Kurmanji vocabulary

KURDISH–ENGLISH VOCABULARY Abbreviations: adj. = adjective; Ar. = Arabic; ccmp. = circumposition; const. = construct case; demon. = demonstrative; dial. var. = dialectal variant; f = feminine; impt. = imperative; m = masculine; mil. = military; n.p. = narrative present (couched in the present tense; past-tense translational value); obl. = oblique; Pers. = Persian; pl = plural; pron. = pronoun; pres. = present; subj. = subjunctive; Syr. Ar. = Syrian Arabic; Tk. = Turkish; v.i. = verb intransitive; v.t. = verb transitive (here transitive means that the past tense is formed on the ergative model, not that the verb necessarily takes a direct object either in Kurdish or in English); voc. = vocative * a = ya; bi ~ in the opinion of: bi a min al1 red in my opinion ala = al abadîn eternal al’al tulip aborî economic, financial; f economy; alandin v.t. to twist ~zan economist alastin alês- v.t. to lick ‘aciz helpless, unable to cope (ji with): alaş thatch; ~kirî thatched ez ji kêzikan zehf aciz im I am utterly alav f flame incapable of coping with bugs alayî f troop, regiment Adar f March alet m instrument, tool ‘adet f custom; ~î ordinary alês- → alastin aferîde m creature alfabe f alphabet aferîn bravo; ~ ji … re good for … ‘alim m scholar afirandin v.t. to create alî1 m side, part; bi her ~yê ve in every afîş f poster direction; dan ~yekî v.t. to put aside, aga aware (li of) to draw to one side; ji ~yekî / ji ~kî agadarî f information, announcement; on the one hand; ji ~yê din on the awareness other hand; ji ~yê … ve by (passive agah = aga agent), on the part of agahdarî = agadarî alî2, arî f help; ~kar helping, helpful; agir m (obl. êgir) fire; ~ danîn bi to set ~karî f help, support; ~karî kirin v.t. fire to to help: min alîkariya wî dikir I used Agirî f Ağrı, in extreme eastern Turkey to help him aheng f tune, tone ‘alî3 supreme ajotin ajo- v.t. to drive (vehicle); to alîkar partisan; ~î kirin v.t. to take pass, last (of time): pir neajotibû ku… s.o.’s part, be partisan not much time had passed before…, alînegir neutral vê bêdangiya han heta sala 1980 ajot Alman German; ~ya f Germany this silence lasted until the year 1980; aloz scattered, random ~ ser to attack amade ready; ~ kirin v.t. to make al1 f flag, banner ready; xwe ~ kirin f to get oneself

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY ready ambelaj f wrapping, packing Amerîka/Amerîqa f America; ~yî American Amûda f ‘Amūdā, a town in Syria near Qāmishlī an or; ~ na or not; an…an either…or ancax so much anîn v.t. (pres. ind. tînim, neg. naynim; subj. bînim, neg. subj. neynim) to bring anîzazî f cleverness Anteqye f Antakya, Antioch anuha = niha ap, apo m paternal uncle ‘aqil1 m mind, intelligence ‘aqil2 intelligent ‘aqûbet f end ardû m fuel arî (dial. var.) = alî2 armanc f aim, goal armûş m a sheaf of grain armûxan m gift arnawid Albanian arşîv f archive artêş f army arûk m ceiling arxayîn confident asê rugged, steep; ~geh f fortification asê kirin v.t. to catch asêwarî untimely asiman, asîman m heaven; ~î heavenly asîmîlasiyon f assimilation asîmîle assimilated aso f horizon asteng m difficult road, rough terrain, obstacle asin m (dial. var.) = hesin ‘aşiq in love; ~ê … bûn to be in love with aşitî f peace, truce; ease, comfort aşî = aşitî ‘atifî emotional av f water; ~ û hewa f climate

ava1 built up, prosperous, developed; ~ kirin v.t. to develop; ~ker m developer, founder ava2 çûn v.i. to set (of the sun) avahî f building, edifice avayî = avahî avdayî tempered (steel) avêj- → avêtin avêş f balm avêtin avêj- v.t. to throw, throw away, throw out; lay (foundation); ~a ji text de dethronement; dest ~ … to touch s.th. awa f manner, means; bi ~yekî somehow; bi wî ~yî by this means; bi hemû ~yî by all/any means awaz m voice, sound, singing awir f glance, backward look awur (dial. var.) = awir ax1 sigh, ouch; ~ avêtin v.t. to say ouch ax2 f land, earth, dirt; ~a welat homeland; ~a Sûriyê the land of Syria axa m (obl axê) agha, feudal lord, master axaftin axiv- v.i. to speak axar ??? axil corral axiftin (dial. var.) = axaftin axiret f the other world: mirovê axiretê an other-worldly person axîn v.i. to cry, to cry out axpîne f patch of ground, field AY = Ameriqayê Yekbûyî USA azad free; ~ kirin v.t. to set free; ~î f liberty azar f anguish; ~ dan v.t. to torment, vex azman m sky b- → birin, bûn ba1 m (obl bê) wind ba2 m turn ba3 (prep.) with, in front of, in the presence of; li ~ with, chez

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KURMANJI KURDISH 4

ba m rheumatism; ~wî rheumatic babet f regard: di vê babetê de in this regard babo daddy ba-dan v.t. to turn, twist, wring badayî turned, twisted bager f snowstorm bahar = bihar bahlif f pillow bajar m (obl bajêr) city; ~î m merchant, citified; ~van citizen, city dweller; ~vanî urban: jiyana bajarvaniyê urban life Baku f Baku bakurofe f gust of wind bakûr m north bal1 f wing, arm bal2 f attention, mind, thought; ~ kişandin to attract the attention: wêneyên min bala rojname û hunermendan kişandin my pictures attracted the attention of newspapers and artists; ~dar attentive, discerning; ~drêj patient, careful; ~fireh patient, calm; ~kêş attractive, interesting balaxane f balcony balefir m airplane; ~geh airport balgî m pillow balîf = bahlîf ban m roof ban ban kirin v.t. to shout, to yell bandev f summit bandor f influence bang f call, cry; ~ dan v.t. to give out a cry, to herald; ~ kirin v.t. to shout banz = baz bar m load; ~ bûn to be loaded; to bear up: çavên wan bar nebûbû they hadn’t been able to bear the sight; ~ kirin v.t. to load up, move (household); ~kêş m porter baran f rain; ~din v.t. to rain down bare: di ~ya … de (prep.) about, concerning

barîk slender, thin barîn/~iyan v.i. to rain down bask m arm, wing: baskê çepê partiya sosyal-demokrat the leftist wing of the Social-Democrat Party; ~ên xwe li hev xistin to flap one’s wings baş good; ~ kirin v.t. to improve; ~kirin f improvement başok(e) falcon başûr m south bav m (voc. bavo) father; ~îtî f fatherhood, paternality bawer believing: ez ~ im ku… I believe that …; ~ kirin v.t. to believe: gelek kes bawer dikin ku… many people believe that…; ~î f belief, trust; ~mend m believer bawî1 m father bawî2 → ba4 bawîşk f yawn baxçe m garden, yard baz jump, leap; ~ dan v.t. to dance; to run away in fear, to flee in haste bazar f market; ~a reş black market beden m body bedew beautiful, splendid bedyûm ill-omened befr f (dial. var.) = berf behr f sea behs f discussion; ~kirin v.t. to discuss bejin f height, stature; ~bilind tall; ~ û bala tall stature bel straight; ~ kirin v.t. to straighten, prick up (ears, &c.) bela f catastrophe belaş for free, gratis belav widespread, scattered; ~ bûn v.i. to be scattered; ~ kirin v.t. to spread, broadcast, disseminate; ~ok f publication belayê nav … bûn v.i. to spread out through belediye f municipality belek speckled, spotted

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY belekî f water spring belengaz poor, destitute; ~î f poverty, destitution bélê yes belg m leaf belgih m suit, clothing; ~ girtin v.t. to garb oneself belkî maybe, perhaps ben = bend bend f bond; li ~a for the sake of, chained to, waiting for: divê em êdî li benda sibehê ranewestin we shouldn’t stand around waiting for tomorrow; ~ kirin v.t. to fetter, arrest; man di ~a to wait for benderuh creature bendewar bûn bi to love, be in love with benzîn f gasoline beq m frog ber1 m breast, fore; ber-dan see alphabetically; ~ bi hev hatin v.i. to cooperate; ~ê (ve) (adv.) before; ~î ku (conj.) before; ji ~ kirin v.t. to memorize; ji ~ jmartin v.t. to reel off from memory; ji ~ ku because (conj.); ji ~ … ve (ccmp.) before; ji ~ zanîn v.t. to memorize; li ~ (prep.) before, on account of; li ~ (+ inf.) on the verge of: ew hêviya ku li ber geşbûnê bû çilmisî that hope, which was on the verge of blossoming, withered; wek(e) ~ê as before ber2 m yield, fruit; ~ wergirtin ji to derive a yield from beramber equal, equivalent; ~î f equality; ~î … kirin v.t. to compare to: wî ew beramberî Anton Çexov dikir he used to compare him to Anton Chekhov beran m ram ber-anîn (ber-în) v.t. to imagine berate f carcass berban m ceiling

berberî f comparison berbêjî f prediction berbiçav conspicuous berbihevhatin f cooperation berbînî f imaginary image, vision bercênîk ??? berçav visible, clear, before the eyes; ~ anin v.t. to pay attention ber-dan v.t. to release, let go; to put on (clothes); to close, stop, give up: dev ~ ji to close the mouth to, stop, give up; ~ ser to direct toward; tiving ~ to fire a rifle at: xulamê wî ew da ber tifingê his servant fired the rifle at him; xwe ~ ser to turn oneself toward, direct oneself to berdest servant berdewam continual(ly), constant(ly); ~ kirin v.t. to continue berdêl f equivalent; ji ~a instead of berdêlk = berdêl; bi ~ equivalent in value berebere more and more, ever more; gradually, little by little bereket m blessing; bi ~ luckily berev = berhev berf f snow berferih spacious; ~ kirin v.t. to open, initiate bergeh f view, vista berhem m product, literary work; ~bar productive berhev gathered, collected; ~ kirin v.t. to prepare, gather; xwe ~ kirin v.t. to pull oneself together berhevok f collection berik f bullet beriqîn v.i. to glisten berizîn bi v.i. to fight with, do battle with berî f pocket berîde perplexed, lost berîk f pocket ber-ketin v.i. to feel sad

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KURMANJI KURDISH bermil f load bername f program beroş f pot, pan berovajî to the contrary berpêş kirin v.t. to suggest, to propose berpirsiyar responsible; m manager; ~î f responsibility, management berq f lightning bersîv f answer, reply; ~ dan bi to reply to, answer; ~a … dan to satisfy the needs of; ~andin v.t. to respond, reply berten f trousers bervajî f opposite side; ji ~yê contrariwise, conversely bervê prep. toward berwar m slope berx lamb berxwedan f resistance bes much, many a; enough best f plain best m joy, glee, relish beş m part; ~dar participant; ~dar bûn v.i. to take part, participate beşavend f rhyme beşer f flesh betalî f unemployment, uselessness, idleness bexçe = baxçe Bexda f Baghdad bext m luck; ~iyar fortunate, happy; ~iyarî f good fortune, happiness; bê~ unfortunate beybûn f camomile bez1 f speed: bi lez û ~ quickly, with all speed; bayê ~ê the racing wind; ~în bez- v.i. to run bez2 m kind, sort beza fast-running, galloping bezir lost bê1 → ba bê-2 (prefix) without; see compounds alphabetically bêaqil stupid

bêbawer disbelieving, unsure; ~î f disbelief bêbest uncontrollable bêbext unlucky, unfortunate; ~î f unluckiness, misfortune bêçare helpless, poor; ~tî f helplessness bêçine useless bêçiqasî inordinately bêdar treeless, barren bêdeng silent; ~î f silence, obscurity bêdil halfhearted, unwilling bêfedî lack of embarrassment bêgav impossible, helpless bêgoşt skinny bêguman doubtless(ly) bêhamd reluctantly, unwillingly bêhawe unparalleled, extraordinary bêhay unconscious, unaware; dinyayê ~ the subconscious world bêhejiyan û livat without movement or motion bêhejmar innumerable bêhempa unparalleled, peerless bêhêvî without hope, in despair; ~ kirin v.t. to make s.o. despair bêhêzî f weakness, debility bêhişiyarî without feeling, numb bêhn1 f breath; ~a min teng bû I was bored; ~a xwe teng kirin to bore oneself, let oneself get bored; ~a … çikandin v.t. to suffocate; ~tengî f boredom bêhn2 f smell, odor; ~ berdan to leave an odor behind; ~ dan to give off an odor; ketin ser ~ê to pick up a scent; ~çikîn dry-smelling bêhtengî = bêhntengî bêî prep. without; ~ ku (conj., + subj.) without: îro jî bêî ku mirov tu zehmetiyan bikişîne, mirov bi hêsanî ji wan tê digihê even today one easily understands them without going to any trouble bêîmkanî f impossibility

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY bêj- → gotin bêje f word: ~ bi ~ word by word; ~r speaker bêjing f sieve bêkar unemployed; ~î f unemployment bêkes lonely, alone, unprotected bê li prep. without bêmane fearful, dreadful bêmecalî f lack of opportunity bêminet relentless(ly) bênamus dishonorable bênav nameless, unnamed bênavbirî incessant bênihtin v.i. to freeze bênîşan spotless bêpar deprived bêpejnî f tranquility bêpîvan immeasurable bêr. See xêr. bêrî f longing; ~ kirin v.t. to long for, miss bêrik = bêrîk bêrîk f pocket; wek hundirê bêrika şalê xwe nasîn to know something “like the back of one’s hand” Bêrûd f Beirut bêsedem without reason, unprovoked bê serûbin endless bêşerm shameless; ~î f shamelessness bêşik doubtless bêtar storm bêtaw impatient, restless bêtir more bêtîn powerless, weak bêvil, bêvîl f nose, nostril bêxanî homeless bê xayî limitless bêxeber unaware (ji of); ji her derî ~ totally oblivious bêxew sleepless, suffering from insomnia; ~î f sleeplessness, lack of sleep bêxudan = bêxwedî bêxweda godless, damned bêxwedî godless, ownerless, orphaned,

poor, lonely bêyî = bêî bêzarî f nuisance, headache bêzaro childless bi- subjunctive prefix bi … re (ccmp.; bi + wî/wê > pê) by, with, upon: bi tirên re by train; bi min re with me; bi bihîstina deng re upon hearing the sound bi … ve (ccmp.; bi + wî/wê > pê) through, up to: ji wê rojê pê ve from that day to this bi- subjunctive verbal prefix biaqil intelligent, smart; ~î f intelligence biçûk little; ~anî f childhood, youth bidardakirin → dar biha bûn v.i. to be valuable bihar f spring, springtime; ~î pertaining to spring bihin = bêhn; bi ~ with odor, with fragrance; ~dar fragrant bihişmet magnificent bihişt f paradise; ~în paradisiacal, heavenly bihîstin bihîs-/bihîz- v.t. to hear, listen bihn = bêhn1 bihorîn v.i. to pass bihostin v.t. ??? bihuk insect bihurandîn bihurîn- v.t. to spend (time): ew zaroktiya xwe li Kurdistana Bakûr bihurandiye he spent his childhood in North Kurdistan bihurtin bihur- v.i. to pass, be spent bihuşt f span. See also bihişt. bihûr- = bihurbijarte choice, select bijartin bijêr- v.t. to choose bijiqandin v.t. to tear to shreds bijîjk m physician bijîn lively bijîv f sustenance bikaranîn → kar bikêr useful

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KURMANJI KURDISH bíla (+ subj.) let: çi dibe bila bibe whatever happens, let it happen bilbil nightingale bilez quick, hasty bilind high; ~ kirin v.t. to raise, to elevate; ~cih m height, high place biliyan v.i. to arise (sound) bilî other than, aside from; ~ ji ditto bilûr f shepherd’s pipe, flute bin m bottom; di ~ under; ~dest underling, oppressed; ~geh m foundation, basis; ~gehê … avetin to lay the foundation of …; ~gehîn basic; ~xet f south of the Turkish border, i.e. Syria and Iraq binûr luminous bipêşdexistin f advancement, improvement biqedr worthwhile, valuable bir m part bira1 m (obl. pl biran) brother bira2 = bila bira3 really birc f tower birçî hungry; ~n f hunger; ~tî f hunger birêvebir m leader birh m eyebrow birin b- v.t. to carry, take; ~ jêr to bring/take down/away; ~ jor to bring/ take up birisqîn v.i. to sparkle, shimmer birîn1 f wound; ~ kirin v.t. to wound; ~dar m wounded birîn2 = birrîn birrîn v.t. to cut, to cross: wî sînor birrî he crossed the border birsî hungry birsîn f hunger birûsk f lightning; ~e f telegram biryar f decision; ~ dan v.t. to decide biserketin f success bişkul m goat and sheep droppings biv m buzz bivê nevê willy-nilly, like it or not

bivir m ax biwa (alternative past conditional of bûn) = bûya bixêrhatinî dan v.t. to welcome bixwe by oneself, personally biyanî m foreign(er), stranger, alien; ~stan f any foreign place, “foreign parts”; ~tî f strangeness, alienation: jiyana biyanîtiyê life of alienation bizin f goat bizir m seed bizivîn v.i. to budge bîhin = bêhn bîn = bêhn bîn- → dîtin, anîn bîna (dial. var.) = mîna bînahî f sight bînanî prep. like bînber m sight bîr1 f memory; bi ~ anîn v.t. to remember: baş bîne bîra xwe ku… remember well that…; ~a … birin to take into consideration; ~ hatin v.i. to remember: tê bîra min I remember; ji ~(a) kirin v.t. to forget; ~anîn f memory, reminiscence bîr2 f well bîranî f memory bîst1 twenty; ~salî twenty-year-old bîst2 f moment, a short period of time: bîstek neborî it didn’t take long before bîstin bîs- v.t. to hear bîşeng f weeping willow bîz- = bihîz → bihîstin bîzbîzî matted bo (prep.) for; (conj.) so that, in order that boç f tail boçik f tail bombe f bomb; ~yên destan hand grenades bona prep. for: ~ vê yekê for this reason borandin v.t. to spend (time), make

