School & Education

1. بێزەحمەت، کتێبخانە لەکوێیە؟

   Bêzeḧmet, kitêbxane lekwêye?

   Excuse me, where is the library?

   Usage

   A polite way to stop someone and ask for directions; بێزەحمەت means 'sorry to trouble you'

   Grammar Note

   کتێبخانە is کتێب 'book' + خانە 'place'. بێزەحمەت is a polite opener for addressing someone.

2. لە کام زانکۆ دەخوێنن؟

   Le kam zanko dexwênin?

   Which university do you study at?

   Usage

   Politely asks which university someone attends

   Grammar Note

   خوێندن means both 'read' and 'study'. The plural -n is the polite 'you'.

3. لەکوێ دەتوانم ئینگلیزی بخوێنم؟

   Lekwê detwanim îngilîzî bixwênim?

   Where can I study English?

   Usage

   Looks for a place to take a language course

   Grammar Note

   Language names end in -î, like ئینگلیزی. کوردی بخوێنم would be 'study Kurdish'. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

4. ساڵی خوێندن کەی تەواو دەبێت؟

   Sał-î xwêndin key tewaw debêt?

   When does the school year end?

   Usage

   Asks about the school calendar

   Grammar Note

   ساڵی خوێندن is 'year of study', the school year. تەواو بوون means 'to finish'.

5. من خوێندکارم

   Min xwêndikarim

   I am a student

   Usage

   Says you are a student, for example when asking about discounts

   Grammar Note

   Noun + -m means 'I am …'. قوتابی is another word for 'student', also used for pupils.

6. مامۆستا

   Mamosta

   teacher

   Usage

   A teacher; also a respectful title for an educated person

   Grammar Note

   As an address it is a respectful title placed before a name (مامۆستا + name).

7. قوتابخانە

   Qutabxane

   school

   Usage

   The word for a school

   Grammar Note

   قوتابخانە is قوتابی 'pupil' + خانە 'place'. خوێندنگە also means 'school'.

8. زانکۆ

   Zanko

   university

   Usage

   The word for a university

   Grammar Note

   زانکۆ is 'university'; the plural is زانکۆکان.

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