Useful Phrases

1. Min ev serîlêdan çêkir

   Min ev se-rî-lê-dan çê-kir

   I made this app

   Usage

   Introduce the app in Kurdish (Kurmanji)

   Grammar Note

   Kurmanji uses an ergative construction in the transitive past: the agent is the oblique min, the object is the nominative ev serîlêdan, and the verb agrees with the object — çêkir. "Ez … çêkirim" reads as "I was made"

2. Ev serîlêdan belaş e

   Ev se-rî-lê-dan be-laş e

   This app is free

   Usage

   Explain the app is free

   Grammar Note

   "Belaş" means "free of charge" in Kurdish Kurmanji

3. Ji kerema xwe wê daxe

   Please try downloading it

   Usage

   Encourage someone to download the app

   Grammar Note

   The 2sg imperative of daxistin (to bring down / download) is daxe, and the object takes the oblique wê. "Biceribîne daxistinê" puts an oblique verbal noun after an imperative and is not a sentence

4. Ez Japonî me

   I'm Japanese

   Usage

   Introduce your nationality

   Grammar Note

   "-î" is the Kurdish suffix for nationality and origin

5. Ez gerok im

   I'm a traveler

   Usage

   Identify yourself as a traveler

   Grammar Note

   "Gerok" means "wanderer/traveler" in Kurdish

6. Ez bi tenê gerok im

   I'm traveling alone

   Usage

   Tell others you are traveling solo

   Grammar Note

   "Bi" (by/with) + "tenê" (alone/only) = "bi tenê" (by oneself/alone)

7. Ev cara yekem e ku ez tême

   It's my first time here

   Usage

   Express that this is your first visit

   Grammar Note

   "Cara" (time/occasion) + "yekem" (first) = "cara yekem" (first time)

8. Destûr heye ku wêneyê bigrim?

   Des-tûr he-ye ku wê-ne-yê big-rim?

   May I take a photo?

   Usage

   Ask for permission to take a photo

   Grammar Note

   "Destûr" (permission) + "heye" (is there?) = "is there permission?" — asking for permission

9. Em dikarin bi hev re wêne bigirin?

   Shall we take a photo together?

   Usage

   Suggest taking a photo together

   Grammar Note

   "Bi hev re" (with each other/together) is the Kurdish phrase for "together"

10. Ji kerema xwe koda QR-ê bixwîne

    Please scan the QR code

    Usage

    Ask someone to scan the QR code

    Grammar Note

    "Ji kerema xwe" (from your kindness) is the Kurdish polite "please"

11. Xapandina min neke!

    Xa-pan-di-na min ne-ke!

    Don't cheat me / Stop ripping me off

    Usage

    Used informally when you feel cheated or overcharged

    Grammar Note

    "Neke" is the Kurdish prohibitive imperative. "Xapandin" is the verb "to cheat/deceive"

12. Min biçûk nebîne!

    Min bi-çûk ne-bî-ne!

    Don't underestimate me / Don't look down on me

    Usage

    Used informally when someone is being dismissive or disrespectful toward you

    Grammar Note

    "Biçûk bîn" = "see as small." The "ne-" prefix creates a negative imperative. Lit. "Don't see me as small"

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