Greetings

1. سڵاو

   Sław

   Hello

   Usage

   The common Sorani Kurdish greeting, usable at any time of day; widely understood in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

   Grammar Note

   Sorani is written right-to-left in Arabic script. ڵ is the dark l, romanized ł. Friends also say سەلام or مەرحەبا.

2. سەلام

   Selam

   Hi

   Usage

   A relaxed greeting among friends and peers; with elders or strangers سڵاو is the safer choice

   Grammar Note

   ە is short e. It comes from the same Arabic word as سڵاو but is spelled with plain ل rather than ڵ.

3. ببوورن

   Bibûrin

   Excuse me / I'm sorry

   Usage

   Polite form (plural imperative) for getting attention or a light apology; to a close friend use the singular ببوورە

   Grammar Note

   Imperative b- + stem + person ending; -n is the polite/plural 'you'. Long û is written وو.

4. بەداخەوە

   Bedaxewe

   I'm sorry

   Usage

   Used for regret: an apology for causing trouble, or sympathy at bad news

   Grammar Note

   Where ببوورە means 'excuse me / forgive me', بەداخەوە expresses regret. It can open a sentence or stand alone.

5. زۆر سوپاس

   Zor supas

   Thank you very much

   Usage

   A stronger thank-you: سوپاس with زۆر 'very much'

   Grammar Note

   زۆر before a noun or adjective means 'very / a lot'. گەلێک سپاس is another way to say the same.

6. خواحافیز

   Xwaḧafîz

   Goodbye

   Usage

   The standard farewell, suitable for anyone

   Grammar Note

   A Persian loan from 'God protect you'. ح is the throaty h, romanized ḧ.

7. حاڵت چۆنە؟

   Ḧałit çone?

   How are you?

   Usage

   Greeting for friends, peers and children; to elders or strangers use ئەحواڵتان چۆنە؟. Reply: باشم، سوپاس

   Grammar Note

   Possession is the clitic -t (your). چۆنە asks 'how is it?'.

8. ئەحواڵتان چۆنە؟

   Eḧwałtan çone?

   How are you? (polite)

   Usage

   Polite greeting to elders, strangers or several people; -tan 'your (pl.)' carries the respect

   Grammar Note

   -tan is plural 'your' but used to one person it makes the phrase polite. ئەحواڵ comes from Arabic aḥwāl 'conditions'.

9. باشم، سوپاس

   Başim, supas

   I'm fine, thank you

   Usage

   The standard reply to 'How are you?'

   Grammar Note

   An adjective plus the ending -m means 'I am …'. A short i is pronounced between the final consonant of باش and -m (başim).

10. بەخێربێن

    Bexêrbên

    Welcome

    Usage

    Said to welcome guests; the plural ending makes it suitable for elders or several people

    Grammar Note

    بەخێر means 'well' and بێن is the plural imperative 'come'. To one friend: بەخێربێیت.

11. خۆشحاڵم بە دیدارتان

    Xoşḧałim be dîdartan

    Nice to meet you

    Usage

    A first-meeting greeting; the -tan form is polite to elders or groups

    Grammar Note

    To a friend use the singular بە دیدارت. ح is romanized ḧ and ڵ is ł.

12. شەوباش

    Şewbaş

    Good night

    Usage

    Said when parting in the evening or going to bed; some write it as two words, شەو باش

    Grammar Note

    A compound of 'night' + 'good'. It is a farewell, not an evening 'hello'.

13. هیوادارین دووبارە بتانبینینەوە

    Hîwadarîn dûbare bitanbînînewe

    We hope to see you again

    Usage

    A polite parting wish. The subject is 'we', and -tan on the verb shows respect to the listener

    Grammar Note

    The verb بینین 'to see' takes the object clitic -tan before the stem, with subjunctive b- and -ەوە 'again'.

14. سبەی دەتبینینەوە

    Sbey detbînînewe

    See you tomorrow

    Usage

    A parting line to a friend; literally 'tomorrow I/we will see you (again)'. For several people: دەتانبینینەوە

    Grammar Note

    The object clitic -t sits after the present prefix دە-, and -ەوە adds 'again'.

15. جەژنتان پیرۆز

    Cejintan pîroz

    Happy Eid

    Usage

    A greeting exchanged at Eid festivals; -tan is polite/plural. To a friend: جەژنت پیرۆز

    Grammar Note

    جەژن means a festival day. Eid dates follow the lunar calendar and move each year. The phrase has no verb.

16. پیرۆزە!

    Pîroze!

    Congratulations!

    Usage

    For birthdays, weddings, exam results and other happy news

    Grammar Note

    The adjective پیرۆز plus -e 'is'. ۆ is o.

17. کێشە نییە

    Kêşe nîye

    No problem

    Usage

    Answers an apology ('it's fine') and also accepts a request

    Grammar Note

    نییە is the negative copula 'is not / there is no'. After سوپاس you can also answer باسی مەکە.

18. هیچ نییە

    Hîç nîye

    It's nothing / Never mind

    Usage

    A light reply to thanks or an apology, or a way to wave something off

    Grammar Note

    هیچ in a negative sentence means 'nothing'. Its last letter چ is ç.

19. ببوورن، دەبێت بڕۆم

    Bibûrin, debêt biṟom

    Excuse me, I have to go

    Usage

    A polite way to leave a conversation or gathering

    Grammar Note

    دەبێت 'it must be' is followed by a subjunctive verb (بڕۆم 'that I go'). Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

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