Religion & Temples

1. نزیکترین مزگەوت لەکوێیە؟

   Nizîktirîn mizgewt lekwêye?

   Where is the nearest mosque?

   Usage

   Finds a nearby mosque for prayer or a visit

   Grammar Note

   -tirîn forms the superlative. لەکوێیە 'where is it' goes at the end. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

2. دەتوانم بچمە ناو مزگەوتەکە؟

   Detwanim biçme naw mizgewteke?

   May I go inside the mosque?

   Usage

   Asks permission to enter; check dress and shoe rules before going in

   Grammar Note

   دەتوانم + subjunctive asks 'may I …'. چوونە ناو means 'to go into'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

3. موسڵمانان باوەڕیان بە یەک خودا هەیە

   Musłmanan baweṟyan be yek xuda heye

   Muslims believe in one God

   Usage

   A neutral statement about what Muslims believe

   Grammar Note

   'Believe' is expressed as باوەڕ هەبوون + بە, literally 'have belief in'. The 3rd person plural clitic is -yan.

4. دەمەوێت زیاتر دەربارەی ئیسلام ببیستم

   Demewêt zyatir derbare-î îslam bibîstim

   I want to hear more about Islam

   Usage

   Respectfully asks to learn more about the religion

   Grammar Note

   دەربارەی 'about' ends in the ezafe -ی that links it to the following noun.

5. نوێژ دەکات

   Nwêj dekat

   He or she is praying

   Usage

   Explains why someone should not be disturbed

   Grammar Note

   نوێژ کردن means 'to pray'. ئەو has no gender, so the subject can be 'he' or 'she'.

6. کڵێسا لەکوێیە؟

   Kiłêsa lekwêye?

   Where is the church?

   Usage

   Asks for the location of a church for Christian worship

   Grammar Note

   Christians also live in Kurdistan. کڵێسا means 'church'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

7. ڕەمەزان

   Ṟemezan

   Ramadan

   Usage

   The name of the fasting month; many people avoid eating or drinking in public by day

   Grammar Note

   ڕەمەزان is the Arabic-origin month name. ڕ is the trilled r (ṟ).

8. ئایین

   Ayîn

   religion

   Usage

   The general word for religion; use it with respect

   Grammar Note

   ئایین means 'religion'; the plural is ئایینەکان.

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