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Kurdish for free
Why learn Kurdish?
Kurdish is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
Kurdish is written in the Latin (Kurmanji) script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Kurdish is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Kurdish belongs to the Indo-European (Iranian) family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Persian or Pashto.
50 essential Kurdish words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Kurdish sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ez | ez | I |
| 2 | tu | too | you |
| 3 | ew | ehw | he / she |
| 4 | em | em | we |
| 5 | hûn | hoon | you |
| 6 | ev | ev | this |
| 7 | çi | chee | what |
| 8 | kî | kee | who |
| 9 | na | nah | no |
| 10 | û | oo | and |
| 11 | an | ahn | or |
| 12 | lê | leh | but |
| 13 | di | dee | in |
| 14 | bi | bee | with |
| 15 | yek | yek | one |
| 16 | du | doo | two |
| 17 | mezin | meh-ZIN | big |
| 18 | biçûk | bee-CHOOK | small |
| 19 | baş | bahsh | good |
| 20 | nû | noo | new |
| 21 | mirov | mee-ROHV | person |
| 22 | av | ahv | water |
| 23 | roj | rohzh | day |
| 24 | sal | sahl | year |
| 25 | dem | dem | time |
| 26 | mal | mahl | house |
| 27 | kar | kahr | work |
| 28 | jiyan | zhee-YAHN | life |
| 29 | peyv | payv | word |
| 30 | bûn | boon | be |
| 31 | hebûn | heh-BOON | have |
| 32 | kirin | kuh-RIN | do |
| 33 | gotin | goh-TIN | say |
| 34 | zanîn | zah-NEEN | know |
| 35 | dîtin | dee-TIN | see |
| 36 | çûn | choon | go |
| 37 | hatin | hah-TIN | come |
| 38 | dan | dahn | give |
| 39 | girtin | gir-TIN | take |
| 40 | xwestin | khwes-TIN | want |
| 41 | xwarin | khwah-RIN | eat |
| 42 | vexwarin | veh-khwah-RIN | to drink |
| 43 | niha | nee-HAH | now |
| 44 | vir | vir | here |
| 45 | wir | wir | there |
| 46 | çima | chee-MAH | why |
| 47 | hemû | heh-MOO | all |
| 48 | gelek | geh-LEK | many |
| 49 | îro | EE-roh | today |
| 50 | sibe | sih-BEH | tomorrow |
Useful phrases in Kurdish
- Silav · SEE-lav · Hello / Good day
- Tu çawa yî? · too CHAH-wah yee · How are you?
- Spas · spas · Thank you
- Ji kerema xwe · zhee ke-REH-mah khweh · Please
- Navê min... e · na-VEH min ... eh · My name is...
- ... li ku ye? · lee koo yeh · Where is...?
- Bi xatirê te · bee khah-tee-REH teh · Goodbye
- Bibore · bee-BOH-reh · Excuse me
- Ez fêm nakim · ez FAYM NAH-keem · I don't understand
- Tu dikarî alîkariya min bikî? · too dee-kah-REE ah-lee-kah-REE-yah meen bee-KEE · Can you help me?
- Ev bi çend e? · ev bee CHEND eh · How much is it?
- Sibê em hev bibînin! · see-BEH em hev bee-BEE-neen · See you tomorrow!
Learn Kurdish with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Kurdish, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Kurdish learning community
Collaborate with native Kurdish speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Kurdish online · Create an online Kurdish school · Build a Kurdish curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Kurdish
How difficult is it to learn Kurdish?
How difficult Kurdish is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Kurdish is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Kurdish?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Kurdish?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Kurdish within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 30 million people across 1 countries speak Kurdish, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Kurdish vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Kurdish pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Kurdish pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Kurdish speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Kurdish alphabet first?
If Kurdish uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.