Basic Verbs

1. چوون

   Çûn

   To go

   Usage

   The infinitive 'to go'; the present is دەچم 'I go'

   Grammar Note

   Infinitives end in -n. The present stem is چ- (دەچم، دەچیت، دەچێت). وو is long û.

2. هاتن

   Hatin

   To come

   Usage

   The infinitive 'to come'; the present is دێم 'I come'

   Grammar Note

   An irregular verb whose present stem differs from the infinitive (هاتن → دێم، دێیت، دێت).

3. خواردن

   Xwardin

   To eat

   Usage

   The infinitive 'to eat'; the same form is also the noun 'food'

   Grammar Note

   The present stem is خۆ- (دەخۆم 'I eat'). خو is read xw.

4. خواردنەوە

   Xwardinewe

   To drink

   Usage

   The infinitive 'to drink'; built on 'to eat' plus -ەوە and used for drinks

   Grammar Note

   The present is دەخۆمەوە 'I drink'. قاوە بخۆنەوە means 'drink coffee'.

5. کڕین

   Kiṟîn

   To buy

   Usage

   The infinitive 'to buy'; the present is دەکڕم 'I buy'

   Grammar Note

   ڕ is the trilled ṟ. A short i is pronounced inside the initial کڕ cluster.

6. بینین

   Bînîn

   To see

   Usage

   The infinitive 'to see / meet'; the present is دەبینم 'I see'

   Grammar Note

   The present stem is بین-. ببینم is the subjunctive 'that I see'.

7. وەستان

   Westan

   To stop / stand

   Usage

   The infinitive 'to stop / to stand still'

   Grammar Note

   The transitive 'to stop (something)' is وەستاندن. ە is short e.

8. دەمەوێت بڕۆم

   Demewêt biṟom

   I want to go

   Usage

   Says you want to leave or go: the verb 'want' followed by a subjunctive verb

   Grammar Note

   'Want' puts the subject clitic -m between دە- and ەوێت (دەمەوێت); the following verb is subjunctive. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

9. دەمانەوێت بڕۆین

   Demanewêt biṟoyn

   We want to leave

   Usage

   Used when a group wants to leave, e.g. telling a driver

   Grammar Note

   With 'we' the clitic is -man and the verb ending is -în. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

10. دەمەوێت بخەوم

    Demewêt bixewim

    I want to sleep

    Usage

    Says you want to sleep

    Grammar Note

    دەمەوێت + subjunctive. The stem of خەوتن 'to sleep' is خەو-. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

11. ئەمەم دەوێت

    Emem dewêt

    I want this

    Usage

    Point at an item in a shop or eatery to say you want it: noun + clitic + دەوێت

    Grammar Note

    This verb is built as 'the thing is wanted by me': the clitic -m attaches to the wanted thing (پیتزام دەوێت 'I want pizza'). Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

12. نامەوێت

    Namewêt

    I don't want to

    Usage

    A clear refusal of an offer or a pushy seller

    Grammar Note

    نا- is the present negative. It works as a one-word refusal. Composed from attested words and patterns rather than quoted from a source sentence; worth confirming with a native speaker.

13. دەتوانم

    Detwanim

    I can

    Usage

    'I can'; follow it with a subjunctive verb (دەتوانم بێم 'I can come')

    Grammar Note

    The negative is ناتوانم. دەتوانم alone also works as the answer 'I can'.

14. ناتوانم

    Natwanim

    I can't

    Usage

    'I can't', for declining or explaining a problem

    Grammar Note

    The negative of دەتوانم. It can also be said پێم ناکرێت.

15. نازانم

    Nazanim

    I don't know

    Usage

    'I don't know', when you have no answer

    Grammar Note

    The present negative of زانین 'to know'. Not to be confused with تێناگەم 'I don't understand'.

16. دەچم

    Deçim

    I'm going

    Usage

    Present 1sg 'I go'; put the destination in front (دەچمە باشوور 'I'm going south')

    Grammar Note

    A short i separates the stem چ- and -m (deçim). The destination takes -e 'to'.

17. دێم

    Dêm

    I'm coming

    Usage

    Present 1sg 'I come', as in 'I'm on my way' when arranging to meet

    Grammar Note

    The present of هاتن has the special forms دێم/دێیت/دێت rather than the regular دە- pattern.

18. پێم بڵێ

    Pêm błê

    Tell me

    Usage

    Imperative for asking directions of a friendly person; politely: پێم بڵێن

    Grammar Note

    پێ + clitic means 'to (someone)'. E.g. پێم بڵێ بە کام پاس بڕۆم 'tell me which bus to take'.

19. دەتوانم چاوەڕێ بکەم

    Detwanim çaweṟê bikem

    I can wait

    Usage

    Tells someone there is no rush

    Grammar Note

    چاوەڕێ کردن 'to wait' is a compound; after دەتوانم the کردن part is subjunctive, بکەم.

20. دەگەڕێمەوە

    Degeṟêmewe

    I'll be back

    Usage

    Said when leaving briefly; covers both coming back here and going back home

    Grammar Note

    -ewe 'back' turns 'turn' into 'return'. گ is g and ڕ is ṟ.

21. پێم خۆشە تەلەفۆنێک بکەم

    Pêm xoşe telefonêk bikem

    I'd like to make a phone call

    Usage

    A polite way to ask to use a phone

    Grammar Note

    پێ خۆشە + clitic means 'I like / I'd like to'. It is followed by the subjunctive of تەلەفۆن کردن 'to phone'.

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