Kurdish languages: alphabet, writing, territory of distribution and lessons for beginners

"No tongue is hotter and there is no sweeter language," says the Kurdish saying. What are they, Kurdish languages - one of the most popular languages of the East?

What is it - the language of the Kurds?

Kurdish languages belong to the Iranian group. Occurred from the Median, but in the Middle Ages were subject to the influence of Arabic, Persian, and later Turkish. At the moment, about 20 million people speak Kurdish. But there are significant differences between them, as they speak different dialects and use different alphabets.

This is explained by the fact that Kurds live in territories belonging to different countries. In Iran and Iraq, Kurds use Arabic script, in Turkey, Syria and Azerbaijan - the Latin alphabet, and in Armenia - Armenian (before 1946) and the Cyrillic alphabet (since 1946). The Kurdish language is divided into 4 dialects - sorani, kurmanji, zaza (dumili) and gurani.

Where are the Kurdish languages common?

Kurdish language was most widely spread in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Jordan and Armenia. 60% of Kurds live in Turkey, North-West Iran, northern Iraq and Syria (North-West, West, South-West and Central Kurdistan), speak and write in Kurmanji dialect. About 30% of the Kurdish population live in West and South-East Iran, East and South-East Iraq (South and South-East Kurdistan) use the Sorani dialect. The rest of the dialects use zaza (dumili) and gurani (South Kurdish).

Kurdish language: basics

For those wishing to quickly learn the Kurdish language, the Kurdish language for beginners is suitable, which includes the most basic phrases in Kurmanji, Sorani and South Kurdish.

Dem Bashi / Silav / Silam - Hello.

Choni? / Tu Bashi? / Hasid? - How are you?

Chakim / Bashim / Hasim - Excellent.

Supas / Cipas / Cipas - Thank you.

Weak / Tika wild / That's the gratitude - Please.

Hwa lay down / Mal av / Binishte brag - Goodbye.

Ming Hosh presses - I love you.

That mini hosh pushes? - Do you love me?

Verebo er / Vere - Come here / come.

Boqué erroi - Where are you going?

That chi decks? / That cheeriki cheat? - What are you doing?

We'll go to work.

Kay degerrietev? / Kay deytve? - When will you be back?

Herykim demeve; Eva hatmeve / ez zivrim / le pis tiemesh - I'm coming back.

Kari then chi ye? / Chi karek dickey? "Who do you work for?"

Min errom / min virgin - I'm going to ...

Min bashim / ez bashim - I'm all right.

Ming bashim / eze neee bashim / mehves niyim - I'm not all right / - I'm not in the mood.

Min nehoshim - I'm sick.

Chi de / eve chiye / eve? - What is it?

Hitch / Chine / Hutch - Nothing.

Birith ecem / min birya te kriye / hurit kirdime - I miss you.

Dayteva; Degerereytve / tu ye bi zirvi / tiidev; Gerédev? - Will you come back?

Nayemeve; Nagernremove / ez to zivrim / nietiemem; Niegerremev - I'm not coming back.

When communicating in an unfamiliar language, one should not forget about sign language, which is practically the same in this world, except for some. They can be clarified before traveling to the country where communication with the Kurds is to be conducted.

Navi min ... e - My name is ...

Yek / du / se / chuvar / pench / shesh / heft / hash / but / de / yazde / dvadzd / sezd / charde / pande / shande / hevde / hedge / knot / bist - one / two / three / four / five / Six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve / thirteen / fourteen / fifteen / sixteen / seventeen / eighteen / nineteen / twenty.

Dushemme / dushemb / dusheme - Monday.

Sheshemme / sheshamb / sshheme - Tuesday.

Chuvarshemme / charshemb / chvarsheme - Wednesday.

Penechemme / penchshem / penchesheme - Thursday.

Jumha / Heini / Jume - Friday.

Shemme / Shemi / Shem - Saturday.

Yekshemme / ekshimbi / yeksheme - Sunday.

Zistane / zivistane / winter - winter.

Behar / bihar / vekhar - Spring.

Havin / havin / tavsan - Summer.

Payez / Payzi / payih - Autumn.

Resources for studying the Kurdish language

The best way to learn Kurdish is constant practice, and the best practice is communication with a native speaker. This can be both a teacher and ordinary people, for whom Kurdish is a mother tongue.

You can find such people in groups in social networks devoted to the Kurdish language and culture. Usually there you can find video lessons for beginners, a dictionary and a phrase book, see pictures with inscriptions in Kurdish, read poems in the original and, if something is not clear, ask native speakers.

If you want to get a better acquaintance with the culture of the Kurds, you can find groups dedicated to Kurdish music and cuisine.

If there is no possibility to communicate with the carrier, then you can find courses for self-study of the Kurdish language.