Animals

1. سەگ

   Seg

   Dog

   Usage

   Names the animal; guard dogs may run loose in villages, so keep your distance

   Grammar Note

   This is the animal. Said to a person it is an insult, so never use it of people.

2. پشیلە

   Pişîle

   Cat

   Usage

   Names the cats often seen around towns

   Grammar Note

   ش is ş and ە is the short e. An i is pronounced between the first two consonants (pişîle).

3. باڵندە

   Bałinde

   Bird

   Usage

   A general word for birds

   Grammar Note

   ڵ is the dark l (ł).

4. چۆلەکە

   Çoleke

   Sparrow

   Usage

   A small bird common in towns and villages

   Grammar Note

   It ends in -eke, but that is part of the word here, not the definite ending.

5. کۆتر

   Kotir

   Pigeon

   Usage

   Names the pigeons seen in town squares

   Grammar Note

   ۆ is o. An i is pronounced inside the final cluster.

6. ماسی

   Masî

   Fish

   Usage

   For talking about fish or fish dishes

   Grammar Note

   ی is a final long î. The same word covers the fish as food.

7. ئەسپ

   Esp

   Horse

   Usage

   For talking about horse riding in the mountains

   Grammar Note

   It starts with e. سواری ئەسپ بوون means 'to ride a horse'.

8. کەر

   Ker

   Donkey

   Usage

   Names the pack donkeys of mountain villages

   Grammar Note

   Not the same as کەڕ 'deaf': keep ر and ڕ apart. Said to a person it is an insult.

9. مانگا

   Manga

   Cow

   Usage

   For talking about dairy or a farm

   Grammar Note

   Not to be confused with مانگ 'moon, month'. It ends in -a.

10. مەڕ

    Meṟ

    Sheep

    Usage

    For flocks on the road or sheep's-milk cheese

    Grammar Note

    ڕ is the trilled ṟ; with plain ر the word would be different.

11. بزن

    Bizin

    Goat

    Usage

    Goats are common on rocky slopes

    Grammar Note

    An i is pronounced between the first two consonants.

12. مریشک

    Mirîşk

    Chicken

    Usage

    The same word is used for the meat

    Grammar Note

    ش is ş. An i is pronounced between the first two consonants.

13. ڕێوی

    Ṟêwî

    Fox

    Usage

    Names the fox of the mountains

    Grammar Note

    ڕ is ṟ, ێ is ê and ی is î.

14. گورگ

    Gurg

    Wolf

    Usage

    The wolf of the highlands, a staple of shepherds' stories

    Grammar Note

    گ is g. An i is pronounced inside the final cluster.

15. ورچ

    Wirç

    Bear

    Usage

    Lives in the mountains; ask a guide before trekking

    Grammar Note

    و is w at the start; چ is ç.

16. بەراز

    Beraz

    Wild boar

    Usage

    The wild boar of the hills; Muslims do not eat it

    Grammar Note

    It covers boar and pig. Pork is گۆشتی بەراز.

17. کەروێشک

    Kerwêşk

    Rabbit

    Usage

    Seen in open country

    Grammar Note

    Here و is w and ێ is ê.

18. مشک

    Mişk

    Mouse

    Usage

    Grounds for asking to change rooms at a cheap guesthouse

    Grammar Note

    ش is ş.

19. مار

    Mar

    Snake

    Usage

    Watch the rocks in summer; go straight to hospital if bitten

    Grammar Note

    A short word; ا is the long a.

20. کیسەڵ

    Kîseł

    Tortoise

    Usage

    Seen plodding across open ground

    Grammar Note

    ڵ is the dark l (ł).

21. بۆق

    Boq

    Frog

    Usage

    Croaking by rivers and irrigation channels

    Grammar Note

    ۆ is o and ق is q.

22. حوشتر

    Ḧuştir

    Camel

    Usage

    Seen in festival processions and dry country

    Grammar Note

    ح is the throaty ḧ. An i is pronounced inside the final cluster.

23. شێر

    Şêr

    Lion

    Usage

    Not seen in the wild, but common as a name and in metaphor

    Grammar Note

    Not شیر 'milk': the ێ makes it 'lion'. Do not drop the ێ.

24. مێش

    Mêş

    Fly

    Usage

    Useful when asking for a cover over food

    Grammar Note

    ێ is ê.

25. مێشوولە

    Mêşûle

    Mosquito

    Usage

    Bad by rivers in summer; show this when asking for repellent

    Grammar Note

    وو is the long û. It is مێش 'fly' plus -ûle.

26. هەنگ

    Heng

    Bee

    Usage

    For mountain beekeeping and honey souvenirs

    Grammar Note

    It is the base of هەنگوین 'honey'.

27. پەپوولە

    Pepûle

    Butterfly

    Usage

    Seen in mountain meadows

    Grammar Note

    وو is the long û.

28. قاز

    Qaz

    Goose

    Usage

    Seen by water and on farms

    Grammar Note

    ق is q.

29. مراوی

    Mirawî

    Duck

    Usage

    Seen on rivers and ponds

    Grammar Note

    An i is pronounced between the first two consonants.

30. کەو

    Kew

    Partridge

    Usage

    A hill bird common in songs and similes

    Grammar Note

    The final و is w.

31. هەڵۆ

    Heło

    Eagle

    Usage

    A large bird soaring over the mountains

    Grammar Note

    ڵ is the dark l (ł) and ۆ is o.

32. مارمێلکە

    Marmêlke

    Lizard

    Usage

    Seen on sunny stones in summer

    Grammar Note

    It contains مار 'snake' but is a different animal.

33. دووپشک

    Dûpişk

    Scorpion

    Usage

    In dry areas check shoes and bedding; see a doctor if stung

    Grammar Note

    وو is the long û and ش is ş.

34. فیل

    Fîl

    Elephant

    Usage

    Used at a zoo to name the elephant

    Grammar Note

    A loan from Arabic. ی is î.

35. ئاسک

    Ask

    Gazelle

    Usage

    Names the gazelle or small deer

    Grammar Note

    The initial a is written with ئا.

36. ورچ زۆر مەترسیدارە

    Wirç zor metirsîdare

    Bears are very dangerous

    Usage

    Use before a mountain hike to talk about bear safety with a guide

    Grammar Note

    A bare singular noun such as ورچ is generic 'bears in general'. The ending -e is the copula 'is'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

37. ئەمە یەکەم جارە سواری ئەسپ دەبم

    Eme yekem care swarî esp debim

    This is the first time I have ridden a horse

    Usage

    Tell a guide before a horse ride that you are a beginner

    Grammar Note

    سواری ... بوون 'to ride' is literally 'to become a rider of ...'. After یەکەم جارە the present دەبم is used. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

Browse all TravelPhrases languages