poetic); ~ rn darling,
beloved
cejin f celebration, festival
celeb m sort, kind: du celeb kes hene:

yn ba yn neba there are two

kinds of people, good and evil
celx m/f slit, crack
cem m group; side; a large basket; li ~
beside, with: li cem wan beside them,
with them
cendek m body, corpse
ceng f battle
cerg f liver
ceribandin v.t. to try, test
cewr m pup; ~ik m puppy
ceza f fine, penalty; ~ wergirtin v.t. to
receive a penalty, to be fined
cid serious
cigar(e) f cigarette
cih m place; pl bed; ~ bi ~ from place to
place; ~ girtin v.t. to take place; ~
kirin v.t. to put, place; ~ li xwe xwe
kirin v.t. to make oneself comfortable; ~ girtin v.t. to take the place
of; ~ local; ~ ~ various, sundry;
~gir occupant; bi ~ ann to bring
about, bring to fruition; bi ~ bn li to
settle in, take up residence in; di nav
~an de in bed
cihan f the world
cil m clothing; ~ berg (pl) clothes
cin djinn, demon; ~anlxist possessed
by demons
cinewir monster
cirecir f talk, chit-chat
civandin civn- v.t. to move, set in
motion
civak society; community; ~ social,
societal; ~nas sociologist; ~nas f
sociology
civat f society, group
civn v.i. to move; ~n f movement
ciwan young, beautiful; ~t f youth
cixar(e) (dial. var.) = cigar
cixiz kirin v.t. to mark, to leave marks
in
c = cih
chan f world

203

KURMANJI KURDISH
chlkirin f surveillance
cran neighbor
cograf geographical
col m pack (of wolves, &c.)
core core various
co enthusiasm, excited
cot1 m pair
cot2 m plow; ~kr f agriculture
cube m robe
cumhriyet f republic
cunta f junta
cure cure (dial. var.) = core core
curet kirin v.t. to dare
cda separate; ~ kirin v.t. to separate
cm bn v.i. to be obscured
- n
ak good
akt m jacket
alak active; ~ f activity
and f culture; ~ cultural
andin n- v.t. to plant
ap f printing; ~ kirin v.t. to print,
publish; ~eman f printed matter, the
press; ne~kir unpublished; ~xane f
printshop
ar four
arove f framework
are f remedy; b~ helpless, poor; ~ns
f remedy; bi ~nsa ve in the interests of; ~ser f solution; ~ser kirin
v.t. to solve, resolve
armerg cross-legged
aref, arev f sheet, womans covering; ~ kiandin v.t. to put a sheet
(on a bed); ~ li xwe kirin v.t. to put
on a veil, cover oneself
av m eye; ~ girtin v.t. to close the eyes;
~ern f expectation; ~n xistin
v.t. to attract the attention of; bi ~ek
neba nrn to have a low opinion of;
~ f eye ailment; ~kan f source,
wellspring; ~in blue-eyed
avnihr bn v.i. to expect, to look

expectantly
awa(n) how?: awan bibe bila bibe be
that as it may; ~ heba somehow or
other; ~ ku as; awah f quality
ax f time: w ax at that time
ay f tea; ~dan f teapot; ~xane f teahouse
e =
ef = kef
ek f weapon; ~dar armed
eleng cute, attractive, good-looking
em m river
en f armpit
end (following word construed as pl.)
how many?; several: di end cihan de
in several places; end hevaln min
several of my friends; ~ik end (+
sing.) several: endik end roj e
its been several days since; ~ odd: bi pncih end saln xwe ve in
his fifty-odd years; ~ for a while
eng f claw; ~ li de cih kirin v.t. to
sink the claw into
engel m hook
eng kirin v.t. to throw, hurl
ente m suitcase
ep left; wrong: ew min ep fahm dike
he misunderstands me
eper f shield, barricade
epik xistin li v.t. to applaud for
er what?
er ku (conj.) as soon as
er m peddler
erkez Circassian
erm m skin, leather; ~n leathern
erx f wheel
etel m fork, forked
ewsandin v.t. to exploit
ewt crooked, awry, wrong
right, okay; ~-bn v.i. to be born; to
be right: nabe tu wisa bik its not
right for you to act thus; dibe ku ez
biim? is it okay for me to go?; ~kirin v.t. to give birth to, to make, fix,

204

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
repair, keep: w dikine bin zindan they keep him in the dungeon,
min di ser xwe e plana ku dikir
I was making a plan in my head to
lik the young of any animal, puppy,
kitten, cub, etc.
l f subject, topic; ~ kirin v.t. to talk
about
re f grazing, pasturage
rn v.i. to graze
tir better
i1 what?; ~ bigire practically speaking,
pretty much
i2 no; ~ tit nothing
iek = ek
iftexas m cotton batiste
ik exhausted; ~ bn v.i. to become exhausted, to sink down (into snow)
ikandin v.t. to drip; to plant (tree); to
push s.th. in as far as it will go
ikn v.t. to plant; to crackle; to dry up
(mothers milk): r ber w ik her
breast milk dried up
iko, iku because
il1 forty
il2 greedy
il3 only in il iya hills and mountains
ile f the coldest period of winter; ~ya
pan January; ~ya pn December
ilmisandin v.t. to make wither
ilmsn v.i. to wither
ilviln = ilwiln
ilwiln v.i. to gleam
ima why?
imk because
iqas how much
iqiq kirin v.t. to rip to shreds
ir, ira why?
ira f lamp, stove
irandin irn- v.t. to tear, tear up
irav f muck
ire why
iriya pa/pan f November

iriya p/pn f October

irisn = irsn
irsn v.i. to sparkle, shine, glow
irsk f spark
iv trick, game; ~ dan xwe v.t. to zigzag
ivanok f a formula used in storytelling
ivik, ivk bird, sparrow
iwal m sack
iya m mountain; ~y mountaineer, hillbilly
ek f flower
l bright
men m grassy meadow
p f calf (of the leg)
rn v.i. to creak
rok f story; ~van storyteller
ya = iya
zzik f buzz
o m stick
og = ok2
ok1 m stream
ok2 f knee
ol f desert, wilderness
ong = ok2
ik f bird
k f bird
n - (subj. stem -/her-) v.i. to go
r a type of sheep
yn v.i. to go
da1 a dialectal variant of de1
da2 a preverb that forms compounds,
generally indicating down
da-ann v.t. to set down, establish: Mam
Red satil dan li dora xwe mze
kir Uncle Rashid set the bucket down
and looked around himself; ~ li xwe
(+ subj.) to lower oneself, deign,
bring oneself to do s.th.: gelek ji wan
j li xwe danaynin bi v ziman xwe
rn bipeyivin many of them cant
even bring themselves to speak this
nice, sweet language
da-avtin v.t. to put together, throw

205

KURMANJI KURDISH
together
da-ikandin v.t. to set up, plant (tree,
flag, &c.)
dad f justice; ~geh f court; ~gr m judge
da-dan v.t. to place, put in, install; to
light (fire)
da-gerandin v.t. to turn, send back
dagirker m occupier
da-girtin v.t. to occupy, take over, to
take down; guhn xwe ~ v.t. to prick
up ones ears
dagirt well-built
dagr kirin v.t. to occupy
dahl f grove
dahn m season, period of time
da-hrandin v.t. to research, investigate
dare f office
da-ketin v.i. to fall down, come down,
swoop down, subside; to be lowered
(gaze); ~ bi to take up, involve oneself with
da ku (+ subj.) in order that
da-kutan v.t. to shake
da-liqandin v.t. to string up, hang
da-liqiyan v.i. to hang, dangle
da-mezran v.i. to be set up, established;
~din da-mezrn- v.t. to set up, establish
dan1 = dahn
dan2 d- v.t. to give
da-nan da-n- v.t. to lay, put down
da-nitin da-ni- v.i. to sit down, alight
dann = da-ann
danstendin f transaction, exchange;
relation
da-qurtandin qurtn- v.t. to swallow
dar f tree, stick, gallows; bi ~ ve kirin
v.t. to hang; bi ~ da-kirin v.t. to
hang; ~istan f forest
dar m wood
darbe f blow; ~ xwarin v.t. to suffer a
blow
darik m stick
darn wooden

davtin = da-avtin
dawe f legal case
dawet f festive occasion
daw f end; ~ ann v.t. to put an end to;
~ hatin v.i. to end, come to an end;
~n (adj) last, final
dax f brand; sorrow
da-xistin v.t. to take down: polsan
tabeleya me daxist the police took
down our sign
daxwaz f request; ~ kirin v.t. to request,
beseech; ~ f desire
dayik m mother; ji ~ bn v.i. to be
born; ~t f motherhood, maternity
dayin = dan
dayn = dan
de1 postposition forms the second part
of a number of circumpositions, generally indicating stationary position in
or at; see the prepositional element
de2 (precedes an imperative): de were
come on!
defter f register, roll, notebook
deh ten
dehl f valley; orchard
dehol f drum
dek f trick
delal dear, beloved
delve f opportunity, occasion
dem1 f time, season; ~a ku (conj.)
when; ~dirj long-term; ~kurt shortterm; ~ dewran f olden times
dem2 steeped; ~ girtin to steep (of tea)
demane f pistol
deng m voice, sound, noise; ~bj m
singer
dengiz sea
depdepe wooden
deq1 f part, region, place: di v deq de
in this place
deq2 m tattoo; ~ bi ~ exactly alike
deqe = deqqe
deqqe f minute
der1 f place; ~ek() somewhere; ev ~

206

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
here; li v ~ here; li ku ~ where?
der2 outside; ~eke foreign: welatn
dereke foreign countries
der3 f door
der-ann v.t. to take out
derb f blow
derbas passing, passsage; ~ bn v.i. to
pass, to pass by (ji); ~ kirin v.t. to
spend (time); ~ hundur bn to enter
derbaz = derbas
derbeder bn v.i. to be driven from
pillar to post
der-bn di to burst out on
derd m pain, trouble: her yek derdek
wan heb everyone had some trouble
derece f degree: di i derecey de to
what degree?
dereng late, long time; ~ man v.i. to lag
behind, be late
derewn lying, false
derxistin = derxistin
derfend f opportunity
derheq: di ~() de about, concerning
deriya = derya
deriz cracked
der1 m door; ~y xwe girtin li ber to
close ones door to; li ~ dan v.t. to
knock at a door; ~ girtin v.t. to shut a
door; ~ li ser xwe girtin to shut oneself up
der2 (prep) outside of
der-ketin v.i. to go in/out, to turn out to
be; ~ li dij v.i. to oppose; ji gra
~ to fail to catch
derman m (obl dermn) remedy, treatment, medicine; ~geh pharmacy; ~
kirin v.t. to treat
derp m underpants; longjohns
ders f lesson; ~ dan v.t. to give lessons
der dor environs; ~a (prep.) around
derve outside; ~kar external: wezr
dervekar minister of foreign affairs;
~y (prep.) outside of: dervey welt
outside of the country; (adj.) foreign;

ji ~ from outside
der-xistin v.t. to bring out (publication),
to issue (an order), to cast out; ji hev
~ to to tell apart, to discern
der-xwendin -xwn- v.t. to take to task
derya f sea; ~ya Sip the Mediterranean
Sea
derz f crack, split; see also jin
derz
dest1 m hand; ~ bi ~ continuously; ~
bn ji to lose, to be left without:
destn me ji te bne we have been left
without you; ~ dan hevdu v.t. to join
hands; ~ kan ji v.t. to let go of; ~
kirin bi (+ inf.) v.t. to start; ~ xwe
kiandin ji to give up, abandon; bi ~
xistin to attain, obtain; di ~n for
to do: di destn min de bi ten
razan mab the only thing I could do
was go to sleep; ji ~ kirin v.t. to lose;
ji bin dest by, by means of ;
xwe avtin ~ lingn kesek to
throw oneself at someones feet, to
beg; xwe dan ~ to let oneself be captured
dest2 f group, set
destan f story
destbirak m blood brother
deste f group, set
destenan loaf of bread
destik m oar
destmal f handkerchief
destpk f beginning
destteng poor
destr f order, command; ~a ziman
grammar
destvala empty-handed
destve-nan v.t. to catch
det f plain
dev m mouth; entrance; ~ berdan ji to
leave, to give up, to stop: te dev ji
kana cixar berdaye? have you
stopped smoking cigarettes?; dev ji
min berde, ez bxew im leave me

207

KURMANJI KURDISH
aloneIm sleepy; ~ di da c
kirin to bite down on; (li) ~ () dora
prep. all around
devendet f brush, brambles
dever face down
dev f bush
devken f smile
devk oral: edebiyata devk oral literature
devojen hev bn li ser to squabble
with each other over
devok f accent
dewam kirin v.t. to continue
dewar m domestic animal, cattle
dewir = dewr; f circle; ~ dan v.t. to
circle
dewlemend rich, wealthy
dewlet f state: ~a Frensay the state of
France
dewr f age, time, epoch; role; ~ leyistin
to play a role; ~an f age, time
dews f place, spot, trace
dexisn v.i. to be jealous (ji of)
deyn m debt; ~ dan to pay a debt; ~dar
indebted; ~ indebted to
d1 f (const diya) mother
d2 future auxiliary + subj. for future
tense
d3 3rd-person sing. present indicative
of hatin
dl1 f tail
dl2 f female animal; ~egur f female
wolf; ~ik f female wolf or dog, bitch
drn ancient, of long standing
dv1 m demon
dv2 = dev
dw = dv1
di de ccmp. in: di saln 70 de in the
70s; di destn min de in my hands
di re ccmp. by, via, upon: bi bihstina deng re upon hearing the noise;
av di tifingn wan re dihate xwar
water ran down their rifles
di ve ccmp. through

d- habitual and progressive verbal

prefix
dia = dua
di bareya de ccmp. about, concerning
dibistan f school: dibistana destpk elementary school
Dicle f the Tigris River
didan m tooth
didu two; ~yan second
difin nostril
digel with; ~ ku although
dihan = dian (see ann)
dij, li (prep.) against
dijmin m enemy; ~at f enmity
dijn kirin v.t. to curse
dijwar difficult; ~ f difficulty
dikan f shop
dike nake no matter what s/he did
dil m heart; hope: min dil heye (+ subj.)
I hope to; ~ girtin bi to be offended
by: bi yna min ya hotl dil xwe
girtin they were offended by my
going to a hotel; ~ ewitn bi to feel
sorry for: dil midr bi v xort
eleng evndar xwendin diewite
the principal feels sorry for this attractive young man so avid to study;
~ f heartache; ~germ warm, hearty,
kind; ~ge happy; ~nexwe sorry,
upset, ill at ease; ~pak pure of heart;
~qayim confident; ~qayim f confidence; ~soz sympathetic; ~a happy,
glad; ~ewat heart-rending; ~ikest f
disappointment; ~ikest kirin v.t. to
disappoint, to dishearten; ~teng f
sadness, loneliness; ~xwaz fond of;
b ~ against the wishes of; ne bi ~
min b it did not appeal to me
dilr intrepid
dilnya assured, confident
dilop m drop
dilovan kind, affectionate, dear; ~ f
affection; death (euphemism): ber