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY (time) pass borî f pipe borîn v.i. to last, pass (time): çend meh naborin not many months passed (n.p.); v.t. to excuse: min bibore excuse me bostan m garden boş wide, widespread, abundant boxçe f bundle braştî roasted brûsk = birûsk buhar = bihar buhirîn v.t. to take away, clear off buhurandin buhurîn- v.t. to spend (time); ~în v.i. to pass, pass away buhurtin buhur- v.i. to pass, pass away, go out buhurî last, past: sala ~ last year bulbul nightingale bûk f bride, daughter-in-law; ~anî f wedding bûn b- v.i. to be, become bûsî f ambush bûyer f incident, event bûz ice BZ = berê zayînê B.C. ca (used with imperatives): ~ were come on!; ca bifikire ku just think what it would be like if … cam f glass camêr courageous, gallant, gentlemanly casûs m spy car f time; ~ ~an often, many times; ~din again, once again; ~inan from time to time; ~kê = carekê once; ~na sometimes cax protective fencing cazîbedar interesting cebhe f front (mil.) ceger f liver (poetic); ~ şîrîn darling, beloved cejin f celebration, festival celeb m sort, kind: du celeb kes hene:

yên baş û yên nebaş there are two kinds of people, good and evil celx m/f slit, crack cem m group; side; a large basket; li ~ beside, with: li cem wan beside them, with them cendek m body, corpse ceng f battle cerg f liver ceribandin v.t. to try, test cewr m pup; ~ik m puppy ceza f fine, penalty; ~ wergirtin v.t. to receive a penalty, to be fined cidî serious cigar(e) f cigarette cih m place; pl bed; ~ bi ~ from place to place; ~ girtin v.t. to take place; ~ kirin v.t. to put, place; ~ li xwe xweş kirin v.t. to make oneself comfortable; ~ê … girtin v.t. to take the place of; ~ê local; ~ê ~ê various, sundry; ~gir occupant; bi ~ anîn to bring about, bring to fruition; bi ~ bûn li to settle in, take up residence in; di nav ~an de in bed cihan f the world cil m clothing; ~ û berg (pl) clothes cin djinn, demon; ~anlêxistî possessed by demons cinewir monster cirecir f talk, chit-chat civandin civîn- v.t. to move, set in motion civak society; community; ~î social, societal; ~nas sociologist; ~nasî f sociology civat f society, group civîn v.i. to move; ~în f movement ciwan young, beautiful; ~tî f youth cixar(e) (dial. var.) = cigar cixiz kirin v.t. to mark, to leave marks in cî = cih cîhan f world

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KURMANJI KURDISH cîhêlkirin f surveillance cîran neighbor cografî geographical col m pack (of wolves, &c.) core core various coş enthusiasm, excited cot1 m pair cot2 m plow; ~kârî f agriculture cube m robe cumhûriyet f republic cunta f junta cure cure (dial. var.) = core core curet kirin v.t. to dare cûda separate; ~ kirin v.t. to separate cûm bûn v.i. to be obscured ç- → çûn çak good çakêt m jacket çalak active; ~î f activity çand f culture; ~î cultural çandin çîn- v.t. to plant çap f printing; ~ kirin v.t. to print, publish; ~emanî f printed matter, the press; ne~kirî unpublished; ~xane f printshop çar four çarçove f framework çare f remedy; bê~ helpless, poor; ~nûs f remedy; bi ~nûsa … ve in the interests of; ~ser f solution; ~ser kirin v.t. to solve, resolve çarmergî cross-legged çarşef, çarşev f sheet, woman’s covering; ~ kişandin v.t. to put a sheet (on a bed); ~ li xwe kirin v.t. to put on a veil, cover oneself çav m eye; ~ girtin v.t. to close the eyes; ~erênî f expectation; ~ên … xistin v.t. to attract the attention of; bi ~ekî nebaş nêrîn to have a low opinion of; ~êş f eye ailment; ~kanî f source, wellspring; ~şin blue-eyed çavnihêrî bûn v.i. to expect, to look

expectantly çawa(n) how?: çawan bibe bila bibe be that as it may; ~ heba somehow or other; ~ ku as; çawahî f quality çax f time: wê çaxê at that time çay f tea; ~dan f teapot; ~xane f teahouse çe = çê çefî = kefî çek f weapon; ~dar armed çeleng cute, attractive, good-looking çem m river çen f armpit çend (following word construed as pl.) how many?; several: di çend cihan de in several places; çend hevalên min several of my friends; ~ik û çend (+ sing.) several: çendik û çend roj e… it’s been several days since…; û ~ odd: bi pêncih û çend salên xwe ve in his fifty-odd years; ~ê for a while çeng f claw; ~ê li … de cih kirin v.t. to sink the claw into çengel m hook çeng kirin v.t. to throw, hurl çente m suitcase çep left; wrong: ew min çep fahm dike he misunderstands me çeper f shield, barricade çepik xistin li v.t. to applaud for çer what? çer ku (conj.) as soon as çerçî m peddler çerkez Circassian çerm m skin, leather; ~în leathern çerx f wheel çetel m fork, forked çewsandin v.t. to exploit çewt crooked, awry, wrong çê right, okay; ~-bûn v.i. to be born; to be right: çê nabe tu wisa bikî it’s not right for you to act thus; çê dibe ku ez biçim? is it okay for me to go?; ~kirin v.t. to give birth to, to make, fix,

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY repair, keep: wî çê dikine binê zindanê they keep him in the dungeon, min di serê xwe e plana ku … çêdikir I was making a plan in my head to … çêlik the young of any animal, puppy, kitten, cub, etc. çêl f subject, topic; ~î kirin v.t. to talk about çêre f grazing, pasturage çêrîn v.i. to graze çêtir better çi1 what?; ~ bigire practically speaking, pretty much çi2 no; ~ tiştî nothing çiçek = çîçek çiftexas m cotton batiste çik exhausted; ~ bûn v.i. to become exhausted, to sink down (into snow) çikandin v.t. to drip; to plant (tree); to push s.th. in as far as it will go çikîn v.t. to plant; to crackle; to dry up (mother’s milk): şîrê berê wê çikî her breast milk dried up çiko, çiku because çil1 forty çil2 greedy çil3 only in çil û çiya hills and mountains çile f the coldest period of winter; ~ya paşîn January; ~ya pêşîn December çilmisandin v.t. to make wither çilmîsîn v.i. to wither çilvilîn = çilwilîn çilwilîn v.i. to gleam çima why? çimkî because çiqas how much çiqçiqî kirin v.t. to rip to shreds çir, çira why? çira f lamp, stove çirandin çirîn- v.t. to tear, tear up çirav f muck çire why çiriya paşê/paşîn f November

çiriya pêşê/pêşîn f October çirisîn = çirûsîn çirûsîn v.i. to sparkle, shine, glow çirûsk f spark çiv trick, game; ~ dan xwe v.t. to zigzag çivanok f a formula used in storytelling çivik, çivîk bird, sparrow çiwal m sack çiya m mountain; ~yî mountaineer, hillbilly çîçek f flower çîl bright çîmen m grassy meadow çîp f calf (of the leg) çîrîn v.i. to creak çîrok f story; ~van storyteller çîya = çiya çîzçîzik f buzz ço m stick çog = çok2 çok1 m stream çok2 f knee çol f desert, wilderness çong = çok2 çûçik f bird çûk f bird çûn ç- (subj. stem ç-/her-) v.i. to go çûr a type of sheep çûyîn v.i. to go da1 a dialectal variant of de1 da2 a preverb that forms compounds, generally indicating ‘down’ da-anîn v.t. to set down, establish: Mam Reşîd satil danî û li dora xwe mêze kir Uncle Rashid set the bucket down and looked around himself; ~ li xwe (+ subj.) to lower oneself, deign, bring oneself to do s.th.: gelek ji wan jî li xwe danaynin bi vî zimanê xweş û şêrîn bipeyivin many of them can’t even bring themselves to speak this nice, sweet language da-avêtin v.t. to put together, throw

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KURMANJI KURDISH together da-çikandin v.t. to set up, plant (tree, flag, &c.) dad f justice; ~geh f court; ~gêr m judge da-dan v.t. to place, put in, install; to light (fire) da-gerandin v.t. to turn, send back dagirker m occupier da-girtin v.t. to occupy, take over, to take down; guhên xwe ~ v.t. to prick up one’s ears dagirtî well-built dagîr kirin v.t. to occupy dahl f grove dahn m season, period of time da-hûrandin v.t. to research, investigate daîre f office da-ketin v.i. to fall down, come down, swoop down, subside; to be lowered (gaze); ~ bi to take up, involve oneself with da ku (+ subj.) in order that da-kutan v.t. to shake da-liqandin v.t. to string up, hang da-liqiyan v.i. to hang, dangle da-mezran v.i. to be set up, established; ~din da-mezrîn- v.t. to set up, establish dan1 = dahn dan2 d- v.t. to give da-nan da-nê- v.t. to lay, put down da-niştin da-niş- v.i. to sit down, alight danîn = da-anîn danûstendin f transaction, exchange; relation da-qurtandin qurtên- v.t. to swallow dar f tree, stick, gallows; bi ~ ve kirin v.t. to hang; bi ~ da-kirin v.t. to hang; ~istan f forest dar m wood darbe f blow; ~ xwarin v.t. to suffer a blow darik m stick darîn wooden

davêtin = da-avêtin da‘we f legal case da‘wet f festive occasion dawî f end; ~ anîn v.t. to put an end to; ~ hatin v.i. to end, come to an end; ~n (adj) last, final dax f brand; sorrow da-xistin v.t. to take down: polîsan tabeleya me daxist the police took down our sign daxwaz f request; ~ kirin v.t. to request, beseech; ~î f desire dayik m mother; ji ~ê bûn v.i. to be born; ~tî f motherhood, maternity dayin = dan dayîn = dan de1 postposition forms the second part of a number of circumpositions, generally indicating stationary position in or at; see the prepositional element de2 (precedes an imperative): de were come on! defter f register, roll, notebook deh ten dehl f valley; orchard dehol f drum dek f trick delal dear, beloved delîve f opportunity, occasion dem1 f time, season; ~a ku (conj.) when; ~dirêj long-term; ~kurt shortterm; ~ û dewran f olden times dem2 steeped; ~ girtin to steep (of tea) demançe f pistol deng m voice, sound, noise; ~bêj m singer dengiz sea depdepe wooden deq1 f part, region, place: di vê deqê de in this place deq2 m tattoo; ~ bi ~ exactly alike deqe = deqîqe deqîqe f minute der1 f place; ~ek(ê) somewhere; ev ~

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY here; li vê ~ê here; li ku ~ê where? der2 outside; ~eke foreign: welatên dereke foreign countries der3 f door der-anîn v.t. to take out derb f blow derbas passing, passsage; ~ bûn v.i. to pass, to pass by (ji); ~ kirin v.t. to spend (time); ~î hundur bûn to enter derbaz = derbas derbeder bûn v.i. to be driven from pillar to post der-bûn di to burst out on derd m pain, trouble: her yekî derdekî wan hebû everyone had some trouble derece f degree: di çi dereceyê de to what degree? dereng late, long time; ~ man v.i. to lag behind, be late derewîn lying, false derêxistin = derxistin derfend f opportunity derheq: di ~(ê) … de about, concerning deriya = derya derizî cracked derî1 m door; ~yê xwe girtin li ber to close one’s door to; li ~ dan v.t. to knock at a door; ~ girtin v.t. to shut a door; ~ li ser xwe girtin to shut oneself up derî2 (prep) outside of der-ketin v.i. to go in/out, to turn out to be; ~ li dijî … v.i. to oppose; ji gîra … ~ to fail to catch derman m (obl dermên) remedy, treatment, medicine; ~geh pharmacy; ~ kirin v.t. to treat derpê m underpants; longjohns ders f lesson; ~ dan v.t. to give lessons der û dor environs; ~a (prep.) around derve outside; ~karî external: wezîrê dervekarî minister of foreign affairs; ~yî (prep.) outside of: derveyî welêt outside of the country; (adj.) foreign;

ji ~ from outside der-xistin v.t. to bring out (publication), to issue (an order), to cast out; ji hev ~ to to tell apart, to discern der-xwendin -xwîn- v.t. to take to task derya f sea; ~ya Sipî the Mediterranean Sea derzî f crack, split; see also şûjin û derzî dest1 m hand; ~ bi ~ continuously; ~ bûn ji to lose, to be left without: destên me ji te bûne we have been left without you; ~ dan hevdu v.t. to join hands; ~ kêşan ji v.t. to let go of; ~ kirin bi (+ inf.) v.t. to start; ~ê xwe kişandin ji to give up, abandon; bi ~ xistin to attain, obtain; di ~ên … for … to do: di destên min de bi tenê razan mabû the only thing I could do was go to sleep; ji ~ kirin v.t. to lose; ji bin destê … by, by means of …; xwe avêtin ~ û lingên kesekî to throw oneself at someone’s feet, to beg; xwe dan ~ to let oneself be captured dest2 f group, set destan f story destbirak m blood brother deste f group, set destenan loaf of bread destik m oar destmal f handkerchief destpêk f beginning destteng poor destûr f order, command; ~a ziman grammar destvala empty-handed destve-înan v.t. to catch deşt f plain dev m mouth; entrance; ~ berdan ji to leave, to give up, to stop: te dev ji kêşana cixarê berdaye? have you stopped smoking cigarettes?; dev ji min berde, ez bêxew im leave me

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KURMANJI KURDISH alone—I’m sleepy; ~ di … da cî kirin to bite down on; (li) ~ (û) dora prep. all around devendeştî f brush, brambles deverû face down devî f bush devken f smile devkî oral: edebiyata devkî oral literature devojenî hev bûn li ser to squabble with each other over devok f accent dewam kirin v.t. to continue dewar m domestic animal, cattle dewir = dewr; f circle; ~ dan v.t. to circle dewlemend rich, wealthy dewlet f state: ~a Frensayê the state of France dewr f age, time, epoch; role; ~ leyistin to play a role; ~an f age, time dews f place, spot, trace dexisîn v.i. to be jealous (ji of) deyn m debt; ~ dan to pay a debt; ~dar indebted; ~ê indebted to dê1 f (const diya) mother dê2 future auxiliary + subj. for future tense dê3 3rd-person sing. present indicative of hatin dêl1 f tail dêl2 f female animal; ~egur f female wolf; ~ik f female wolf or dog, bitch dêrîn ancient, of long standing dêv1 m demon dêv2 = dev dêw = dêv1 di … de ccmp. in: di salên 70’î de in the ’70s; di destên min de in my hands di … re ccmp. by, via, upon: bi bihîstina deng re upon hearing the noise; av di tifingên wan re dihate xwar water ran down their rifles di … ve ccmp. through

dí- habitual and progressive verbal prefix dia = dua di bareya … de ccmp. about, concerning dibistan f school: dibistana destpêk elementary school Dicle f the Tigris River didan m tooth didu two; ~yan second difin nostril digel with; ~ ku although dihanî = dianî (see anîn) dijî, li (prep.) against dijmin m enemy; ~atî f enmity dijûn kirin v.t. to curse dijwar difficult; ~î f difficulty dikan f shop dike nake no matter what s/he did dil m heart; hope: min dil heye (+ subj.) I hope to; ~ girtin bi to be offended by: bi çûyîna min ya hotêlê dilê xwe girtin they were offended by my going to a hotel; ~ şewitîn bi to feel sorry for: dilê midûr bi vî xortê çeleng û evîndarê xwendinê dişewite the principal feels sorry for this attractive young man so avid to study; ~êşî f heartache; ~germ warm, hearty, kind; ~geş happy; ~nexweş sorry, upset, ill at ease; ~pak pure of heart; ~qayim confident; ~qayimî f confidence; ~soz sympathetic; ~şa happy, glad; ~şewat heart-rending; ~şikestî f disappointment; ~şikestî kirin v.t. to disappoint, to dishearten; ~tengî f sadness, loneliness; ~xwaz fond of; bêî ~ê against the wishes of; ne bi ~ê min bû it did not appeal to me dilêr intrepid dilnîya assured, confident dilop m drop dilovan kind, affectionate, dear; ~î f affection; death (euphemism): berî

