Kurdistan on the Global Stage

Kurdistan on the Global Stage

Aram Qaradaghy

Compte d’auteur

After tire second gull' war many international humanitarian organizations started tlieir activities in Iraqi Kurdistan, a land and language previously unfamiliar to most of their staff. Naturally when one travels to an unknown land the first tiling of concern will be the tongue 01' tlie people. In such circumstances need of a book to teach foreigners Kurdisli will be eminent. Ver؛' few attempts have been made in tliis direction.
The present book is ...

Contents

Introducing Kurdish Alphabet / 4
Some basic Grammar / 6
Some forms of address / 26
Greetings / 27
Thanks / 28
Request / 28
Sympathy and regret / 29
Apologies / 30
Congratulati / 30
Questions / 31
Some emergency expressions / 32
Some common adjectives / 33
Numerals / 34
Colours / 36
Time / 37
Days of the week / 38
Months / 38
Seasons / 39
Telling time / 39
Arrival / 40
Conversation on the street / 41
In the taxi / 42
Travelling by bus / 44
Making friends / 45
Hotel / 47
Restaurant and foods / 48
Shopping / 54
Conversation in a general shop / 56
Converation at the grocer’s / 57
Conversation at the green grocer’s / 58
Conversation at the diary dealer’s / 60
Conversation at the confectionery’s / 62
Buying clothes / 64
Conversation at the bookshop / 66
At the barber’s / 69
At the laundry / 70
Telephone office / 71
At the photographer’s / 72
Health and disease / 74
Conversation at the clinic / 77
At the optician’s / 78
Familial relations / 79
Talking about your NGO activity / 82
Vocabulary / 85

INTRODUCTION

After tire second gull' war many international humanitarian organizations started tlieir activities in Iraqi Kurdistan, a land and language previously unfamiliar to most of their staff. Naturally when one travels to an unknown land the first tiling of concern will be the tongue 01' tlie people. In such circumstances need of a book to teach foreigners Kurdisli will be eminent. Ver؛' few attempts have been made in tliis direction.

The present book is a phrase book; it aims to provide the reader with the most practical ؛md popular Kurdisli words and sentences. We have tried to cover most daily situations, events and ceremonies and avoid unnecessary ones tmd sopliisticated grammatical rules.

Kurdisli is written mainly in two scripts; Roman and Arabic. Kurds of Turkey use a modified Latin alphabet and Kurds of Iraq and Iran use a modified Arabic Alphabet. The former can be easily remembered by readers familiar with European languages and the latter for readers familiar witli Arabic alphabet.

In this book we depend on botli alpliabets to let the reader choose wliatever is appropriate 1'or liim. It is encouraging to mention that, compared to Englisli. Kurdisli pronunciation is easy and straightforward. Almost all letters give only one sound and are always pronounced. So as soon as you leani the letters you can easily read Kurdish.

Aram Qaradaghy

A like arm, ban؛ c like jack; ç like chair; e like agly, fun; ê like end, hen; i like chin; Î like bee,
Islam; j like French joli; ş like shool; û like baot ooze; X like Gennan nach

Introducing Kurdish Alphabet

The following table shows Kurdish letters in both modified Roman and modified Arabic alphabets with equivalent pronunciation in English sample words:

Kurdish character (Roman) / Kurdish character (Arabic)/ Phonetic pronunciation 
A, a / It / Like a in arm, bad
B. b / ى ٠ ب  / Like b in bed 
c, c / ج'ج / Like j in jack
Ç, ç  / ج'ج / Like ch in chair
D, d / د / Like d in dad
E, e / م٠ذ / Like u in agly, fun
Ê, ê / لى-ى‘-ن / Like e in end, hen
F, f / ف،ذ / Like f in food
G, g / ك.ك / Like gin ،'as
H, h / ه / Like h in /rave
I, I /ى‘ي / Likeا in ch/'n but even shorter
Î٠î / ى‘-ي / Like ee in bee, / in Islam
J, j / ز / Like su in pleaare, French j in joli

A like arm, ban؛ c like jack; ç like chair; e like agly, fun; ê like end, hen; i like chin; Î like bee,
Islam; j like French joli; ş like shool; û like baot ooze; X like Gennan nach

Aram Qaradaghy

Kurdish Phrase Book

Compte d’auteur

Compte d’auteur
Kurdish Phrase Book
A Quick and Easy Way to Learn
Essentials of Kurdish Language
Compiled By
Aram Qaradaghy

Sulaimany
1999

- I To Mrs. Hero Ibrahim Ahmed without whose
support and encouragement this work could not be accomplished.

- « Miss Donna Fntz whose guidance and remarks were indispensable

First Edition,

No part of this book shall be reprinted or
circulated in any form without prior
consent of the autlior.