208

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
dilovaniya nivskar dilovan bi salek
a year before the dear writer passed
away
diltezn ???
din other
di nav de ccmp. in the midst of: di
nav w erd de in the midst of that
land
din = dinyay (see dinya)
dinya f (obl. dinyay, din) the world,
the weather: dinya pirr sar b the
weather was very cold; bi ~y hatin
v.i. to be born; ~dt worldly, sophisticated
diran (dial. var.) = didan
dirb track, path
dirj long, lengthy; ~ ajotin to last a
long time; ~ kirin to lengthen; ~ f
length; ~ kirin to hand to ;
dest ~ kirin to stretch the hand out
to
diriyan v.i. to be ripped
divab, diviyab (impersonal + pres.
subj.) had to: diviyab ku titek bikin
they had to do something; (impersonal + past cond.) ought to have , was
supposed to have , would have to
: diviyab Sovyet ji ran derketa
the Soviet ought to (was supposed to)
have withdrawn from Iran, divab ku
ew kzik bihata kutin that bug would
have to be killed
div (impersonal + pres. subj.) ought to
dixan f smoke
diyar clear; ~ f clarity
diyar f gift
Diyarbekir f Diyarbekir
diz m thief
diz secret, concealed; bi ~ secretly,
stealthily; ~t f secret
d other; y ~ the other one
dl m prisoner; ~ girtin v.t. to take prisoner; ~ f imprisonment
dlan f dance, dancing

dmen f view, sight, aspect

dn1 m religion; ~it f religiosity; ~,
~dar religious; ~perwer religious
dn2 crazy, mad; ~ bn li ser to go crazy
over; ~ kirin to drive s.o. crazy; ~ik
slightly crazy, screw loose; ~it f
madness
dn3 f gaze, attention
drok f story, history; ~ historical
dsa(n) again, (+ neg) stillnot
dtin bn- v.t. to see
dwan f reception room; collected works
of a poet; ~e f (obl ~) small reception room
dwar f (obl dwr) wall
dz knee
dzik f pan
do = d
dol valley
dom kirin v.t. to continue
doman v.i. to continue
domandin domn- v.t. to continue
dor1 f environs; li ~a (prep.) around;
~hl f environs, parts, region; ~a
girtin v.t. to surround
dor2 m turn; ~al f circumference
dorandor m circumference; li ~ (prep.)
all around
dost friend; ~ane friendly; ~ayet f
friendship
do- dotin
doab m/f grape molasses ???
doeg f mattress
doik = doeg
dot f daughter; ~mam f cousin
dotin do- v.t. to milk
doz f cause, reason; aim, ideal; revenge;
~a kirin to aim for; ~ger vengeful,
litigant
du two
dua f prayer; ~ kirin, ~ xwendin v.t. to
pray
ducar kirin v.t. to repeat
dudil hesitant, of two minds; ~ f hesita-

209

KURMANJI KURDISH
tion
duduyan (dial. var.) = diduyan
duh() yesterday
dunya = dinya
dur hypocritical; ~t f hypocrisy
duemb f Monday
duv = d
duwemn second: er dinyay y
duwemn World War II
duyem(n) second
d1 behind; ~dirj of long standing; ~re
then, afterwards; li ~ hev re one after
the other; li ~ xwe behind oneself; bi
~ ketin v.i. to pursue
d2 m smoke
dkel f smoke
dman f smoke
dpik f scorpion
dr far; ~ xistin v.t. to throw away, exile; bi ~ ketin to go/get away; ~ nzk
sooner or later; ~ah f remoteness,
distance; ~bn farsighted
dre d1
drebn f binoculars
dv m tail, end
dvre = dre
ebeden (+ neg.) never, not at all
ecem Persian
ecb strange; ~may dumbfounded, stupified
edebiyat f literature; ~van literateur
edeb literary
edilandin v.t. to ameliorate, make better
edb m litrateur
efend m westernized gentleman; ~t f
gentlemanliness
efraz up
ef f amnesty; ~ya git general amnesty
egal f headband
eger if
ekb f team

ekol f school
ekonomk economic
elbik f wooden bucket
elektrk f flashlight
elem pain
eleqedar kirin v.t. to concern
eleyh: di eleyh da ccmp. against;
~dar m supporter; ~dar kirin v.t. to
support
elman German; ~ German (language)
em (obl. me) we
emanet m deposit, anything held on
loan or for safekeeping
emir1 f order, command
emir2 m age
emperyalsm f imperialism
enanet traditional
endam m member
enerj f energy
en f forehead; front (mil.)
ensttu f institute
eql m mind, reason
erd f earth; li erd dan to throw to the
ground
erdim f region
erdhj f earthquake
ereb Arab; ~ Arabic
erebe f cart, carriage, any wheeled
vehicle
Erebistan f Arabia
er yea, yes
erk f responsibility
ermen Armenian
ermim silk
Ernewid Albanian
erz f hope; ~a ikandin v.t. to dash
s.o.s hopes
erzan cheap
erzihal f description, report, petition
Erzerom f Erzurum
esas m foundation, basis; ~ basic, essential, original
eser f work, monument: esereke edeb a
literary work

210

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
esil m origin; bi ~ xwe originally
esilzade aristocratic
esker m soldier; ~ f the military; (adj)
military
esman = azman
esmer olive complected
er f tribe; ~t tribal
ekere clear, obvious
ek tek tangled (hair)
ev (obl. masc. sing. v, obl. fem. sing.
v, obl. pl. van) he, she, it, they, this,
these
evn f love, affection; ~dar desirous, in
love: ew evndar xwendin b he
was desirous of studying
evqas so much
ew (obl. masc. sing. w, obl. fem. sing.
w, obl. pl. wan, pl. const. ewn) he,
she, it, they, that, those
ewd m revenge
ewel, ewel first
ewn pl. const. of ew; ~ din the others
ewir = ewr
ewle security, reliance, assurance; ~ bn
to be secure
ewr m cloud
ewraq (pl) papers
Ewrpa f Europe; ~y European
Ewrp European
ewt f bark; ~e ~ constant or repeated
barking; ~n v.i. to bark
eyn the same: di eyn sal de in the
same year
ey O (vocative)
Eyndwer Ayn Dwr, a small place in
Syria south of Cizre
Eyb Job; ~ Job-like
eywan f salon, sitting room
ez (obl. min) I
ezben sir (mode of polite address)
ezman m sky, heaven
ezz dear
Ezrayl Azrael, the angel of death

1 = y
2 future auxiliary + subj. for future
tense
d now; still, yet
gir agir
h: gewro h beravara nedihat
Whitey didnt notice it
n = yn
r = hri
f pain, ache; ~andin n- v.t. to hurt,
cause pain, trouble; ~iyan - v.i. to
hurt, suffer pain: ser av te nee
may your head and eye not suffer
pain, thank you
var f evening
xur m stable
zing m firewood
fahm (dial. var.) = fehim
fal f augury, omen, fate; ~ vekirin to
predict: ev fala ko herkes ji min re
vedikir, wusan derneket the prediction everyone was making for me did
not turn out like that
fam (dial. var.) = fehim
faqa under (prep.); ketin ~ to fall beneath
faris pl Persians; ~ f Persian (language)
fast fascist
fedakar, fedekar self-sacrificing, devoted; ~ f self-sacrifice
fed f embarrassment; ~ kirin to be embarrassed
fed-kirin v.t. to look, watch
fehim kirin v.t. to understand
felat f freedom, liberation
felsefe f philosophy;
felsef philosophical
fen f trick; bi ~ ftan by hook or by
crook
fener f lamp
feodal feudal
feqeh m theology student
feq Muslim cleric; ~t f the clerical pro-

211

KURMANJI KURDISH
fession
feqr poor; ~t f poverty
fer one, single item (of a pair)
ferheng f culture: wezareta ferheng
ministry of culture; dictionary
ferman f order, command; ~a derxistin v.t. to issue an order for
ferm formal
fermo please (said when offering s.th.)
ferq f difference: i ferqa me crann
me dimne? what difference is left between us and our neighbors?; ~iyet f
distinction
ferz kirin v.t. to assume
fetwa legal opinion
fex f trap; xistin fex to put in a trap
feyde f benefit, profit; bi ~ beneficial
fde f (const. fda) benefit: ji bo fda
xwe for ones one benefit, in ones
own interests
fhm = fehim
flbaz f cunning
fre bn v.i. to learn; frey bn to
learn s.th., to become accustomed to
s.th.
fr bn v.i. to learn: ew di demeke
kurt de fr tirk b he learned Turkish in a short time
fiht kirin v.t. to assess, to price
fikar(e) f worry
fikir f idea, thought; ~n v.i. to think,
contemplate
filitn ji v.i. to get rid of
filosof m philosopher
find f candle
fir- firn
firaq m dishes
firar kirin to escape, to flee
firavn f lunch, midday meal
firax (pl) dishes, pots and pans; ~ ustin
v.t. to wash the dishes
fireh open, wide, spacious; ~ kirin v.t.
to open; dil ~ kirin to gladden the
heart

firiyan v.i. to fly away

firn fir- v.i. to jump, fly: Msa ji kfan
difire Musa is jumping for joy
firte m angel
firk a rapid motion
firne f bakery
firotin fro- v.t. to sell
firq = ferq
firtone f storm, gale
fitil dan v.t. to twist and turn
fstan m dress
fort m boast
fransiz m/f French (person)
frens f French (language)
frensiz French (language)
fro- firotin
fursend f opportunity
frn v.i. to bubble, gurgle, boil
galegal f conversation
galon m gallon
gam ox
garan f herd of cattle
garis m millet; ~ misr corn
garsn f village square
gav1 f time; moment, instant; ~a (ku)
when (sub. conj.); ~ saet at all
times; di ~ da in an instant; li ~ de
at that moment
gav2 m step, pace; ~ kirin v.t. to step,
cross; ~ avetin to take steps: edebiyata kurd di van saln daw de
gavine ba avetiye Kurdish literature
has taken some good steps in these
recent years
gavan cowherd; ~t f herding
gazin = gazind
gazind m rebuke, complaint; ~ kirin v.t.
to rebuke, reproach; ~ok rebuking,
complaining
gaz1 m warrior
gaz2 f call, shout; ~ kirin v.t. to call,
speak to
geh when; geh geh sometimes

212

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
sometimes
-geh suffix of place
gehandin (dial. var.) = gihandin
gehtin (dial. var.) = gihtin
gel much, many, most; ~ejmar plural;
~ek() very, a lot, many: ~ek ji wan
many of them; ~r popular
gelemper general, public; bi ~ mostly,
generally
gel m mountain pass, canyon
gelo whether; interrogative particle, I
wonder if
gemar f filth
gem f ship
genim m wheat
ger if; ~i even if, although
gerandin gern- v.t. to turn, rotate; to
take for a walk; to produce
gerden f neck
gerden f necklace
gerdn universal
gerek necessary, should, must, ought to;
~ bn to be necessary
geremol f complexity, confusion
gerihan (dial. var.) = geriyan
geriyan v.i. to go around, roam around;
~ li (pey) to look for
germ warm, hot: ~a havn the heat of
summer; ~a, ~ay f warmth; ~ f
warmth
Germanya f Germany
ger dirty
ge red, blossoming, flaming, happy; ~
bn to blossom, flame up (fire), be
happy; ~ f happiness, flourishment
gevde f mange; bi ~ mangy
gevez crimson
gevizandin v.t. to make writhe; xwe ~ to
roll oneself around
gevizn v.i. to writhe
gewde m body; ~ xwe dan hev to curl
up; ~ xwe girtin to hug oneself
gewr light grey, whitish; ~o whitey
gewre large, big

gj dizzy, spinning; ~ bn v.i. to be

dizzy; ~ kirin v.t. to make dizzy,
make lightheaded: germa havn tu
gj kiriby the heat of summer had
made you dizzy
gr crooked, uneven
grik ant
grt lethargic
ghj- gihtin
giha = giya
gihan gih- v.i. to reach; ~din -gihnv.t. to deliver; xwe gihandine ser to
get oneself to
gihatin gehj- v.i. to reach, arrive; to
mature
gihtin gihj-/gj-/gihj-/ghj- v.i. to
reach, arrive
gihj- gihtin
gijgijn v.i. to be knit (brow)
gincir ???
gir m hill
gir m rancorous, grudging; ~-girtin v.t.
to have a grudge
gir- girtin
giramgr respectful
giram f respect
giran heavy, deep (voice); serious,
grave, plodding; ~ f gravity, weightiness; ~biha precious, expensive; ~
firotin v.t. to sell at a high price,
overcharge
girav f island
girc girc frozen solid
gir f knot, tumor; ~-dan v.t. to tie, to
connect: nav bajr li cem min bi
nav nan firn, ekir helaw hatib
girdan for me the word city was
connected to the words bakery
bread, sugar, and halvah; pita
xwe ~ dan bi to turn ones back on,
to be unmindful of
girk Greek
girik f conundrum; hillock
giriyan v.i. to weep

213

KURMANJI KURDISH
gir m weeping, crying
girn v.i. to weep; f weeping
girng important; ~ f importance
girs great; bi ~ greatly
girtin gir- v.t. to catch, seize
girtgeh f prison
girtxane f prison, place of detention
git general, public; totally
givatin giv- v.t. to press, squeeze
givegiv f gentle blowing of the wind
givn v.i. to roar (wind)
giya f grass, greenery
giyan m soul
gj- = gihjgr f grasp; xistin ~ helboq v.t. to ensnare
grodar f struggle
gr helboq f trap, entrapment
gya = giya
gol f lake: ~a Wan Lake Van
golik m calf
gopal m stick; ~ das sickle
gor1 f method, manner, way; li ~(a)
according to, in the opinion of
gor2 f grave; ~istan f cemetery
gor f sacrifice; ez bi ~ please
gorn f tomb
got m meat
gotar f article
gotin bj- v.t. to say: tu bj nebj no
matter what you say; f word: bi ~eke
din in other words; ji X re Y ~ to call
X Y: gelo mirov kane ji berhemn ku
bi zimann din tne nivsandin re
bibje berhemn kurd? I wonder if
can one call works that are written in
other languages Kurdish works?;
~xwe well-spoken
gotbj f talk, conversation
gov f barn
govend f Kurdish line dance; ~ girtin
v.t. to dance a line dance
goya youd think
gr- = gir- (girtin)

guik m/f ??? ear

guh m ear; ~ dan v.t. to listen; bi ~
girtin v.t. to grab by the ear; ~dar m
listener; ~dar kirin v.t. to listen; ber
guhan ketin v.i. to be heard
guhan m udder
guhar m/f pearl ??? earring???
guharn v.i. to change
guhartin guhr- v.t. to change
guhastin = guhaztin
guhaztin guhz- v.t. to transport, carry,
move; mala xwe ~ to move ones
home
guhdar m listener; ~ kirin v.t. to listen
guherandin guhern- v.t. to change
guhertin (dial. var.) = guhartin
guj fierce (storm)
gujn v.i. to howl
gul f flower
gulan f May
gule f bullet; ~baran kirin v.t. to fire,
open fire on
gulik f flower
gul m braid, tress
gulle = gule
gulte f clump
gund m village; ~ m/f villager; ~t f
rusticity
guneh m sin, fault; ~kar f crime, offense, fault; avtina ~n xwe expiation for ones sins
gungil thick, matted
gunin ??? a thick protective mat
against thorns, etc.
gupe gup kirin v.t. to pound (heart)
gur1 m wolf
gur2 strong, powerful; ~ kirin to fill
gurdar f attention; ~ kirin to pay rapt
attention
gurg = gur1
gur bald, scabby
gurn f clamor, noise
gurmn gurm- v.i. to make a loud noise
gurz m hank of hair

