Adjectives

35 phrases · Central Kurdish (Sorani) with romanization, English and audio

  1. گەورە

    Gewre

    Big

    Usage

    Basic word for size, e.g. a big room or bag

    Grammar Note

    As a predicate it takes -ye (مەتبەخەکە گەورەیە 'the kitchen is big'). The opposite is بچووک.

  2. بچووک

    Biçûk

    Small

    Usage

    For small things, e.g. asking for another size

    Grammar Note

    Also spelled بچوک. وو is long û.

  3. قورس

    Qurs

    Heavy

    Usage

    For saying that luggage is heavy

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is سووک. ق is q.

  4. سووک

    Sûk

    Light

    Usage

    Light in weight

    Grammar Note

    Also spelled سوک. وو is long û.

  5. گران

    Giran

    Expensive

    Usage

    Means high-priced; ئەوە زۆر گرانە! is 'that is too expensive!'

    Grammar Note

    گران also means 'heavy'; it is the usual word for a high price.

  6. هەرزان

    Herzan

    Cheap

    Usage

    Means low-priced; هەرزان نییە is 'it isn't cheap'

    Grammar Note

    A Persian loan. The h is written with ه (U+0647).

  7. گەرم

    Germ

    Hot / Warm

    Usage

    Means high temperature; ئایا ئەوێ گەرمە؟ is 'is it hot over there?'

    Grammar Note

    The same word is used for weather and for food temperature.

  8. سارد

    Sard

    Cold

    Usage

    Means low temperature

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is گەرم. ر is a plain r.

  9. نوێ

    Nwê

    New

    Usage

    For new things

    Grammar Note

    ئۆتۆمبێلێکی نوێ is 'a new car'. ێ is ê.

  10. کۆن

    Kon

    Old

    Usage

    For old things and places; for people use پیر

    Grammar Note

    ۆ is o. Not to be confused with the root کۆ.

  11. گەنج

    Genc

    Young

    Usage

    For young people; من گەنجم is 'I am young'

    Grammar Note

    ج is c, with no vowel between n and c (genc).

  12. پیر

    Pîr

    Old (person)

    Usage

    For elderly people, often said with respect

    Grammar Note

    Used for people's age; things that are old use کۆن.

  13. پاک

    Pak

    Clean

    Usage

    For saying whether a room or food is clean

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is پیس.

  14. پیس

    Pîs

    Dirty

    Usage

    Means dirty

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is پاک.

  15. باش

    Baş

    Good

    Usage

    The basic word for good; also 'well' (باشم 'I'm fine')

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is خراپ. چاک is a synonym.

  16. خراپ

    Xirap

    Bad

    Usage

    Means bad or poor

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is باش.

  17. نزیک

    Nizîk

    Near

    Usage

    Means close; the superlative نزیکترین is 'nearest'

    Grammar Note

    Add -ترین for 'most …' (نزیکترین نەخۆشخانە 'the nearest hospital').

  18. دوور

    Dûr

    Far

    Usage

    Means far; چەند دوورە؟ is 'how far is it?'

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is نزیک. وو is long û.

  19. زوو

    Zû

    Early

    Usage

    Means early; هێشتا زووە is 'it is still early'

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is درەنگ. وو is long û.

  20. درەنگ

    Direng

    Late

    Usage

    Means late; for lateness or delays

    Grammar Note

    ە is short e. A short i sits inside the initial در.

  21. زۆر

    Zor

    A lot / Very

    Usage

    Means a lot, or 'very'

    Grammar Note

    Before an adjective it means 'very' (زۆر باش 'very good').

  22. کەم

    Kem

    Few / Little

    Usage

    Means a small amount

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is زۆر. کەمێک means 'a little'.

  23. شیرین

    Şîrîn

    Sweet

    Usage

    Means sweet in taste, for pastries and drinks

    Grammar Note

    Do not confuse شیرین 'sweet' with شیر 'milk'.

  24. جوان

    Ciwan

    Beautiful

    Usage

    For praising scenery, people or things; زۆر جوانە is 'very nice'

    Grammar Note

    ج is c. جوان is also a common compliment for people.

  25. خۆش

    Xoş

    Nice / Pleasant

    Usage

    Means pleasant, fun or tasty

    Grammar Note

    ڕۆژێکی خۆشە means 'it is a nice day'. خ is x and ش is ş.

  26. سەیر

    Seyr

    Strange

    Usage

    For surprising or odd things

    Grammar Note

    پێم سەیرە means 'it seems strange to me'.

  27. ئاسان

    Asan

    Easy

    Usage

    Means not difficult

    Grammar Note

    ئینگلیزی بۆ ئێمە ئاسان نییە means 'English is not easy for us'.

  28. ئامادەیە

    Amadeye

    It's ready

    Usage

    Said when food or arrangements are ready, or a person is ready

    Grammar Note

    The negative is ئامادە نییە. ئامادە works for people and things. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  29. کراوەیە

    Kiraweye

    It's open

    Usage

    For asking or saying that a shop or place is open (دەرگا کراوەیە؟ 'is the door open?')

    Grammar Note

    کراوە is the passive participle of کردن 'to do / open'. The opposite is داخراوە 'closed'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  30. داخراوە

    Daxrawe

    It's closed

    Usage

    For shops, airports and the like that are closed (فڕۆکەخانە داخراوە 'the airport is closed')

    Grammar Note

    داخراو is the passive participle of داخستن 'to close'. The opposite is کراوەیە. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  31. پڕە

    Piṟe

    It's full

    Usage

    For a full restaurant, cup or vehicle (ڕێستۆرانتەکە پڕە 'the restaurant is full')

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is بەتاڵە 'empty'. ڕ in پڕ is ṟ. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  32. بەتاڵە

    Betałe

    It's empty

    Usage

    For something empty or free of customers (ڕێستۆرانتەکە بەتاڵە 'the restaurant is empty')

    Grammar Note

    The opposite is پڕە. خاڵییە is a synonym. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  33. تاریکە

    Tarîke

    It's dark

    Usage

    When a room or street is dark; بۆچی تاریکە؟ is 'why is it dark?'

    Grammar Note

    تاریک is a Persian loan. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  34. زۆر جوانە

    Zor ciwane

    It's very pretty

    Usage

    Praises scenery, clothes or objects

    Grammar Note

    Adjective + -e means 'is'. زۆر is 'very'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  35. ڕۆژێکی خۆشە!

    Ṟojêk-î xoşe!

    It's a nice day!

    Usage

    A friendly remark on a pleasant day

    Grammar Note

    The ezafe -î follows the indefinite -êk, then the adjective. ڕۆژ means 'day'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

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