Language Learning

1. دەمەوێت فێری کوردی ببم

   Demewêt fêrî kurdî bibim

   I want to learn Kurdish

   Usage

   Tells local people you want to learn Kurdish

   Grammar Note

   فێری ... بوون 'to learn' literally means 'to become learned in'. دەمەوێت is followed by the subjunctive ببم.

2. فێری کوردی دەبم

   Fêrî kurdî debim

   I am learning Kurdish

   Usage

   Introduces yourself as someone learning Kurdish

   Grammar Note

   Present دە- + بم 'become'. Swap the language name to use it for other languages (فێری عەرەبی دەبم). Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

3. ئێوە کوردی دەزانن؟

   Êwe kurdî dezanin?

   Do you speak Kurdish?

   Usage

   Asks whether the other person speaks Kurdish

   Grammar Note

   زانین 'to know' is used for languages in the sense of 'can speak'. ئێوە with -ن is the polite 'you'.

4. واتای ئەم ڕستەیە چییە؟

   Wata-î em ṟisteye çîye?

   What is the meaning of this sentence?

   Usage

   Asks the meaning of a sentence you heard or read

   Grammar Note

   'Meaning' is واتا or مانا. Replace ڕستە 'sentence' with وشە 'word' to ask about a word.

5. مانای ئەم وشەیە چییە؟

   Mana-î em wişeye çîye?

   What is the meaning of this word?

   Usage

   Asks the meaning of an unfamiliar word

   Grammar Note

   مانا and واتا both mean 'meaning'. The copula -یە attaches after وشە 'word'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

6. کوردی زمانی دایکمە

   Kurdî ziman-î daykime

   Kurdish is my mother tongue

   Usage

   Explains your mother tongue; swap the language name as needed

   Grammar Note

   زمانی دایک 'language of the mother' is the mother tongue. دایک 'mother' takes -م 'my' and -ە.

7. هەڵەکانم ڕاست بکەنەوە، تکایە

   Hełekanim ṟast bikenewe, tikaye

   Please correct my mistakes

   Usage

   Asks a conversation partner to correct your mistakes while you practise

   Grammar Note

   The polite imperative (plural -ن) of ڕاست کردنەوە 'to correct'. -کان marks the plural and -م means 'my'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

8. دووبارە، تکایە

   Dûbare, tikaye

   Again, please

   Usage

   Asks the speaker to repeat something you did not catch

   Grammar Note

   دووبارە means 'again'. It is short, which makes it handy for asking someone to repeat. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

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