214

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
guvah f testimony
guvatin (dial. var.) = givatin
guveguv (dial. var.) = givegiv
ha = han
hakim m ruler, governor
hal m condition, state; ji ~ ketin to be
exhausted, worn out
halan f yell, shout
halhalk (dial. var.) = alal
han (in constr. w/ word it modifies) this
very, that very: w roja han on that
very day; ev tirsa han bi serphatiya
te girday b this very fear was connected to your experience
hatin y-/wer- (v.i., pres. ind. tm, neg.
naym, pres. subj. bm/werim) to
come; (+ inf.) passive
hat f future
havtin (dial. var.) = avtin
havn f summer
havtin (dial. var.) = avtin
hawrdor f surroundings, environment;
~n w those around him
hawurdor (dial. var.) = hawrdor
hay f feeling, awareness (ji of), attention: ~a min j tune b I had no
awareness of it; ~dar aware
hazir ready, present; ~ f preparation; ~
kirin to make preparations
heb1 m grain, bit; pill: ~ek aqil a grain
of sense; ~ek() a little, a bit, slightly
heb2 f a single thing, item, individual,
one
hebandin v.t. to love
hebe nebe one way or another
hebk = hebek (see heb)
hebn v.i. to exist: di ziman me de pir
gotinn kurd hene ku me nebihstine
there are many Kurdish words in our
language we havent heard; (with
subject + possessive) to have; heb
tuneb once upon a time
hechecik martin, swallow

hecm f attack, assault

he whatever, whoever
hedam sense ???
hedef f goal
heft seven; ~e f week: bi ~yek within a
week; ~ey weekly; ~ seventy
heger if
hej movement; li ~ liv we ketin v.i.
to toss and turn
hej = hez
hejandin v.t. to shake: w ser xwe hejand he shook his head; min dest w
hejand I shook his hand
hejar poor: ~n kurdan the poor Kurds
hejiyan v.i. to move, shake
hejk love, affection
hejn = hejiyan
hejmar f number, issue (of a journal)
hejmartin hejmr- v.t. to count, enumerate: dihatin hijmartin le ser her
deh tiliyn destan they could be
counted on all ten fingers of the hands
hejmr- hejmartin
hek m right; di ~ prep. concerning,
about
heke if
hel m protected place
helaw f halvah
helbest f poetry, verse: ~a serbest free
verse; ~kar m poet; ~van m poet
helbet of course
hel-bijartin v.t. to select, choose
hel-dirandin v.t. to tear apart
Heleb f Aleppo
heliyan v.i. to melt, disappear
heliz an herb
helk bhn breath
hel-pekandin li xew v.t. to rouse from
sleep
helqe f ring
hemhem bothand
hema thus
heman that very
hember equal; ~ f equality; li ~

215

KURMANJI KURDISH
towards, vis--vis, across from
hembz = hemz
hemd m will, volition; b ~ reluctantly,
involuntarily; hatin ser ~ xwe to
come to ones senses
hemdem contemporary
heme always
hemz, hembz f bosom, embrace; ~
kirin v.t. to embrace
hem = hem
hemman scarcely, barely
hem all, every; ~ya(n) all of them
hengam time: di ~ek de at one and the
same time, at once
heps f prison, imprisonment; ~xane f
prison
her every; ~ ~ always and ever; ~ku
-tir the more the more: deng ji
ezmn herku di btir dib the sound
from the sky kept getting louder; ~
ten at least: her ten end heftiyan
carek at least once every few weeks
her- n
herb f war department
herd valley ???
hereherey worldly strife, turmoil
herejor steep
her = er
herm f district, region
herf f letter of the alphabet
herikn v.i. to move, to flow
herimandin v.t. to ruin, make a mess of:
w jiyan li wan herimandiye it has
ruined their lives
her1 very, exceedingly, most (superlative prefix)
her2 f mud
hertim always; ~ usual
herweha thus, so also
herwiha (dial. var.) = herweha
hes f feeling, emotion; ~asiyet f sensitivity
hesibandin v.t. to count, take into consideration: ew xwe weke kurd nahesi-

bnin they dont count themselves as

Kurds
hesin m iron; ~gr m blacksmith; ~
made of iron; ~ker m blacksmith
hesiyan/hesn v.i. to feel; ~ bi to perceive, be aware of
hesp m horse
hesret f pining, longing, regret; li ~a
longing for
hest f feeling
heste f lighter
hestik m bone
hest m bone
he = n
hen green; ~ah f greenness
het eight; ~ eighty
heta even; (prep.) up to, until; ~ (ku)
(conj. + neg. subj.) until: heta ney
guhartin j d wiha bidome until it is
changed it will remain like that
hetan = heta
hev each other, together, co-, same; ba
~ hatin to get together, cooperate; bi
~du re together; bi ~ re with each
other, together; ji ~ ketin to fall apart;
li ~ together; li ser ~ altogether; ~
dan v.t. to collect, put together
heval m/f friend; ~bend m proponent;
~t f friendship
hevedudann v.t. to put together, to
compound
hevd each other
hevgirt assembled
hevr m dough
hevkar m/f co-worker; ~ f cooperation
hevok f sentence; ~saz syntax
hevpeyvn f conversation
hevraz (dial. var.) = efraz
hevrim m silk
hevwelat m/f compatriot
hew no more, not any more: hew dixwim
I cant eat any more
hewa f air, weather; ~ guhastin v.t. to
have a change of climate

216

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
hewale m air
hewandin -hewn- v.t. to give shelter to,
protect
hewcedar needy, in need; ~ f need,
necessity
hewe (dial. var.) = we
hewes f passion
hewg f throat
hewil f attempt; ~-dan v.t. to attempt
hewk = hewg
hewqas that much, so much
hewran m a type of cloak; ~yek re a
black cloak, a sign of mourning
hew f courtyard
hey continuously, (+ verb) to keep on
heya = heta for, up to, until: heya
demeke dirj for a long time; ~ ku
(conj.) while, as long as
heybet m fearfulness; ~girt fearful
heyecan m excitement
heyf f pity; ~a its too bad about ;
~a hatin bi to feel sorry for: heyfa
min bi te t I feel sorry for you
heyhat alas!
heyn v.i. to live
heyran amazing!, incredible!
heyt eight
heyt eighty
heyv f moon, month; ~a arde ev the
full moon
heyran i? what do you mean ?
heywan f animal
hez kirin ji v.t. to like, enjoy: min j hez
kir I liked it
hezar thousand
h still, yet
h furious, quick-tempered
hd hd little by little
hdka slowly, softly
hj still, (with comparative) even
hja valuable, worthy; ne ~ worthless
hk f egg
hl1 f side, direction
hl2 vigor, strength, power; bi ~ vigor-

ously, aloud
hl3 trace, track
hl- hitin
hlan v.t. to leave
hln f birds nest; ~ kirin v.t. to nest,
to settle in
hnik cool; ~ay f coolness
hre kirin v.t. to look
hri f attack; ~ kirin/ann/birdin v.t. to
make an attack: cendirme hri ser
mal dikin the gendarmes are attacking the house
hriker attacking
hrs f anger; ~ kirin v.t. to anger; ~
ketin v.i. to get angry
hsan easy; ~ kirin v.t. to facilitate,
make easy; ~ easy
hsir m tear
hsr captive, prisoner
hstir1 f mule
hstir2 = hsir
hn green (of plants), bluish (of animals); ~ay f greenery, verdure; ~ f
greenery
htir f camel
ht f thigh
hvar = var
hv f hope; ~dar hopeful; b~ hopeless; li ~ya bn to wait for, be in
expectation of ; (li) ~ya man to
lie in wait for
hwan f porch
hwir at rest, calm
hz f strength, power
hicm f attack
hijmartin hijmr- (dial. var.) = hejmartin
hikim m sovereignty, power; verdict,
judgment; hatine ser ~ to come to
power; ~ dayn to make a judgment
hilan kept, preserved
hil-ann (hil-n-) v.t. to take away; to
keep, preserve
hil-avtin v.t. to go, stick (li ra

217

KURMANJI KURDISH
through something)
hil-bijartin v.t. to choose
hil-dan v.t. to lift, raise
hil-dirandin (dial. var.) = hel-dirandin
hil-girtin v.t. to bear, endure; to shoulder (a responsibility, burden)
hil-ketin v.i. to come about by chance
hil-kan v.i. to climb up, out
hil-kutan v.t. to knock, rattle
hilmis poke; ~ dan bi to poke
hil-pekandin (dial. var.) = helpekandin
hil-qedimn v.i. to stand up
hil-andin li ser v.t. to bring down on
hil-weandin v.t. to break up, split
apart: pit hilweandina sstema Sovyet after the break-up of the Soviet
system
hil-wen v.i. to break up, split apart
himhim bothand
himber (dial. var.) = hember
himbz kirin v.t. to embrace
himz armful; ~ kirin = himbz kirin
hin some, a few, several: hin rpel a
few pages, several pages; hin ji wan a
few of them; ~n wan some of them;
~ekan ~ekan some others
hinarok cheek
hind1 = hin; hinde cara hindek every
once in a while
hind2 f measure, extent: ji ber hind j to
a certain extent; ~ik slight, few, little
bit; ~ikah f minority
hinda prep. until
hindav f direction; ~a da toward
hindir = hundur
hiner = huner
hing then, at that time; therefore, for
that reason
hingiv m honey
hing then, at that time
hingr f twilight
hir f wool
hiriyan v.i. to fall down, spill over or

out
hi m awareness, sense; ~ be be quiet!;
bi ~ intelligent, smart
hiin = hn
hik dry, solid, frozen; ~ bn v.i. to
freeze; ~ah f solidity, rigidity; ~asay
f dry, cold air
hitin hl- v.t. to let go, leave, allow;
Xwed te bihle may God preserve
you!
hiyar awake, sober; ~ bn v.i. to
awaken; ~ kirin v.t. to wake
hizandin (dial. var.) = hejandin
hizib f political party
hizir f thought, idea; li hizra da bn
to be thinking about
hm1 m foundation, basis; ~avj m
founder
hm2 = hn2
hn1 still, yet: ew ~ nehatiye he hasnt
come yet; ~ btir even more
hn2: ~ bn v.i. to learn; ~ kirin v.t. to
teach: w ez hn pir titan kirim she
taught me many things; ~ bn to
learn how to (+ inf.)\
hna = hn1
hnga = hing
hs f feeling, emotion; ~ kirin v.t. to feel
htin = hitin
hv (dial. var.) = heyv
hv (dial. var.) = hv
hz m/f skin sack
hogi m mountain ram
hogir accustomed, intimate friend; m
environment
hol f environment, surroundings; xwe
gihandin ~ to come forth, come
about, arrive
hol thus, in this manner; in view
holik f hut
hon (dial. var.) = hun
honik cool; ~ kirin v.t. to cool down;
dil xwe ~ kirin bi to console oneself
with

218

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
hov wild; ~t f wildness
hovan over there
hoy m condition, circumstance: di hoyn
teng de in narrow straits, in a tight
spot
hozant f poetry
h.p. = heta pa etc., et al.
hukum m order; ~dar f rule; ~dar
kirin v.t. to rule
hukmet f government
humanst m humanist; ~ humanistic
hun (obl. we) you (pl.)
hundir (dial. var.) = hundur
hundur m inside; ~ prep. inside of; di
~ de within: di ~ deh salan de
within ten years
huner, hiner f art, skill; ~mend m artist
hur free, at liberty
hurmetgir respectful
hustu m neck
huzr f presence
hn = hun
hr1 small, little; ~ ~ in little bits, in
small pieces; ~ ~() bn v.i. to be
smashed to bits; ~ kirin v.t. to crumble; ~ mr small items, little things
hr2 m paunch
hrik m small piece, bit, sliver; ~ ~
slight(ly)
hwd (her wek din) etc.
(because the distinction between initial i
and is not consistently maintained,
the two letters are alphabetized together)
dam f execution, death sentence
idare kirin v.t. to direct, manage
deoloj f ideology
ifade f testimony
iflas f bankruptcy; ne ~ v.i. to go
broke
lan kirin v.t. to announce
ilham f inspiration
ilm scientific

lon f September
imkan m possibility
mparator f empire
imtihan f examination
imtiyaz f concession: imtiyaza neft oil
concession
nca then, in that case
ngilstan f England
ngilz m/f English; ~ f English language
inkar kirin v.t. to deny
insan human being, one; pl people
ina m composition
iptida elementary
rad f objection
ran f Iran
Iraq f Iraq
ro, roj today
r (dial. var.) = ro
sal this year
sfehan wrought silver
skendern f skenderun, Alexandretta
Islamiyet f the religion and traditional
learning of Islam
ispat kirin v.t. to prove, establish
israf f expenditure: israfeke enerjiy an
expenditure of energy
israr kirin v.t. to insist
istifade kirin ji v.t. to make use of
stgah f station
syan f rebellion
m work, affair, job: i min bi
tirkan re heye? What do I have to do
with the Turks?
ellah God willing, I hope
ev tonight
ik dry
ikence f torture; ~ kirin bi v.t. to torture, torment
ikestin (dial. var.) = ikestin
tiraz f objection
iyar m skin, pelt
jahr (dial. var.) = jehr

219

KURMANJI KURDISH
jan f pain, ache; ~ dan v.t. to pain
jar poor; ~ f poverty
jehr f poison
jendirme f gendarmerie
jengor rusty
j = ji + w/w
jhat worthy
j-kirin v.t. to excise, cut out, cut off
jr down
jrbar heavy laden; ~ f being heavy
laden
ji prep. from, to, for, with
ji re ccmp. with
ji ve ccmp. from
ji ber ve ccmp. before
jibrkirin br
jihevdeket fragmented, fallen apart:
civateke ~ a fragmented society
jimar f number
jin f woman, wife; ~ik f woman
jinvezayin f rebirth, renaissance
ji wedaket scattered about
jiyan1 f life
jiyan2 j- v.i. to live
jiyin = jiyan2
j enclitic also, even, emphasizes preceding word
j- jiyan2, jn
jn j- v.i. to live
jndar alive, living; dinya ~ the world
of the living
jr talented, skillful; ~ f diligence, talent
jmartin jmr- v.t. to count, to enumerate
jor above, up
k- kirin
ka (attention-getting particle): ka mze
ke come, look!; ka li ku ye? now
where is it?
ka f straw, hay
kabs f nightmare
kafiye (dial. var.) = qafiye
kal aged; m old man, grandfather; ~e-

mr m elderly gentleman
kalte m good quality
kalkabs m nightmare demon
kalo m old man
kambax ruined, devastated; devastating;
~ kirin v.t. to ruin, devastate
kan = kan2
kan1 f spring, source
kan2 where is/are?
kann (dial. var.) = karn
kanun pl winter months
kapan a narrow, steep mountain road
kapik f bran
kar1 m job, work; ~bidest m authority;
~ker m/f worker; ~bar m work, business, everything entailed by s.th.; ~
kirin to work, to penetrate; bi~ ann
v.t. to use
kar2 kid (goat, deer, &c.)
karik kid goat
karn (v.i., neg. pres. nkarim, past
(d)karibm, neg. past. nkaribm,
subj. (bi)karibim) to be able (+ subj.
to)
karneval f carneval
karto stale
karxezal baby deer, fawn
karzan expert
kasik m globe
kastn f howl
ka m slope, hill; ~ bn to fall backwards
kat kirin v.t. to divulge
kaxet = kaxez
kaxez f paper
kaxiz = kaxez
kazkaz f wail
keban f lady: kebaniya mal the lady of
the house
ke f girl; ~ik f little girl
ked f stick; ~a kesek xwarin to get
beaten by s.o.
kef1 f foam: ~a sawn soapsuds; ~ dan
v.t. to foam