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY dilovaniya nivîskarê dilovan bi salekê a year before the dear writer passed away diltezîn ??? din other di nav … de ccmp. in the midst of: di nav wî erdî de in the midst of that land dinê = dinyayê (see dinya) dinya f (obl. dinyayê, dinê) the world, the weather: dinya pirr sar bû the weather was very cold; bi ~yê hatin v.i. to be born; ~dîtî worldly, sophisticated diran (dial. var.) = didan dirb track, path dirêj long, lengthy; ~ ajotin to last a long time; ~ kirin to lengthen; ~î f length; ~î … kirin to hand to …; dest ~ … kirin to stretch the hand out to diriyan v.i. to be ripped divabû, diviyabû (impersonal + pres. subj.) had to: diviyabû ku tiştekî bikin they had to do something; (impersonal + past cond.) ought to have …, was supposed to have …, would have to …: diviyabû Sovyet ji Îranê derketa the Soviet ought to (was supposed to) have withdrawn from Iran, divabû ku ew kêzik bihata kuştin that bug would have to be killed divê (impersonal + pres. subj.) ought to dixan f smoke diyar clear; ~î f clarity diyarî f gift Diyarbekir f Diyarbekir diz m thief dizî secret, concealed; bi ~ secretly, stealthily; ~tî f secret dî other; yê ~ the other one dîl m prisoner; ~ girtin v.t. to take prisoner; ~î f imprisonment dîlan f dance, dancing

dîmen f view, sight, aspect dîn1 m religion; ~itî f religiosity; ~î, ~dar religious; ~perwer religious dîn2 crazy, mad; ~ bûn li ser to go crazy over; ~ kirin to drive s.o. crazy; ~ik slightly crazy, “screw loose”; ~itî f madness dîn3 f gaze, attention dîrok f story, history; ~î historical dîsa(n) again, (+ neg) still…not dîtin bîn- v.t. to see dîwan f reception room; collected works of a poet; ~çe f (obl ~çê) small reception room dîwar f (obl dîwêr) wall dîz knee dîzik f pan do = dû dol valley dom kirin v.t. to continue doman v.i. to continue domandin domîn- v.t. to continue dor1 f environs; li ~a (prep.) around; ~hêl f environs, parts, region; ~a … girtin v.t. to surround dor2 m turn; ~alî f circumference dorandor m circumference; li ~ê (prep.) all around dost friend; ~ane friendly; ~ayetî f friendship doş- → dotin doşab m/f grape molasses ??? doşeg f mattress doşik = doşeg dot f daughter; ~mam f cousin dotin doş- v.t. to milk doz f cause, reason; aim, ideal; revenge; ~a … kirin to aim for; ~ger vengeful, litigant du two du‘a f prayer; ~ kirin, ~ xwendin v.t. to pray ducar kirin v.t. to repeat dudil hesitant, of two minds; ~î f hesita-

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KURMANJI KURDISH tion duduyan (dial. var.) = diduyan duh(î) yesterday dunya = dinya durû hypocritical; ~tî f hypocrisy duşemb f Monday duv = dû duwemîn second: şerê dinyayê yê duwemîn World War II duyem(în) second dû1 behind; ~dirêj of long standing; ~re then, afterwards; li ~ hev re one after the other; li ~ xwe behind oneself; bi ~ … ketin v.i. to pursue dû2 m smoke dûkel f smoke dûman f smoke dûpişk f scorpion dûr far; ~ xistin v.t. to throw away, exile; bi ~ ketin to go/get away; ~ nêzîk sooner or later; ~ahî f remoteness, distance; ~bîn farsighted dûre → dû1 dûrebîn f binoculars dûv m tail, end dûvre = dûre ebeden (+ neg.) never, not at all ‘ecem Persian ‘ecêb strange; ~mayî dumbfounded, stupified edebiyat f literature; ~van literateur edebî literary ‘edilandin v.t. to ameliorate, make better edîb m litérateur efendî m westernized gentleman; ~tî f gentlemanliness efraz up ‘efû f amnesty; ~ya giştî general amnesty ‘egal f headband eger if ekîb f team

ekol f school ekonomîk economic elbik f wooden bucket elektrîk f flashlight elem pain ‘eleqedar kirin v.t. to concern ‘eleyh: di ‘eleyhê … da ccmp. against; ~dar m supporter; ~darî kirin v.t. to support elman German; ~î German (language) em (obl. me) we emanet m deposit, anything held on loan or for safekeeping emir1 f order, command ‘emir2 m age emperyalîsm f imperialism ‘en‘anetî traditional endam m member enerjî f energy ‘enî f forehead; front (mil.) enstîtu f institute ‘eql m mind, reason ‘erd f earth; li erdê dan to throw to the ground erdim f region ‘erdhêj f earthquake ‘ereb Arab; ~î Arabic ‘erebe f cart, carriage, any wheeled vehicle ‘Erebistan f Arabia erê yea, yes erk f responsibility ermen Armenian ermîşim silk Ernewid Albanian erz f hope; ~a … şikandin v.t. to dash s.o.’s hopes erzan cheap ‘erzihal f description, report, petition Erzerom f Erzurum esas m foundation, basis; ~î basic, essential, original eser f work, monument: esereke edebî a literary work

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY esil m origin; bi ~ê xwe originally esilzade aristocratic ‘esker m soldier; ~î f the military; (adj) military ‘esman = azman esmer olive complected ‘eşîr f tribe; ~tî tribal eşkere clear, obvious eşk û teşk tangled (hair) ev (obl. masc. sing. vî, obl. fem. sing. vê, obl. pl. van) he, she, it, they, this, these evîn f love, affection; ~dar desirous, in love: ew evîndarê xwendinê bû he was desirous of studying evqasî so much ew (obl. masc. sing. wî, obl. fem. sing. wê, obl. pl. wan, pl. const. ewên) he, she, it, they, that, those ‘ewd m revenge ewel, ewelî first ewên pl. const. of ew; ~ din the others ewir = ewr ewle security, reliance, assurance; ~ bûn to be secure ‘ewr m cloud ewraq (pl) papers Ewrûpa f Europe; ~yî European Ewrûpî European ‘ewt f bark; ~e ~ constant or repeated barking; ~în v.i. to bark ‘eynî the same: di eynî salê de in the same year ey O (vocative) ‘Eyndîwer ‘Ayn Dīwār, a small place in Syria south of Cizre Eyûb Job; ~î Job-like eywan f salon, sitting room ez (obl. min) I ezbenî sir (mode of polite address) ‘ezman m sky, heaven ‘ezîz dear ‘Ezrayîl Azrael, the angel of death

ê1 = yê ê2 future auxiliary + subj. for future tense êdî now; still, yet êgir → agir êh: gewro êh berçavara nedihat “Whitey” didn’t notice it ên = yên êrîş = hêriş êş f pain, ache; ~andin êşîn- v.t. to hurt, cause pain, trouble; ~iyan êş- v.i. to hurt, suffer pain: ser û çavê te neêşe “may your head and eye not suffer pain,” thank you êvar f evening êxur m stable êzing m firewood fahm (dial. var.) = fehim fal f augury, omen, fate; ~ vekirin to predict: ev fala ko herkesî ji min re vedikir, wusan derneket the prediction everyone was making for me did not turn out like that fam (dial. var.) = fehim faqa under (prep.); ketin ~ to fall beneath faris pl Persians; ~î f Persian (language) faşîst fascist fedakar, fedekar self-sacrificing, devoted; ~î f self-sacrifice fedî f embarrassment; ~ kirin to be embarrassed fed-kirin v.t. to look, watch fehim kirin v.t. to understand felat f freedom, liberation felsefe f philosophy; felsefî philosophical fen f trick; bi ~ û fîtan by hook or by crook fener f lamp feodalî feudal feqeh m theology student feqî Muslim cleric; ~tî f the clerical pro-

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KURMANJI KURDISH fession feqîr poor; ~tî f poverty fer one, single item (of a pair) ferheng f culture: wezareta ferhengê ministry of culture; dictionary ferman f order, command; ~a … derxistin v.t. to issue an order for … fermî formal fermo please (said when offering s.th.) ferq f difference: çi ferqa me û cîranên me dimîne? what difference is left between us and our neighbors?; ~iyet f distinction ferz kirin v.t. to assume fetwa legal opinion fex f trap; xistin fexê to put in a trap feyde f benefit, profit; bi ~ beneficial fêde f (const. fêda) benefit: ji bo fêda xwe for one’s one benefit, in one’s own interests fêhm = fehim fêlbazî f cunning fêre bûn v.i. to learn; fêreyî … bûn to learn s.th., to become accustomed to s.th. fêrî … bûn v.i. to learn: ew di demeke kurt de fêrî tirkî bû he learned Turkish in a short time fihêt kirin v.t. to assess, to price fikar(e) f worry fikir f idea, thought; ~în v.i. to think, contemplate filitîn ji v.i. to get rid of filosof m philosopher find f candle fir- → firîn firaq m dishes firar kirin to escape, to flee firavîn f lunch, midday meal firax (pl) dishes, pots and pans; ~ şustin v.t. to wash the dishes fireh open, wide, spacious; ~ kirin v.t. to open; dil ~ kirin to gladden the heart

firiyan v.i. to fly away firîn fir- v.i. to jump, fly: Mûsa ji kêfan difire Musa is jumping for joy firîşte m angel firk a rapid motion firne f bakery firotin froş- v.t. to sell firq = ferq firtone f storm, gale fitil dan v.t. to twist and turn fîstan m dress fort m boast fransiz m/f French (person) frensî f French (language) frensizî French (language) froş- → firotin fursend f opportunity fûrîn v.i. to bubble, gurgle, boil galegal f conversation galon m gallon gamêş ox garan f herd of cattle garis m millet; ~ê misrî corn garsîn f village square gav1 f time; moment, instant; ~a (ku) when (sub. conj.); ~ û saet at all times; di ~ê da in an instant; li ~ê de at that moment gav2 m step, pace; ~ kirin v.t. to step, cross; ~ avetin to take steps: edebiyata kurdî di van salên dawî de gavine baş avetiye Kurdish literature has taken some good steps in these recent years gavan cowherd; ~tî f herding gazin = gazind gazind m rebuke, complaint; ~ kirin v.t. to rebuke, reproach; ~ok rebuking, complaining gazî1 m warrior gazî2 f call, shout; ~ kirin v.t. to call, speak to geh when; geh … geh sometimes …

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY sometimes -geh suffix of place gehandin (dial. var.) = gihandin gehîştin (dial. var.) = gihîştin gel much, many, most; ~ejmar plural; ~ek(î) very, a lot, many: ~ek ji wan many of them; ~êrî popular gelemper general, public; bi ~î mostly, generally gelî m mountain pass, canyon gelo whether; interrogative particle, “I wonder if” gemar f filth gemî f ship genim m wheat ger if; ~çi even if, although gerandin gerîn- v.t. to turn, rotate; to take for a walk; to produce gerden f neck gerdenî f necklace gerdûnî universal gerek necessary, should, must, ought to; ~ bûn to be necessary geremol f complexity, confusion gerihan (dial. var.) = geriyan geriyan v.i. to go around, roam around; ~ li (pey) to look for germ warm, hot: ~a havînê the heat of summer; ~a, ~ayî f warmth; ~î f warmth Germanya f Germany gerş dirty geş red, blossoming, flaming, happy; ~ bûn to blossom, flame up (fire), be happy; ~î f happiness, flourishment gevde f mange; bi ~ mangy gevez crimson gevizandin v.t. to make writhe; xwe ~ to roll oneself around gevizîn v.i. to writhe gewde m body; ~ê xwe dan hev to curl up; ~ê xwe girtin to hug oneself gewr light grey, whitish; ~o “whitey” gewre large, big

gêj dizzy, spinning; ~ bûn v.i. to be dizzy; ~ kirin v.t. to make dizzy, make lightheaded: germa havînê tu gêj kiribûyî the heat of summer had made you dizzy gêr crooked, uneven gêrik ant gêrt lethargic ghêj- → gihîştin giha = giya gihan gihê- v.i. to reach; ~din -gihînv.t. to deliver; xwe gihandine ser to get oneself to gihaştin gehîj- v.i. to reach, arrive; to mature gihîştin gihîj-/gîj-/gihêj-/ghêj- v.i. to reach, arrive gihîj- → gihîştin gijgijîn v.i. to be knit (brow) gincir ??? gir m hill gir m rancorous, grudging; ~-girtin v.t. to have a grudge gir- → girtin giramgîr respectful giramî f respect giran heavy, deep (voice); serious, grave, plodding; ~î f gravity, weightiness; ~biha precious, expensive; ~ firotin v.t. to sell at a high price, overcharge girav f island gircî gircî frozen solid girê f knot, tumor; ~-dan v.t. to tie, to connect: navê bajêr li cem min bi navê nanê firnê, şekir û helawê hatibû girêdan for me the word ‘city’ was connected to the words ‘bakery bread,’ ‘sugar,’ and ‘halvah’; pişta xwe ~ dan bi to turn one’s back on, to be unmindful of girêkî Greek girik f conundrum; hillock giriyan v.i. to weep

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KURMANJI KURDISH girî m weeping, crying girîn v.i. to weep; f weeping girîng important; ~î f importance girs great; bi ~î greatly girtin gir- v.t. to catch, seize girtîgeh f prison girtîxane f prison, place of detention giştî general, public; totally givaştin givêş- v.t. to press, squeeze givegiv f gentle blowing of the wind givîn v.i. to roar (wind) giya f grass, greenery giyan m soul gîj- = gihîjgîr f grasp; xistin ~ û helboqê v.t. to ensnare gîrodarî f struggle gîr û helboq f trap, entrapment gîya = giya gol f lake: ~a Wanê Lake Van golik m calf gopal m stick; ~ das sickle gor1 f method, manner, way; li ~(a) … according to, in the opinion of gor2 f grave; ~istan f cemetery gorî f sacrifice; ez bi ~ please gorn f tomb goşt m meat gotar f article gotin bêj- v.t. to say: tu bêjî nebêjî no matter what you say; f word: bi ~eke din in other words; ji X re Y ~ to call X Y: gelo mirov kane ji berhemên ku bi zimanên din têne nivîsandin re bibêje berhemên kurdî? I wonder if can one call works that are written in other languages Kurdish works?; ~xweş well-spoken gotûbêj f talk, conversation gov f barn govend f Kurdish line dance; ~ê girtin v.t. to dance a line dance goya you’d think gr- = gir- (girtin)

guçik m/f ??? ear guh m ear; ~ dan v.t. to listen; bi ~ girtin v.t. to grab by the ear; ~dar m listener; ~darî kirin v.t. to listen; ber guhan ketin v.i. to be heard guhan m udder guhar m/f pearl ??? earring??? guharîn v.i. to change guhartin guhêr- v.t. to change guhastin = guhaztin guhaztin guhêz- v.t. to transport, carry, move; mala xwe ~ to move one’s home guhdar m listener; ~î kirin v.t. to listen guherandin guherîn- v.t. to change guhertin (dial. var.) = guhartin guj fierce (storm) gujîn v.i. to howl gul f flower gulan f May gule f bullet; ~baran kirin v.t. to fire, open fire on gulik f flower gulî m braid, tress gulle = gule gulte f clump gund m village; ~î m/f villager; ~îtî f rusticity guneh m sin, fault; ~karî f crime, offense, fault; avêtina ~ên xwe expiation for one’s sins gungilî thick, matted gunîçin ??? a thick protective mat against thorns, etc. gupe gup kirin v.t. to pound (heart) gur1 m wolf gur2 strong, powerful; ~ kirin to fill gurdarî f attention; ~ kirin to pay rapt attention gurg = gur1 gurî bald, scabby gurîn f clamor, noise gurmîn gurm- v.i. to make a loud noise gurz m hank of hair

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY guvahî f testimony guvaştin (dial. var.) = givaştin guveguv (dial. var.) = givegiv ha = han hakim m ruler, governor hal m condition, state; ji ~ ketin to be exhausted, worn out halan f yell, shout halhalk (dial. var.) = al’al han (in constr. w/ word it modifies) this very, that very: wê roja han on that very day; ev tirsa han bi serpêhatiya te girêdayî bû this very fear was connected to your experience hatin yê-/wer- (v.i., pres. ind. têm, neg. nayêm, pres. subj. bêm/werim) to come; (+ inf.) passive hatî f future havêtin (dial. var.) = avêtin havîn f summer havîtin (dial. var.) = avîtin hawîrdor f surroundings, environment; ~ên wê those around him hawurdor (dial. var.) = hawîrdor hay f feeling, awareness (ji of), attention: ~a min jê tune bû I had no awareness of it; ~dar aware hazir ready, present; ~î f preparation; ~î kirin to make preparations heb1 m grain, bit; pill: ~ekî aqil a grain of sense; ~ek(î) a little, a bit, slightly heb2 f a single thing, item, individual, one hebandin v.t. to love hebe nebe one way or another hebkî = hebekî (see heb) hebûn v.i. to exist: di zimanê me de pir gotinên kurdî hene ku me nebihîstine there are many Kurdish words in our language we haven’t heard; (with subject + possessive) to have; hebû tunebû once upon a time hechecik martin, swallow

hecûm f attack, assault heçê whatever, whoever hedam sense ??? hedef f goal heft seven; ~e f week: bi ~yekê within a week; ~eyî weekly; ~ê seventy heger if hej movement; li ~ û liv û weş ketin v.i. to toss and turn hej = hez hejandin v.t. to shake: wî serê xwe hejand he shook his head; min destê wî hejand I shook his hand hejar poor: ~ên kurdan the poor Kurds hejiyan v.i. to move, shake hejîk love, affection hejîn = hejiyan hejmar f number, issue (of a journal) hejmartin hejmêr- v.t. to count, enumerate: dihatin hijmartin le ser her deh tiliyên destan they could be counted on all ten fingers of the hands hejmêr- → hejmartin hek m right; di ~ê prep. concerning, about heke if hel m protected place helaw f halvah helbest f poetry, verse: ~a serbest free verse; ~kar m poet; ~van m poet helbet of course hel-bijartin v.t. to select, choose hel-dirandin v.t. to tear apart Heleb f Aleppo heliyan v.i. to melt, disappear heliz an herb helk û bêhn breath hel-pekandin li xew v.t. to rouse from sleep helqe f ring hem…hem both…and hema thus heman that very hember equal; ~î f equality; li ~î

