Body Parts

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

  1. سەر

    Ser

    Head

    Usage

    Point at your head when describing a headache or a bump

    Grammar Note

    Also means 'top' or 'on'. ە is the short e.

  2. قژ

    Qij

    Hair

    Usage

    Used at a barber or salon when talking about hair

    Grammar Note

    ق is a deep q. An adjective follows the noun, as in قژی ڕەش 'black hair'.

  3. دەموچاو

    Demûçaw

    Face

    Usage

    For a symptom of the whole face, such as sunburn or a rash

    Grammar Note

    A compound of دەم 'mouth', و 'and' and چاو 'eye', literally 'mouth-and-eye'. The linking و is read û.

  4. چاو

    Çaw

    Eye

    Usage

    For asking for eye drops or describing an eye problem

    Grammar Note

    چ is ç and ا is the long a. It also appears in idioms such as چاو لە ... بوون 'to look after'.

  5. برۆ

    Biro

    Eyebrow

    Usage

    For asking for eyebrow shaping at a salon

    Grammar Note

    A longer form ئەبرۆ also exists. It is pronounced with an i (biro).

  6. گوێ

    Gwê

    Ear

    Usage

    For earache or trouble hearing

    Grammar Note

    The ێ (ê) must be written: without it the word becomes a different, rude one.

  7. لووت

    Lût

    Nose

    Usage

    For a blocked nose or a nosebleed

    Grammar Note

    وو is the long û. The form کەپوو also exists.

  8. دەم

    Dem

    Mouth

    Usage

    For a dentist's request to open up or pain inside the mouth

    Grammar Note

    Besides 'mouth' it can mean 'time'. ە is the short e.

  9. لێو

    Lêw

    Lip

    Usage

    Useful when asking for lip balm for chapped lips

    Grammar Note

    ێ is ê and the final و is w. A variant لچ is also used.

  10. ددان

    Ddan

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point at the aching tooth while showing this

    Grammar Note

    It starts with a doubled د. The plural is ددانەکان.

  11. زمان

    Ziman

    Tongue

    Usage

    Same word as 'language'; context tells them apart

    Grammar Note

    'Tongue' and 'language' are spelled the same; context decides.

  12. مل

    Mil

    Neck

    Usage

    For a stiff neck or pain on the outside of the neck

    Grammar Note

    This is the outside of the neck; for pain when swallowing use گەروو.

  13. گەروو

    Gerû

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat

    Grammar Note

    وو is the long û. A sore throat can also be said as قوڕگ ئێشە.

  14. شان

    Şan

    Shoulder

    Usage

    For shoulder stiffness or an injury

    Grammar Note

    ش is ş and ا is the long a.

  15. باسک

    Bask

    Arm

    Usage

    For an injury or pain in the arm

    Grammar Note

    The arm; the hand itself is دەست.

  16. ئانیشک

    Anîşk

    Elbow

    Usage

    For a scrape on the elbow after a fall

    Grammar Note

    The initial ئا is a long a, and ی is î.

  17. دەست

    Dest

    Hand

    Usage

    For an injury or symptom in the hand

    Grammar Note

    It means 'hand'; the arm is باسک. ە is the short e.

  18. پەنجە

    Pence

    Finger

    Usage

    For a finger injury; it also covers toes

    Grammar Note

    Finger and toe share this word; point to show which.

  19. نینۆک

    Nînok

    Nail

    Usage

    For a damaged nail, or at a nail salon

    Grammar Note

    ۆ is o and ی is î.

  20. سک

    Sik

    Belly

    Usage

    For belly pain or a swollen belly

    Grammar Note

    An i is pronounced between the two consonants (sik). Say گەدە for the stomach organ.

  21. گەدە

    Gede

    Stomach

    Usage

    For describing stomach trouble to a doctor

    Grammar Note

    It names the stomach organ; the belly as a whole is سک.

  22. پشت

    Pişt

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain after a long bus ride

    Grammar Note

    It also means 'behind'. پشتم is 'my back'.

  23. ڕان

    Ṟan

    Thigh

    Usage

    For thigh pain or sore muscles

    Grammar Note

    ڕ is the trilled ṟ, a different letter from plain ر.

  24. چۆک

    Çok

    Knee

    Usage

    For a sore knee after a mountain path or stairs

    Grammar Note

    ۆ is o. Another word for the knee is ئەژنۆ.

  25. قاچ

    Qaç

    Leg

    Usage

    For leg injuries; often covers the foot as well

    Grammar Note

    It often covers the whole leg down to the foot; the foot itself is پێ.

  26. پێ

    Pê

    Foot

    Usage

    For foot pain or blisters

    Grammar Note

    A short word. پێ is also the form of the preposition بە used with pronoun clitics.

  27. پێست

    Pêst

    Skin

    Usage

    For sunburn, a rash or itching

    Grammar Note

    ێ is ê.

  28. ئێسک

    Êsk

    Bone

    Usage

    Show this when you suspect a fracture and want an X-ray

    Grammar Note

    The initial ئێ is ê.

  29. خوێن

    Xwên

    Blood

    Usage

    For bleeding or blood tests

    Grammar Note

    The word is read xwên.

  30. دڵ

    Dił

    Heart

    Usage

    For heart trouble; it also means 'feelings' in a figurative sense

    Grammar Note

    ڵ is the dark l (ł). In the figurative sense it appears in compounds such as دڵخۆش 'happy'.

  31. جگەر

    Ciger

    Liver

    Usage

    For explaining liver problems to a doctor

    Grammar Note

    ج is c and گ is g.

  32. ئێشم لە سەرم هەیە

    Êşim le serim heye

    I have a headache

    Usage

    Tell a pharmacist or doctor about a headache; swap سەرم for another body part

    Grammar Note

    The pattern ئێشم لە ... هەیە means 'I have a pain in ...'. The clitic -م 'my' attaches to the noun. ئێش is 'pain', close to ئازار. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  33. ئێشم لە گەدەم هەیە

    Êşim le gedem heye

    I have a stomach ache

    Usage

    Use this for food poisoning or an upset stomach

    Grammar Note

    The pattern ئێشم لە ... هەیە with گەدە 'stomach'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  34. ئێشم لە ددانم هەیە

    Êşim le ddanim heye

    I have a toothache

    Usage

    Use this when looking for a dentist or asking a pharmacist for a painkiller

    Grammar Note

    The pattern ئێشم لە ... هەیە with ددان 'tooth'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

  35. قاچم سڕ بووە

    Qaçim siṟ bûwe

    My leg is numb

    Usage

    After sitting a long time; see a doctor if numbness continues

    Grammar Note

    سڕ بوون means 'to go numb'; the perfect بووە gives 'has become'.

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