220

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
2

kef f palm (of the hand)

kefen m burial shroud; ~ kirin v.t. to
shroud
kef f kefiya, Arab headdress
kefteleft f activity, work, enterprise
kej f fur; ~ da-bn v.i. to get long fur
kek m elder brother
kel1 boiling; ~ ger crying and weeping
kel2 m bull
kelandin keln- v.t. to boil
kela m corpse, body
kelber wild
kel f an outcropping of rock
kelem1 oak
kelem2 m thorn; obstacle, difficulty,
trick
kelem3 m cabbage; ~ Bruksel Brussel
sprout
keleme f handcuff; ~ kirin v.t. to handcuff
keln f opportunity, chance
kemn f ambush; ~ girtin to lie in ambush
ken m laughter; ~iyan v.i. to laugh
ken- kenn
kendal f side, slope, bank
keng, keng when?
kenn v.i. to laugh
ker1 donkey; ne ker ketiye, ne hz
diriyaye, ne doab rijiyaye (prov.)
no donkey has fallen, no skein has
been ripped, and no molasses has
been spilled, i.e. nothing at all has
happened
ker2 deaf
ker3 quiet, silent
keramet f miracle
kerb f sorrow, grief; bi ~a n v.i. to
empathize with
kerem generosity, benefit; ji ~a xwe
please, if you would be so kind
ker f herd; piece
kerm f snout

kerp m sun-baked mud brick

kerwan m caravan
keser f sorrow, grief; ~vedan f sorrowing
kesk green
kef kirin v.t. to discover
ket f boat
ketin kev- v.i. to fall; ~ li ber to object to, oppose; bi ser ~ to come up,
to surface
kev- ketin
kevan = keban
kev m spoon
kever spotlessly white
kevin ancient
kevir m stone, rock
kevnar ancient
kevnebajar f ancient seat
kevneperest conservative
kevnesovyet f the ex-Soviet Union
kew partridge
kewan = keban
kewtn v.i. to bark
keys f opportunity, advantage
kezeb f liver; womb; ~ ewitan to feel
sorry, be distressed
kez f braid of hair
kezk f strand of hair
kez kirin v.t. to bite
k k
kf f pleasure, joy: li ~a w nedihat she
wasnt enjoying it; ~xwe happy;
~xwe f happiness, pleasure, rejoicing; ~ sefa pleasure
kl m grave
klek f side, edge
km few, little bit; ~ kirin v.t. to lessen;
~ mab ku (+ subj.) almost: km
mab ku dila te ji kfa ji snga te
derkeve your heart almost leapt out of
your breast from joy; ~an f deficiency, inadequacy; ~as f paucity; ~
zde more or less; b~as flawless(ly); bi ~an f at least

221

KURMANJI KURDISH
1

kr f knife
kr2 f benefit, profit, effect; bi ~
hatin to be of benefit to : bi kr i
t? whats the use of it?; bi~ useful
krk rabbit
ks = keys
kan v.t. to pull, draw; cixar ~ to
smoke cigarettes
kz f bug, insect; ~ik f bug
kibrt match; ~firo matchseller
kif clear, apparent
kil1 f collyrium; ~ kirin to paint the eyes
with collyrium
kil2 kirin v.t. to wave; dest ~ ji re to
wave the hand at
kim m corner
kin short; ~ f shortness; bi ~ shortly,
slightly
kinc pl clothes
kincik m rag
kir kirin
kiras m shirt
kirt ugly, shameful; ~ f ugliness, defilement, shame
kirwe m blizzard
kirin k- v.t. to do; ~ ku (+ pres. subj.) to
make (as if to do s.th.), almost to do
s.th.: w kir ku titek bibje, l ne got
he almost said something, but he
didnt; ji xwe ~ to take off (clothes),
disrobe: min kincn xwe ji xwe kir I
took off my clothes; te dikir nedikir do what you might; min kir
nekir no matter what I did
kirn kir- v.t. to buy
kirmat in stony silence
kiandin kin- v.t. to pull, draw; dest ~
ji to withdraw from
kikiandin v.t. to drag
kitb f book; ~xane f library
kitkit f detail
kiv = kif
k (obl. k) who?
kjan which?

kn f revenge, feud: kna xwe bi hev re

hene they are having a feud; ~ girtin
v.t. to take revenge
knga ever; when
ks m sack, bag; ji ~ xwe out of ones
own pocket
kso f tortoise
klasifikasyon f classification
klankov f Klashnikov rifle
ko = ku2
ko kirin v.t. to decamp, move; ~
kirin to move to
kok1 f stitch
kok2 f root, stub
kolan f street
kolan kol- v.t. to dig, dig out, research;
~din koln- v.t. to dig
kole1 trick, deceit; ~ kirin v.t. to
deceive; ~dar tricky, deceitful
kole2 captive, slave
kolonyalst colonialist
kom f pile, group; ~ bn to gather, assemble; ~a san pack of dogs
komar f republic: Komara Mehabad
the Republic of Mahabad
komel f society, organization: Komela
Karkern Kurd Kurdish Workers
Society; ~ayet social
komik f small group
kon m tent
kongre f congress
kor, kr blind; ~ ~ fikirn to be lost in
thought
kor kend m depression
koik f pavilion
kovar f journal
kov wild, ferocious
kox f coop: koxa mirkan chicken coop
koxik f hut, shack
ku1 where?; ji ~ where from?, li ~
where, where at?
ku2 that (subordinating conj.); unless
ku f large rock
kuder where?

222

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
kufuk m snot; kufk poz snot; kufk
guh earwax; ~girt snotty
kuj m corner
kuj- kutin
kul f wound, pain, suffering; adj. infected, inflamed, suffering
kulav m felt mat
kulek f smoke hole
kulfet f job, duty: xud kulfet employed,
holding down a job; maid, female servant; wife
kulik m finger; ~ek dan ser to put a
finger on, point to
kul f flake of snow
kullk f wild flower
kull cotton
kulm f fist; ~ik f fist
kulmoz m beehive
kultur f culture
kum m cap; kea ~sor Little Red
Riding Hood
kun f hole; kun kun kirin v.t. to poke
holes in
kundk rnitin v.i. to hunker down
kunkun pitted, pockmarked
kur m boy, son
kur kirin v.t. to cut (the hair)
kurd m/f Kurd; ~andin v.t. to Kurdicize; ~istan f Kurdistan; ~ayet f
Kurdishness; ~hiz Kurdophile; ~iyet
f Kurdishness; ~ Kurdish
kurdmanc Kurmanji Kurdish
kurm m worm; ~ik m little worm; ~
wormy, mangy, maggoty
kurs f chair, seat: kursiya eref the
seat of honor
kur f frozen snow; ~enegirt not frozen
solid
kurt short, brief; ~ay f shortness: bi
kurtay briefly; ~erok f short story;
~edem f moment
kuruf f mound of snow
kusan how
kuskusandin v.t. to squint

kutin kuj- v.t. to kill

kut xistin li v.t. to take a puff on (a
cigarette)
kut peck, (dogs) bark; ~ kirin v.t. to
clack, clatter, rattle
kutan v.t. to strike; avn xwe j ~ to
blink the eyes
kutatirn least
kuxn v.i. to cough
kuxuyan v.i. to cough
k call to a dog
ke f (obl k) lane
kik m dog
kd lame
kl f ???
kllk = kullk
kr1 (dial. var.) = kor
kr2 deep; ~ nrn to look closely; ~ah
f depth; ~an f depth
kke small, tiny
kv (dial. var.) = kov
kwr blind
kws, kws (dial. var.) = kso
labrent f labyrinth
lablabik m marsh: kwsiy lablabik
marsh turtle
lak secular
lal mute, speechless
lampe f lamp, light
land f belly
landik f cradle
la m body, corpse
lat f boulder
latn Latin
lava kirin v.t. to plead; ~y f pleading
lavan = lava
law m/f youth, child; ~ik m infant
lawur m wild animal
layiq worthy
lazim necessary
lebitn v.i. to move about
leheng m champion, hero
leh f flood, torrent

223

KURMANJI KURDISH
lekim m/f tentacle ???
lenger f tray
lep m paw
leplep twinkling ???
lerizn = lerzn
lerizner trembling
lerizok trembling
lerz m trembling
lerzandin lerzn- v.t. to shake
lerzn v.i. to tremble, shake
le m body; ~bizdn ???
leker m soldier
lev aimless ???; ~ ketin v.i. to chatter
(of the teeth)
lewa thin flat bread
lewhe f sign
lewma for this reason, therefore
lewra, ji lewra because
leyistin leyiz-, lz- v.t. to play, play (a
part); to play around (bi with): w bi
nivsn min dileyist he used to play
around with my writings
leyiztin (dial. var.) = leyistin
leylan f mirage
Leypiig f Leipzig
lez m haste; ~ kirin v.t. to make haste;
bi ~ in haste, hastily; bi ~ bez in all
haste, as fast as possible
lezandin lezn- v.t. to hasten, to accelerate
lezet f pleasure
l1 but; ~bel on the other hand
l2 = li + w/w
l bn bi to be afflicted with
l-dan l-d- v.t. to strike, play (instrument); cut off: bila mr ser min lbidit let the prince cut my head off
l-gern v.t. collect
lh: di lh de ccmp. for, in support
of
lkoln f research; ~er m researcher
lv f lip, seashore
lvikest with a broken lid
l-xistin v.t. to beat, to play (musical

instrument), to ring (telephone)

li prep. in, at, to; also forms the first element of a number of compound prepositions; see the second element
lib m copy (of a book), flake (of snow),
drop (tear); unit, single item
liberxwe free, unhindered
Libnan f Lebanon
lihf f quilt
lihstin (dial. var.) = lstin
likumn v.i. to trip
ling m foot, leg; li ser ~an standing, on
foot
lipamay backward; ~n f backwardness
liq f branch
liqandin v.t. to hang; xwe ~ to hang
(int.)
liser vebn v.t. to diagnose
liv f motion, movement; ~ l dan, ~ l
xistin v.t. to put in motion
livandin livn- v.t. to move, put in motion: destikn ketiy z dilivandin he
was moving the oars of the boat
quickly
liviyan = livn1
livn1 v.i. to move, be in motion, stir
livn2 m bed, bedding
livok unstable
lixwekirin f manner of dress
llandin v.t. to ululate
ls f high school; ~ xwendin to attend
high school
lstik f game, play, sport
lstin lz- v.i. to play
lz- lstin
lojman f lodging
loma for that reason, therefore
luht naked, bare
luks deluxe
lle f pipe, barrel (of a rifle)
lrn v.i. to bay
lsn v.i. to perch
ma interrogative particle: with affirma-

224

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
tive questions a negative answer is
expected: ma rast e? thats not right,
is it?; with negative questions an affirmative answer is expected: ma ne
rast e? isnt that right?; with other
interrogatives ma gives the sense of
ever: ma tu y i bik bi kr? What
ever are you going to do with a knife?
ma kirin v.t. to kiss
Maden f Maden, also known as Paxirmaden, city northwest of Diyarbekir
maf m share, portion; right; ~nas appreciative
makne f machine, car
mal1 f house, home: mala min mala te
my house is your house; ~bat f family; ~mezin belonging to a great family; ~xw paterfamilias
mal2 m goods, possessions, wealth: ~
ticaret commercial goods
mal- malitin, mitin
malava (vocative particle) hey!, see
here!
malitin mal- v.t. to rub, rub out
maliye f tax office
malmat (pl) information
mam m paternal uncle
mamostat/et f pedagogy; ~at/et
kirin v.t. to teach: w mamostetiya
ziman ereb dikir he used to teach
the Arabic language
mamostay kirin v.t. to teach: w
mamostayiya rewenbr ya gelek
rewenbrn kurd kir he taught many
Kurdish intellectuals how to be intellectuals
mamoste m teacher;
man mn- v.i. to remain, stay, dwell;
ne~ to cease to exist, to be no more:
nema xweya kir he never appeared
again; hindik ~ (+ subj.) to be about
to, to be on the verge of: hindik dima
fener bitemire the lamp was on the
verge of going out

mand exhausted; ~bn f exhaustion

mane (const mana) f meaning; ~w
moral, spiritual
mange f cow
man constraint, obstacle
mantiq m logic
maql reasonable; ~ dtin to consider
reasonable: w pniyaza min maql
dt he considered my proposal reasonable
mar m (obl mr) snake
mar kirin v.t. to marry (li to)
mar f march, anthem
mase f (obl mas) table
mast m yogurt
maellah goodness! (said to ward off
the evil eye when something is admired or praised)
mat silent
matmayn f astonishment
may(n) other
mazlm tyrannized; ~iyet f tyrannization
mazot f kerosene
me em
me- alternative negative subjunctive
and imperative prefix = nemebest f intent
mebin (archaic negative 3rd pl subjunctive of bn) they may not be: gelek
mebin j even though they may not be
many
mecal f opportunity: ta niha mecal tune
b until now there has been no opportunity; ~ birrn v.t. to take an opportunity away
mecbr obliged; ~ kirin v.t. to oblige,
force
meclis parliament
medeniyet f civilization
medin civil
medrese f religious school
mefhm f concept
meh f month

225

KURMANJI KURDISH
Mehabad f Mahabad
mehkeme f court
mehkm condemned; ~ kirin v.t. to
condemn
mehll dissolved; ~ bn to be dissolved
mehr f marriage contract; ~ birn to
conclude a marriage contract
mehrm ji deprived of
meh kirin v.t. to wipe out
mej m marrow
mejl occupied; ~ bn li ser v.i. to be
occupied, busy with
mekan stance, position
mekteb f school
mela m (obl. mel) mulla
mele (dial. var.) = mela
melevan m swimmer; ~ f swimming
melkemot the angel of death
memr government official
mencel a copper pot
mendik an herb
meqale f article
merasm f ceremony
merbend f bond, fetter
mereqdar f interest, inquisitiveness,
curiosity
mereq kirin v.t. to wonder
merg f death
merhele f stage: di merhela ewel de in
the first stage
meriv m person, one (impersonal): gava
meriv li cihek dimne when one stays
in a place
merd m disciple, devotee
merkez f center; ~ central: hukmeta
merkez central government
mesaj f message
mesel f example; ~en for example
mesele f matter
mestir larger, bigger
mesliyet f responsibility
me f walking: mea xwe domand he
continued walking; ~andin v.t. to put
into practice; ~iyan/-n v.i. to walk

metleb ???
mewld f a poem celebrating the birth
of the Prophet Muhammad, traditionally recited on festive occasions
mexsed f intent, intention
meydan f field; ann ~ v.t. to bring to
the fore
meyeldar, meyildar = meyldar
meyn v.i. to remain
meyl f inclination; ~dar predisposed (ji
re to); ~dar f bias, predisposition
mezel1 m grave, tomb
mezel2 f room
mezheb m sect
mezin big, large, great; ~ bn v.i. to
grow up; ~ kirin v.t. to raise, bring
up; ~ah f greatness; bi ~bna as
vast as
m f female
mj long ago; ji ~ ve from long ago
mj f brain, mind
mjn v.i. to suck, suckle
mjvemay remnant, relic
mr1 m man, husband; ~an f manliness;
~ik m fellow, guy; ~xas m gentleman
mr2 mar
mrg f meadow
mrxas brave
m f bee; ~a hingiv honeybee
mtro f metro, subway
mvan m/f guest; ~dar f visit; ~perwer f hospitality; ~xane f reception
room
mze kirin li v.t. to look at, see
mi shut, closed; ~ kirin v.t. to shut,
cover
mideh m period of time
midr m director, principal
mih ???
mihrican f celebration, festival
mij m mist
mijn (dial. var.) = mjn
mijl bi ve occupied, involved with;
~ f occupation, activity

