Kurdish Verbs

Welcome to the 10th lesson about verbs in Kurdish. We will first learn about the present tense, followed by the past tense, and future tense. We will also analyze some grammar rules, and finally practice how to ask for direction in Kurdish.

Verbs are used to express an action (I swim) or a state of being (I am). The present tense in Kurdish conveys a situation or event in the present time. Here are some examples:

Present Tense - Kurdish - Pronunciation
I speak English من بە ئینگلیزی قسە دەکەم [mn be englizy qse dekem]
you speak French تۆ بە فەرەنسی قسە دەکەیت [to be ferensy qse dekeyt]
he speaks German ئەو بە ئەڵمانی قسە دەکات [aw be almany qse dekat]
she speaks Italian ئەو بە ئیتالی قسە دەکات [aw be etaly qse dekat]
we speak Arabic ئێمە بە عەرەبی قسە دەکەین [eme be areby qse dekeyn]
they speak Chinese ئەوان بە چینی قسە دەکەن [awan be cheeny qse deken]

The past tense in Kurdish conveys a situation or event in the past time. Here are some examples:

Past Tense - Kurdish - Pronunciation
I visited France من سەردانی فەرەنسام کرد [mn serdany ferensam krd]
you visited Italy تۆ سەردانی ئیتاڵیات کرد [to serdany etalyat krd]
he visited Morocco ئەو سەردانی مەغربی کرد [aw serdany meghriby krd]
she visited China ئەو سەردانی چینی کرد [aw serdany cheeny krd]
we visited Mexico ئێمە سەردانی مەکسیکمان کرد [eme serdany mekseekman krd]
they visited Kenya ئەوان سەردانی کینیایان کرد [awan serdany kenyayan krd]

The future tense in Kurdish conveys a situation or event which is anticipated to happen in the future. Here are some examples:

Future Tense - Kurdish - Pronunciation
I will drink milk من شیر دەخۆمەوە [mn sheer dekhomewe]
you will drink coffee تۆ قاوە دەخۆیتەوە [to qawe dekhoytewe]
he will drink tea ئەو چا دەخواتەوە [aw cha dekhwatewe]
she will drink water ئەو ئاو دەخواتەوە [aw aw dekhwatewe]
we will drink apple juice ئێمە شەربەتی سێو دەخۆینەوە [eme sherbety sew dekhoynewe]
they will drink tea ئەوان چا دەخۆنەوە [awan cha dekhonewe]

Now let's take a break and refresh our vocabulary by learning the body parts.

ear گوێچکه‌ [gwechke]

eye چاو [chaw]

mouth ده‌م [dem]

nose لوت [lwt]

hair قژ [qzh]

face ده‌موچاو [dem w chaw]

head سه‌ر [ser]

heart دڵ [dl]

hand ده‌ست [dest]

fingers په‌نجه‌کان [penjekan]

leg قاچ [qach]

feet پێ [pe]

Travel Phrases in Kurdish

Imagine yourself in some Kurdish speaking country. The following travel phrases are highly important and can help you avoid misunderstanding. Try to memorize them and practice!

English - Kurdish - Pronunciation
Can you help me? تۆ دەتوانیت یارمەتیم بدەیت؟ [to detwaneet yarmeteem bdeyt?]
Can I help you? من دەتوانم یارمەتیت بدەم؟ [mn detwanm yarmeteet bdem?]
Where is the airport? فڕۆکەخانەکە لە کوێیە؟ [frokekhaneke le kweye?]
Go straight ڕێک بڕۆ [rek bro]
Then پاشان [pashan]
Turn left بە لای چەپدا پێچ بکەرەوە [be lay chepda pech bkerewe]
Turn right بە لای ڕاستدا پێچ بکەرەوە [be lay rastdapech bkerewe]

I hope this lesson about the verbs in Kurdish was not hard for you. Please check out our main menu here for more lessons: homepage. To see the full menu, you can also click on the "Menu" icon on the left side.