Colors

1. سوور

   Sûr

   Red

   Usage

   The basic word for red; use it to name or ask the colour of an item

   Grammar Note

   As an adjective it follows its noun, linked by the ezafe ی (سێوی سوور 'red apple'). وو is the long û.

2. سپی

   Spî

   White

   Usage

   The basic word for white; use it to name the colour of an item

   Grammar Note

   An adjective that follows its noun. The short i is not written in the script; the romanization follows the dictionary form Spî.

3. ڕەش

   Ṟeş

   Black

   Usage

   The basic word for black; use it to name the colour of an item

   Grammar Note

   It starts with ڕ (trilled r, written ṟ). It is a different letter from ر, and mistyping it gives a different word.

4. زەرد

   Zerd

   Yellow

   Usage

   The basic word for yellow; use it to name the colour of an item

   Grammar Note

   ە is the short e. Adding -ە makes it a predicate (مۆز زەردە 'bananas are yellow').

5. سەوز

   Sewz

   Green

   Usage

   The basic word for green; do not confuse it with سەوزە 'vegetables'

   Grammar Note

   With -ە, سەوزە can mean 'is green' or the noun 'vegetables'; the two are homographs.

6. شین

   Şîn

   Blue

   Usage

   The basic word for blue; also used for the colour of sky or sea

   Grammar Note

   ی after a consonant is î. ش is ş.

7. مۆر

   Mor

   Purple

   Usage

   The basic word for purple; the same spelling also means a seal or stamp

   Grammar Note

   ۆ is o. 'Purple' and 'seal/stamp' are homographs; context tells them apart.

8. پەمەیی

   Pemeyî

   Pink

   Usage

   The basic word for pink; use it to name the colour of an item

   Grammar Note

   Two ی in a row: the first, after the vowel ە, is y; the final one is î.

9. قاوەیی

   Qaweyî

   Brown

   Usage

   The basic word for brown; it is built on قاوە 'coffee'

   Grammar Note

   قاوە 'coffee' plus -یی gives 'coffee-coloured'. The ی after ە is y.

10. خۆڵەمێشی

    Xołemêşî

    Gray

    Usage

    The basic word for gray; use it to name the colour of an item

    Grammar Note

    خۆڵەمێش 'ash' plus -ی gives 'ash-coloured'. ڵ is the dark l (ł).

11. پرتەقاڵی

    Pirteqałî

    Orange (colour)

    Usage

    The basic word for orange (colour); built on the fruit پرتەقاڵ

    Grammar Note

    پرتەقاڵ 'orange (fruit)' plus -ی makes the colour name.

12. کام ڕەنگ پەسەند دەکەیت؟

    Kam ṟeng pesend dekeyt?

    Which colour do you prefer?

    Usage

    Asks a friend or peer which colour they prefer

    Grammar Note

    Uses the 2sg ending -یت. To someone you must be polite to, use پەسەند دەکەن.

13. ڕەنگی دڵخوازم سەوزە

    Ṟeng-î diłxwazim sewze

    My favourite colour is green

    Usage

    Tells your favourite colour; swap سەوزە for any other colour

    Grammar Note

    Noun + ezafe ی + attribute. The suffix -م means 'my' and attaches directly to the noun.

Browse all TravelPhrases languages