226

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
mikan = mekan
mil m neck, shoulder; support, aid; side,
direction; bi ~ yek girtin v.t. to
come to s.o.s aid, to lessen s.o.s burden; ji ~ din on the other hand
milet m nation; ~perwer nationalistic
mil national
min ez
mindal m child
minet f obligation; b ~ generous
minnet = minet
miqam m musical mode
miraz ??? wish
mircan coral, coral bead
mirin mir-/mr- (dimire, dimre) v.i. to
die
miriyan = mirin
mir dead
mird m devotee
mirk f chicken
mirov m man; f woman; m/f person;
~at f humanity, humaneness, chivalry
mirward m/f ??? pearl
misilman Moslem
Misir f Egypt; misr Egyptian
mit ji full of, filled to the brim with
mitin mal- v.t. to sweep
mit man v.i. not to make a sound
mit mat utterly silent
mixabin unfortunately
mizgn m good news; ~ f present given
to a person bearing good news
m f sheep
mh = m
mn- man
mna (prep.) like; ~ ku (conj.) as, while
mnak equal, similar; m example: weke
mnak for example; ~ f similarity
mr m prince; f princess; ~ek princeling
mohr f seal, stamp; ~ xistin v.t. to seal,
put a stamp on
mor = mohr
more cracked (as a mud wall)

moz(e) flying insect

mr- mirin.
mudet m period
mudr m school principal
muesese f institution
muhlet f grace period, respite
munaqee f debate; ~ kirin v.t. to debate
munasebet f occasion; bi ~a on the occasion of
muxtar m village chief, elder
muzk f music
m m hair, strand of hair; iota: ne mwek not an iota
mr f ant
na- (negative prefix for present indicative verbs) not
naln v.i. to wail, cry out
name f letter
nams f honor; womenfolk
nan m bread; ~pj f bakery
nar m pomegranate
narn delicate
nas acquainted, known, familiar; ~ kirin
v.t. to know, be acquainted with, recognize; ~andin v.t. to introduce,
make known; dan naskirin v.t. to introduce
nasiyar familiar
nasnav m identity
nav1 f middle; di ~a de in the midst
of; li ~ hev de girtin to surround; ~n
middle (adj.), central: Rojhilata Navn
the Middle East
nav2 m name; ~ kirin v.t. to name;
~andin v.t. to name; ~dar famous, renowned; ~no notorious; ~not f notoriety
navbera prep. between, among
naverok f contents
navik f waist
navnetewey international
navnan f address

227

KURMANJI KURDISH
navteng f girth
naxr no
naxir f herd
naxwe this being so
naylon f plastic: trikn ~ plastic bags
naynik = neynik
nazik fine, delicate
ne not; ~ ~ neither nor; ~ l not
but; ne- (negative prefix for subjunctive, imperative, and past-tense
verbs) not
nebeled uninformed, unknowing
near helpless; ~ man to have no alternative; ~ f helplessness; ji ~ with no
alternative
nedar f poverty
ned ve, ji suddenly
nefel f clover
nefes dan v.t. to huff and puff; to be out
of breath
nefret f hatred; ~ kirin ji v.t. to hate,
abhor
nefs f self; ~a xwe karn to control oneself; ~pik humble; ~pik, ~pikah f humility
neft f oil
neh nine
neheq f injustice
nehy prohibition
nejihevdurebyn f indivisibility and
inseparability
nema notagain
nemaze especially
nemir undying, immortal: dibe xwediy
navek nemir he possesses an immortal name
nemirovane unmanly, cowardly
nenas unacquainted, unfamiliar, unknown; ~ unacquainted with
nepixandin nepixn- v.t. to blow up, inflate
nepixn v.i. to swell
neqandin v.t. to select, choose
neraz discontent; ~bn f discontent-

ment
nerind evil
nerm soft, gentle, fine; ~ah f softness,
gentleness; ~ik softly, gently
nesir f prose
nen unhappy
netewe f nation; ~yn Yekby the
United Nations; ~y national; ~yt f
nationalism
nev m/f grandchild, offspring
Nevroz f Persian New Years day
newal f valley
nex miracle; ~n miraculous
nexe f map
nexwe otherwise
nexwe sick, ill; unpleasant; ~ f sickness, disease; ~xane f hospital
nexuyay invisible
neyar m enemy, opponent, foe
neyn f destitution
neynik f mirror
neynok f fingernail, toenail
neynk = neynok
nezan f ignorance
nirvan m hunter
nr f game, prey; n ~ v.i. to go
after game
nrvan m hunter
nrevan m scout
nrn v.i. to look; f view, speculation
nan f target, mark; ~ kirin v.t. to take
aim at, to focus on
nv (dial. var.) = nv
nv (dial. var.) = nv
nzk near; ~ah f proximity; ~ near to,
nearly
nzkat kirin bi v.t. to approach
nifirn f malediction, curse
nif m generation
nifs f identity card
nig m foot; ~n xwe zdey xwe avtin
to overstep ones bounds
nigardar beautiful
niha now; ber ~ before now, ago

228

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
nihe = niha
nihran expectant, apprehensive
nihrn li v.i. to look at, to notice; to
look upon, regard (wek as)
nihrtin (dial. var.) = nihrn
niho (dial. var.) = niha
nijad m race; ~perest racist
nijde f brigandage
nik f side, direction; toward, to; prep.
next to, with, to, for
nikil m beak
nikilandin nikiln- v.t. to peck
nimj f prayer; ~ kirin v.t. to pray
nimne f example: ji bo nimne as an
example, for example; ~nde f example
niqutandin v.t. to drip
niqutn v.i. to drip
nisbet bi relative to
nisxe = nusxe
nian = nan
nik: ji ~ (~a) ve suddenly
nitin n-/ni- v.i. to sit
nitilandin v.t. to draw, to mark
nivistin -niv- v.i. to sleep
niviz ???
nivn1 m (usually pl) bed; ~ nexweiy
sick bed; destek ~ a set of sheets and
bedding material
nivn2 -niv- v.i. to lie down, sleep
nivsandin v.t. to write
nivsar f writing, text
nivsevan m writer
nivsn v.t. to write
nivskar m/f writer; ~ kirin to write,
engage in writing
nivsk written
niv = nif
nivz half
niwal f small valley
niyet f intention
nixabtin = nuxumandin
nixamtin = nuxumandin
nixumandin = nuxumandin

nizar m mountain side (where the sun

never shines)
nizim low
njad = nijad
nn none, nothing
nsan f April
nan f sign, mark, military decoration;
~ dan v.t. to show; ~ kirin v.t. to indicate
nv half; ~ saet half an hour; ~c half
done; ~ ev midnight; ~roj f noon;
~sedsal f midpoint of a century
nvek f half
nveruh half-dead
nvikest cracked
nv f middle, midpoint, half
nzing (dial. var.) = nzk
nod ninety
nojdar f panacea
nok f chickpea; ~a taht pebble
nola (prep.) like: nola hev like each
other
noqim bn v.i. ???
not = nod
nozdeh nineteen
nu new; ji ~ ve all over again
nuby new-born
nudem modern
nuh = nu
nuha (dial. var.) = niha
nuhat new, newly come about: niv
nu the new generation
nuht f newness, novelty
nujen newly invented, new-fangled,
modern
nuka (dial. var.) = nuha
nusxe f copy
nuvejn f renaissance
nuxumandin v.t. to cover, veil
nuxumn v.i. to be covered, veiled
nuyt f novelty
nuzewic newly-wed
n = nu
nh = nu

229

KURMANJI KURDISH
njen = nujen
nner representative
NY = Neteweyn Yekby the United
Nations
oda, ode f (obl od) room
okyans f ocean
ol f religion; ~dar religious; ~ religious;
~perwer religious
ord f army: Ordiya Sor the Red Army
ordu = ord
orre or f roar
orte f middle
Osman Ottoman
otorte f authority
pag stable
pak pure, clean; ~hilann ji v.t. to get
rid of
pakt package
pal1 f mountainside
pal2 dan v.t. to push
palas ???
pale m worker
pan wide, broad
panat f expanse, breadth
pansiman kirin v.t. to bandage
papor f stove
paqij pure, clean; ~ kirin v.t. to clean;
~ f cleanliness
paqi (dial. var.) = paqij
par1 f part, share
par2 last year
par3 f back; ji ~ re from behind
pare, pere m piece: du s pern
kaxizn two or three pieces of paper;
~ bn v.i. to be fragmented; ~ kirin
v.t. to fragment
parastin parz- v.t. to protect, guard
Pars f Paris
pars Persian language
part f political party: partiyn kurd yn
siyas Kurdish political parties
parve kirin v.t. to distribute

paseport f passport
pa m the back; li ~ ser prep. behind;
~ xwe avetin bi v.t. to throw oneself
into s.th.; ~eroj f past, the past; ~ng
later; ~ver backward; ~vert f
backwardness
pail f bosom
pa f end; heta paiy until the end
patik f back of the head
paye f high rank, place of honor; ~t f
honor
payz f autumn
pejirandin v.t. to accept
pekiyan = pekn
pekn pek- v.i. to splash, splatter, rise
up suddenly
pekok: strka pekok shooting star
pel m leaf, page
pelikan stairs, stairway
pelk leaf
pembo m cotton
pena f refuge, asylum; ~ber m/f refugee;
~ber f refugee status
pencere f window
peng ???
pengizandin pengizn- v.t. to make
jump, spurt
pengizn v.i. to spray, spurt
penr m (obl. penr) cheese
per1 m side
per2 m feather
per3 f piece
peran heavy: cezay peran heavy penalty
pere = pare
pern rivet; bi hev ~ kirin to rivet
together, to patch together
perde f (const. perda) curtain
perd f ceiling beam
pere m money
pergal m compass; bi ~ derketin to be
encompassed
perg (+ construct) hatin v.i. to come
across, find; n ~ to go to find

230

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
perpitn v.i. to flutter: dil min diperpite
I get sick at my stomach
perwaz f flight
perwerd f education
pesin m praise; ~andin v.t. to praise, to
approve of; wesf pesn dan to
praise and extol
pesn m trace
petrol f petrolium
pevgirdan f connection
pexan f prose; ~nivskar m prosewriter
pey: li ~ (prep.) behind, after; di ~ de
(prep.) after
peya m man
peya bn v.i. to get out, off, down (from
vehicle)
peyda bn v.i. to be found: min zanb
w saet ava germ peyda nabe I knew
there was no warm water to be found
at that time; ~ kirin v.t. to find
peyitandin v.t. to prove
peyivn v.i. to talk, speak: ez zde p re
nepeyivm I didnt speak to him long
pey hev one after the other
peyman f pact, agreement; ~ girdan
ligel to conclude a pact with
peyv f conversation, talk, words: me
peyv dagerand ser huner edebiyat
we turned the conversation to art and
literature; ~ik f expression
peywend f relation: peywendiyn navnetewey international relations
pez f sheep
pezkv (dial. var.) = pezkv
pezkv mountain sheep
p1 = bi + w/w
p2 m foot
pandin pn- v.t. to wrap, roll
pn p- v.t. to roll, wrap;
pjin f feeling
pjn pj- v.i. to be cooked; v.t. to light
(cigarette)
pk together; ~-ann v.t. to get together,

collect, arrange; ~-hatin v.i. to come

about, come to be; ~-hatin ji v.i. to
consist of
p-ketin v.i. to catch (fire)
pkol kirin v.t. to stick together (snow)
pkva together
p-xistin v.t. to light (fire), to switch on
pl f wave; ~ bn v.i. to spread out
plpl wavy, undulating
pnc five; ~ih, ~ fifty
pra along with him (see p)
prg perg
psr f collar; windpipe; forefront; area
just below the summit of a mountain
p forward: mirov bi p de bie one
will go forward; ~-ketin to advance;
bi ~ derketin to come out to the fore;
~eroj f the future; ~de xistin to promote; ~ket advanced
payk f forefront
pber m guide, leader; ketin ~ to be
faced with; ~ in the lead, leadership,
(prep.) in front of; ~ derketin to
lead, go out ahead of
pdexistin f promotion, advancement
peng m leader, vanguard
pepa, li prep. out in front of
peroj f future
pevan m leader
pgotin f foreword
piya prep. before, in front of
p adj. first: cara p the first time, di
du-s saln p de during the first
two or three years; f advance: ~ya
girtin v.t. to prevent
pk avant-garde, forerunner
pn first
pke f present, gift, tribute; ~ kirin v.t.
to offer (as a gift), to present
pmerge m guerrilla
pniyaz f proposal, suggestion
pveketin f advancement, progress
pt f flame
ptgiran lazy, indolent

231

KURMANJI KURDISH
pwend bi f connection to
pwst necessary; ~ f necessity, requirement
pxember m prophet
p-xistin -x- v.t. to light, turn on (light)
pxwas barefooted
pi small, little; ~ek a little bit, for a
moment; a little thing
pife pif f huff and puff
pif kirin v.t. to blow, puff
pifin kirin v.t. to hiss
pij scattered
pijandin v.t. to cook
pijn v.i. to be cooked
pijiqandin v.t. to make (blood) gush
pijiqn v.i. to explode, to blow up
piling m tiger
pilot m/f spark ???
pilpil ???
piqpiqok f bubble
pir1 very, many, much; ~an f most,
majority: piraniya wan most of them;
pirraniya caran most of the time
pir2 f bridge
pir f body hair
piroze kirin v.t. to tear to shreds
pirs f question; ~ek ji kirin v.t. to ask
a question of s.o.; ~gir skeptic;
~girk f question: pirsgirka kurd
the Kurdish question
pirsan v.t. to ask (a question)
pirtepirt f sputtering ???
pirtik f sheet (glass, paper)
pirtk f paper, sheet of paper
pirtve kirin v.t. to tear to pieces
pisk f cat
pismam m cousin
pispor, pispr m expert; ~ f expertise
piaftin v.t. to assimilate
piirn to ruminate (?)
pit f back, hill; ~a prep. behind, on the
other side of; ~a xwe dan v.t. to turn
ones back; ~ prep. after; ~ ku conj.
after; ~germ supported, protected;

~gir m supporter; ~gir f support; ~re

then,
later,
afterward;
~xwar
hunched-over
piyale f glass, goblet
piyes f play
pizot m torch: avn w wek du pizotn
gir bn his eyes were like two fiery
torches
pjame m pyjamas
pn f kick; ~-avtin v.t. to kick
pne ???
ppoq f glass
pr old; m/f old man, old woman; ~ik f
grandmother
prat f old age
prhepok m monster ???
proz sacred, holy; ~ kirin v.t. to celebrate; to congratulate: ew w roja han
mna karnevalek proz dikin they
celebrate that day like a carneval;
~bah f congratulations; ~wer holy
ps bad, dirty; ~ik nasty, awful; ~it f
obscenity
psr (dial. var.) = psr
pvan f measurement, criterion; ~din
pvn- v.t. to measure
PKK = Partiya Karkern Kurdistan
Kurdish Workers Party
plan f plan; ~ker m planner; ~ kirin to make a plan
pola m steel
poltka f politics; policy
ponijn v.i. to be engrossed in thought
por m hair (on the head); ~re blackhaired; ~zer blonde
poman regretful; ~ bn li to regret
s.th./doing s.th.
poxsde sad
poz m nose, snout
prensp m principle
proje f project
protesto kirin v.t. to protest, go on
strike, boycott
PTT = Post Telefon Telexraf Post, Tel-

