Pêvek:kurdî-inglîzî1

A

• a = ya; bi ~ in the opinion of: bi a min in my opinion
• abadîn eternal
• aborî economic, financial; f economy; ~zan economist
• ‘aciz helpless, unable to cope (ji with): ez ji kêzikan zehf aciz im I am utterly incapable of coping with bugs
• Adar f March
• ‘adet f custom; ~î ordinary
• aferîde m creature
• aferîn bravo; ~ ji … re good for …
• afirandin v.t. to create
• afîş f poster
• aga aware (li of)
• agadarî f information, announcement;
• awareness
• agah = aga
• agahdarî = agadarî
• agir m (obl. êgir) fire; ~ danîn bi to set fire to
• agirî f Ağrı, in extreme eastern Turkey
• aheng f tune, tone
• ajotin ajo- v.t. to drive (vehicle); to pass, last (of time): pir neajotibû ku… not much time had passed before…, vê bêdangiya han heta sala 1980 ajot this silence lasted until the year 1980; ~ ser to attack
• al (1) side
• al (2) f flag, banner
• al (3) red
• ala flag, banner
• al’al tulip
• alandin v.t. to twist
• alastin alês- v.t. to lick
• alaş thatch; ~kirî thatched
• alav f flame
• alayî f troop, regiment
• alet m instrument, tool
• alês- → alastin
• alfabe f alphabet
• ‘alim m scholar
• alî (1) m side, part; bi her ~yê ve in every direction; dan ~yekî v.t. to put aside, to draw to one side; ji ~yekî / ji ~kî on the one hand; ji ~yê din on the other hand; ji ~yê … ve by (passive agent), on the part of
• alî (2), arî f help; ~kar helping, helpful; ~karî f help, support; ~karî kirin v.t. to help: min alîkariya wî dikir I used to help him
• ‘alî (3) supreme
• alîkar partisan; ~î kirin v.t. to take s.o.’s part, be partisan
• alînegir neutral
• alman German; ~ya f Germany
• aloz scattered, random
• amade ready; ~ kirin v.t. to make ready; xwe ~ kirin f to get oneself 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

• b- → birin, bûn
• ba1 m (obl bê) wind
• ba2 m turn
• ba3 (prep.) with, in front of, in the presence of; li ~ with, chez
• ba4 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
• belavê nav … bûn v.i. to spread out through
• belediye f municipality
• belek speckled, spotted
• 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
• ber birth, pregnant
• 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 available
• berdestk servant
• berdewam continual(ly), constant(ly); ~ kirin v.t. to continue
• berdêl f equivalent; ji ~a instead of
• berdêlk = berdêl; bi ~ equivalent in value
• berê before, earlier
• 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
• 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 human being
• 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
• 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
• 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. Syriaand 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
• biriqîn 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 (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.

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
• 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

• 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, 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

D

• 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

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 ~

KURMANJI KURDISH 206 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 KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 207 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 KURMANJI KURDISH 208

• 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-

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 209 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

E

• 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

KURMANJI KURDISH 210

• 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

Ê

• 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

F

• 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-

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 211

• 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

G

• 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 …

KURMANJI KURDISH 212 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 213

• 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

KURMANJI KURDISH 214

• guvahî f testimony
• guvaştin (dial. var.) = givaştin
• guveguv (dial. var.) = givegiv

H

• 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 215 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 nahesibînin 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

KURMANJI KURDISH 216

• 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 ~ vigorously,

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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 217 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 KURMANJI KURDISH 218

• 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)

I, Î

• 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
• Îngilîstanngilîstan 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

J

• jahr (dial. var.) = jehr
• 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

• 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; ~emêr

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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• kef2 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

• kURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY

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• kêr1 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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• 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

L

• 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 223

• 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

M

• ma interrogative particle: with affirma-

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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 225

• 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

• 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

N

• 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 227

• 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 discontentment
• 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
• 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
• nûjen = nujen
• nûner representative
• nY = Neteweyên Yekbûyî the United
• nations

O

• 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

P

• 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

• 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 231

• 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-

KURMANJI KURDISH 232 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)

Q

• 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 KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 233

• 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 KURMANJI KURDISH 234

• 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

R

• 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

• 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 KURMANJI KURDISH 236

• 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 …

S

• 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 237

• 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

KURMANJI KURDISH 238

• 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

Ş

• 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 239

• 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

KURMANJI KURDISH 240 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

T

• 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 241

• 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- 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

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

U

• 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

V

• 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 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)

W

• 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

• 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

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
• 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

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

Y

• 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

Z

• 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 KURMANJI KURDISH 248 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

KURDISH-ENGLISH VOCABULARY 249

• 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