Beach & Activities

1. دەتوانم مەلە بکەم

   Detwanim mele bikem

   I can swim

   Usage

   Answers whether you can swim

   Grammar Note

   مەلە کردن means 'to swim'. After دەتوانم the verb is in the subjunctive (بکەم).

2. لێرە دەتوانم مەلە بکەم؟

   Lêre detwanim mele bikem?

   Can I swim here?

   Usage

   Checks whether swimming is allowed or safe at a lake, river or pool

   Grammar Note

   دەتوانم …؟ is the standard way to ask permission. Intonation and ؟ mark the question. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

3. بەزەحمەت دەتوانم مەلە بکەم

   Bezeḧmet detwanim mele bikem

   I can hardly swim

   Usage

   Warns that you are a weak swimmer, which keeps you out of deep or fast water

   Grammar Note

   بەزەحمەت, from 'with difficulty', means 'barely' and states that you can hardly do something.

4. لێرە مەلەوانگە هەیە؟

   Lêre melewange heye?

   Is there a swimming pool here?

   Usage

   Looks for a swimming pool in a hotel or town

   Grammar Note

   مەلەوانگە combines مەلەوان 'swimmer' with گە 'place'. هەیە؟ asks 'is there?'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

5. ئاوەکە ساردە؟

   Aweke sarde?

   Is the water cold?

   Usage

   Asks about the water temperature before getting in

   Grammar Note

   ئاو 'water' + -eke (definite). Adjective + -e means 'is …'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

6. چەند دەخایەنێت تا دەچیتە کەنار دەریا؟

   Çend dexayenêt ta deçîte kenar derya?

   How long does it take to go to the beach?

   Usage

   Asks how long it takes to reach the shore; inland, it can mean a lakeside

   Grammar Note

   چەند دەخایەنێت 'how long does it take' is the standard duration question. کەنار means 'shore' or 'edge'.

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