232

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
ephone, and Telegraph
p useless, unuseable
pk f snowstorm, blizzard
prt f hair, fur, pelt; ~ per feathery
coat
ptperest idolator; ~ f idolatry
PZ = pit zayn anno domini (AD)
qaax m smuggler
qad f field, place; ~a er field of battle
qaf f head
qahf m cave, cavern
qail bn to accept (bi)
qal f statement; ~ kirin v.t. to state; ~
ceng f fight
qalikday frostbitten ???
qalik m shell, husk
qalind thick, fat
qam f stature, height; measurement for
the height of the sun in the sky
qam m whip
qami reed
qanser f cancer
qann f law
qarn v.i. to cry bitterly
qasid m messenger, envoy
qas ku as much as
qatil m murderer
qayi, qay f strap, thong, belt; rivalry,
competition; bi re ketin ~ to
compete against: te digot qey ew bi
min re ketib qay youd think he
was in competition with me
qaymeqam m provincial governor
qaz m goose
qazax f butane
qe no, none, at all: ez qe naxwnim I
dont read at all
qebl kirin v.t. to accept; wek hatin
qeblkirin to be accepted as
qedandin v.t. to finish, to complete
qedeh f cup, goblet
qeder1 m amount; ~ for the length
of

qeder2 f fate, destiny

qedexe f prohibition; (adj) prohibited; ~
kirin to prohibit, to ban
qedir m worth; qedr zann to appreciate; qedr xwe girtin to esteem
oneself; ~gir appreciative, estimable
qediyan v.i. to end, be finished
qefilandin v.t. to tire
qefiln v.i. to get tired
Qefqasya f the Caucasus
qefsing f breastbone
qehbik f harlot
qehbt = qehpet
qehern (dial. var.) = qehirn
qehir f wrath, rage;
qehirn v.i. to get angry (ji at)
qehpe f prostitute; ~t f prostitution
qehwe f coffee
qela split open, wounded
qelatin -qel- v.t. to split, split open;
qelatina cerah surgical incision
qelaw fat
qelem f pen
qelemrew m realm
qelew (dial. var.) = qelaw
qel- qelatin
qeliandin qelin- v.t. to split, cleave
qelin v.i. to be split
qelizandin v.t. to make disappear; xwe
~ to slip away
qelt f crack
qels weak: kultura devk ya Kurd xurt e
l kultura nivsk qels e Kurdish oral
culture is strong, but the written culture is weak; ~ f weakness
qel = qelt
qelqel cracked
qenc good, pretty, nice; ~ beauty, charitable act, good deed
qerar decision
qerax f edge, shore
qerim wrinkled
qerebalix f crowd, confusion; ~ kirin
v.t. to act up, to flail around

233

KURMANJI KURDISH
qereqol m police station
qerisn v.i. to freeze solid
qermi f wrinkle; ~ wrinkled
qerpee kirin v.t. to hold tightly in
ones embrace
qesir f palace
qest f intention, purpose; ~a kirin
v.t. to head toward
qea f ice
qet (+ neg.) never, not at all
qetan v.i. to be finished; be cut
qetandin qetn- v.t. to finish; break, cut:
kurdn li dervey welt ev zincra
kirt qetandine Kurds outside the
country have broken this shameful
chain; ji hev ~ to part from one
another
qeter m scales, balance; ~ kirin v.t. to
spy (something in the distance)
qetiyan = qetan
qewimn v.i. to happen
qewirandin v.t. to drive away
qewn strong
qewl f promise; ji ~n xwe vekiiyan to
reneg on ones promises, go back on
ones word
qey hey; why?; te digot qey youd
think, it was as though
qeyd f bond, fetter
qeyde f rule
qeytank kirin v.t. ???
qeza1 f district
qeza2 f accident; fate; ~ bela misfortune, calamity
qezenc f profit, earnings, advantage: bi
qezenca to the advantage of ; ~
kirin v.t. to earn, gain, win
qrn v.i. to scream
qijak raven
qijik f crow
qilr(n) filthy
qir kirin v.t. to eliminate, exterminate
qiral m king
qirax (dial. var.) = qerax

qireqir creak, splintering sound

qirdik m clown
qirik1 f crow
qirik2 f throat; ~tal f bitter aftertaste
qir f stem, branch; ~ik f twig
qise f conversation, talk
qismet m fate
qiyamet f resurrection; roja ~ doomsday
qizwan terebinth, a small tree
qjeqj f loud cry, scream
qjiyan v.i. to scream
ql m fang, canine tooth; ber ~an dan to
sink the fangs into
qm f contentment, satisfaction; ~a xwe
ann bi to consent to
qmet f worth, value
qr f cry, shout; ~ kirin v.t. to shout;
~ewr f cry, shout; ~n v.i. to cry out,
screech
qrn v.i. to scream, screech
qz f daughter
qo m horn (of an animal)
qonax f inn; a one-days distance on a
journey
qontrol f check
qufuln v.i. to feel very cold
qul f hole, opening: qula rviyan fox
hole; ~ kirin to pierce
qulibn v.i. to fall down, collapse,
scramble down
quling crane
qulo m league (measure of distance)
quloz bn v.i. to rise up
qulqul full of holes
qulubn = qulibn
qumandan m commandant
qunc f corner; xistine ~ek as to corner
quncik f little bit
quntar f foot of a mountain
quran f the Koran
qurane f hinge
qurban f sacrifice, victim; qurbana
armanca xwe a martyr to ones cause

234

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
qurm m tree stump: mna qurm dara
mir like a dead tree stump
qut cut, cut off; ~ bn v.i. to get cut off
qut f box
quwet power; bi ~ powerful
q f cliff, height, summit
qn f back; ~a iy mountain skirt; li
ser ~ xistin to topple
qntar = quntar
qutk f small box
ra = re
ra-bn v.i. to rise, arise, get up; to
abandon, give up (li s.th.)
ra-girtin v.t. to pick up; xwe ~ to recover
rahet f ease, comfort
ra-hitin v.t. to put down
ra-ketin v.i. to sleep
ra-kirin v.t. to take away, pick up; to
wake up (trs.); to cancel, abolish; ji
nav ~ to eliminate
raman f stance
ra-man -mn- v.i. to stand, stay, remain
standing; to be perplexed
ra-medandin v.t. to lay down
ra-msan -ms- v.t. to kiss
ran m thigh
ra-pelikn v.i. to crawl, creep
ra-pvan v.t. to pick up; gav ~ to tread
rapor f report
raser superior
rast right, correct; ~ hatin li to come
across; ~ kirin v.t. to correct; bi ~
really; ~e prep. straight toward;
~erast really and truly; ~er correct;
~nivsn f orthography
rav f hunting
ra-westan v.i. to stand up, stop, stand
still; li ser ~ to dwell on, stand up
against
ra-westandin v.t. to make stop
ra-westiyan = ra-westan
rawir wild animal

ra-xistin v.t. to spread

ray f opinion
ra-zan -z- v.i. to lie down, sleep
razdar mysterious
raz contented (li with)
re postposition forms the second part of
a number of circumpositions, generally indicating accompaniment; see the
prepositional element
ref m row; flock (of birds)
reh f way, road; artery, vein; root; ~
penc roots
rehet easy, comfortable, quiet; ~ f
comfort, ease
rehm f mercy; ~ kirin li to have mercy
on; ~et the late
rehmet f Gods mercy; n ~ to pass
away
res m head, chief; ~ cumhr president of the republic
rencber f hardship, trouble
reng m color; bi ~ colored, multicolored; bi i ~ how?; ~e~ of all
colors; ~dr f description, quality, adjective; ~n varied, colorful
ren f avalanche
req1 m turtle
req2 stiff; ~ rt stiff as a board
reqem f number
reqisn v.i. to dance
resim m picture
resm official
re black; ~ girdan v.t. to go into
mourning; ~ kirin v.t. to blacken
re reat f anything black or blackish
in color
reat f blackness, darkness
rev f flight, retreat
revan rev- v.i. to run away
revandin v.t. to let escape, to take away
revde m herd, pack; ~ girtin v.t. to form
a pack
revn = revan
rewneq brightness, brilliance

235

KURMANJI KURDISH
rewrewik f mirage
rew f style, manner
rewenbr intellectual
rex m side, edge, shore; (prep.) next to,
beside
rexne f criticism; ~ girtin li v.t. to criticise; ~gir m critic
rext m cartridge belt
reyan v.i. to bark
rez m vineyard, orchard
r f (const. riya) road, way: bi w riy
in that way; bi riya via; ~ girtin v.t.
to block the road, stop, prevent: k r
li ber wan girtiye? whos stopped
them?; (bi) ~ ketin to set off, start
out; ~ kirin to dispatch, send; bi ~
kirin to see off
rbendan f February
rber m leader; ~ f leadership; ~ kirin
to lead
rbwar m wayfarer
re f trace, track; ~ hildan v.t. to pick
up a trail
rj kirin v.t. to wash
rk-xistin v.t. to arrange, put in order
rkxistin f coalition
rl f forest, wood
rncber kirin v.t. to struggle, suffer
hardship
rven f gait, walk
rvebir = birvebir
rv m fox
rvng m traveler
rwit f journey
rw m/f traveler; ~t f journey, trip
rz f line; ~ bn v.i. to line up; ~kirin
v.t. to line up, arrange
rz-girtin ji v.t. to respect, have respect
for
rzik f law, rule
rziman f system, arrangement, grammar
ricaf f shaking, trembling
ricifn v.i. to tremble

rih f beard
rihet (dial. var.) = rehet
rihm (dial. var.) = rehm
rijandin rijn- v.t. to pour out
rijiyan v.i. to flow, to spill
rij f scorched part at the bottom of a pot
rik stubbornness, relentlessness, nervousness
rikrikn v.i. to chatter (of the teeth)
rind good, beautiful; well: ew bi ziman
ngilz rind dizanib he knew English well
risk = rizq
riv (dial. var.) = rv
rivn f flame
riy r
rizan v.i. to rot
rizandin v.t. to let rot
rizgar saved, rescued; ~ bn v.i. to
escape, be rescued; ~ kirin v.t. to
save, rescue; ~kir saved, liberated
riz rotten
rizn di de v.t. to be thrown into
rizq m sustenance
r f beard
rtm m rhythm
ro f sun: di bin ro(ye)ka havn de under
a hot summer sun
roava m west, dusk; ~y western
rohilat m dawn, east
rohn bright
roj f day; ew ~ ev ~ e from that day to
this: ew roj ev roj e malbata min li v
bajar rdin my family has lived in
this city from that day to this; ~ane
daily; ~ava west; ~hilat f east: Rojhilata Navn the Middle East; ~name
f newspaper; ~nameger f journalism
rokrol f role
rom m the Ottoman Empire; Ottoman,
Turk
roman f novel; ~nivs novelist
ronah f light, brightness; bi ~y derketin to come to light

236

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
ronakbr intellectual
ronay = ronah
rondik f tear
ronesans f renaissance
ruh m spirit, soul; ~iyet f morale, spirit
ruhn f brightness; ruhniya avan light
of the eyes, favorite
rutbe m rank
ruv (dial. var.) = rv
r m (const riy, rw) face
rbar m river
rhrn convivial, amusing, lighthearted
rj (dial. var.) = roj; ~k = rojek one
day, some day
rken f smile, smiling
rmet f honor, respect
rn m oil
rnitevan m inhabitant
r-nitin -n- v.i. to sit, dwell (the
present tense is used only for habitual
action; the pres. perf. tense rnitiye
means s/he is sitting, and the past.
perf. tense rnitib means s/he was
sitting); odeya rnitin sitting
room
rpel f page, sheet
rs Russian; ~ Russian (language)
rt naked, bare
rxan v.i. to collapse
rxandin v.t. to destroy
sa f (const. siya) shadow; ser siya
ketin v.i. to get anywhere near
saet f hour
sal f year; ~mezin aged
salon f reception room
san se
sar cold
satil f bucket
saw terror, fear
sawar f bulghur wheat, cracked wheat
sax healthy, well, whole
saxik honest

say bn v.i. to clear up (weather)

saz kirin v.t. to establish
se m (obl. pl san) dog
sebeb m reason
sebir f patience; ~ neman to be impatient: d sebra min nemaye now Ive
lost my patience
sed hundred; ~sal f century; ~sal f centennary; ji ~ per cent; bo ~ per cent
seda m/f sound ???
sedem f reason, cause
seff f classroom
seg m dog
seh f intuition, feeling; ~ kirin v.t. to
understand intuitively
sehol f ice
Seirt f Siirt; ~ native of Siirt
sekinan/-n v.i. to settle down, to be
quiet, to dwell; to tarry; to light
(gaze) (li ser upon): ez dixwazim li
ser pirsek bisekinim I want to dwell
on a question
selik f basket
semax f endurance; ~ kirin v.t. to bear,
to endure
Sen m the River Seine
seqem f dry cold
seqer f Saqar, a poison that drips from a
tree in hell
ser m head; (prep.) to, toward, on, over;
bi ~ ketin v.i. to get ahead, succeed;
n ser v.i. to attack; ~ xwe bi re
andin v.t. to trouble oneself with,
bother with: ser xwe bi kultura kurd
re nanin they dont bother with
Kurdish culture; ~ bin m the ins
and outs, everything: ser bin v
gund ez bikanibim ji v premr
hn bibim I could learn all there is to
know about this village from this old
man; b ~ bin endless
seranser: li ~ (prep.) all over: li seranser dinyay all over the world
serbajar m capital

237

KURMANJI KURDISH
serberday stray, wandering
serbest free; ~ f freedom
serbilind bi proud of; ~ah/~ f pride
serbixwe free; ~bn f liberation
serdar m leader; ~ f leadership, command
serdest m overlord; ~ f mastery, rule; ~
kirin v.t. to rule: yn ku ro serdestiya
kurdan dikin those who rule over the
Kurds today
sereke main
serencam f end, outcome
ser f headache
serfiraz f distinction
sergerdan perplexed
sergevez pride
sergiran important
sergn m dung
sergovend f dance line; bi ser ~ girtin to lead a dance line
serhed f frontier, border
ser m head; ear (of grain); ~ birdin to
complete; ~ hil-dan to rebel; ~ xistin
li to visit; to apply to; n ser to
come to fruition
serhildan f uprising
serjorek serjrek ups and downs
serkar f direction, leadership
serketin f success
serma f cold, coldness
sermawj Libra
sermyan m capital
sernivs f fate
sernuxumand veiled
serok m leader; ~at f leadership; ~cumhr m president; ~er m chieftain;
~wezr m prime minister
serphat f adventure
serqot bare-headed
serraf m jeweler
sersal f new years day
serser careless
ser-utin v.t. to take a bath
sertj towering

serve bn v.i. to be attached

serwer m leader
serwext informed, knowledgeable
sew f level: rojnameyn me yn roja
royn negihtine sewiya wan our
newspapers of today have not reached
their level
sewsen lily
seyda m savant
seyr f view; adj strange
seyran f outing; ~ -kirin v.t. to arrange an outing; ~geh f park, promenade, place for an outing
s1 three
s2 f (constr. siya) shadow; di bin siya
de under the aegis of
sp f tripod
sw m orphan
swlek m sole (of a shoe)
sibat f February
sibeh f morn, dawn: sibeh heta var
from morning till night; ~ tomorrow;
v ~ this morning
sibetir f the next morning; ~a w ev
the morning after that night
sib = sibeh
sih1 angry, irritated; ~it f irritation
sih2 = s2
sij f puss, filth; ~n v.i. to ooze
sik sar very sad (heart) ???
silav f greeting
silawat (pl) benedictions; ~an kandin
v.t. to give benedictions
simbl m mustache
simsimn v.i. to leave tracks, to make a
trail
sincir flaming, burning
sindoq f box, trunk
sing f breast
sinif f class, grade
sipartin sipr- = spartin
sip = sp
sipndar f poplar
sipta f whiteness