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KURMANJI KURDISH towards, vis-à-vis, across from hembêz = hemêz hemd m will, volition; bê ~ reluctantly, involuntarily; hatin ser ~ê xwe to come to one’s senses hemdemî contemporary hemêşe always hemêz, hembêz f bosom, embrace; ~ kirin v.t. to embrace hemî = hemû hemmanê scarcely, barely hemû all, every; ~ya(n) all of them hengam time: di ~ekê de at one and the same time, at once heps f prison, imprisonment; ~xane f prison her every; ~ û ~ always and ever; ~ku … -tir the more … the more: dengê ji ezmên herku diçû bêtir dibû the sound from the sky kept getting louder; ~ tenê at least: her tenê çend heftiyan carekê at least once every few weeks her- → çûn herbî f war department herd valley ??? herehereyî worldly strife, turmoil herejor steep herê = erê herêm f district, region herf f letter of the alphabet herikîn v.i. to move, to flow herimandin v.t. to ruin, make a mess of: wî jiyan li wan herimandiye it has ruined their lives herî1 very, exceedingly, most (superlative prefix) herî2 f mud hertim always; ~î usual herweha thus, so also herwiha (dial. var.) = herweha hes f feeling, emotion; ~asiyet f sensitivity hesibandin v.t. to count, take into consideration: ew xwe weke kurd nahesi-

bînin they don’t count themselves as Kurds hesin m iron; ~gêr m blacksmith; ~î made of iron; ~ker m blacksmith hesiyan/hesîn v.i. to feel; ~ bi to perceive, be aware of hesp m horse hesret f pining, longing, regret; li ~a longing for hest f feeling heste f lighter hestik m bone hestî m bone heşî = êşîn heşîn green; ~ahî f greenness heşt eight; ~ê eighty heta even; (prep.) up to, until; ~ (ku) (conj. + neg. subj.) until: heta neyê guhartin jî dê wiha bidome until it is changed it will remain like that hetanî = heta hev each other, together, co-, same; ba ~ hatin to get together, cooperate; bi ~du re together; bi ~ re with each other, together; ji ~ ketin to fall apart; li ~ together; li ser ~ altogether; ~ dan v.t. to collect, put together heval m/f friend; ~bend m proponent; ~tî f friendship hevedudanîn v.t. to put together, to compound hevdû each other hevgirtî assembled hevîr m dough hevkar m/f co-worker; ~î f cooperation hevok f sentence; ~sazî syntax hevpeyvîn f conversation hevraz (dial. var.) = efraz hevrîşim m silk hevwelatî m/f compatriot hew no more, not any more: hew dixwim I can’t eat any more hewa f air, weather; ~ guhastin v.t. to have a change of climate

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY hewale m air hewandin -hewîn- v.t. to give shelter to, protect hewcedar needy, in need; ~î f need, necessity hewe (dial. var.) = we hewes f passion hewg f throat hewil f attempt; ~-dan v.t. to attempt hewk = hewg hewqas that much, so much hewranî m a type of cloak; ~yekî reş a black cloak, a sign of mourning hewş f courtyard hey continuously, (+ verb) to keep on heya = heta for, up to, until: heya demeke dirêj for a long time; ~ ku (conj.) while, as long as heybet m fearfulness; ~girtî fearful heyecan m excitement heyf f pity; ~a … it’s too bad about …; ~a … hatin bi to feel sorry for: heyfa min bi te tê I feel sorry for you heyhat alas! heyîn v.i. to live heyran amazing!, incredible! heyşt eight heyştê eighty heyv f moon, month; ~a çarde şevê the full moon heyran … çi? what do you mean …? heywan f animal hez kirin ji v.t. to like, enjoy: min jê hez kir I liked it hezar thousand hê still, yet hêç furious, quick-tempered hêdî hêdî little by little hêdîka slowly, softly hêj still, (with comparative) even hêja valuable, worthy; ne ~ worthless hêk f egg hêl1 f side, direction hêl2 vigor, strength, power; bi ~ vigor-

ously, aloud hêl3 trace, track hêl- → hiştin hêlan v.t. to leave hêlûn f bird’s nest; ~ kirin v.t. to nest, to settle in hênik cool; ~ayî f coolness hêre kirin v.t. to look hêriş f attack; ~ kirin/anîn/birdin v.t. to make an attack: cendirme hêrişî ser malê dikin the gendarmes are attacking the house hêrişker attacking hêrs f anger; ~ kirin v.t. to anger; ~ê ketin v.i. to get angry hêsan easy; ~ kirin v.t. to facilitate, make easy; ~î easy hêsir m tear hêsîr captive, prisoner hêstir1 f mule hêstir2 = hêsir hêşîn green (of plants), bluish (of animals); ~ayî f greenery, verdure; ~î f greenery hêştir f camel hêt f thigh hêvar = êvar hêvî f hope; ~dar hopeful; bê~ hopeless; li ~ya … bûn to wait for, be in expectation of …; (li) ~ya … man to lie in wait for … hêwan f porch hêwir at rest, calm hêz f strength, power hicûm f attack hijmartin hijmêr- (dial. var.) = hejmartin hikim m sovereignty, power; verdict, judgment; hatine ser ~ to come to power; ~ dayîn to make a judgment hilanî kept, preserved hil-anîn (hil-în-) v.t. to take away; to keep, preserve hil-avîtin v.t. to go, stick (li … ra

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KURMANJI KURDISH through something) hil-bijartin v.t. to choose hil-dan v.t. to lift, raise hil-dirandin (dial. var.) = hel-dirandin hil-girtin v.t. to bear, endure; to shoulder (a responsibility, burden) hil-ketin v.i. to come about by chance hil-kêşan v.i. to climb up, out hil-kutan v.t. to knock, rattle hilmis poke; ~ dan bi to poke hil-pekandin (dial. var.) = helpekandin hil-qedimîn v.i. to stand up hil-şandin li ser v.t. to bring down on hil-weşandin v.t. to break up, split apart: piştî hilweşandina sîstema Sovyetê after the break-up of the Soviet system hil-weşîn v.i. to break up, split apart him…him both…and himber (dial. var.) = hember himbêz kirin v.t. to embrace himêz armful; ~ kirin = himbêz kirin hin some, a few, several: hin rûpel a few pages, several pages; hin ji wan a few of them; ~ên wan some of them; ~ekan … ~ekan some … others hinarok cheek hind1 = hin; hinde cara hindek every once in a while hind2 f measure, extent: ji ber hindê jî to a certain extent; ~ik slight, few, little bit; ~ikahî f minority hinda prep. until hindav f direction; ~a …da toward hindir = hundur hiner = huner hingê then, at that time; therefore, for that reason hingiv m honey hingî then, at that time hingûr f twilight hirî f wool hirşiyan v.i. to fall down, spill over or

out hiş m awareness, sense; ~ be be quiet!; bi ~ intelligent, smart hişin = hêşîn hişk dry, solid, frozen; ~ bûn v.i. to freeze; ~ahî f solidity, rigidity; ~asayî f dry, cold air hiştin hêl- v.t. to let go, leave, allow; Xwedê te bihêle may God preserve you! hişyar awake, sober; ~ bûn v.i. to awaken; ~ kirin v.t. to wake hizandin (dial. var.) = hejandin hizib f political party hizir f thought, idea; li hizra … da bûn to be thinking about … hîm1 m foundation, basis; ~avêj m founder hîm2 = hîn2 hîn1 still, yet: ew ~ nehatiye he hasn’t come yet; ~ bêtir even more hîn2: ~ bûn v.i. to learn; ~î kirin v.t. to teach: wê ez hînî pir tiştan kirim she taught me many things; ~î … bûn to learn how to (+ inf.)\ hîna = hîn1 hînga = hingê hîs f feeling, emotion; ~ kirin v.t. to feel hîştin = hiştin hîv (dial. var.) = heyv hîvî (dial. var.) = hêvî hîz m/f skin sack hogiç m mountain ram hogir accustomed, intimate friend; m environment hol f environment, surroundings; xwe gihandin ~ê to come forth, come about, arrive holê thus, in this manner; in view holik f hut hon (dial. var.) = hun honik cool; ~ kirin v.t. to cool down; dilê xwe ~ kirin bi to console oneself with

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY hov wild; ~îtî f wildness hovan over there hoy m condition, circumstance: di hoyên teng de in narrow straits, in a tight spot hozantî f poetry h.p. = heta paşî etc., et al. hukum m order; ~darî f rule; ~darî kirin v.t. to rule hukûmet f government humanîst m humanist; ~î humanistic hun (obl. we) you (pl.) hundir (dial. var.) = hundur hundur m inside; ~ê prep. inside of; di ~ê … de within: di ~ê deh salan de within ten years huner, hiner f art, skill; ~mend m artist hur free, at liberty hurmetgir respectful hustu m neck huzûr f presence hûn = hun hûr1 small, little; ~ ~ in little bits, in small pieces; ~ ~(î) bûn v.i. to be smashed to bits; ~ kirin v.t. to crumble; ~ mûr small items, little things hûr2 m paunch hûrik m small piece, bit, sliver; ~ ~ slight(ly) hwd (her wekî din) etc. (because the distinction between initial i and î is not consistently maintained, the two letters are alphabetized together) î‘dam f execution, death sentence idare kirin v.t. to direct, manage îdeolojî f ideology ifade f testimony iflas f bankruptcy; çûne ~ v.i. to go broke î‘lan kirin v.t. to announce ilham f inspiration ‘ilmî scientific

Îlon f September imkan m possibility împaratorî f empire imtihan f examination imtiyaz f concession: imtiyaza neftê oil concession înca then, in that case Îngilîstan f England Îngilîz m/f English; ~î f English language inkar kirin v.t. to deny insan human being, one; pl people inşa m composition iptidaî elementary îrad f objection Îran f Iran Iraq f Iraq îro, îroj today îrû (dial. var.) = îro îsal this year îsfehanî wrought silver Îskenderûn f İskenderun, Alexandretta Islamiyet f the religion and traditional learning of Islam ispat kirin v.t. to prove, establish israf f expenditure: israfeke enerjiyê an expenditure of energy israr kirin v.t. to insist istifade kirin ji v.t. to make use of îstgah f station ‘îsyan f rebellion îş m work, affair, job: çi îşê min bi tirkan re heye? What do I have to do with the Turks? îşellah God willing, I hope îşev tonight işk dry işkence f torture; ~ kirin bi v.t. to torture, torment işkestin (dial. var.) = şikestin îtiraz f objection ‘iyar m skin, pelt jahr (dial. var.) = jehr

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KURMANJI KURDISH jan f pain, ache; ~ dan v.t. to pain jar poor; ~î f poverty jehr f poison jendirme f gendarmerie jengorî rusty jê = ji + wî/wê jêhatî worthy jê-kirin v.t. to excise, cut out, cut off jêr down jêrbar heavy laden; ~î f being heavy laden ji prep. from, to, for, with ji … re ccmp. with ji … ve ccmp. from ji ber … ve ccmp. before jibîrkirin → bîr jihevdeketî fragmented, fallen apart: civateke ~ a fragmented society jimar f number jin f woman, wife; ~ik f woman jinûvezayin f rebirth, renaissance ji weşdaketî scattered about jiyan1 f life jiyan2 jî- v.i. to live jiyin = jiyan2 jî enclitic also, even, emphasizes preceding word jî- → jiyan2, jîn jîn jî- v.i. to live jîndar alive, living; dinya ~ the world of the living jîr talented, skillful; ~î f diligence, talent jmartin jmêr- v.t. to count, to enumerate jor above, up k- → kirin ka (attention-getting particle): ka mêze ke come, look!; ka li ku ye? now where is it? ka f straw, hay kabûs f nightmare kafiye (dial. var.) = qafiye kal aged; m old man, grandfather; ~e-

mêr m elderly gentleman kalîte m good quality kalkabûs m nightmare demon kalo m old man kambax ruined, devastated; devastating; ~ kirin v.t. to ruin, devastate kanê = kanî2 kanî1 f spring, source kanî2 where is/are? kanîn (dial. var.) = karîn kanun pl winter months kapan a narrow, steep mountain road kapik f bran kar1 m job, work; ~bidest m authority; ~ker m/f worker; ~ûbar m work, business, everything entailed by s.th.; ~ kirin to work, to penetrate; bi~ anîn v.t. to use kar2 kid (goat, deer, &c.) karik kid goat karîn (v.i., neg. pres. níkarim, past (dí)karibûm, neg. past. níkaribûm, subj. (bi)karibim) to be able (+ subj. to) karneval f carneval karto stale karxezal baby deer, fawn karzan expert kasik m globe kastîn f howl kaş m slope, hill; ~ bûn to fall backwards kat kirin v.t. to divulge kaxet = kaxez kaxez f paper kaxiz = kaxez kazkaz f wail kebanî f lady: kebaniya malê the lady of the house keç f girl; ~ik f little girl ked f stick; ~a kesekî xwarin to get beaten by s.o. kef1 f foam: ~a sawûnê soapsuds; ~ dan v.t. to foam

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 2

kef f palm (of the hand) kefen m burial shroud; ~ kirin v.t. to shroud kefî f kefiya, Arab headdress kefteleft f activity, work, enterprise kej f fur; ~ da-bûn v.i. to get long fur kek m elder brother kel1 boiling; ~ û gerî crying and weeping kel2 m bull kelandin kelîn- v.t. to boil kelaş m corpse, body kelberû wild kel f an outcropping of rock kelem1 oak kelem2 m thorn; obstacle, difficulty, trick kelem3 m cabbage; ~ê Brukselê Brussel sprout kelemçe f handcuff; ~ kirin v.t. to handcuff kelên f opportunity, chance kemîn f ambush; ~ girtin to lie in ambush ken m laughter; ~iyan v.i. to laugh ken- → kenîn kendal f side, slope, bank kengê, kengî when? kenîn v.i. to laugh ker1 donkey; ne ker ketiye, ne hîz diriyaye, û ne doşab rijiyaye (prov.) “no donkey has fallen, no skein has been ripped, and no molasses has been spilled,” i.e. nothing at all has happened ker2 deaf ker3 quiet, silent keramet f miracle kerb f sorrow, grief; bi ~a … çûn v.i. to empathize with … kerem generosity, benefit; ji ~a xwe please, if you would be so kind kerî f herd; piece kermî f snout

kerpîç m sun-baked mud brick kerwan m caravan keser f sorrow, grief; ~vedan f sorrowing kesk green keşf kirin v.t. to discover keştî f boat ketin kev- v.i. to fall; ~ li ber … to object to, oppose; bi ser ~ to come up, to surface kev- → ketin kevanî = kebanî kevçî m spoon kever spotlessly white kevin ancient kevir m stone, rock kevnar ancient kevnebajar f ancient seat kevneperest conservative kevnesovyet f the ex-Soviet Union kew partridge kewanî = kebanî kewtîn v.i. to bark keys f opportunity, advantage kezeb f liver; womb; ~ şewitan to feel sorry, be distressed kezî f braid of hair kezk f strand of hair kez kirin v.t. to bite kê → kî kêf f pleasure, joy: li ~a wî nedihat she wasn’t enjoying it; ~xweş happy; ~xweşî f happiness, pleasure, rejoicing; ~ û sefa pleasure kêl m grave kêlek f side, edge kêm few, little bit; ~ kirin v.t. to lessen; ~ mabû ku (+ subj.) almost: kêm mabû ku dila te ji kêfa ji sînga te derkeve your heart almost leapt out of your breast from joy; ~anî f deficiency, inadequacy; ~asî f paucity; ~ û zêde more or less; bê~asî flawless(ly); bi ~anî f at least

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KURMANJI KURDISH 1

kêr f knife kêr2 f benefit, profit, effect; bi ~î … hatin to be of benefit to …: bi kêrî çi tê? what’s the use of it?; bi~ useful kêrûşk rabbit kês = keys kêşan v.t. to pull, draw; cixar ~ to smoke cigarettes kêz f bug, insect; ~ik f bug kibrît match; ~firoş matchseller kifş clear, apparent kil1 f collyrium; ~ kirin to paint the eyes with collyrium kil2 kirin v.t. to wave; dest ~ ji … re to wave the hand at kim m corner kin short; ~î f shortness; bi ~î shortly, slightly kinc pl clothes kincik m rag kir → kirin kiras m shirt kirêt ugly, shameful; ~î f ugliness, defilement, shame kirêwe m blizzard kirin k- v.t. to do; ~ ku (+ pres. subj.) to make (as if to do s.th.), almost to do s.th.: wî kir ku tiştekî bibêje, lê ne got he almost said something, but he didn’t; ji xwe ~ to take off (clothes), disrobe: min kincên xwe ji xwe kir I took off my clothes; te dikir û nedikir do what you might; min kir û nekir no matter what I did kirîn kir- v.t. to buy kirûmat in stony silence kişandin kişîn- v.t. to pull, draw; dest ~ ji to withdraw from kişkişandin v.t. to drag kitêb f book; ~xane f library kitkit f detail kivş = kifş kî (obl. kê) who? kîjan which?

kîn f revenge, feud: kîna xwe bi hev re hene they are having a feud; ~ girtin v.t. to take revenge kînga ever; when kîs m sack, bag; ji ~ê xwe out of one’s own pocket kîso f tortoise klasifikasyon f classification klaşnîkov f Klashnikov rifle ko = ku2 koç kirin v.t. to decamp, move; ~î … kirin to move to kok1 f stitch kok2 f root, stub kolan f street kolan kol- v.t. to dig, dig out, research; ~din kolîn- v.t. to dig kole1 trick, deceit; ~ kirin v.t. to deceive; ~dar tricky, deceitful kole2 captive, slave kolonyalîst colonialist kom f pile, group; ~ bûn to gather, assemble; ~a san pack of dogs komar f republic: Komara Mehabadê the Republic of Mahabad komel f society, organization: Komela Karkerên Kurd Kurdish Workers Society; ~ayetî social komik f small group kon m tent kongre f congress kor, kûr blind; ~ ~ fikirîn to be lost in thought kor û kend m depression koşik f pavilion kovar f journal kovî wild, ferocious kox f coop: koxa mirîşkan chicken coop koxik f hut, shack ku1 where?; ji ~ where from?, li ~ where, where at? ku2 that (subordinating conj.); unless kuç f large rock kuderê where?

