Directions

1. Li ku derê istasyon heye?

   Li ku de-rê is-tas-yon he-ye?

   Where is the station?

   Usage

   Looking for a transport station or stop.

   Grammar Note

   "heye" is the existential verb meaning "there is/it exists".

2. Rast here û paşê ber bi çepê ve vegere.

   Rast he-re û pa-şê ber bi çe-pê ve ve-ge-re.

   Go straight ahead and then turn to the left.

   Usage

   Standard phrase for giving directions.

   Grammar Note

   "ber bi ... ve" is a compound directional construction meaning "towards".

3. Ev rê çend kîlometreyan e?

   Ev rê çend kî-lo-met-re-yan e?

   How many kilometres is this road?

   Usage

   Asking about the distance along a road.

   Grammar Note

   "çend" is the interrogative for quantity, equivalent to "how many/how much".

4. Li ber mescîdê ber bi rastê ve here.

   Li ber mes-cî-dê ber bi ras-tê ve he-re.

   Turn to the right near the mosque.

   Usage

   Using a mosque as a landmark for directions in Kurdish areas.

   Grammar Note

   "here" is the imperative of "çûn" (to go), used in directional commands.

5. Tu dikarî navnîşana vê derê ji min re bibêjî?

   Tu di-ka-rî nav-nî-şa-na vê de-rê ji min re bi-bê-jî?

   Can you tell me the address of this place?

   Usage

   Asking for the address of a specific location.

   Grammar Note

   "ji min re" is the indirect object "to me". "Can you …" is "tu dikarî" plus a subjunctive; "Karibe" is not a form of karîn.

6. Nexşeya bajêr li min tuneye.

   Nex-şe-ya ba-jêr li min tu-ne-ye.

   I do not have a city map.

   Usage

   Indicating you don't have a map and may need help.

   Grammar Note

   "li min tuneye" means "I don't have it" literally "not existing with me".

7. Otêla min li nêzî golê ye.

   O-tê-la min li nê-zî go-lê ye.

   My hotel is near the lake.

   Usage

   Explaining your hotel location using a landmark.

   Grammar Note

   "li nêzî" is a prepositional phrase meaning "near/close to".

8. Çiqas dem digire ku em bigihîjin?

   Çi-qas dem di-gi-re ku em bi-gi-hî-jin?

   How long does it take to arrive?

   Usage

   Asking how long the journey will take.

   Grammar Note

   Duration is "çiqas dem digire ku …". "tê bigire" stacks the passive tê on the subjunctive bigire and is not a valid form.

9. Riya herî kurt kîjan e?

   Ri-ya he-rî kurt kî-jan e?

   What is the shortest route?

   Usage

   Asking for the shortest or most direct route.

   Grammar Note

   "herî" forms the superlative. The word for a road is rê (feminine, riya with the ezafe); rêbaz means "method/procedure" and cannot mean a road. "Shortest" is herî kurt

10. Ez winda bûm. Ji kerema xwe alîkariya min bike.

    Ez win-da bûm. Ji ke-re-ma xwe a-lî-ka-ri-ya min bi-ke.

    I got lost. Please help me.

    Usage

    Emergency phrase for when you are lost and need help.

    Grammar Note

    "bûm" is the past tense of the copula "bûn" (to be/become): "I became".

11. Milê rastê

    Right

    Usage

    One word is faster in a taxi; "rast" alone can also mean straight, so use "milê rastê"

12. Milê çepê

    Left

    Usage

    One word travels faster than a sentence inside a taxi

13. Rasterast

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    One word travels faster than a sentence inside a taxi

14. Vegere

    Go back

    Usage

    For telling a driver you have gone too far

15. Li vir raweste!

    Stop here

    Usage

    Show it to a driver where you want to get out

16. Bakur

    North

    Usage

    For matching against a map or a road sign

17. Başûr

    South

    Usage

    For matching against a map or a road sign

18. Rojhilat

    East

    Usage

    For matching against a map or a road sign

19. Rojava

    West

    Usage

    For matching against a map or a road sign

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