Question Words

1. چی؟

   Çî?

   What?

   Usage

   A one-word request for clarification when you did not catch something

   Grammar Note

   Question words sit where the answer would be. With -e it becomes چییە 'what is it?'.

2. لەکوێ؟

   Lekwê?

   Where?

   Usage

   Asks for a location. Point at a map or photo while you say it

   Grammar Note

   کوێ 'where' takes the preposition لە. Do not drop the ێ: کۆ and کوێر are different words.

3. کەی؟

   Key?

   When?

   Usage

   Asks about time

   Grammar Note

   Add a verb after it, as in کەی ناسیت؟ 'when did you meet him?'.

4. کێ؟

   Kê?

   Who?

   Usage

   Asks about a person

   Grammar Note

   کێیە؟ means 'who is it?'. ێ is ê.

5. بۆچی؟

   Boçî?

   Why?

   Usage

   Asks for a reason

   Grammar Note

   Literally 'for what'. ۆ is o.

6. چۆن؟

   Çon?

   How?

   Usage

   Asks about manner or condition

   Grammar Note

   چۆنە? is 'how is it?'. چۆن زانیت؟ means 'how did you know?'.

7. چەند؟

   Çend?

   How many? / How much?

   Usage

   Asks for a number, amount or price

   Grammar Note

   Add an adjective to ask degree (چەند دوورە؟ 'how far?'). A noun after it stays singular.

8. کام؟

   Kam?

   Which?

   Usage

   Asks which one out of several

   Grammar Note

   کامەت بەدڵە؟ is 'which one do you like?'. Before a noun: کام پاس 'which bus'.

9. نرخەکەی چەندە؟

   Nirxekey çende?

   How much is it?

   Usage

   Point at an item and ask the price

   Grammar Note

   نرخ is a Persian loan. The definite suffix -ەکە is followed by the 3sg clitic -ی ('its price').

10. ئەمە چییە؟

    Eme çîye?

    What is this?

    Usage

    Point at a food or object to ask what it is

    Grammar Note

    A noun sentence is subject + predicate + copula -e. After چی the copula appears as -ye. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

11. حەمامەکە لەکوێیە؟

    Ḧemameke lekwêye?

    Where is the toilet?

    Usage

    Asks for the toilet. حەمام also means bath or bathroom, and is used for 'going to the toilet'

    Grammar Note

    'Where is X?' = noun + لەکوێیە؟. ح is the throaty ḧ. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

12. کوا بارگەکەم؟

    Kwa bargekem?

    Where is my luggage?

    Usage

    For lost luggage at an airport or station; کوا asks where something is

    Grammar Note

    کوا + noun means 'where is …?', the same as noun + لەکوێیە؟.

13. کاتژمێر چەندە؟

    Katjimêr çende?

    What time is it?

    Usage

    Asks the time; the answer is کاتژمێر شەشە 'it is six o'clock'

    Grammar Note

    کاتژمێر means both 'clock' and 'o'clock'. ژ is j and ێ is ê.

14. هەیە؟

    Heye?

    Is there any? / Do you have it?

    Usage

    For asking a shop whether they have something; put it after the noun (مەقەست هەیە؟ 'do you have scissors?')

    Grammar Note

    هەیە is 'there is / has'; the negative is نییە. Possession: noun + clitic + هەیە. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

15. دەکرێت؟

    Dekirêt?

    May I? / Is it possible?

    Usage

    Asks permission or whether something is possible: دەکرێت ئێستا بڕۆین؟ 'may we leave now?'

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal 'it can be done'. A subjunctive verb can follow it. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

16. باشی؟

    Başî?

    Are you OK?

    Usage

    Checks on someone who looks unwell or upset; politely: باشن؟

    Grammar Note

    Adjective + -î 'you are …'. The final ی is î.

17. بەڕاست؟

    Beṟast?

    Really?

    Usage

    A reaction of surprise or a request to confirm

    Grammar Note

    ڕاست means 'true / right'. ڕ is the trilled ṟ.

18. تەواو دڵنیایت؟

    Tewaw diłnyayt?

    Are you really sure?

    Usage

    To double-check what someone said; politely: تەواو دڵنیان؟

    Grammar Note

    After دڵنیا the 2sg ending is -ît. دڵ means 'heart'.

19. خەڵکی کوێیت؟

    Xełk-î kwêyt?

    Where are you from?

    Usage

    Asks where someone is from; politely: خەڵکی کوێن؟

    Grammar Note

    خەڵکی + place means 'from …'. Answer: خەڵکی هەولێرم 'I'm from Erbil'.

20. ناوت چییە؟

    Nawit çîye?

    What is your name?

    Usage

    Informal way to ask a peer or child; for elders/strangers use the plural ناوتان چییە؟

    Grammar Note

    Possession is a clitic on the noun (-t = your). Order is 'name-your what-is'.

21. ژمارەی تەلەفۆنت چەندە؟

    Jimare-î telefonit çende?

    What is your phone number?

    Usage

    For swapping contact details; numbers are asked with چەند, not چی

    Grammar Note

    ژمارە 'number' and تەلەفۆن 'telephone' are linked by the ezafe -î. ژ is j.

22. تێپەڕوشەی وایفای چییە؟

    Têpeṟuşe-î wayfay çîye?

    What is the Wi-Fi password?

    Usage

    A standard question at hotels and cafés; password is تێپەڕوشە, or informally پاسوۆرد

    Grammar Note

    تێپەڕوشە is a coined word meaning roughly 'pass-word'. ڕ is ṟ and ش is ş.

23. ئایا باشە؟

    Aya başe?

    Is it good?

    Usage

    Checks whether something is fine; ئایا is a somewhat formal question particle

    Grammar Note

    ئایا opens a question; in everyday speech it is often left out.

24. ئەمڕۆ چەند شەممەیە؟

    Emṟo çend şemmeye?

    What day of the week is it today?

    Usage

    Asks the weekday; the answer is ئەمڕۆ هەینییە 'today is Friday'

    Grammar Note

    Weekdays are counted from Saturday (شەممە), so چەند شەممە asks which day it is. ڕ is ṟ.

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