Culture & Etiquette

1. دەف

   Def

   Daf (frame drum)

   Usage

   Large frame drum used in Kurdish music

   Grammar Note

   Names of dishes and cultural terms keep a fixed spelling; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on menus and signs.

2. تەموورە

   Temûre

   Tembûr (long-necked lute)

   Usage

   Four-stringed long-necked lute; a sacred instrument of the Yarsan faith, found mostly around Kermanshah in Iran

   Grammar Note

   Names of dishes and cultural terms keep a fixed spelling; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on menus and signs.

3. حەیران

   Ḧeyran

   Heyran (sung genre)

   Usage

   A Kurdish folk song form that tells a story

   Grammar Note

   Names of dishes and cultural terms keep a fixed spelling; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on menus and signs.

4. بەیت

   Beyt

   Beyt (oral epic)

   Usage

   Oral story chanted to a tune and passed on by memory

   Grammar Note

   Names of dishes and cultural terms keep a fixed spelling; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on menus and signs.

5. دەنگبێژی

   Dengbêjî

   Dengbêjî (bardic singing)

   Usage

   Tradition in which singers tell stories through song; known mainly in the Kurmanji-speaking north (Turkey)

   Grammar Note

   دەنگبێژ 'singer-storyteller' + ی gives the art itself.

6. هەڵپەڕکێ

   Hełpeṟkê

   Halparke (Kurdish line dance)

   Usage

   Danced together at weddings and holidays

   Grammar Note

   Names of dishes and cultural terms keep a fixed spelling; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on menus and signs.

7. جلی کوردی

   Cil-î kurdî

   Kurdish dress

   Usage

   Colourful traditional clothing

   Grammar Note

   جل 'clothing' + ezafe ی + کوردی 'Kurdish'.

8. مۆسیقای کوردی

   Mosîqa-î kurdî

   Kurdish music

   Usage

   Kurdish music in general

   Grammar Note

   مۆسیقا is a loanword; after final ا the ezafe is written ی.

9. زمانی کوردی

   Ziman-î kurdî

   Kurdish language

   Usage

   Name for the Kurdish language

   Grammar Note

   زمان 'language' + ezafe ی + کوردی.

10. تەندوور

    Tendûr

    Tandoor (clay oven)

    Usage

    Clay oven in which flatbread is baked on the wall

    Grammar Note

    Names of dishes and cultural terms keep a fixed spelling; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on menus and signs.

11. کوردستان چیای جوانی هەیە.

    Kurdistan çiya-î ciwanî heye.

    Kurdistan has beautiful mountains.

    Usage

    A simple sentence for praising the scenery

    Grammar Note

    هەیە means 'has, there is'. 'X Y هەیە' says that X has Y.

12. کوردستان مێژوویەکی درێژی هەیە.

    Kurdistan mêjûyek-î dirêjî heye.

    Kurdistan has a long history.

    Usage

    For talking about history

    Grammar Note

    -یەک / -ێک marks 'a'. The adjective درێژ follows.

13. لە کوردستان بە کوردی دەدوێن.

    Le Kurdistan be kurdî dedwên.

    They speak Kurdish in Kurdistan.

    Usage

    For talking about language

    Grammar Note

    دەدوێن is 'they speak'. بە کوردی means 'in Kurdish'.

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