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY kufuk m snot; kufkê poz snot; kufkê guh earwax; ~girtî snotty kuj m corner kuj- → kuştin kul f wound, pain, suffering; adj. infected, inflamed, suffering kulav m felt mat kulek f smoke hole kulfet f job, duty: xudê kulfet employed, holding down a job; maid, female servant; wife kulik m finger; ~ekî dan ser to put a finger on, point to kulî f flake of snow kulîlk f wild flower kullî cotton kulm f fist; ~ik f fist kulmoz m beehive kultur f culture kum m cap; keça ~sor Little Red Riding Hood kun f hole; kun kun kirin v.t. to poke holes in kundkî rûniştin v.i. to hunker down kunkunî pitted, pockmarked kur m boy, son kur kirin v.t. to cut (the hair) kurd m/f Kurd; ~andin v.t. to Kurdicize; ~istan f Kurdistan; ~ayetî f Kurdishness; ~hiz Kurdophile; ~iyetî f Kurdishness; ~î Kurdish kurdmancî Kurmanji Kurdish kurm m worm; ~ik m little worm; ~î wormy, mangy, maggoty kursî f chair, seat: kursiya şerefê the seat of honor kurş f frozen snow; ~enegirtî not frozen solid kurt short, brief; ~ayî f shortness: bi kurtayî briefly; ~eçîrok f short story; ~edem f moment kuruf f mound of snow kusan how kuskusandin v.t. to squint

kuştin kuj- v.t. to kill kut xistin li v.t. to take a puff on (a cigarette) kut peck, (dog’s) bark; ~ kirin v.t. to clack, clatter, rattle kutan v.t. to strike; çavên xwe jê ~ to blink the eyes kutatirîn least kuxîn v.i. to cough kuxuyan v.i. to cough kûç call to a dog kûçe f (obl kûçê) lane kûçik m dog kûd lame kûl f ??? kûlîlk = kulîlk kûr1 (dial. var.) = kor kûr2 deep; ~ nêrîn to look closely; ~ahî f depth; ~anî f depth kûşke small, tiny kûvî (dial. var.) = kovî kwîr blind kwêsî, kwîsî (dial. var.) = kîso labîrent f labyrinth lablabik m marsh: kwêsiyê lablabik marsh turtle laîk secular lal mute, speechless lampe f lamp, light land f belly landik f cradle laş m body, corpse lat f boulder latînî Latin lava kirin v.t. to plead; ~yî f pleading lavan = lava law m/f youth, child; ~ik m infant lawur m wild animal layiq worthy lazim necessary lebitîn v.i. to move about leheng m champion, hero lehî f flood, torrent

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KURMANJI KURDISH lekim m/f tentacle ??? lenger f tray lep m paw leplepî twinkling ??? lerizîn = lerzîn lerizîner trembling lerizok trembling lerz m trembling lerzandin lerzîn- v.t. to shake lerzîn v.i. to tremble, shake leş m body; ~bizdîn ??? leşker m soldier lev aimless ???; ~ ketin v.i. to chatter (of the teeth) lewaş thin flat bread lewhe f sign lewma for this reason, therefore lewra, ji lewra because leyistin leyiz-, lîz- v.t. to play, play (a part); to play around (bi with): wî bi nivîsên min dileyist he used to play around with my writings leyiztin (dial. var.) = leyistin leylan f mirage Leypiçig f Leipzig lez m haste; ~ kirin v.t. to make haste; bi ~ in haste, hastily; bi ~ û bez in all haste, as fast as possible lezandin lezîn- v.t. to hasten, to accelerate lezet f pleasure lê1 but; ~belê on the other hand lê2 = li + wî/wê lê bûn bi to be afflicted with lê-dan lê-d- v.t. to strike, play (instrument); cut off: bila mîr serê min lêbidit let the prince cut my head off lê-gerîn v.t. collect lêh: di lêhê … de ccmp. for, in support of lêkolîn f research; ~er m researcher lêv f lip, seashore lêvişkestî with a broken lid lê-xistin v.t. to beat, to play (musical

instrument), to ring (telephone) li prep. in, at, to; also forms the first element of a number of compound prepositions; see the second element lib m copy (of a book), flake (of snow), drop (tear); unit, single item liberxwe free, unhindered Libnan f Lebanon lihêf f quilt lihîstin (dial. var.) = lîstin likumîn v.i. to trip ling m foot, leg; li ser ~an standing, on foot lipaşmayî backward; ~n f backwardness liq f branch liqandin v.t. to hang; xwe ~ to hang (int.) liser vebûn v.t. to diagnose liv f motion, movement; ~ lê dan, ~ lê xistin v.t. to put in motion livandin livîn- v.t. to move, put in motion: destikên keştiyê zû dilivandin he was moving the oars of the boat quickly liviyan = livîn1 livîn1 v.i. to move, be in motion, stir livîn2 m bed, bedding livok unstable lixwekirin f manner of dress lîlandin v.t. to ululate lîsê f high school; ~ xwendin to attend high school lîstik f game, play, sport lîstin lîz- v.i. to play lîz- → lîstin lojman f lodging loma for that reason, therefore luht naked, bare luks deluxe lûle f pipe, barrel (of a rifle) lûrîn v.i. to bay lûsîn v.i. to perch ma interrogative particle: with affirma-

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY tive questions a negative answer is expected: ma rast e? that’s not right, is it?; with negative questions an affirmative answer is expected: ma ne rast e? isn’t that right?; with other interrogatives ma gives the sense of “ever”: ma tu yê çi bikî bi kêrê? What ever are you going to do with a knife? maç kirin v.t. to kiss Maden f Maden, also known as Paxirmaden, city northwest of Diyarbekir maf m share, portion; right; ~nas appreciative makîne f machine, car mal1 f house, home: mala min mala te my house is your house; ~bat f family; ~mezin belonging to a great family; ~xwê paterfamilias mal2 m goods, possessions, wealth: ~ê ticaretê commercial goods mal- → maliştin, miştin malava (vocative particle) hey!, see here! maliştin mal- v.t. to rub, rub out maliye f tax office ma‘lûmat (pl) information mam m paternal uncle mamostatî/etî f pedagogy; ~atî/etî kirin v.t. to teach: wî mamostetiya zimanê erebî dikir he used to teach the Arabic language mamostayî kirin v.t. to teach: wî mamostayiya rewşenbîrî ya gelek rewşenbîrên kurd kir he taught many Kurdish intellectuals how to be intellectuals mamoste m teacher; man mîn- v.i. to remain, stay, dwell; ne~ to cease to exist, to be no more: nema xweya kir he never appeared again; hindik ~ (+ subj.) to be about to, to be on the verge of: hindik dima fener bitemire the lamp was on the verge of going out

mandî exhausted; ~bûn f exhaustion ma‘ne (const ma‘na) f meaning; ~wî moral, spiritual mange f cow manî constraint, obstacle mantiq m logic ma‘qûl reasonable; ~ dîtin to consider reasonable: wî pêşniyaza min maqûl dît he considered my proposal reasonable mar m (obl mêr) snake mar kirin v.t. to marry (li to) marş f march, anthem mase f (obl masê) table mast m yogurt maşellah goodness! (said to ward off the evil eye when something is admired or praised) mat silent matmayîn f astonishment mayî(n) other mazlûm tyrannized; ~iyet f tyrannization mazot f kerosene me → em me- alternative negative subjunctive and imperative prefix = nemebest f intent mebin (archaic negative 3rd pl subjunctive of bûn) they may not be: gelek mebin jî even though they may not be many mecal f opportunity: ta niha mecal tune bû until now there has been no opportunity; ~ birrîn v.t. to take an opportunity away mecbûr obliged; ~ kirin v.t. to oblige, force meclis parliament medeniyet f civilization medinî civil medrese f religious school mefhûm f concept meh f month

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KURMANJI KURDISH Mehabad f Mahabad mehkeme f court mehkûm condemned; ~ kirin v.t. to condemn mehlûl dissolved; ~ bûn to be dissolved mehr f marriage contract; ~ birîn to conclude a marriage contract mehrûm ji deprived of mehû kirin v.t. to wipe out mejî m marrow mejûl occupied; ~ bûn li ser v.i. to be occupied, busy with mekan stance, position mekteb f school mela m (obl. melê) mulla mele (dial. var.) = mela melevan m swimmer; ~î f swimming melkemot the angel of death me’mûr government official mencel a copper pot mendik an herb meqale f article merasîm f ceremony merbend f bond, fetter mereqdarî f interest, inquisitiveness, curiosity mereq kirin v.t. to wonder merg f death merhele f stage: di merhela ewel de in the first stage meriv m person, one (impersonal): gava meriv li cihekî dimîne when one stays in a place merîd m disciple, devotee merkez f center; ~î central: hukûmeta merkezî central government mesaj f message mesel f example; ~en for example mesele f matter mestir larger, bigger mes’ûliyet f responsibility meş f walking: meşa xwe domand he continued walking; ~andin v.t. to put into practice; ~iyan/-în v.i. to walk

metleb ??? mewlûd f a poem celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, traditionally recited on festive occasions mexsed f intent, intention meydan f field; anîn ~ê v.t. to bring to the fore meyeldar, meyildar = meyldar meyîn v.i. to remain meyl f inclination; ~dar predisposed (ji …re to); ~darî f bias, predisposition mezel1 m grave, tomb mezel2 f room mezheb m sect mezin big, large, great; ~ bûn v.i. to grow up; ~ kirin v.t. to raise, bring up; ~ahî f greatness; bi ~bûna … as vast as mê f female mêj long ago; ji ~ ve from long ago mêjî f brain, mind mêjîn v.i. to suck, suckle mêjvemayî remnant, relic mêr1 m man, husband; ~anî f manliness; ~ik m fellow, guy; ~xas m gentleman mêr2 → mar mêrg f meadow mêrxas brave mêş f bee; ~a hingivî honeybee mêtro f metro, subway mêvan m/f guest; ~darî f visit; ~perwerî f hospitality; ~xane f reception room mêze kirin li v.t. to look at, see miç shut, closed; ~ kirin v.t. to shut, cover mideh m period of time midûr m director, principal mihî ??? mihrican f celebration, festival mij m mist mijîn (dial. var.) = mêjîn mijûl bi … ve occupied, involved with; ~î f occupation, activity

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY mikan = mekan mil m neck, shoulder; support, aid; side, direction; bi ~ê yekî girtin v.t. to come to s.o.’s aid, to lessen s.o.’s burden; ji ~ê din on the other hand milet m nation; ~perwer nationalistic milî national min → ez mindal m child minet f obligation; bê ~ generous minnet = minet miqam m musical mode miraz ??? wish mircan coral, coral bead mirin mir-/mr- (dimire, dimre) v.i. to die miriyan = mirin mirî dead mirîd m devotee mirîşk f chicken mirov m man; f woman; m/f person; ~atî f humanity, humaneness, chivalry mirwarîd m/f ??? pearl misilman Moslem Misir f Egypt; misrî Egyptian mişt ji full of, filled to the brim with miştin mal- v.t. to sweep mit man v.i. not to make a sound mit û mat utterly silent mixabin unfortunately mizgîn m good news; ~î f present given to a person bearing good news mî f sheep mîh = mî mîn- → man mîna (prep.) like; ~ ku (conj.) as, while mînak equal, similar; m example: weke mînak for example; ~î f similarity mîr m prince; f princess; ~ek princeling mohr f seal, stamp; ~ xistin v.t. to seal, put a stamp on mor = mohr more cracked (as a mud wall)

moz(e) flying insect mr- → mirin. mudet m period mudîr m school principal muesese f institution muhlet f grace period, respite munaqeşe f debate; ~ kirin v.t. to debate munasebet f occasion; bi ~a on the occasion of muxtar m village chief, elder muzîk f music mû m hair, strand of hair; iota: ne mûwek not an iota mûrî f ant na- (negative prefix for present indicative verbs) not nalîn v.i. to wail, cry out name f letter namûs f honor; womenfolk nan m bread; ~pêjî f bakery nar m pomegranate narîn delicate nas acquainted, known, familiar; ~ kirin v.t. to know, be acquainted with, recognize; ~andin v.t. to introduce, make known; dan naskirin v.t. to introduce nasiyar familiar nasnav m identity nav1 f middle; di ~a … de in the midst of; li ~ hev de girtin to surround; ~în middle (adj.), central: Rojhilata Navîn the Middle East nav2 m name; ~ kirin v.t. to name; ~andin v.t. to name; ~dar famous, renowned; ~no notorious; ~notî f notoriety navbera prep. between, among naverok f contents navik f waist navneteweyî international navnîşan f address

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KURMANJI KURDISH navteng f girth naxêr no naxir f herd naxwe this being so naylon f plastic: tûrikên ~ plastic bags naynik = neynik nazik fine, delicate ne not; ~ … ~ neither … nor; ~ … lê not … but; ne- (negative prefix for subjunctive, imperative, and past-tense verbs) not nebeled uninformed, unknowing neçar helpless; ~ man to have no alternative; ~î f helplessness; ji ~î with no alternative nedarî f poverty nedî ve, ji suddenly nefel f clover nefes dan v.t. to huff and puff; to be out of breath nefret f hatred; ~ kirin ji v.t. to hate, abhor nefs f self; ~a xwe karîn to control oneself; ~piçûk humble; ~piçûkî, ~piçûkahî f humility neft f oil neh nine neheqî f injustice nehy prohibition nejihevûdurebûyîn f indivisibility and inseparability nema not…again nemaze especially nemir undying, immortal: dibe xwediyê navekî nemir he possesses an immortal name nemirovane unmanly, cowardly nenas unacquainted, unfamiliar, unknown; ~ê unacquainted with nepixandin nepixîn- v.t. to blow up, inflate nepixîn v.i. to swell neqandin v.t. to select, choose nerazî discontent; ~bûn f discontent-

ment nerindî evil nerm soft, gentle, fine; ~ahî f softness, gentleness; ~ik softly, gently nesir f prose neşên unhappy netewe f nation; ~yên Yekbûyî the United Nations; ~yî national; ~yîtî f nationalism nevî m/f grandchild, offspring Nevroz f Persian New Year’s day newal f valley nexş miracle; ~în miraculous nexşe f map nexwe otherwise nexweş sick, ill; unpleasant; ~î f sickness, disease; ~xane f hospital nexuyayî invisible neyar m enemy, opponent, foe neyînî f destitution neynik f mirror neynok f fingernail, toenail neynûk = neynok nezanî f ignorance nêçirvan m hunter nêçîr f game, prey; çûn ~ê v.i. to go after game nêçîrvan m hunter nêrevan m scout nêrîn v.i. to look; f view, speculation nêşan f target, mark; ~ kirin v.t. to take aim at, to focus on nêv (dial. var.) = nîv nêvî (dial. var.) = nîvî nêzîk near; ~ahî f proximity; ~î near to, nearly nêzîkatî kirin bi v.t. to approach nifirîn f malediction, curse nifş m generation nifûs f identity card nig m foot; ~ên xwe zêdeyî xwe avêtin to overstep one’s bounds nigardar beautiful niha now; berî ~ before now, ago

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY nihe = niha nihêran expectant, apprehensive nihêrîn li v.i. to look at, to notice; to look upon, regard (wek as) nihêrtin (dial. var.) = nihêrîn niho (dial. var.) = niha nijad m race; ~perest racist nijde f brigandage nik f side, direction; toward, to; prep. next to, with, to, for nikil m beak nikilandin nikilên- v.t. to peck nimêj f prayer; ~ kirin v.t. to pray nimûne f example: ji bo nimûne as an example, for example; ~nde f example niqutandin v.t. to drip niqutîn v.i. to drip nisbet bi relative to nisxe = nusxe nişan = nîşan nişk: ji ~ê (~a) ve suddenly niştin nê-/niş- v.i. to sit nitilandin v.t. to draw, to mark nivistin -niv- v.i. to sleep niviz ??? nivîn1 m (usually pl) bed; ~ê nexweşiyê sick bed; destek ~ a set of sheets and bedding material nivîn2 -niv- v.i. to lie down, sleep nivîsandin v.t. to write nivîsar f writing, text nivîsevan m writer nivîsîn v.t. to write nivîskar m/f writer; ~î kirin to write, engage in writing nivîskî written nivş = nifş nivz half niwal f small valley niyet f intention nixabtin = nuxumandin nixamtin = nuxumandin nixumandin = nuxumandin

nizar m mountain side (where the sun never shines) nizim low nîjad = nijad nîn none, nothing nîsan f April nîşan f sign, mark, military decoration; ~ dan v.t. to show; ~ kirin v.t. to indicate nîv half; ~ saetê half an hour; ~cî half done; ~ê şevê midnight; ~roj f noon; ~sedsal f midpoint of a century nîvek f half nîveruh half-dead nîvişkestî cracked nîvî f middle, midpoint, half nîzing (dial. var.) = nêzîk nod ninety nojdarû f panacea nok f chickpea; ~a tahtê pebble nola (prep.) like: nola hev like each other noqim bûn v.i. ??? not = nod nozdeh nineteen nu new; ji ~ ve all over again nuçêbûyî new-born nudem modern nuh = nu nuha (dial. var.) = niha nuhatî new, newly come about: nivşê nu the new generation nuhîtî f newness, novelty nujen newly invented, new-fangled, modern nuka (dial. var.) = nuha nusxe f copy nuvejîn f renaissance nuxumandin v.t. to cover, veil nuxumîn v.i. to be covered, veiled nuyîtî f novelty nuzewicî newly-wed nû = nu nûh = nu