238

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
sir f cold wind; ~ seqem, ~ serma f
biting cold weather
sirf only, purely
sirgn f exile; ~ bn to be exiled
sirut f nature
sis three
sist weak; ~ kirin v.t. to weaken, make
weak
sitar f protection
sitrk = strk
sitir m thorn
sitran = stran
siwar mounted, on horseback
siya sa
siyaset f politics; ~van m politician
siyas political
sivik light, not heavy
s1 thirty
s2 f shadow; ~ dan to cast a shadow
sleh (pl) arms, armament: slehn sivik
light arms
sng f breast
snor m border, boundary
sstem m system
stil f (dial. var.) = satil
Swas f Sivas
swaxnekir unpenetrated
sobe f heating stove; ~ vxistin to light
a stove
sof Sufi, respectful term of address for
an old man; ~t f Sufism, mysticism
sohbet f conversation, talk
sol f shoe; ~ker m shoemaker
sond f oath; ~ xwarin to swear an oath
sor red; threshed (wheat); ~ah f redness
sorav red grape; ~(n) dark red
sorgul rose
sosin f iris
sosret unusualness; bi ~ unusual
soz dan v.t. to promise
sparin spr- v.t. to entrust
spartin = sparin
spas thank you; ~ kirin v.t. to thank;
~dar f gratitude

speh good-looking, pretty, attractive

spda, spde f dawn
spr- sparin
sp white; ~t f whiteness
standin (dial. var.) = stendin
stasyon f railway station
stelih ordinary, common
stemkar f oppression
Stenbol f Istanbul
stendin stn- v.t. to take, get; bi pa de
~ to take back
steyr = str
str f star; ~k f star; ~nas m astronomer;
~nas f astronomy
stiran stir- v.t. to sing
stn- stendin
sto = st
stran f song; ~bj singer
st m neck; ~xwar obedient, cowed
stn f column
str thick, stout
sufrik m tablecloth
sur f breeze
suret f speed
surgn = sirgn
suwar on horseback; ~ bn to mount
s m crime, fault
sd m profit; ~ wergirtin ji v.t. to profit
from
sl m waterfall
Sriya f (obl Sriyay, Sriy) Syria
sxte m theological student
Swd f Sweden
a happy, glad; ~ bn bi v.i. to be happy
with, rejoice over s.th.; ~ kirin v.t. to
gladden: w pirtk dil min a kirib
that book had gladdened my heart;
~h f gladness, happiness
afi Shafiite (school of Islamic jurisprudence)
agirt m pupil, apprentice
ah m king
ahd m witness

239

KURMANJI KURDISH
ahk shining, brilliant
ar m poet
al m traditional baggy Kurdish trousers
all m magpie
andin n- v.t. to send
an kirin, ~ dan v.t. to show
ano f stage
ans m chance
areza competent; ~y f competence, expertise
a wrong; ~ bn v.i. to be wrong: ez ne
a bim I wouldnt be wrong; ~ kirin
v.t. to mistake; reya xwe ~ kirin v.t.
to lose ones way; ~ f mistake, fault
afhmkirin f misunderstanding
aik f turban; ~ sp white-turbaned
ax m branch
e = eh
eh m comb; ~ kirin v.t. to comb
ehd m martyr
ehsiwar m expert horseman
ekal f old shoe
ekir m sugar
emitandin v.t. to make slide
emitn v.i. to slip, to slide
eng tuft of hair
ep f blow, slap in the face
epe f snowdrift
epn v.i. to sink down (into snow)
eqeeq noisy sound, chatter
equdeq hard knocks
er m war: er chan y yekemn
World War I; ~ kirin, ~ dan (dayn)
v.t. to fight war
eref f honor
ert f the Sharia, Islamic law
erm f shame; ~dar modest; ~dar f
modesty; ~ kirin ji v.t. to be ashamed
of: min ji xwe erm kir I was ashamed
of myself
erpeze destitute; ~ bn v.i. to be destitute; ~ kirin v.t. to put s.o. in a bad
situation, to best
ert f condition, qualification

ervan m warrior
e six
et sixty
ev f night; ~re f dark night
ewat f fire
ewitandin v.t. to burn
ewitn v.i. to burn
exs person; ~ personal; ~iyet f personality
ewq f light; ~a elektrk flashlight
- iyan
landin ln- v.t. to exploit
l turbid, murky
l (dial. var.) = l
n m inhabitant, (pl) people
rn sweet
x m sheikh
idet violence, strength
ifr m driver
ir f poetry
idandin idn- v.t. to strike (a match)
ik f doubt; b ~ doubtless(ly)
ikandin ikn- v.t. to break
ikeft f cave
ikr m rock, mountain crag
ikestin ik- v.i. to break, be defeated
ikir thanks: ikir ji Xweda re thank
God
ikil form, symbol
il damp, wet; ~ kirin v.t. to wet, dampen
ilftaz buck naked
ip on foot
iqitn v.i. to slip
irket f company
irove f interpretation; ~ kirin v.t. to
interpret
istin o- v.t. to wash
ivan m (obl. ivn) shepherd
ivant f shepherding; ~ kirin v.t. to
shepherd, to be a sheep herder
ivn ivan
ivir m mountain goat
ixul m work; ~n v.i. to work, occupy

240

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
oneself
iyan - v.i. to be able
iyar awake; ~ bn v.i. to wake up; ~
kirin v.t. to wake s.o. up
n1 blue, green
n2 = wn
n- andin
ndar = wndar
r m milk
ret f advice; ~ kirin li v.t. to advise
rn sweet, pretty, nice
t aware, sober
v f sunset; ~a var nightfall
kandin kn- = ikandin
kev f cupboard
o- istin
op f footprint, trace; ~ ji ser xwe
winda kirin to throw a pursuer off
track; ~gern scout, tracker; ~ hitin
v.t. to leave a trace
or1 salty, brackish (water); ~ay f saltiness
or2 talk, words; ~ kirin v.t. to talk, chat
orbe f soup
ore f rebellion, uprising; ~ger m rebel,
revolutionary: oregerek bolevk a
Bolshevik revolutionary
orezar f desert, wasteland
un = n
utin (dial. var.) = istin
uxul m work, occupation; ~ kirin v.t.
to work; ~andin v.t. to put to work;
~n v.i. to work
spouse
jin derz bn v.i. to stand on end
(the hair)
likn v.i. to move stealthily
m gloomy, inauspicious
n f place; track, wake: div ew tkeve
na bav xwe he must follow in his
fathers footsteps; ~a girtin v.t. to
follow in the wake of, take the place
of; ~da after: ji w sal nda after
this year; nuha ~da henceforth; di ~a

ku (conj.) instead of
quick, nimble, sleek; mirina ~ sudden death
a pieces of glass
e f glass
tin (dial. var.) = istin
wn f mourning; ~dar in mourning
ta1 prep. & conj. until: ta niha up till
now
ta2 m fever
tab m illumination; ~ ann v.t. to illuminate
tabet f nature
tacir m merchant; ~ f commerce
taht f rock; noka ~ pebble
tal bitter, sharp
talde f shelter
talyan Italian
tam f taste
tamar = temar
tanq f tank (mil.)
taqet endurance
taqb f surveillance: di bin taqba
polsan de under police surveillance;
~ kirin to keep under surveillance
tar f a path through snow
Taran f Tehran
tar dark; ~t f darkness
tarx f history
tas f bowl
tat m breakfast
tat m rise, hill
tav1 f light, sunlight
tav2 f rainshower
tavik f sunlight
tavil quickly, soon; immediately
taybet special; bi ~ especially
tayek kiandin ji v.t. to shake
tayn kirin v.t. to determine, assign,
appoint
taz naked; ~ kirin v.t. to strip naked
te tu
teb natural

241

KURMANJI KURDISH
Tebrz f Tabriz
tecrube f experience
tedrcen gradually
tefandin -tefn- v.t. to put out (light,
candle)
tefe f face, countenance
tefn v.i. to go out (light, candle)
tefsr Koranic commentary
tehlke f danger
tehqr f deprecation
tehsldar m tax collector
teht m mountain range
tej (dial. var.) = tij
tek single, alone, by oneself; ~ ten
alone, all by oneself
tekane lone
teko alone, singly
tela commotion
telefon f telephone
teletel on tiptoes
televizyon f television
telte f sheet (of ice), crust
tem m fog
temam perfect, complete
temar f artery, vein
temaa kirin v.t. to watch, to look at
temae = temaa
temaevan spectator, watcher
tembel lazy; ~ f laziness
temen m life, lifespan, age
temene respect; bi ~ respectfully
temirn v.i. to die ???
temiz kirin v.t. to clean
temslkar m representative
tena = tenha
tendr f oven, pit; ~a zik the pit of the
belly
ten alone, only, except for; bi ~ only:
em ferz bikin ku tu bi ten bikarib
Kurdistanek bik lets assume that
you could only create one Kurdistan;
ne bi ~ l j not only but also;
~t f misery, loneliness
teng narrow, tight; ~as f difficulty,

straits
tenha alone; bi ~ xwe by him/her/itself,
alone
tenta next to
teor f theory
tep f tap
tepan mallet
tepandin v.t. to pat, to tap
tepe m summit, mountain top
teperep kirin v.t. to rap
teq f a sharp sound; ~--req loud sound
teqandin teqn- v.t. to burst, explode, to
fire, shoot (gun)
teqn v.i. to burst, explode
ter fresh, verdant; ~ f freshness
terch kirin v.t. to prefer
tercuman m translator
teres pimp
terik chapped
terf kirin v.t. to describe (ji re for,
to)
terqet m dervish order
terk f leaving; ~ dan/kirin v.t. to leave,
abandon: gava terka mala xwe da
when s/he left home
term m corpse
terorzm f terrorism
terpiln v.i. to roll
terr f tail
ter livestock
tesewif Sufism; ~ Sufistic
tesr f influence
teslm kirin v.t. to turn in, to turn over,
to submit
tekl f organization, formation
tet f trough
tewq encouragement; ~ kirin v.t. to
encourage
texele f trouble, turmoil
tetik, tetk f trigger
tev all, entire, altogether; together with;
~a all, entirely, totally; ~ah/~ay f
entirety: di tevayiya Ewrpa all over
Europe; ~da, ~ de altogether, entire-

242

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
ly; bi ~ay entirely, in toto; xwe
~gir-dan v.t. to get oneself together
tevdr f plan
tevger f industry, activity, movement:
Tevgera Rizgariya Kurdistan Kurdish Liberation Movement
teviz numb
tevizn f numbness; ~ok f numb feeling
tev (prep.) along with; ~hev altogether;
~ ku (conj.) although
tevlihev confused, mixed up; ~ f confusion
tevl f awareness
tewqif kirin v.t. to arrest
texik f shelf
texlt sort, kind: her du texlt nivsar
both sorts of writers
texmn f guess, thought; ~ kirin v.t. to
guess, estimate
text m throne
texte m board
teyan a large basin used in bathhouses
teyr, tr m bird; ~ ty birds and fowl
teze new(ly), fresh(ly); ~ kirin to refresh
t1 = di + w/w
t2 = tu +
t3 coming, next: meha ~ the coming
month
t-gihtin v.i. to understand, realize
tk n v.i. to break up, split apart
tkel prep. along with
t-ketin v.i. to go to, wind up (somewhere): ew dixwaze tkeve cepheyan
he wants to go to the fronts; ~ na to
take the place of: keng azad
serbest tkevin na sitemkar
zordariy? when will freedom and independence take the place of injustice
and oppression?
tkil connected; ~bn f connectedness;
~ f connection
t-kirin v.t. to put on
tkoer m activist, combatant

tkon dan v.t. to strive, make an effort

tkz (dial. var.) = tekz
tr1 full, satisfied; ~ bn v.i. to be satisfied (hunger), to be slaked (thirst); ~
kirin v.t. to satisfy, make full, to be
sufficient: emr w tr nekir he didnt
live long enough
tr2 = teyr
tvel various, different
t-xistin v.t. to include; xwe ~ to put
oneself
tif f spit
tifik f bellows, hearth
tifing f rifle
tije brimful
tij full; ~ kirin v.t. to fill
til f finger
tilik, tilk = til
tim1 always; her~ always
tim2 f desire
timobl f automobile
tin (dial. var.) = ten
tiral lazy
tirb f grave, tomb
tirn f train; ~a di bin erd de subway; ji ~ by train
tirimpl f automobile
tirk Turk; ~ Turkish (language); ~nijad
racially Turkish
Tirkiye f (obl Tirkiyey, Tirkiy) Turkey
tirs f fear; ~an va out of fear
tirsandin v.t. to scare; to fear
tirsner frightful, frightening
tirsiyan/tirsn ji v.i. to be afraid of, fear
tir bitter; ry xwe ~ kirin to scowl
tit m thing: titek din something else
titn f tobacco
tiving f (dial. var.) = tufing
tiw = tu w
tixtor m doctor
t thirsty
tfal ???
tj (dial. var.) = tj; ~ hr nrn li to

243

KURMANJI KURDISH
look closely and carefully at, to
scrutinize
tn1 f thirst
tn2 btn
tn- ann
tp f letter of the alphabet; m type, sort
tr thick, dense, dark
traj f print run; km ~ of a small print
run, printed in small numbers
trj f sunlight, ray: trjn hviy rays
of hope
t piece, group
tol f revenge; ~ wergirtin v.t. to extract
revenge
top f cannon, cannonball
topik f pile
torbe sack
torin m person of name, person of renown; descendant, offspring
toz f dust; ~ telaz dust
trimbl f automobile
tu1 (obl. te) you (sing.)
tu2 no, not any, none, nothing; ~ caran
never; ~ kes nobody; ~ tit nothing
tucar never
tuf f spit; ~ kirin v.t. to spit
tufing f rifle, gun; ~ ber-dan to fire a
rifle at
tukes (+ neg.) nobody
tj sharp
tk f hair, fur
tle m pup, cub
tlik m cub
tr m bag; ~ik m sack
trt = turt
ttin f tobacco
ummet f religious community
umr m life
unda (dial. var.) = wenda
unverste f university
uris Russian
usa (dial. var.) = wisa
ustu = st

zez f rumble
va = ve
vala empty; ~ kirin v.t. to empty; ~h f
void; vik~ totally empty
vazo f vase
ve (postposition) forms the second part
of a number of circumpositions, generally indicating motion away from;
see the prepositional element
ve-bn v.i. to open
ve-ceniqn (dial. var.) = ve-ciniqn
ve-ciniqandin v.t. to make tremble with
fear, to make shudder, to startle
ve-ciniqn v.i. to be seized by fright, to
be startled
ve-dan v.t. to give off; deng ~ to echo
veger f return
ve-gerandin -gern- v.t. to turn, to turn
back
ve-geriyan/gern v.i. to return; ~ ser to
turn to
ve-gevizn v.i. to flounder, wallow
ve-hrandin v.t. to grind up, crunch
vehnay spread out
ve-jandin -jn- v.t. to revivify
ve-jenn v.i. to rustle
ve-jinn (dial. var.) = ve-jenn
ve-kirin v.t. to open
ve-kiandin ji v.t. to pull out of, pull
back from, withdraw from
ve-kin v.i. to withdraw
ve-maltin v.t. to roll up the sleeves
ve-man v.i. to bog down
ve-miran (ve-mirn) v.i. to go out (fire,
&c.); ~din v.t. to put out, extinguish,
quell, quench: min lampa xwe vemirand I put out my light
ve-poandin v.t. to cover
ve-qetandin v.t. to distinguish, separate
ve-qetiyan v.i. to get separated: ji ber
perebna welt riyn zaravayn kurmanc soran ji hevdu vediqetin

