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Kurdistan is a region currently divided into four parts, lying in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, with Iraqi Kurdistan being the most autonomous. The three main dialects of Kurdish people are Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish), Sorani (Middle Kurdish), and Kalhuri (Southern Kurdish). Sorani is spoken by a total of approximately 10 million people in Iraq and Iran. All of them are in the Iranian language family. It is the most widespread speech form of Iraqi Kurds, and is the language of a plurality of Kurds in Eastern Kurdistan. Soranî is usually written in the Arabic script, from right to left, but also has a Romanized form which we will address here.

  1. Here are a few expressions, words and phrases to get you started: [1]
    • Yes: Bale
    • No: Na
    • Thank you: Supas
    • Please: Tkaya
    • And: Woo
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    • Good morning: Bayanit bash
    • Good Afternoon: Niwarot bash
    • Good Evening: Ewarat bash
    • Good Night: Shaw Shad
    • Good day: Roj Bash
    • Goodbye: Xwahafiz (Xwa= God / hafiz= protect)
    • Hello: Slaw
  2. [2]
    • How are you?: Choni? to choni?
    • I am okay: Bashm(Turkish) chaakem (Iraq)
    • I am very okay: Zor bashm
    • I am not okay: Bash nim
    • I am ill: Naxoshm
    • Where are you? Lakwey?
    • Where do you live? Lakwey azhit?
    • I live in England: La Englestan azhim
    • How old are you?: Tamant chanda?
    • What is your name?: Nawt chya?
    • Where are you going?: Bo kwe aroy?
    • I go to work: Achm bo îsh
    • When are you coming back?: Kay yatawa?
    • I come back evening: Eawara demawa
    • What is your job?: îsht chya?
    • Did you arrive: Gayshti?
    • I am going: Arom
    • What?: Chi?
    • How many?: Chand?
    • How many brothers have you got?: Chand brat haya?
    • I have one brother: Yak bram haya
    • Have you got children?: Mnall't haya?
    • How are you doing?: Bashee?
    • Fine thanks, and you?: Bash'm supas ey to?
    • Do you know what I mean?: Te agate?
  3. [3]
    • You: to (pronounced 'tå')
    • I:m: (A little bit complicated)
    • My: Add "m" to noun ending ("My nose" becomes "lut[m]")
    • Mum: Dayk
    • Dad: Bawk
    • Sister: Khoshk
    • Brother: Bra
    • Paternal uncle: Mam
    • Maternal uncle: Khal
    • Girl: Kch
    • A girl: Kchek
    • Boy: Kur (pronounced 'kooorr')
    • A boy: Kurek
    • Teacher: Mamosta
    • I eat: Khwarden axom
    • Rice: Brnj
    • Tea: Cha
    • Coffee: Qawa
    • Water: Aaw
    • Soup: Shorba
    • Okra: Bamya
    • Yogurt: Mast
    • Car: Sayara (Old Kurdi) Aotomobel (New Kurdi)
    • Life: Zhyan
    • Country: Walat
    • City: Shar
    • Village: Ladey
    • House: mal / khano
    • Nation/ tribe: Khell
    • Place of first date: Shweny khwazbyeny yekem
    • Child: Mnall
    • Shirt: Kras
    • Day: Roj
    • Kiss: Mach
    • You are beautiful: To Jwanit
    • I am going: Min Arom
    • Do not go: Marro
    • Come on: De wera
    • Come to me: Wara bo laymn
    • I swear to God: Ba xwa
    • For example: Bo nemoona
    • Good luck: Baxtawar
    • You are a very nice girl: To kcheki zor jwani
    • You are a very nice boy: To kureki zor jwani
    • I love you: Khoshm aweyt (xoshm aweyt)
    • Life is nice: Zhyan khosha (Zhyan xosha)
    • Together: Pekawa
    • In: la naw
    • Above (on): sar
    • Below (under): zher
    • Beside: Tanisht
    • Back: Psht
    • Go: Bero
    • Nice: Khosh
    • OK: Bash
    • Many/very: Zor
    • Pain: zhan
    • Head: Sar
    • Neck: Mel
    • Eye/ eyes: Chaw
    • Nose: Loot
    • Mouth: Dam
    • Eyebrow: Brä
    • Ear/ ears: Gwe
    • Hair: Qzh
    • Cheek: Roomat
    • Hand: Dast
    • Shoulder: Shan
    • Chest: Sng
    • Breast: Mamk
    • Abdomen: Sk
    • Umbilicus: Nawk
    • Foot/ feet/ lower limb: qach
    • Fingers: Panja
    • Back: Psht
    • Knee: Azhnoo
  4. [4]
    • 1: yiek
    • 2: doo
    • 3: ce
    • 4: chwar
    • 5: penj
    • 6: shash
    • 7: hawt
    • 8: hasht
    • 9: noh
    • 10: de
    • 11: yanza
    • 12: dwanza
    • 13: syanza
    • 14: chwarda
    • 15: panza
    • 16: shanza
    • 17: havda
    • 18: hazhda
    • 19: nozda
    • 20: bist
    • 21: bist u yak
    • 30: ci
    • 40: chl
    • 50: penja
    • 60: shast
    • 70: hafta
    • 80: hashta
    • 90: nawa
    • 100: saa
    • 101: saa u yak
    • 1000: hazar
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  • Question
    What does "chawakam" mean?
    Community Answer
    Basically it is translated as "my eyes", and is used as a friendly or romantic speech.
  • Question
    How do I say "I miss you" in Sorani?
    Community Answer
    In Sorani you can say "Bert dakam", pronounced /b/ /e/ /r/ /t/ /d/ /e/ /k/ /e/ /m/.
  • Question
    How do I say "I love you too" in Sorani?
    Community Answer
    You can say I love you too like this:'mnish xoshm awet' pronounced mee-nish hosh-m aw-yet.
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