هەولێر
Hewlêr
Erbil (Hewlêr)
Usage
Capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; the Kurdish name is Hewlêr
Grammar Note
Often typed ھەولێر online; here the h is ه (U+0647). ە is a short e and ێ is ê.
سلێمانی
Silêmanî
Sulaymaniyah
Usage
Second-largest city of the Kurdistan Region; a cultural and university centre
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
دهۆک
Dihok
Duhok
Usage
City in the north of the Kurdistan Region, centre of the Badinan area
Grammar Note
Written with ه (not ھ). Duhok is the English spelling; the Kurdish reading is closer to Dihok.
هەڵەبجە
Hełebce
Halabja
Usage
Town in the east of the Kurdistan Region near the Iranian border
Grammar Note
ڵ is the dark l, a separate letter from ل.
کەرکووک
Kerkûk
Kirkuk
Usage
City in northern Iraq; learn it as a place name only
Grammar Note
The two letters وو write the long vowel û.
زاخۆ
Zaxo
Zakho
Usage
Northern town near the Turkish border
Grammar Note
خ is the throaty x sound and ۆ is o.
ڕەواندز
Ṟewandiz
Rawanduz
Usage
Town in the north-east known for its gorge
Grammar Note
The initial ڕ is a trilled r (ṟ), different from plain ر.
کۆیە
Koye
Koya
Usage
Town east of Erbil
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
شەقڵاوە
Şeqławe
Shaqlawa
Usage
Town near Erbil, known as a summer retreat
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
سۆران
Soran
Soran
Usage
Town in north-eastern Erbil governorate; Soran is also a given name
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
ئاکرێ
Akrê
Akre
Usage
Hill town in Duhok governorate
Grammar Note
The initial ئ only carries the vowel a.
ئامێدی
Amêdî
Amedi
Usage
Old town on a mountaintop in Duhok governorate
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
چەمچەماڵ
Çemçemał
Chamchamal
Usage
Town in Sulaymaniyah governorate
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
دەربەندیخان
Derbendîxan
Darbandikhan
Usage
Town in Sulaymaniyah governorate known for its lake and dam
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
پێنجوێن
Pêncwên
Penjwen
Usage
Mountain town near the Iranian border
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
ڕانیە
Ṟanye
Ranya
Usage
Town in the north of Sulaymaniyah governorate
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
قەڵادزێ
Qeładzê
Qaladze
Usage
Town in Sulaymaniyah governorate near Lake Dukan
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
کەلار
Kelar
Kalar
Usage
Town in the Garmiyan area
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
سەید سادق
Seyid Sadiq
Sayid Sadiq
Usage
Town in Sulaymaniyah governorate
Grammar Note
A two-word place name, written as separate words.
قەڵای هەولێر
Qeła-î Hewlêr
Erbil Citadel
Usage
Hilltop citadel in the centre of the city; a World Heritage Site
Grammar Note
After a word ending in a vowel the ezafe is written ی (قەڵای). 'A of B' is A + ی + B.
بازاڕی قەیسەریی هەولێر
Bazaṟ-î Qeyserî-î Hewlêr
Qaysari Bazaar of Erbil
Usage
Old covered bazaar facing the citadel
Grammar Note
When the ezafe is added to a word ending in ی, the ی doubles (قەیسەریی). The whole name means 'the Qaysari bazaar of Erbil'.
منارەی چۆلی
Minare-î Çolî
Choli Minaret
Usage
Historic minaret south-west of the Erbil citadel
Grammar Note
منارەی is منارە 'minaret' plus the ezafe ی.
مۆزەخانەی سلێمانی
Mozexane-î Silêmanî
Sulaymaniyah Museum
Usage
Museum of antiquities in Sulaymaniyah
Grammar Note
مۆزەخانە is the compound for 'museum'; the ezafe ی links it to the city name.
مۆزەخانەی شارستانی هەولێر
Mozexane-î Şarstanî Hewlêr
Erbil Civilization Museum
Usage
Archaeological museum in Erbil
Grammar Note
شارستانی means 'of civilisation'. Nouns are chained with the ezafe ی.