244

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
after the division of the country the
paths of the Kurmanji and Sorani dialects part from each other; ~ bi to be
distinguished by
ve-qetn = ve-qetiyan
ver-kirin to send off, dispatch
ve-artin -r- v.t. to hide, bury
ve-texirn v.i. to taper off
ve-xistin v.t. to throw down
ve-xwarin v.t. to drink
ve-zelan v.i. to lie down and roll
around; xwe ve-zelandin to throw
oneself down and roll around
ve-ziliandin = ve-zelandin
v ev
vca therefore
vcar then, so
v-geriyan = ve-geriyan
vk re together
vn f wish, desire
v-xistin v.t. to light
vikvala vala.
vir here
vizn v.i. to buzz, to hum
vizvizk tangled, knotted
v ev
vrus f virus
vzevz f blowing, rustling (of wind)
waqewaq squeal of an animal
war1 m = bar
war2 m regard, respect; di ~ de concerning; di v ~ de in this regard, in
this respect
war3 m camp, camping ground; ~geh m
camp site
warkor n to disappear without a trace
we hun
wefakar faithful
wefat f death
weha thus, such
wek (prep.) like; ~e (prep.) like; ~e ku
(conj.) as: weke ku min got as I said;
~ din anything else

wekhev alike, equal; ~ f equality: li ser

esasn wekhev on a basis of equality
wekl advocate, lawyer; ~dar f advocacy
welat m (obl. welt) country, homeland;
~hez lover of the homeland, patriot;
~parz defender of the homeland, patriot(ic); ~perwer patriot
wele = welle
weleh = wel
wel thus, like that
welle by God
wenda lost; ~ bn v.i. to be lost; ~ kirin
v.t. to lose
wer bn di v.i. to fall into
wer- hatin
werger m translator; ~van m translator
wer-gerandin v.t. to transform, translate
wer-girtin v.t. to take up (see ber wergirtin, sd wergirtin, tol wergirtin)
werimandin v.t. to cause to swell
werimn v.i. to swell
wer-kirin li v.t. to wrap around
wesiyetname f will, testament
wers m rope
wesf m attribute, quality; ~ dan to describe
westan west- v.i. to stand, stop; to be
exhausted
westiyan = westan
westiyay exhausted
weandin wen- v.t. to publish
weanxane f publishing house
wext f time: di eyn wext de at the same
time; di wexteke kurt de within a
short time; ~ ku (conj.) when
wezin f poetic meter
wezfe f duty
wezaret f ministry: Wezareta Ferheng
the Ministry of Culture
wezr m minister; ~t f ministry
w1 ew
w2 future auxiliary + subj. for future
tense

245

KURMANJI KURDISH
wje f speech, literature
wne m picture, painting; ~ger m artist,
painter
wran destroyed, ruined; ~ kirin v.t. to
destroy, ruin
wrn v.i. (+ subj.) to dare
winda (dial. var.) = wenda
wir there
wirn (dial. var.) = wrn
wisa(n) thus, such, so
w ew
wjdan m conscience
wucd f existence; hatin ~ to come
into existence
wusan (dial. var.) = wisa
x- xistin
xak f earth, ground
xal f mole
xalxal in spots, spotted
xanim f lady, mistress
xan m house
xapandin xapn- v.t. to deceive, to fool,
to play a trick on: mna ku hatibe
xapandin as though a trick had been
played on him
xapn v.i. to be deceived, to be fooled
xapok deceptive
xapxapok deceitful
xar1 crooked, bent
xar2 (dial. var.) = xwar
xarin (dial. var.) = xwarin
xastin (dial. var.) = xwestin
xask cunning, shrewd
xatir m mind, heart; ~gir considerate,
obliging; ~ girtin to be considerate
of, respect: bik mezinan xatir w
digirtin young and old were considerate of him; ~xwestin f affection; bi
xatir re w ji min re got he said to
me with affection; dan ~ to be
considerate of
xav raw, immature
xayin traitor

xaz m ghazi, holy warrior

xazk ???
xebat f work, struggle
xeber f words, speech: xebera w ye
thats what he says
xeberdan f talk, speech
xebitan li ser v.i. to work on, strive for
xebitn = xebitan
xedar pitiless, cruel
xefk f trap
xelas kirin (v.t. to finish
xelas f liberation; er xelasiy war of
liberation
xelat f prize, reward; ~ kirin v.t. to reward
xelk m (construed as sing. for case but
pl. by sense) people
xem f grief, sadness; ~ xwarin ji v.t. to
sympathize with; ~gn sorrowful;
~gn f sorrow: ez bi xemgn dibjim
ku I say with sorrow that
xemilandin v.t. to adorn
xencer f dagger
xerab ruined; ~-bn to be ruined; ~e
ruined; ~ f harm, ruination
xerez f rancor, grudge; ~kar f holding a
grudge
xerf senile
xerc kirin v.t. to spend
xerb stranger, foreigner, exiled, away
from ones homeland; ~ f estrangement, foreignness, the state of being
away from ones homeland; welat
~y foreign country
xerte f map
xertel f eagle
xesandin xesn- v.t. to twist, wring
xesar f damage, loss; ~ dtin v.t. to suffer loss, be damaged; ~nedt undamaged
xet f line
xew m sleep; ketin ~ to fall asleep; ji ~
ra-kirin to rouse from sleep
xewle lonely, desolate

246

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY
xewl f desolation, isolation
xewn f dream; ~ dtin v.t. to dream,
have a dream; ~erojik daydream
xeyal f imagination, fantasy, dream
xeyidn ji v.i. to get angry at
xeyn other; ji ~ (prep.) other than, aside
from: ji xeyn van titan other than
these things
xeyo (Syr. Ar. khayyo, voc. only) fellow, guy, friend
xezal gazelle
xezeb f rage, wrath
xezne f treasury
xezr m father-in-law; f mother-in-law
xr f goodness; ~xwe f chitchat;
bi~hatin dan v.t. to welcome: jinek
bixrhatin da min a woman welcomed me; bi ~a re thanks to; bi ~
br very good; ji ~a re because
of, on account of; ~hatin kirin li v.t.
to welcome; hatin ~ to be a welcome guest
xz f line; ~ik ditto
xidmet f service
xilas kirin to be saved
xilmam = xilma
xilma half asleep, sleepy
xirab bad, evil
xisar f loss
xistin x- v.t. to cast, throw, put in, make
fall; ji hev de ~ to break up; ~ li to
beat
xissiyet = xussiyet
xiikn v.i. to drag along, scrape across
xir m/f ornament ???
xixi f rustling, scratching sound
xitab m address; ~ kirin v.t. to address;
~ kesek kirin to address, speak to
s.o.
xitimandin v.t. to close, seal: r hatine
xitimandin the roads have been closed
xiyal f dream, imagination
xizmet f service; ~ kirin v.t. to serve
xnji (dial. var.) = xeyn ji

xret f zeal, bravery, courage; ~ kirin

v.t. to try hard
xze-xze grating sound
xo f (dial. var.) = xwe; ~a xwe his own
self
xoce m master, teacher
xof f fear; ~ tirs f fear and trembling
xort young, young man/woman; ~an f
youth
xodiv beloved
xu (dial. var.) = xwe
xuda m (obl. xud) God; ~ hefiz goodbye
xudan m owner; b~ godless, Godforsaken, poor, pitiable
xuh f sister
xulam m slave; manservant
xunav f sprinkle, light rain
xur f itch
xure xur f snoring
xurn on an empty stomach
xurn = xurn
xurme f date
xurt strong, powerful; ~ gur strong,
puissant
xur natural
xussiyet f characteristic, distinguishing
feature
xun v.i. to rustle, to gurgle
xuk f sister
xuya clear, obvious; ~ bn v.i. to be obvious, appear, show up; ~ kirin v.t. to
seem, appear: hotel gelek xwe luks
xuya dikir the hotel looked very nice
and deluxe
xuyan v.i. to seem, to appear
xuyan familiar; ~ kirin v.t. to familiarize
xn f blood; ~a ceger livers blood,
metaphor for tears of agony and suffering
xs f snowdrift ???
xyan = xuyan
xwar down; ser da ~ bn to lean

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KURMANJI KURDISH
over s.th.; ~ bn v.i. to descend; ~
kirin v.t. to lower, take down; hatin
~ to come down
xwarin f food
xwarin xw- v.t. to eat
xwaroviko coiled up
xwaz- xwestin
xwe oneself, -self (refers to the subject
of the clause in which it occurs); ~
girtin li ber to defend oneself
against; ji ~ in and of itself; bi~ himself, herself, itself; li ~ kirin to put
on, wear (clothes)
xwebikdtin f inferiority: kompleksa
xwebikdtin inferiority complex
xwedan m chief, head, leader
xwed m God
xwed m possessor, owner: xwediy
paseporteke Swd bm I possessed a
Swedish passport
xwehesn f self-awareness
xwefadekirin f self-expression
xwel f dust, ash; ~ li ser xwe kirin to
pour dust on ones head, to mourn;
~dan f ashtray
xwen f dream, vision
xwenas self-respecting
xwenav = xunav
xwendin xwn-/xwn- v.t. to read, study
xwende/a learned, literate; ~geh f
school, university; ~kar student;
~van m reader, scholar
xwer independent; pure(ly), exclusive(ly): ev kovar ne xwer bi kurd
ne these journals are not exclusively
in Kurdish
xweser unbridled
xwestin xwaz- v.t. to want, to ask for
xwe nice, pleasant, good; ~bn f success; ~hal pleased, happy; ~haliya
xwe gotin to express ones pleasure;
~ik nice, pretty; ~ f pleasure
xwey = xwe
xweya = xuya

xwey = xwed; ~ kirin v.t. to raise

(animals)
xwez would that, I wish (+ past conditional); ~t f desire, wish
xw f salt; sweat
xwdan v.t. to sweat
xwik f sister
xw m habit, disposition
xwn f blood; ~egot flesh and blood;
~dar bloody; ~germ fervent; ~germ
f fervor; ~rn likeable
xwsgirt damp
xwz f spit, saliva
xwk (dial. var.) = xwik
ya fem. sing. construct extender; bi ~ te
in your opinion
yad (voc. only) mother
yan or; ~ ~ either or
yan that is, i.e.
yar m friend
ya reb O Lord!
yek one; ~ bn v.i. to be united; ~by
united; ~deng f unanimity; ~dest of
one piece; ~ejmar singular; ~emn
first; ~t f unity; ~tiya Neteweyan
the League of Nations; ~netewet f
uninationalism, monoethnicity; ~ser
direct; ~ta peerless, without equal
yekser right away, immediately
y masc. sing. construct extender
yn pl. construct extender
YNK = Yektya Ntmanperwern
Kurdistan Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
yunan Greek
zabit m (obl zbit) m officer
zaf (dial. var.) = zehf
zalim m tyrant, unjust
zang sheer (cliff) ???
zann v.t. to know (neg. present nzanim, past (d)zanibm, subj. bzanibim); ~ bi to know about: xelk bi

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siyaset nizanin the people dont
know anything about politics
zana = zane
zane learned, wise; ~bn f wisdom;
zanyar f knowledge
zar m language; ~ava m dialect; ~rn
well-spoken, articulate
zaro small, young, m/f youngster; ~k
child; ~kat, ~kt, ~t f youth,
childhood
zarn v.i. to wail, lament
zar z (pl) kids
zava m bridegroom
zayin f birth
zehf many, lots of, very, very much
zehmet f trouble; ~ kiandin v.t. to have
difficulty, go to trouble, be bothered;
~ f ditto; ~k worker, laborer
zef weak, skinny
zelal clear, limpid; ~ kirin v.t. to make
clear, clarify
zelam = zilam
zeliqandin v.t. to stick
zeliqn v.i. to stick
zell m despondent
zeman m time, era
zemzellk f icicle ???
zend f forearm
zengal m/f legging ???
zengil m bell; ~ telefon telephone
call; li ~ dr xistin to ring the doorbell
zengn rich; ~ f wealth
zer yellow; ~at f yellowness; ~by
yellowed; ~ zinar nooks and crannies
zerar f detriment, loss
Zerdet Zoroaster
zev f land, field
zewac f marriage
zewicn bi re v.i. to get married to
zewq m delight
zexim strong, sound; zexm f strength
zbit zabit

zc hide ???
zde much, a lot; ~ bn v.i. to increase;
~ kirin v.t. to increase
zr m gold; ~n golden
zrben ???
zrek f cleverness, intelligence
zihniyet f mentality
zik m belly; ~ek tr xwarin v.t. to eat
to ones fill; ~mak native, inborn
zilam m man, guy, fellow
ziliandin ve-ziliandin
zilik straw
zilim f injustice, tyranny
ziman m (obl zimn) language, tongue;
bi ~ ann v.t. to give voice to, express; ~van linguist; ~van f linguistics
zinar m (obl. zinr) rock
zing ???
zingar f rust; ~girt rusty, rusted; ~ girtin v.t. to rust, get rusty
zincr f chain, bond
zindan f prison
zind alive, energetic, lively
ziving f cave
zivistan f winter
zirav slender, slight
zivir twisted, knotted
zivirandin zivirn- v.t. to turn around,
turn back; avn xwe ~ ji de to
turn ones eyes away from , avert
ones gaze from
zivirn zivir- v.i. to turn, go/come back,
turn around, wander
ziwa dry
zixim (dial. var.) = zexim
zn z- v.i. to live, come to life
zre cumin
zrek clever
ztby ???
zv m silver
zvalzval ???
zving = ziving
zvironek sandy, dusty

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KURMANJI KURDISH
zman = ziman
zolilk blossom, bloom
zor f force; ~ dan v.t. to force, compel;
~ kirin v.t. to use force; bi (dest) ~
by force; ~bet f oppressiveness; ~dar
forceful, oppressive; ~dar f oppression; ~dest f force, pressure; ~kirin f
violence
zozan m summer pasture, meadow
zuha (dial. var.) = ziwa
zuk f prominent, obvious
zulf m/f tress, lock (of hair) ???
zulum = zilim
zurne f clarion; ~van m clarion player

z quick, fast, soon, early; ~ an dereng

sooner or later; ~ be ~ very quickly; ~
de (+ pres. perf.) for a long time: z
de ye me hev du neditiye we havent
seen each other for a long time;
~brbir f quick thinking; ~ka, ~~ka
hurriedly, hastily, quickly; ~kan f
haste: zkaniya te i ye? whats your
hurry?; ~ ve for a long time, since
long; ji ~ de from early on
zrezr f howling
zrn v.i. to howl
zr man v.i. to be lost

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