Language/Northern-kurdish/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be
Hi Northern Kurdish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will cover how to use "Be" in Northern Kurdish. "Be" is an important verb in any language, and it has its own set of rules in Northern Kurdish. In addition, we will learn cultural information and interesting facts about Northern Kurdish.
Before we start, make sure you have a basic understanding of Grammar in Northern Kurdish.
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Negation & Future Tense.
The Basics[edit | edit source]
"Be" in Northern Kurdish is "هەڵدە" (helde). It is a copula verb, which means it links the subject of a sentence to a noun or an adjective. In English, "Be" is often used as "am," "is," or "are."
Here are some examples:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ئێوە هەڵدات | Ev heldata | He is happy. |
| شوێنەکە هەڵدە | Shwanak helde | The place is beautiful. |
| هەمووەکان هەڵدەن | Hemûakan helden | They are all here. |
In these examples, "Be" is used to link the subject (he, the place, they all) to an adjective (happy, beautiful), or a noun (here).
The Present Tense[edit | edit source]
To use "Be" in the present tense, you can simply add the appropriate form of "Be" to the subject. Here are the different forms:
| Person | Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | Ez hêldim | Ez heldim | I am |
| 2nd singular (informal) | Tu hêldî | Tu heldi | You are |
| 2nd singular (formal) | Hûn hêldin | Hun heldin | You are |
| 3rd singular | Ew hêlde | Ev helde | He/She/It is |
| 1st plural | Em hêldin | Em heldin | We are |
| 2nd plural | Hûn hêlde | Hun helde | You are |
| 3rd plural | Ew hêl’din | Ev heldin | They are |
Here is an example dialogue:
- Person 1: هەڵداوە! (Heldaw!) – You are beautiful!
- Person 2: سوپاس (Supas) – Thank you!
Sometimes, Northern Kurdish prefers to drop the verb "Be" in the present tense to make a sentence more concise. For example:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ئەو بەشی تەرۆ فیلیمیە | Ew bexşî tero filmiye | That's your favorite movie. |
| بەردەست دەکات | Berdest dekat | It fits perfectly. |
Here, "is" is omitted in Northern Kurdish, and the sentences are still grammatically correct.
The Past Tense[edit | edit source]
To use "Be" in the past tense, you can add the appropriate past tense form of "Be" to the subject. Here are the different forms:
| Person | Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | Ez helam | Ez helam | I was |
| 2nd singular (informal) | Tu holdî | Tu holdi | You were |
| 2nd singular (formal) | Hûn helandin | Hun helandin | You were |
| 3rd singular | Ew helaya | Ev helaya | He/She/It was |
| 1st plural | Em helan | Em helan | We were |
| 2nd plural | Hûn helayîn | Hun helayin | You were |
| 3rd plural | Ew helan | Ev helan | They were |
Here are some examples:
- Person 1: دەروازە چاوەڕوانە (Derwaze chawrewane) -- The door was open.
- Person 2: بەڵێ! (Bele!) -- Really!
The Future Tense[edit | edit source]
To use "Be" in the future tense, you can add the appropriate auxiliary verb with the infinitive of "Be" to the subject. Here are the different forms:
| Person | Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | Ez wê helbim | Ez we helbim | I will be |
| 2nd singular (informal) | Tu wê helbî | Tu we helbi | You will be |
| 2nd singular (formal) | Hûn wê helbin | Hun we helbin | You will be |
| 3rd singular | Ew wê helbe | Ev we helbe | He/She/It will be |
| 1st plural | Em wê helbin | Em we helbin | We will be |
| 2nd plural | Hûn wê helbin | Hun we helbin | You will be |
| 3rd plural | Ew wê helbin | Ev we helbin | They will be |
Here are some examples:
- Person 1: وەکو ڕۆژەکارەکە (Weko rozhkarek) – I will be like a worker.
- Person 2: ئەوە قۆناغەکەی دەبێت (Ewe qonaghekî debet) – That will be your new bag.
Interesting Facts[edit | edit source]
Northern Kurdish is also known as Kurmanji. It is a dialect of the Kurdish language spoken by about 20 million people in Kurdistan and Turkey. Northern Kurdish is written in the Latin alphabet and has its own rich culture with literature, music, and traditions.
One of the unique things about Northern Kurdish is that it has a rich tradition of storytelling. Many Kurdish stories and legends have been passed down orally from generation to generation. Many of these stories have been translated into different languages and have gained a worldwide reputation.
To improve your Northern Kurdish Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