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KURMANJI KURDISH nûjen = nujen nûner representative NY = Neteweyên Yekbûyî the United Nations oda, ode f (obl odê) room okyanûs f ocean ol f religion; ~dar religious; ~î religious; ~perwer religious ordî f army: Ordiya Sor the Red Army ordu = ordî ‘orre ‘or f roar orte f middle Osmanî Ottoman otorîte f authority pag stable pak pure, clean; ~hilanîn ji v.t. to get rid of pakêt package pal1 f mountainside pal2 dan v.t. to push palas ??? pale m worker pan wide, broad panatî f expanse, breadth pansiman kirin v.t. to bandage papor f stove paqij pure, clean; ~ kirin v.t. to clean; ~î f cleanliness paqiş (dial. var.) = paqij par1 f part, share par2 last year par3 f back; ji ~ re from behind parçe, perçe m piece: du sê perçên kaxizên two or three pieces of paper; ~ bûn v.i. to be fragmented; ~ kirin v.t. to fragment parastin parêz- v.t. to protect, guard Parîs f Paris parsî Persian language partî f political party: partiyên kurd yên siyasî Kurdish political parties parve kirin v.t. to distribute

paseport f passport paş m the back; li ~ serê prep. behind; ~ê xwe avetin bi v.t. to throw oneself into s.th.; ~eroj f past, the past; ~îngê later; ~verû backward; ~verûtî f backwardness paşil f bosom paşî f end; heta paşiyê until the end patik f back of the head paye f high rank, place of honor; ~tî f honor payîz f autumn pejirandin v.t. to accept pekiyan = pekîn pekîn pek- v.i. to splash, splatter, rise up suddenly pekok: stêrka pekok shooting star pel m leaf, page pelikan stairs, stairway pelk leaf pembo m cotton pena f refuge, asylum; ~ber m/f refugee; ~berî f refugee status pencere f window peng ??? pengizandin pengizîn- v.t. to make jump, spurt pengizîn v.i. to spray, spurt penîr m (obl. penêr) cheese per1 m side per2 m feather per3 f piece peran heavy: cezayê peran heavy penalty perçe = parçe perçîn rivet; bi hev ~ kirin to rivet together, to patch together perde f (const. perda) curtain perdî f ceiling beam pere m money pergal m compass; bi ~ derketin to be encompassed pergî (+ construct) hatin v.i. to come across, find; çûn ~ to go to find

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY perpitîn v.i. to flutter: dilê min diperpite I get sick at my stomach perwaz f flight perwerdî f education pesin m praise; ~andin v.t. to praise, to approve of; wesf û pesnê … dan to praise and extol pesnê m trace petrol f petrolium pevgirêdan f connection pexşan f prose; ~nivîskar m prosewriter pey: li ~ (prep.) behind, after; di ~ … de (prep.) after peya m man peya bûn v.i. to get out, off, down (from vehicle) peyda bûn v.i. to be found: min zanîbû wê saetê ava germ peyda nabe I knew there was no warm water to be found at that time; ~ kirin v.t. to find peyitandin v.t. to prove peyivîn v.i. to talk, speak: ez zêde pê re nepeyivîm I didn’t speak to him long peyî hev one after the other peyman f pact, agreement; ~ê girêdan ligel to conclude a pact with peyv f conversation, talk, words: me peyv dagerand ser huner û edebiyatê we turned the conversation to art and literature; ~ik f expression peywendî f relation: peywendiyên navneteweyî international relations pez f sheep pezkîvî (dial. var.) = pezkûvî pezkûvî mountain sheep pê1 = bi + wî/wê pê2 m foot pêçandin pêçîn- v.t. to wrap, roll pêçîn pêç- v.t. to roll, wrap; pêjin f feeling pêjîn pêj- v.i. to be cooked; v.t. to light (cigarette) pêk together; ~-anîn v.t. to get together,

collect, arrange; ~-hatin v.i. to come about, come to be; ~-hatin ji v.i. to consist of pê-ketin v.i. to catch (fire) pêkol kirin v.t. to stick together (snow) pêkva together pê-xistin v.t. to light (fire), to switch on pêl f wave; ~ bûn v.i. to spread out pêlpêlî wavy, undulating pênc five; ~ih, ~î fifty pêra along with him (see pê) pêrgî → pergî pêsîr f collar; windpipe; forefront; area just below the summit of a mountain pêş forward: mirov ê bi pêş de biçe one will go forward; ~-ketin to advance; bi ~ derketin to come out to the fore; ~eroj f the future; ~de xistin to promote; ~ketî advanced pêşayîk f forefront pêşber m guide, leader; ketin ~ê to be faced with; ~î in the lead, leadership, (prep.) in front of; ~î … derketin to lead, go out ahead of pêşdexistin f promotion, advancement pêşeng m leader, vanguard pêşepêşa, li prep. out in front of pêşeroj f future pêşevan m leader pêşgotin f foreword pêşiya prep. before, in front of pêşî adj. first: cara pêşî the first time, di du-sê salên pêşî de during the first two or three years; f advance: ~ya … girtin v.t. to prevent pêşîk avant-garde, forerunner pêşîn first pêşkeş f present, gift, tribute; ~ kirin v.t. to offer (as a gift), to present pêşmerge m guerrilla pêşniyaz f proposal, suggestion pêşveketin f advancement, progress pêt f flame pêtgiran lazy, indolent

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KURMANJI KURDISH pêwendî bi f connection to pêwîst necessary; ~î f necessity, requirement pêxember m prophet pê-xistin -xê- v.t. to light, turn on (light) pêxwas barefooted piç small, little; ~ek a little bit, for a moment; a little thing pife pif f huff and puff pif kirin v.t. to blow, puff pifinî kirin v.t. to hiss pij scattered pijandin v.t. to cook pijîn v.i. to be cooked pijiqandin v.t. to make (blood) gush pijiqîn v.i. to explode, to blow up piling m tiger pilot m/f spark ??? pilpilî ??? piqpiqok f bubble pir1 very, many, much; ~anî f most, majority: piraniya wan most of them; pirraniya caran most of the time pir2 f bridge pirç f body hair piroze kirin v.t. to tear to shreds pirs f question; ~ek ji… kirin v.t. to ask a question of s.o.; ~gir skeptic; ~girêk f question: pirsgirêka kurdî the Kurdish question pirsan v.t. to ask (a question) pirtepirt f sputtering ??? pirtik f sheet (glass, paper) pirtûk f paper, sheet of paper pirtve kirin v.t. to tear to pieces pisîk f cat pismam m cousin pispor, pispûr m expert; ~î f expertise pişaftin v.t. to assimilate pişirîn to ruminate (?) pişt f back, hill; ~a prep. behind, on the other side of; ~a xwe dan v.t. to turn one’s back; ~î prep. after; ~î ku conj. after; ~germ supported, protected;

~gir m supporter; ~girî f support; ~re then, later, afterward; ~xwar hunched-over piyale f glass, goblet piyes f play pizot m torch: çavên wê wek du pizotên êgir bûn his eyes were like two fiery torches pîjame m pyjamas pîn f kick; ~-avêtin v.t. to kick pîne ??? pîpoq f glass pîr old; m/f old man, old woman; ~ik f grandmother pîratî f old age pîrhepok m monster ??? pîroz sacred, holy; ~ kirin v.t. to celebrate; to congratulate: ew wê roja han mîna karnevalekê pîroz dikin they celebrate that day like a carneval; ~bahî f congratulations; ~wer holy pîs bad, dirty; ~ik nasty, awful; ~itî f obscenity pîsîr (dial. var.) = pêsîr pîvan f measurement, criterion; ~din pîvên- v.t. to measure PKK = Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê Kurdish Workers’ Party plan f plan; ~çêker m planner; ~ çêkirin to make a plan pola m steel polîtîka f politics; policy ponijîn v.i. to be engrossed in thought por m hair (on the head); ~reş blackhaired; ~zer blonde poşman regretful; ~ bûn li to regret s.th./doing s.th. poxsîde sad poz m nose, snout prensîp m principle proje f project protesto kirin v.t. to protest, go on strike, boycott PTT = Post Telefon Telexraf Post, Tel-

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY ephone, and Telegraph pûç useless, unuseable pûk f snowstorm, blizzard pûrt f hair, fur, pelt; ~ û per feathery coat pûtperest idolator; ~î f idolatry PZ = piştî zayînê anno domini (AD) qaçaxçî m smuggler qad f field, place; ~a şer field of battle qaf f head qahf m cave, cavern qail bûn to accept (bi) qal f statement; ~ kirin v.t. to state; ~ û ceng f fight qalçikdayî frostbitten ??? qalik m shell, husk qalind thick, fat qam f stature, height; measurement for the height of the sun in the sky qamçî m whip qamiş reed qanser f cancer qanûn f law qarîn v.i. to cry bitterly qasid m messenger, envoy qasî ku as much as qatil m murderer qayiş, qayîş f strap, thong, belt; rivalry, competition; bi … re ketin ~ê to compete against: te digot qey ew bi min re ketibû qayîşê you’d think he was in competition with me qaymeqam m provincial governor qaz m goose qazaxî f butane qe no, none, at all: ez qe naxwênim I don’t read at all qebûl kirin v.t. to accept; wek … hatin qebûlkirin to be accepted as qedandin v.t. to finish, to complete qedeh f cup, goblet qeder1 m amount; ~ê … for the length of …

qeder2 f fate, destiny qedexe f prohibition; (adj) prohibited; ~ kirin to prohibit, to ban qedir m worth; qedrê … zanîn to appreciate; qedrê xwe girtin to esteem oneself; ~gir appreciative, estimable qediyan v.i. to end, be finished qefilandin v.t. to tire qefilîn v.i. to get tired Qefqasya f the Caucasus qefsing f breastbone qehbik f harlot qehbîtî = qehpetî qeherîn (dial. var.) = qehirîn qehir f wrath, rage; qehirîn v.i. to get angry (ji at) qehpe f prostitute; ~tî f prostitution qehwe f coffee qelaş split open, wounded qelaştin -qelêş- v.t. to split, split open; qelaştina cerahî surgical incision qelaw fat qelem f pen qelemrew m realm qelew (dial. var.) = qelaw qelêş- → qelaştin qelişandin qelişîn- v.t. to split, cleave qelişîn v.i. to be split qelizandin v.t. to make disappear; xwe ~ to slip away qelîşt f crack qels weak: kultura devkî ya Kurdî xurt e lê kultura nivîskî qels e Kurdish oral culture is strong, but the written culture is weak; ~î f weakness qelş = qelîşt qelşqelşî cracked qenc good, pretty, nice; ~î beauty, charitable act, good deed qerar decision qerax f edge, shore qerçimî wrinkled qerebalix f crowd, confusion; ~ kirin v.t. to act up, to flail around

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KURMANJI KURDISH qereqol m police station qerisîn v.i. to freeze solid qermiç f wrinkle; ~î wrinkled qerpeçe kirin v.t. to hold tightly in one’s embrace qesir f palace qest f intention, purpose; ~a … kirin v.t. to head toward qeşa f ice qet (+ neg.) never, not at all qetan v.i. to be finished; be cut qetandin qetîn- v.t. to finish; break, cut: kurdên li derveyî welêt ev zincîra kirêt qetandine Kurds outside the country have broken this shameful chain; ji hev ~ to part from one another qeter m scales, balance; ~ kirin v.t. to spy (something in the distance) qetiyan = qetan qewimîn v.i. to happen qewirandin v.t. to drive away qewîn strong qewl f promise; ji ~ên xwe vekişiyan to reneg on one’s promises, go back on one’s word qey hey; why?; te digot qey you’d think, it was as though qeyd f bond, fetter qeyde f rule qeytankêş kirin v.t. ??? qeza1 f district qeza2 f accident; fate; ~ û bela misfortune, calamity qezenc f profit, earnings, advantage: bi qezenca … to the advantage of …; ~ kirin v.t. to earn, gain, win qêrîn v.i. to scream qijak raven qijik f crow qilêr(în) filthy qir kirin v.t. to eliminate, exterminate qiral m king qirax (dial. var.) = qerax

qirçeqirç creak, splintering sound qirdik m clown qirik1 f crow qirik2 f throat; ~talî f bitter aftertaste qirş f stem, branch; ~ik f twig qise f conversation, talk qismet m fate qiyamet f resurrection; roja ~ê doomsday qizwan terebinth, a small tree qîjeqîj f loud cry, scream qîjiyan v.i. to scream qîl m fang, canine tooth; ber ~an dan to sink the fangs into qîm f contentment, satisfaction; ~a xwe anîn bi to consent to qîmet f worth, value qîr f cry, shout; ~ kirin v.t. to shout; ~ewîr f cry, shout; ~în v.i. to cry out, screech qîrçîn v.i. to scream, screech qîz f daughter qoç m horn (of an animal) qonax f inn; a one-day’s distance on a journey qontrol f check qufulîn v.i. to feel very cold qul f hole, opening: qula rêviyan fox hole; ~ kirin to pierce qulibîn v.i. to fall down, collapse, scramble down quling crane quloç m league (measure of distance) quloz bûn v.i. to rise up qulqulî full of holes qulubîn = qulibîn qumandan m commandant qunc f corner; xistine ~ekî asê to corner quncik f little bit quntar f foot of a mountain quran f the Koran qurane f hinge qurban f sacrifice, victim; qurbana armanca xwe a martyr to one’s cause

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY qurm m tree stump: mîna qurmê dara mirî like a dead tree stump qut cut, cut off; ~ bûn v.i. to get cut off qutî f box quwet power; bi ~ powerful qûç f cliff, height, summit qûn f back; ~a çiyê mountain skirt; li ser ~ê xistin to topple qûntar = quntar qutîk f small box ra = re ra-bûn v.i. to rise, arise, get up; to abandon, give up (li s.th.) ra-girtin v.t. to pick up; xwe ~ to recover rahetî f ease, comfort ra-hiştin v.t. to put down ra-ketin v.i. to sleep ra-kirin v.t. to take away, pick up; to wake up (trs.); to cancel, abolish; ji navê ~ to eliminate raman f stance ra-man -mîn- v.i. to stand, stay, remain standing; to be perplexed ra-medandin v.t. to lay down ra-mûsan -mûs- v.t. to kiss ran m thigh ra-pelikîn v.i. to crawl, creep ra-pîvan v.t. to pick up; gav ~ to tread rapor f report raser superior rast right, correct; ~ hatin li to come across; ~ kirin v.t. to correct; bi ~î really; ~e prep. straight toward; ~erast really and truly; ~erê correct; ~nivîsîn f orthography rav f hunting ra-westan v.i. to stand up, stop, stand still; li ser … ~ to dwell on, stand up against ra-westandin v.t. to make stop ra-westiyan = ra-westan rawir wild animal

ra-xistin v.t. to spread ray f opinion ra-zan -zê- v.i. to lie down, sleep razdar mysterious razî contented (li with) re postposition forms the second part of a number of circumpositions, generally indicating accompaniment; see the prepositional element ref m row; flock (of birds) reh f way, road; artery, vein; root; ~ û penc roots rehet easy, comfortable, quiet; ~î f comfort, ease rehm f mercy; ~ kirin li to have mercy on; ~etî the late rehmet f God’s mercy; çûn ~ê to pass away reîs m head, chief; ~î cumhûrê president of the republic rencberî f hardship, trouble reng m color; bi ~ colored, multicolored; bi çi ~î how?; ~e~ of all colors; ~dêr f description, quality, adjective; ~în varied, colorful renî f avalanche req1 m turtle req2 stiff; ~ û rût stiff as a board reqem f number reqisîn v.i. to dance resim m picture resmî official reş black; ~ girêdan v.t. to go into mourning; ~ kirin v.t. to blacken reş û reşatî f anything black or blackish in color reşatî f blackness, darkness rev f flight, retreat revan rev- v.i. to run away revandin v.t. to let escape, to take away revde m herd, pack; ~ girtin v.t. to form a pack revîn = revan rewneq brightness, brilliance

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KURMANJI KURDISH rewrewik f mirage rewş f style, manner rewşenbîr intellectual rex m side, edge, shore; (prep.) next to, beside rexne f criticism; ~ girtin li v.t. to criticise; ~gir m critic rext m cartridge belt reyan v.i. to bark rez m vineyard, orchard rê f (const. riya) road, way: bi wê riyê in that way; bi riya via; ~ girtin v.t. to block the road, stop, prevent: kê rê li ber wan girtiye? who’s stopped them?; (bi) ~ ketin to set off, start out; ~ kirin to dispatch, send; bi ~ kirin to see off rêbendan f February rêber m leader; ~î f leadership; ~î kirin to lead rêbwar m wayfarer rêçe f trace, track; ~ hildan v.t. to pick up a trail rêj kirin v.t. to wash rêk-xistin v.t. to arrange, put in order rêkxistin f coalition rêl f forest, wood rêncberî kirin v.t. to struggle, suffer hardship rêveçûn f gait, walk rêvebir = birêvebir rêvî m fox rêvîng m traveler rêwitî f journey rêwî m/f traveler; ~tî f journey, trip rêz f line; ~ bûn v.i. to line up; ~kirin v.t. to line up, arrange rêz-girtin ji v.t. to respect, have respect for rêzik f law, rule rêziman f system, arrangement, grammar ricaf f shaking, trembling ricifîn v.i. to tremble

rih f beard rihet (dial. var.) = rehet rihm (dial. var.) = rehm rijandin rijîn- v.t. to pour out rijiyan v.i. to flow, to spill rijî f scorched part at the bottom of a pot rik stubbornness, relentlessness, nervousness rikrikîn v.i. to chatter (of the teeth) rind good, beautiful; well: ew bi zimanê îngilîzî rind dizanibû he knew English well risk = rizq rivî (dial. var.) = rêvî rivîn f flame riyê → rû rizan v.i. to rot rizandin v.t. to let rot rizgar saved, rescued; ~ bûn v.i. to escape, be rescued; ~ kirin v.t. to save, rescue; ~kirî saved, liberated rizî rotten rizîn di … de v.t. to be thrown into rizq m sustenance rîş f beard rîtm m rhythm ro f sun: di bin ro(ye)ka havînê de under a hot summer sun roava m west, dusk; ~yî western rohilat m dawn, east rohnî bright roj f day; ew ~ ev ~ e from that day to this: ew roj ev roj e malbata min li vî bajarî rûdinê my family has lived in this city from that day to this; ~ane daily; ~ava west; ~hilat f east: Rojhilata Navîn the Middle East; ~name f newspaper; ~namegerî f journalism rokrol f role rom m the Ottoman Empire; Ottoman, Turk roman f novel; ~nivîs novelist ronahî f light, brightness; bi ~yê derketin to come to light

