Language/Northern-kurdish/Grammar/Interrogative-Pronouns
As a Northern Kurdish language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the use of interrogative pronouns in Northern Kurdish. This lesson is part of the larger course titled "Complete 0 to A1 Northern Kurdish Course" and is designed for complete beginners who aim to learn the Northern Kurdish language and reach an A1 level.
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about things, people, places, or time. They are used to find out information when we do not already know, and thus, their proper use is crucial in having a successful conversation.
In Northern Kurdish, there are four interrogative pronouns:
Interrogative pronouns
Ke
Ke is used to ask questions about people. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "who". Here is an example table:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ke ye? | kɛ jɛ | Who is it? |
| Ke e? | kɛ ɛ | Who are you? |
| Ke heye? | kɛ hɛjɛ | Who is there? |
To ask about someone's profession or occupation, we use the phrase "Ke Kar dikin?" which means "What do you do for a living?"
Çi
Çi is used to ask questions about things, objects, or ideas. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "what". Here is an example table:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Çi ye? | ʧi jɛ | What is it? |
| Çi e? | ʧi ɛ | What is this? |
| Çi baş e? | ʧi baʃ ɛ | What is good? |
To ask about someone's plans or activities, we use the phrase "Çi plan in?" which means "What are your plans?"
Kiriye
Kiriye is the Northern Kurdish equivalent of "which". It is used to ask questions about options or choices. Here is an example table:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kiriye ye? | kirijɛ jɛ | Which one is it? |
| Kiriye e? | kirijɛ ɛ | Which one is this? |
| Kiriye baş e? | kirijɛ baʃ ɛ | Which one is good? |
To ask about someone's preferences or choices, we use the phrase "Kiriye dizanin?" which means "Which one do you know?"
Keyfîyat
Keyfîyat is used to ask questions about the condition of things, people, or places. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "how". Here is an example table:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Keyfîyat e? | kɛjfiːjat ɛ | How is it? |
| Keyfîyat heye? | kɛjfiːjat hɛjɛ | How is it there? |
To ask about someone's well-being, we use the phrase "Keyfîyatê te çawa ye?" which means "How are you?"
In conclusion, interrogative pronouns are essential elements in Northern Kurdish conversations. Learning how to use them correctly will help you ask questions with ease and successfully communicate with others. Practice using them through conversation and use the examples in the tables to make yourself more familiar with their usage.
Don't forget to check out the previous lessons on the A1 course, covering topics such as Northern Kurdish greetings, noun and adjective declension, verb conjugation, and Northern Kurdish customs and traditions.