"There is no bitterer tongue and no sweeter tongue," says a Kurdish proverb. What are they, Kurdish languages - one of the most popular languages of the East?
What is the language of the Kurds?
Kurdish languages belong to the Iranian group. They originated from Median, but in the Middle Ages they were influenced by Arabic, Persian, and later Turkish languages. Kurdish is currently spoken by about 20 million people. But there are significant differences between them, as they speak different dialects and use different alphabets.
This is explained by the fact that the Kurds live in territories belonging to different countries. In Iran and Iraq, the Kurds use the Arabic script, in Turkey, Syria and Azerbaijan - the Latin alphabet, and in Armenia - Armenian (until 1946) and Cyrillic (since 1946). The Kurdish language is divided into 4 dialects - Sorani, Kurmanji, Zazai (dumili) and Gurani.
Where are Kurdish languages spoken?
The most widespread Kurdish language in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Jordan and Armenia. 60% of Kurds live in Turkey, Northwestern Iran, northern Iraq and Syria (Northwestern, Western, Southwestern andCentral Kurdistan), speak and write in the Kurmanji dialect. About 30% of the Kurdish population live in Western and Southeastern Iran, Eastern and Southeastern Iraq (South and Southeastern Kurdistan) use the Sorani dialect. The rest use Zazai (Dumili) and Gurani (Southern Kurdish) dialects.
Kurdish language: basics
For those who want to quickly learn the Kurdish language, Kurdish 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/Sipas/Sipas - Thank you.
Weave/Tika wild/To hwa - Please.
Hwa legeli/Mal ava/Binishte hwash - Goodbye.
Min tom hosh davet - I love you.
So minit hosh davet? - Do you love me?
Vere bo ere/Vere - Come here/come here.
Bo que erroy - Where are you going?
To chi dekey?/To kheriki cheat? - What are you doing?
Echim bo ser kar - I'm going to work.
Kay degerrieteve?/Kay deyteve? - When will you be back?
Herikim demeve; eve hatmeve/ez zivrim/le pisa tiemesh - I'm coming back.
Kari to chi ye?/chi karek dekey? - What is your job?
Min Errom/Min Deve Birr - I'm going to…
Min bashim/ez bashim - I'm fine.
Min bash nim/ez neye bashim/ me hwes niyim - I'm not all right/ - I'm not in the mood.
Ming is not good - I feel bad.
Chi ye/eve chie/eve ches? - Whatthis?
Hitch/Chine/Hyuch - Nothing.
Birit ekem/min birya te kriye/hyurit kirdime - I miss you.
Deiteve; degereyteve/tu ye bi zirvi/tiyedev; gerredev? - Are you coming back?
Nyemewe; nagerremeve/ez na zivrim/nyetiyemev; nyegerremev - I won't be back.
When communicating in an unfamiliar language, do not forget about sign language, which is almost the same in this world, with a few exceptions. You can clarify them before traveling to a country where you will communicate with the Kurds.
Navi min… uh - My name is…
Yek/du/se/chuvar/pench/shesh/heft/hasht/no/de/yazde/dvazde/sezde/charde/panzde/shanzde/khevde/hejde/nozde/bist - one/two/three /four/five/six/seven/eight/nine/ten/eleven/twelve/thirteen/fourteen/fifteen/sixteen/seventeen/eighteen/nineteen/twenty.
Duchshemme/Dushembe/Duchshem - Monday.
Sheshemme/sheshemb/shesheme - Tuesday.
Chuvarsheme/charshemb/chvarsheme - Wednesday.
Pencheshemme/Pencheshem/Penscheme - Thursday.
Jumha/heini/jume - Friday.
Shemme/Shemi/Sheme - Saturday.
Yekshemme/ekshembi/yeksheme - Sunday.
Zistan/zivistan/zimsan - Winter.
Behar/Bihar/Vehar - Spring.
Havin/havin/tavsan - Summer.
Payez/payyz/payykh - Autumn.
Resources for learning Kurdish
The best way to learn Kurdish languages is constant practice, and the best kind of practice is communication with a native speaker. It can be both a teacher and ordinary people for whomKurdish is native.
You can find such people in groups on social networks dedicated to the Kurdish language and culture. Usually there you can find video tutorials for beginners, a dictionary and a phrase book, look at pictures with inscriptions in Kurdish, read original poems and, if something is not clear, ask native speakers.
If you want to get better acquainted with the culture of the Kurds, you can also find groups dedicated to Kurdish music and cuisine.
If it is not possible to communicate with a native speaker, then you can find courses for self-study of the Kurdish language.