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY ronakbîr intellectual ronayî = ronahî rondik f tear ronesans f renaissance ruh m spirit, soul; ~iyet f morale, spirit ruhnî f brightness; ruhniya çavan light of the eyes, favorite rutbe m rank ruvî (dial. var.) = rêvî rû m (const riyê, rûwê) face rûbar m river rûhşêrîn convivial, amusing, lighthearted rûj (dial. var.) = roj; ~kê = rojekê one day, some day rûkenî f smile, smiling rûmet f honor, respect rûn m oil rûniştevan m inhabitant rû-niştin -nê- v.i. to sit, dwell (the present tense is used only for habitual action; the pres. perf. tense rûniştiye means ‘s/he is sitting,’ and the past. perf. tense rûniştibû means ‘s/he was sitting’); odeya rûniştinê sitting room rûpel f page, sheet rûs Russian; ~î Russian (language) rût naked, bare rûxan v.i. to collapse rûxandin v.t. to destroy sa f (const. siya) shadow; ser siya … ketin v.i. to get anywhere near … sa‘et f hour sal f year; ~mezin aged salon f reception room san → se sar cold satil f bucket saw terror, fear sawar f bulghur wheat, cracked wheat sax healthy, well, whole saxik honest

sayî bûn v.i. to clear up (weather) saz kirin v.t. to establish se m (obl. pl san) dog sebeb m reason sebir f patience; ~ neman to be impatient: êdî sebra min nemaye now I’ve lost my patience sed hundred; ~sal f century; ~salî f centennary; ji ~î per cent; bo ~î per cent seda m/f sound ??? sedem f reason, cause seff f classroom seg m dog seh f intuition, feeling; ~ kirin v.t. to understand intuitively sehol f ice Seirt f Siirt; ~î native of Siirt sekinan/-în v.i. to settle down, to be quiet, to dwell; to tarry; to light (gaze) (li ser upon): ez dixwazim li ser pirsekê bisekinim I want to dwell on a question selik f basket semax f endurance; ~ kirin v.t. to bear, to endure Sen m the River Seine seqem f dry cold seqer f Saqar, a poison that drips from a tree in hell ser m head; (prep.) to, toward, on, over; bi ~ ketin v.i. to get ahead, succeed; çûn ser v.i. to attack; ~ê xwe bi … re êşandin v.t. to trouble oneself with, bother with: serê xwe bi kultura kurdî re naêşînin they don’t bother with Kurdish culture; ~ û bin m the “ins and outs,” everything: ser û binê vî gundî ez ê bikanibim ji vî pîremêrî hîn bibim I could learn all there is to know about this village from this old man; bê ~ û bin endless seranser: li ~î (prep.) all over: li seranserê dinyayê all over the world serbajar m capital

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KURMANJI KURDISH serberdayî stray, wandering serbest free; ~î f freedom serbilind bi proud of; ~ahî/~î f pride serbixwe free; ~bûn f liberation serdar m leader; ~î f leadership, command serdest m overlord; ~î f mastery, rule; ~î kirin v.t. to rule: yên ku îro serdestiya kurdan dikin those who rule over the Kurds today sereke main serencam f end, outcome serêşî f headache serfirazî f distinction sergerdan perplexed sergevez pride sergiran important sergîn m dung sergovend f dance line; bi serê ~ê girtin to lead a dance line serhed f frontier, border serî m head; ear (of grain); ~ birdin to complete; ~ hil-dan to rebel; ~ xistin li to visit; to apply to; çûn serî to come to fruition serîhildan f uprising serjorek û serjêrek ups and downs serkarî f direction, leadership serketin f success serma f cold, coldness sermawêj Libra sermîyan m capital sernivîs f fate sernuxumandî veiled serok m leader; ~atî f leadership; ~cumhûrê m president; ~eşîr m chieftain; ~wezîr m prime minister serpêhatî f adventure serqot bare-headed serraf m jeweler sersal f new year’s day serserî careless ser-şuştin v.t. to take a bath sertûj towering

serve bûn v.i. to be attached serwer m leader serwext informed, knowledgeable sewî f level: rojnameyên me yên roja îroyîn negihîştine sewiya wan our newspapers of today have not reached their level sewsen lily seyda m savant seyr f view; adj strange seyran f outing; ~ çê-kirin v.t. to arrange an outing; ~geh f park, promenade, place for an outing sê1 three sê2 f (constr. siya) shadow; di bin siya … de under the aegis of sêpî f tripod sêwî m orphan sêwlek m sole (of a shoe) sibat f February sibeh f morn, dawn: sibeh heta êvarê from morning till night; ~ê tomorrow; vê ~ê this morning sibetir f the next morning; ~a wê şevê the morning after that night sibê = sibeh sih1 angry, irritated; ~itî f irritation sih2 = sî2 sijî f puss, filth; ~n v.i. to ooze sik û sar very sad (heart) ??? silav f greeting silawat (pl) benedictions; ~an kêşandin v.t. to give benedictions simbêl m mustache simsimîn v.i. to leave tracks, to make a trail sincirî flaming, burning sindoq f box, trunk sing f breast sinif f class, grade sipartin sipêr- = spartin sipî = spî sipîndar f poplar sipîta f whiteness

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY sir f cold wind; ~ û seqem, ~ û serma f biting cold weather sirf only, purely sirgûn f exile; ~ bûn to be exiled siruşt f nature sisê three sist weak; ~ kirin v.t. to weaken, make weak sitar f protection sitêrk = stêrk sitirî m thorn sitran = stran siwarî mounted, on horseback siya → sa siyaset f politics; ~van m politician siyasî political sivik light, not heavy sî1 thirty sî2 f shadow; ~ dan to cast a shadow sîleh (pl) arms, armament: sîlehên sivik light arms sîng f breast sînor m border, boundary sîstem m system sîtil f (dial. var.) = satil Sîwas f Sivas sîwaxnekirî unpenetrated sobe f heating stove; ~ vêxistin to light a stove sofî Sufi, respectful term of address for an old man; ~tî f Sufism, mysticism sohbet f conversation, talk sol f shoe; ~çêker m shoemaker sond f oath; ~ xwarin to swear an oath sor red; threshed (wheat); ~ahî f redness sorav red grape; ~î(n) dark red sorgul rose sosin f iris sosret unusualness; bi ~ unusual soz dan v.t. to promise sparin spêr- v.t. to entrust spartin = sparin spas thank you; ~ kirin v.t. to thank; ~darî f gratitude

spehî good-looking, pretty, attractive spêda, spêde f dawn spêr- → sparin spî white; ~tî f whiteness standin (dial. var.) = stendin stasyon f railway station stelih ordinary, common stemkarî f oppression Stenbol f Istanbul stendin stîn- v.t. to take, get; bi paş de ~ to take back steyr = stêr stêr f star; ~k f star; ~nas m astronomer; ~nasî f astronomy stiran stirê- v.t. to sing stîn- → stendin sto = stû stran f song; ~bêj singer stû m neck; ~xwar obedient, cowed stûn f column stûr thick, stout sufrik m tablecloth sur f breeze sur‘et f speed surgûn = sirgûn suwar on horseback; ~ bûn to mount sûç m crime, fault sûd m profit; ~ wergirtin ji v.t. to profit from sûl m waterfall Sûriya f (obl Sûriyayê, Sûriyê) Syria sûxte m theological student Swêd f Sweden şa happy, glad; ~ bûn bi v.i. to be happy with, rejoice over s.th.; ~ kirin v.t. to gladden: wê pirtûkê dilê min şa kiribû that book had gladdened my heart; ~hî f gladness, happiness şafiî Shafiite (school of Islamic jurisprudence) şagirt m pupil, apprentice şah m king şahîd m witness

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KURMANJI KURDISH şahîk shining, brilliant şaîr m poet şal m traditional baggy Kurdish trousers şalûl m magpie şandin şîn- v.t. to send şanî kirin, ~ dan v.t. to show şano f stage şans m chance şareza competent; ~yî f competence, expertise şaş wrong; ~ bûn v.i. to be wrong: ez ne şaş bim I wouldn’t be wrong; ~ kirin v.t. to mistake; reya xwe ~ kirin v.t. to lose one’s way; ~î f mistake, fault şaşfêhmkirin f misunderstanding şaşik f turban; ~ spî white-turbaned şax m branch şe = şeh şeh m comb; ~ kirin v.t. to comb şehîd m martyr şehsiwar m expert horseman şekal f old shoe şekir m sugar şemitandin v.t. to make slide şemitîn v.i. to slip, to slide şeng tuft of hair şep f blow, slap in the face şepe f snowdrift şepîn v.i. to sink down (into snow) şeqeşeq noisy sound, chatter şequdeq “hard knocks” şer m war: şerê cîhanê yê yekemîn World War I; ~ kirin, ~ dan (dayîn) v.t. to fight war şeref f honor şerît f the Sharia, Islamic law şerm f shame; ~dar modest; ~darî f modesty; ~ kirin ji v.t. to be ashamed of: min ji xwe şerm kir I was ashamed of myself şerpeze destitute; ~ bûn v.i. to be destitute; ~ kirin v.t. to put s.o. in a bad situation, to best şert f condition, qualification

şervan m warrior şeş six şeşt sixty şev f night; ~reş f dark night şewat f fire şewitandin v.t. to burn şewitîn v.i. to burn şexs person; ~î personal; ~iyet f personality şewq f light; ~a elektrîkê flashlight şê- → şiyan şêlandin şêlîn- v.t. to exploit şêlî turbid, murky şêlû (dial. var.) = şêlî şênî m inhabitant, (pl) people şêrîn sweet şêx m sheikh şidet violence, strength şifêr m driver şiîr f poetry şidandin şidîn- v.t. to strike (a match) şik f doubt; bê ~ doubtless(ly) şikandin şikîn- v.t. to break şikeft f cave şikêr m rock, mountain crag şikestin şikê- v.i. to break, be defeated şikir thanks: şikir ji Xweda re thank God şikil form, symbol şil damp, wet; ~ kirin v.t. to wet, dampen şilfûtazî buck naked şipê on foot şiqitîn v.i. to slip şirket f company şirove f interpretation; ~ kirin v.t. to interpret şistin şo- v.t. to wash şivan m (obl. şivên) shepherd şivantî f shepherding; ~ kirin v.t. to shepherd, to be a sheep herder şivên → şivan şivir m mountain goat şixul m work; ~în v.i. to work, occupy

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY oneself şiyan şê- v.i. to be able şiyar awake; ~ bûn v.i. to wake up; ~ kirin v.t. to wake s.o. up şîn1 blue, green şîn2 = şwîn şîn- → şandin şîndar = şwîndar şîr m milk şîret f advice; ~ kirin li v.t. to advise şîrîn sweet, pretty, nice şît aware, sober şîv f sunset; ~a êvarê nightfall şkandin şkîn- = şikandin şkev f cupboard şo- → şistin şop f footprint, trace; ~ê ji ser xwe winda kirin to throw a pursuer off track; ~gerên scout, tracker; ~ hiştin v.t. to leave a trace şor1 salty, brackish (water); ~ayî f saltiness şor2 talk, words; ~ kirin v.t. to talk, chat şorbe f soup şoreş f rebellion, uprising; ~ger m rebel, revolutionary: şoreşgerekî bolşevîk a Bolshevik revolutionary şorezar f desert, wasteland şun = şûn şuştin (dial. var.) = şistin şuxul m work, occupation; ~ kirin v.t. to work; ~andin v.t. to put to work; ~în v.i. to work şû spouse şûjin û derzî bûn v.i. to stand on end (the hair) şûlikîn v.i. to move stealthily şûm gloomy, inauspicious şûn f place; track, wake: divê ew têkeve şûna bavê xwe he must follow in his father’s footsteps; ~a … girtin v.t. to follow in the wake of, take the place of; ~da after: ji wê salê şûnda after this year; nuha ~da henceforth; di ~a

ku (conj.) instead of şûş quick, nimble, sleek; mirina ~ sudden death şûşaşûş pieces of glass şûşe f glass şûştin (dial. var.) = şistin şwîn f mourning; ~dar in mourning ta1 prep. & conj. until: ta niha up till now ta2 m fever tab m illumination; ~ anîn v.t. to illuminate tabî‘et f nature tacir m merchant; ~î f commerce taht f rock; noka ~ê pebble tal bitter, sharp talde f shelter talyanî Italian tam f taste tamar = temar tanq f tank (mil.) taqet endurance ta‘qîb f surveillance: di bin taqîba polîsan de under police surveillance; ~ kirin to keep under surveillance tar f a path through snow Taran f Tehran tarî dark; ~tî f darkness tarîx f history tas f bowl taşt m breakfast tat m rise, hill tav1 f light, sunlight tav2 f rainshower tavik f sunlight tavilê quickly, soon; immediately taybetî special; bi ~ especially tayek kişandin ji v.t. to shake ta‘yîn kirin v.t. to determine, assign, appoint tazî naked; ~ kirin v.t. to strip naked te → tu tebî‘î natural

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KURMANJI KURDISH Tebrîz f Tabriz tecrube f experience tedrîcen gradually tefandin -tefîn- v.t. to put out (light, candle) tefeş f face, countenance tefîn v.i. to go out (light, candle) tefsîr Koranic commentary tehlûke f danger tehqîr f deprecation tehsîldar m tax collector teht m mountain range tejî (dial. var.) = tijî tek single, alone, by oneself; ~ û tenê alone, all by oneself tekane lone teko alone, singly telaş commotion telefon f telephone teletel on tiptoes televizyon f television telte f sheet (of ice), crust tem m fog temam perfect, complete temar f artery, vein temaşa kirin v.t. to watch, to look at temaşe = temaşa temaşevan spectator, watcher tembel lazy; ~î f laziness temen m life, lifespan, age temene respect; bi ~ respectfully temirîn v.i. to die ??? temiz kirin v.t. to clean temsîlkar m representative tena = tenha tendûr f oven, pit; ~a zik the pit of the belly tenê alone, only, except for; bi ~ only: em ferz bikin ku tu bi tenê bikaribî Kurdistanekê çêbikî let’s assume that you could only create one Kurdistan; ne bi ~ … lê jî not only… but also; ~tî f misery, loneliness teng narrow, tight; ~asî f difficulty,

straits tenha alone; bi ~ xwe by him/her/itself, alone tenîşta next to teorî f theory tep f tap tepan mallet tepandin v.t. to pat, to tap tepe m summit, mountain top teperep kirin v.t. to rap teq f a sharp sound; ~-û-req loud sound teqandin teqîn- v.t. to burst, explode, to fire, shoot (gun) teqîn v.i. to burst, explode ter fresh, verdant; ~î f freshness tercîh kirin v.t. to prefer tercuman m translator teres pimp terikî chapped te‘rîf kirin v.t. to describe (ji … re for, to) terîqet m dervish order terk f leaving; ~ dan/kirin v.t. to leave, abandon: gava terka mala xwe da when s/he left home term m corpse terorîzm f terrorism terpilîn v.i. to roll terrî f tail terş livestock tesewif Sufism; ~î Sufistic te’sîr f influence teslîm kirin v.t. to turn in, to turn over, to submit teşkîl f organization, formation teşt f trough teşwîq encouragement; ~ kirin v.t. to encourage teşxele f trouble, turmoil tetik, tetîk f trigger tev all, entire, altogether; together with; ~a all, entirely, totally; ~ahî/~ayî f entirety: di tevayiya Ewrûpa all over Europe; ~da, ~ de altogether, entire-

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY ly; bi ~ayî entirely, in toto; xwe ~girê-dan v.t. to get oneself together tevdîr f plan tevger f industry, activity, movement: Tevgera Rizgariya Kurdistanê Kurdish Liberation Movement tevizî numb tevizîn f numbness; ~ok f numb feeling tevî (prep.) along with; ~hev altogether; ~ ku (conj.) although tevlihev confused, mixed up; ~î f confusion tevlî f awareness tewqif kirin v.t. to arrest texçik f shelf texlît sort, kind: her du texlît nivîsar both sorts of writers texmîn f guess, thought; ~ kirin v.t. to guess, estimate text m throne texte m board teyan a large basin used in bathhouses teyr, têr m bird; ~ û tûy birds and fowl teze new(ly), fresh(ly); ~ kirin to refresh tê1 = di + wî/wê tê2 = tu + ê tê3 coming, next: meha ~ the coming month tê-gihîştin v.i. to understand, realize têk çûn v.i. to break up, split apart têkelî prep. along with tê-ketin v.i. to go to, wind up (somewhere): ew dixwaze têkeve cepheyan he wants to go to the fronts; ~ şûna to take the place of: kengê azadî û serbestî ê têkevin şûna sitemkarî û zordariyê? when will freedom and independence take the place of injustice and oppression? têkil connected; ~bûn f connectedness; ~î f connection tê-kirin v.t. to put on têkoşer m activist, combatant

têkoşîn dan v.t. to strive, make an effort têkûz (dial. var.) = tekûz têr1 full, satisfied; ~ bûn v.i. to be satisfied (hunger), to be slaked (thirst); ~ kirin v.t. to satisfy, make full, to be sufficient: emrê wî têr nekir he didn’t live long enough têr2 = teyr têvel various, different tê-xistin v.t. to include; xwe ~ to put oneself tif f spit tifik f bellows, hearth tifing f rifle tije brimful tijî full; ~ kirin v.t. to fill tilî f finger tilik, tilîk = tilî tim1 always; her~ always tim2 f desire timobîl f automobile tinê (dial. var.) = tenê tiral lazy tirb f grave, tomb tirên f train; ~a di binê erdê de subway; ji ~ê by train tirimpêl f automobile tirk Turk; ~î Turkish (language); ~nijad racially Turkish Tirkiye f (obl Tirkiyeyê, Tirkiyê) Turkey tirs f fear; ~an va out of fear tirsandin v.t. to scare; to fear tirsêner frightful, frightening tirsiyan/tirsîn ji v.i. to be afraid of, fear tirş bitter; rûyê xwe ~ kirin to scowl tişt m thing: tiştekî din something else titûn f tobacco tiving f (dial. var.) = tufing tiwê = tu wê tixtor m doctor tî thirsty tîfal ??? tîj (dial. var.) = tûj; ~ û hûr nêrîn li to