پارکی شانەدەر
Park-î Şaneder
Shanadar Park
Usage
Public park in Erbil
Grammar Note
پارک 'park' is a loanword; the ezafe ی links it to the name.
پارکی سامی عەبدولڕەحمان
Park-î Samî 'Ebdulṟeḧman
Sami Abdulrahman Park
Usage
The largest park in Erbil, with artificial lakes
Grammar Note
In the personal name note ڕ (ṟ) and ح (ḧ); ع is written with an apostrophe.
تاڤگەی گەلیی عەلی بەگ
Tavge-î Gelî-î 'Elî Beg
Gali Ali Beg waterfall
Usage
Well-known waterfall near Soran, a popular summer outing
Grammar Note
ڤ is v. تاڤگە means 'waterfall'.
تاڤگەی بێخاڵ
Tavge-î Bêxał
Bekhal waterfall
Usage
Waterfall near Rawanduz
Grammar Note
ڵ is the dark l and خ is x.
ئەشکەوتی شانەدەر
Eşkewt-î Şaneder
Shanidar Cave
Usage
Prehistoric cave site in the Zagros mountains
Grammar Note
ئەشکەوت means 'cave'; the initial ئ carries the vowel e.
دەریاچەی دووکان
Deryaçe-î Dûkan
Lake Dukan
Usage
The largest lake of the Kurdistan Region
Grammar Note
دەریاچە means 'lake'. After final ە the ezafe is written ی.
هەڵگورد
Hełgurd
Mount Halgurd
Usage
Second-highest peak in Iraq, near Soran
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
بەرزنجە
Berzince
Barzinja
Usage
Historic village near Sulaymaniyah
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
فڕۆکەخانەی نێودەوڵەتیی هەولێر
Fṟokexane-î Nêwdewłetî-î Hewlêr
Erbil International Airport
Usage
The region's largest airport, north-east of the city
Grammar Note
فڕۆکەخانە means 'airport'. نێودەوڵەتی is 'international'; the ezafe doubles the final ی.
فڕۆکەخانەی نێودەوڵەتیی جەلال تاڵەبانی
Fṟokexane-î Nêwdewłetî-î Celal Tałebanî
Jalal Talabani International Airport
Usage
Airport of Sulaymaniyah, named after Jalal Talabani
Grammar Note
A personal name inside the airport name is simply placed after it, with no ezafe.
فڕۆکەخانەی نێودەوڵەتیی دهۆک
Fṟokexane-î Nêwdewłetî-î Dihok
Duhok International Airport
Usage
Airport of Duhok
Grammar Note
Same pattern as the other airport names: the city name comes last.
قەڵای شێروانە
Qeła-î Şêrwane
Sherwana Castle
Usage
Old castle near Kalar
Grammar Note
قەڵا means 'castle, fortress'.
ئەشکەوتی قزقاپان
Eşkewt-î Qizqapan
Qizqapan cave tomb
Usage
Ancient rock-cut tomb in the Sulaymaniyah mountains
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
لالش
Laliş
Lalish
Usage
Holy valley of the Yazidis; be respectful of dress and customs when visiting
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
مووسڵ
Mûsił
Mosul
Usage
Large city in northern Iraq; learn it as a place name
Grammar Note
A proper name keeps its fixed spelling in Sorani; learn the Arabic-script form as it appears on signs.
بەغدا
Beẍda
Baghdad
Usage
Capital of Iraq
Grammar Note
غ is the voiced throaty fricative, romanised ẍ.
هەرێمی کوردستان
Herêm-î Kurdistan
Kurdistan Region
Usage
Autonomous region of northern Iraq made up of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok and Halabja
Grammar Note
هەرێم means 'region'; the ezafe ی links it to کوردستان.
More Central Kurdish (Sorani) phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
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- Useful Phrases
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- Culture & Etiquette
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- Hiking & Trekking
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- Signs
- Body Parts
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- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences