Kurdish Lesson 04 - Pronouns*

With these lessons, I want to teach language along with culture. This lesson is back to language again.

Let's start with the pronouns.

I, me = min
you = to (pronounced like toe)
he/him/she/her/it = ew
we, us = ayme
you plural = aywe
they, them = ewan

You'll notice that there is only one word for he, she and it. It makes things easier and more complicated at the same time. It's similar to English only having one word for you and you plural. We have to use context to define what we mean.

Sorani does have a plural you. When I was learning, I would use the German plural you as a place holder. Learning German was my first experience with the plural you. Before this I had no idea it was missing in English!

Also making things easier, is the fact that the pronouns are the same as subject and object. For example, in English we would say I ate the chicken or the chicken at me. In Kurdish it's min mirishikim xward and mirishikeke mini xward. Same word in both positions.

I don't actually know the Kurdish word for owl, but this bird is huge! And could probably eat me.

I know grammar is boring for most people, so I'll leave off there. I think the next time we get a language lesson, I'll teach you how to use the verb have - it's easy to use.

But, before I stop I'll give you a few useful phrases.

hello/ how are you: chony? bashy? (chony means how are you, but is used as hello. bashy literally means "are you good?" The two are usually used together.

I'm good. Thanks: Bashim. Supas (pronounced closer to spas)

And how are you: To chony?

Good bye: Xwa hafis

See you later: Dwai etbeenimewe

I think next time we'll learn about Halabja.

* all language lessons are Sorani Kurdish as spoken in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq (Southern Kurdistan). All spellings are an attempt to simplify pronunciation.