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KURMANJI KURDISH look closely and carefully at, to scrutinize tîn1 f thirst tîn2 → bêtîn tîn- → anîn tîp f letter of the alphabet; m type, sort tîr thick, dense, dark tîraj f print run; kêm ~ of a small print run, printed in small numbers tîrêj f sunlight, ray: tîrêjên hêviyê rays of hope tîş piece, group tol f revenge; ~ wergirtin v.t. to extract revenge top f cannon, cannonball topik f pile torbe sack torin m person of name, person of renown; descendant, offspring toz f dust; ~ û telaz dust trimbêl f automobile tu1 (obl. te) you (sing.) tu2 no, not any, none, nothing; ~ caran never; ~ kes nobody; ~ tişt nothing tucar never tuf f spit; ~ kirin v.t. to spit tufing f rifle, gun; ~ ber-dan to fire a rifle at tukesî (+ neg.) nobody tûj sharp tûk f hair, fur tûle m pup, cub tûlik m cub tûr m bag; ~ik m sack tûrt = turt tûtin f tobacco ummet f religious community ‘umr m life unda (dial. var.) = wenda unîversîte f university urisî Russian usa (dial. var.) = wisa ustu = stû

ûzeûz f rumble va = ve vala empty; ~ kirin v.t. to empty; ~hî f void; vikû~ totally empty vazo f vase ve (postposition) forms the second part of a number of circumpositions, generally indicating motion away from; see the prepositional element ve-bûn v.i. to open ve-ceniqîn (dial. var.) = ve-ciniqîn ve-ciniqandin v.t. to make tremble with fear, to make shudder, to startle ve-ciniqîn v.i. to be seized by fright, to be startled ve-dan v.t. to give off; deng ~ to echo veger f return ve-gerandin -gerîn- v.t. to turn, to turn back ve-geriyan/gerîn v.i. to return; ~ ser to turn to ve-gevizîn v.i. to flounder, wallow ve-hêrandin v.t. to grind up, crunch vehûnayî spread out ve-jandin -jîn- v.t. to revivify ve-jenîn v.i. to rustle ve-jinîn (dial. var.) = ve-jenîn ve-kirin v.t. to open ve-kişandin ji v.t. to pull out of, pull back from, withdraw from ve-kişîn v.i. to withdraw ve-maltin v.t. to roll up the sleeves ve-man v.i. to bog down ve-miran (ve-mirîn) v.i. to go out (fire, &c.); ~din v.t. to put out, extinguish, quell, quench: min lampa xwe vemirand I put out my light ve-poşandin v.t. to cover ve-qetandin v.t. to distinguish, separate ve-qetiyan v.i. to get separated: ji ber perçebûna welêt riyên zaravayên kurmancî û soranî ji hevûdu vediqetin

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY after the division of the country the paths of the Kurmanji and Sorani dialects part from each other; ~ bi to be distinguished by ve-qetîn = ve-qetiyan verê-kirin to send off, dispatch ve-şartin -şêr- v.t. to hide, bury ve-texirîn v.i. to taper off ve-xistin v.t. to throw down ve-xwarin v.t. to drink ve-zelan v.i. to lie down and roll around; xwe ve-zelandin to throw oneself down and roll around ve-ziliandin = ve-zelandin vê → ev vêca therefore vêcar then, so vê-geriyan = ve-geriyan vêk re together vên f wish, desire vê-xistin v.t. to light vikûvala → vala. vir here vizîn v.i. to buzz, to hum vizvizkî tangled, knotted vî → ev vîrus f virus vîzevîz f blowing, rustling (of wind) waqewaq squeal of an animal war1 m = bar war2 m regard, respect; di ~ê … de concerning; di vî ~î de in this regard, in this respect war3 m camp, camping ground; ~geh m camp site warkor çûn to disappear without a trace we → hun wefakar faithful wefat f death weha thus, such wek (prep.) like; ~e (prep.) like; ~e ku (conj.) as: weke ku min got as I said; ~î din anything else

wekhev alike, equal; ~î f equality: li ser esasên wekhev on a basis of equality wekîl advocate, lawyer; ~darî f advocacy welat m (obl. welêt) country, homeland; ~hez lover of the homeland, patriot; ~parêz defender of the homeland, patriot(ic); ~perwer patriot wele = welle weleh = welê welê thus, like that welle by God wenda lost; ~ bûn v.i. to be lost; ~ kirin v.t. to lose wer bûn di v.i. to fall into wer- → hatin werger m translator; ~van m translator wer-gerandin v.t. to transform, translate wer-girtin v.t. to take up (see ber wergirtin, sûd wergirtin, tol wergirtin) werimandin v.t. to cause to swell werimîn v.i. to swell wer-kirin li v.t. to wrap around wesiyetname f will, testament werîs m rope wesf m attribute, quality; ~ dan to describe westan west- v.i. to stand, stop; to be exhausted westiyan = westan westiyayî exhausted weşandin weşîn- v.t. to publish weşanxane f publishing house wext f time: di eynî wextê de at the same time; di wexteke kurt de within a short time; ~ê ku (conj.) when wezin f poetic meter wezîfe f duty wezaret f ministry: Wezareta Ferhengê the Ministry of Culture wezîr m minister; ~tî f ministry wê1 → ew wê2 future auxiliary + subj. for future tense

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KURMANJI KURDISH wêje f speech, literature wêne m picture, painting; ~ger m artist, painter wêran destroyed, ruined; ~ kirin v.t. to destroy, ruin wêrîn v.i. (+ subj.) to dare winda (dial. var.) = wenda wir there wirîn (dial. var.) = wêrîn wisa(n) thus, such, so wî → ew wîjdan m conscience wucûd f existence; hatin ~ê to come into existence wusan (dial. var.) = wisa x- → xistin xak f earth, ground xal f mole xalxalî in spots, spotted xanim f lady, mistress xanî m house xapandin xapîn- v.t. to deceive, to fool, to play a trick on: mîna ku hatibe xapandin as though a trick had been played on him xapîn v.i. to be deceived, to be fooled xapok deceptive xapxapok deceitful xar1 crooked, bent xar2 (dial. var.) = xwar xarin (dial. var.) = xwarin xastin (dial. var.) = xwestin xasûk cunning, shrewd xatir m mind, heart; ~gir considerate, obliging; ~ girtin to be considerate of, respect: biçûk û mezinan xatirê wî digirtin young and old were considerate of him; ~xwestin f affection; bi xatirê re wî ji min re got he said to me with affection; dan ~ê … to be considerate of … xav raw, immature xayin traitor

xazî m ghazi, holy warrior xazîk ??? xebat f work, struggle xeber f words, speech: xebera wî ye that’s what he says xeberdan f talk, speech xebitan li ser v.i. to work on, strive for xebitîn = xebitan xedar pitiless, cruel xefk f trap xelas kirin (v.t. to finish xelasî f liberation; şerê xelasiyê war of liberation xelat f prize, reward; ~ kirin v.t. to reward xelk m (construed as sing. for case but pl. by sense) people xem f grief, sadness; ~ xwarin ji v.t. to sympathize with; ~gîn sorrowful; ~gînî f sorrow: ez bi xemgînî dibêjim ku… I say with sorrow that… xemilandin v.t. to adorn xencer f dagger xerab ruined; ~-bûn to be ruined; ~e ruined; ~î f harm, ruination xerez f rancor, grudge; ~karî f holding a grudge xerîfî senile xerc kirin v.t. to spend xerîb stranger, foreigner, exiled, away from one’s homeland; ~î f estrangement, foreignness, the state of being away from one’s homeland; welatê ~yê foreign country xerîte f map xertel f eagle xesandin xesîn- v.t. to twist, wring xesar f damage, loss; ~ dîtin v.t. to suffer loss, be damaged; ~nedîtî undamaged xet f line xew m sleep; ketin ~ê to fall asleep; ji ~ ra-kirin to rouse from sleep xewle lonely, desolate

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY xewlî f desolation, isolation xewn f dream; ~ dîtin v.t. to dream, have a dream; ~erojik daydream xeyal f imagination, fantasy, dream xeyidîn ji v.i. to get angry at xeyn other; ji ~î (prep.) other than, aside from: ji xeynî van tiştan other than these things xeyo (Syr. Ar. khayyo, voc. only) fellow, guy, friend xezal gazelle xezeb f rage, wrath xezîne f treasury xezûr m father-in-law; f mother-in-law xêr f goodness; ~xweşî f chitchat; bi~hatinî dan v.t. to welcome: jinekê bixêrhatinî da min a woman welcomed me; bi ~a … re thanks to; bi ~ û bêr very good; ji ~a … re because of, on account of; ~hatinê kirin li v.t. to welcome; hatin ~ê to be a welcome guest xêz f line; ~ik ditto xidmet f service xilas kirin to be saved xilmamş = xilmaş xilmaş half asleep, sleepy xirab bad, evil xisar f loss xistin x- v.t. to cast, throw, put in, make fall; ji hev de ~ to break up; ~ li to beat xisûsiyet = xusûsiyet xişikîn v.i. to drag along, scrape across xişr m/f ornament ??? xişxiş f rustling, scratching sound xitab m address; ~ kirin v.t. to address; ~ê kesekî kirin to address, speak to s.o. xitimandin v.t. to close, seal: rê hatine xitimandin the roads have been closed xiyal f dream, imagination xizmet f service; ~ kirin v.t. to serve xînji (dial. var.) = xeyn ji

xîret f zeal, bravery, courage; ~ kirin v.t. to try hard xîze-xîze grating sound xo f (dial. var.) = xwe; ~a xwe his own self xoce m master, teacher xof f fear; ~ û tirs f fear and trembling xort young, young man/woman; ~anî f youth xoşdivî beloved xu (dial. var.) = xwe xuda m (obl. xudê) God; ~ hefiz goodbye xudan m owner; bê~ godless, Godforsaken, poor, pitiable xuh f sister xulam m slave; manservant xunav f sprinkle, light rain xur f itch xure xur f snoring xurên on an empty stomach xurîn = xurên xurme f date xurt strong, powerful; ~ û gur strong, puissant xurû natural xusûsiyet f characteristic, distinguishing feature xuşîn v.i. to rustle, to gurgle xuşk f sister xuya clear, obvious; ~ bûn v.i. to be obvious, appear, show up; ~ kirin v.t. to seem, appear: hotel gelekî xweş û luks xuya dikir the hotel looked very nice and deluxe xuyan v.i. to seem, to appear xuyanî familiar; ~ kirin v.t. to familiarize xûn f blood; ~a cegerê liver’s blood, metaphor for tears of agony and suffering xûs f snowdrift ??? xûyan = xuyan xwar down; ser … da ~ bûn to lean

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KURMANJI KURDISH over s.th.; ~ bûn v.i. to descend; ~ kirin v.t. to lower, take down; hatin ~ to come down xwarin f food xwarin xw- v.t. to eat xwaroviçko coiled up xwaz- → xwestin xwe oneself, -self (refers to the subject of the clause in which it occurs); ~ girtin li ber to defend oneself against; ji ~ in and of itself; bi~ himself, herself, itself; li ~ kirin to put on, wear (clothes) xwebiçûkdîtin f inferiority: kompleksa xwebiçûkdîtinê inferiority complex xwedan m chief, head, leader xwedê m God xwedî m possessor, owner: xwediyê paseporteke Swêdî bûm I possessed a Swedish passport xwehesîn f self-awareness xweîfadekirin f self-expression xwelî f dust, ash; ~ li serê xwe kirin to pour dust on one’s head, to mourn; ~dan f ashtray xwen f dream, vision xwenas self-respecting xwenav = xunav xwendin xwîn-/xwên- v.t. to read, study xwende/a learned, literate; ~geh f school, university; ~kar student; ~van m reader, scholar xwerû independent; pure(ly), exclusive(ly): ev kovar ne xwerû bi kurdî ne these journals are not exclusively in Kurdish xweser unbridled xwestin xwaz- v.t. to want, to ask for xweş nice, pleasant, good; ~bûn f success; ~hal pleased, happy; ~haliya xwe gotin to express one’s pleasure; ~ik nice, pretty; ~î f pleasure xwey = xwe xweya = xuya

xweyî = xwedî; ~ kirin v.t. to raise (animals) xwezî would that, I wish (+ past conditional); ~tî f desire, wish xwê f salt; sweat xwêdan v.t. to sweat xwişk f sister xwî m habit, disposition xwîn f blood; ~egoşt flesh and blood; ~dar bloody; ~germ fervent; ~germî f fervor; ~şêrîn likeable xwîsgirtî damp xwîzî f spit, saliva xwûşk (dial. var.) = xwişk ya fem. sing. construct extender; bi ~ te in your opinion yadê (voc. only) mother yan or; ~ … ~ either … or ya‘nî that is, i.e. yar m friend ya rebî O Lord! yek one; ~ bûn v.i. to be united; ~bûyî united; ~dengî f unanimity; ~dest of one piece; ~ejmar singular; ~emîn first; ~îtî f unity; ~îtiya Neteweyan the League of Nations; ~netewetî f uninationalism, monoethnicity; ~ser direct; ~ta peerless, without equal yekser right away, immediately yê masc. sing. construct extender yên pl. construct extender YNK = Yekîtîya Nîştîmanperwerên Kurdistanê Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) yunan Greek zabit m (obl zêbit) m officer zaf (dial. var.) = zehf zalim m tyrant, unjust zang sheer (cliff) ??? zanîn v.t. to know (neg. present nízanim, past (dí)zanibûm, subj. bízanibim); ~ bi to know about: xelk bi

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KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY siyasetê nizanin the people don’t know anything about politics zana = zane zane learned, wise; ~bûn f wisdom; zanyarî f knowledge zar m language; ~ava m dialect; ~şêrîn well-spoken, articulate zaro small, young, m/f youngster; ~k child; ~katî, ~ktî, ~tî f youth, childhood zarîn v.i. to wail, lament zar û zêç (pl) kids zava m bridegroom zayin f birth zehf many, lots of, very, very much zehmet f trouble; ~ kişandin v.t. to have difficulty, go to trouble, be bothered; ~î f ditto; ~kêş worker, laborer ze‘îf weak, skinny zelal clear, limpid; ~ kirin v.t. to make clear, clarify zelam = zilam zeliqandin v.t. to stick zeliqîn v.i. to stick zelûl m despondent zeman m time, era zemzelîlk f icicle ??? zend f forearm zengal m/f legging ??? zengil m bell; ~ê telefonê telephone call; li ~ê dêrî xistin to ring the doorbell zengîn rich; ~î f wealth zer yellow; ~atî f yellowness; ~bûyî yellowed; ~ û zinar “nooks and crannies” zerar f detriment, loss Zerdeşt Zoroaster zevî f land, field zewac f marriage zewicîn bi … re v.i. to get married to zewq m delight zexim strong, sound; zexmî f strength zêbit → zabit

zêc hide ??? zêde much, a lot; ~ bûn v.i. to increase; ~ kirin v.t. to increase zêr m gold; ~în golden zêrbenî ??? zêrekî f cleverness, intelligence zihniyet f mentality zik m belly; ~ekî têr xwarin v.t. to eat to one’s fill; ~makî native, inborn zilam m man, guy, fellow ziliandin → ve-ziliandin zilik straw zilim f injustice, tyranny ziman m (obl zimên) language, tongue; bi ~ anîn v.t. to give voice to, express; ~van linguist; ~vanî f linguistics zinar m (obl. zinêr) rock zing ??? zingar f rust; ~girtî rusty, rusted; ~ girtin v.t. to rust, get rusty zincîr f chain, bond zindan f prison zindî alive, energetic, lively ziving f cave zivistan f winter zirav slender, slight zivir twisted, knotted zivirandin zivirîn- v.t. to turn around, turn back; çavên xwe ~ ji … de to turn one’s eyes away from …, avert one’s gaze from … zivirîn zivir- v.i. to turn, go/come back, turn around, wander ziwa dry zixim (dial. var.) = zexim zîn zê- v.i. to live, come to life zîre cumin zîrek clever zîtbûyî ??? zîv m silver zîvalzîvalî ??? zîving = ziving zîvironekî sandy, dusty

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KURMANJI KURDISH zman = ziman zolilk blossom, bloom zor f force; ~ dan v.t. to force, compel; ~ kirin v.t. to use force; bi (destê) ~ê by force; ~betî f oppressiveness; ~dar forceful, oppressive; ~darî f oppression; ~destî f force, pressure; ~kirin f violence zozan m summer pasture, meadow zuha (dial. var.) = ziwa zuk f prominent, obvious zulf m/f tress, lock (of hair) ??? zulum = zilim zurne f clarion; ~van m clarion player

zû quick, fast, soon, early; ~ an dereng sooner or later; ~ be ~ very quickly; ~ de (+ pres. perf.) for a long time: zû de ye me hev û du neditiye we haven’t seen each other for a long time; ~bîrbirî f quick thinking; ~ka, ~~ka hurriedly, hastily, quickly; ~kanî f haste: zûkaniya te çi ye? what’s your hurry?; ~ ve for a long time, since long; ji ~ de from early on zûrezûr f howling zûrîn v.i. to howl zûr man v.i. to be lost

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