Language/Northern-kurdish/Grammar/Negation
Hi Northern Kurdish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will explore the topic of negation in Northern Kurdish. Understanding negation is crucial for effective communication in any language. We will cover different ways of negating sentences, including the use of negative words, the negation of verbs, and the use of the word "no".
Negating Sentences with Negative Words
In Northern Kurdish, you can create a negative sentence by using negative words such as "ne" and "naxwe". These words are used before the verb to negate the sentence. Here are some examples:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ez nezanin. | [ez ne-zanin] | I don't know. |
| Tu naxwest. | [tu na-xwest] | You don't want. |
| Gelêrî nezanin. | [gelêrî ne-zanin] | They don't know. |
In the first example, "nezanin" means "don't know". Adding "ne" before it creates a negative sentence. Similarly, "naxwest" means "don't want" and "nezanin" here indicates "don't know".
Negating Verbs
Another way to negate sentences in Northern Kurdish is by negating the verb itself. You can do this by adding "ne" before the verb. This is also known as the negative conjugation of verbs. Here are some examples:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Min hezkirina wî nekir. | [min hez-ki-ri-na wî ne-kir] | I didn't like him. |
| Tu hezkirinana nakin. | [tu hez-ki-ri-na-na na-kin] | You don't like them. |
| Wî yekser çalakiyan nagirt. | [wî ye-ks-er cha-la-kî-yan na-girt] | He didn't do any work. |
In the first example, we added "ne" before the verb "kir" to negate it, creating a negative sentence. Similarly, "nakin" means "don't like it" and "nagirt" here indicates "didn't do".
Using "No" in Northern Kurdish
In Northern Kurdish, you can negate a sentence by simply using the word "no". This is similar to English. Here are some examples:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tu tünayî no. | [tu tû-na-yî no] | You're not right. |
| No, min wekî te naxwazin. | [no, min wekî te na-xwe-zin] | No, I don't want to be like you. |
| Wî qut nayê. | [wî qut na-yê] | He's not coming. |
In the first example, "no" is added at the end of the sentence to negate it. Similarly, "naxwazin" means "don't want" and "nayê" here indicates "not coming".
Dialogue
- Person 1: Tu carinan bala xwe diçîne rûyê min. (Sometimes you look at me.)
- Person 2: Na. Ez hemî carinan bala xwe negirêjim. (No. I don't always look at you.)
- Person 1: Min pirtirîn kesekî jê re nezane. (I don't know anyone better than him.)
- Person 2: Wusa ye. (It's like that.)
- Person 1: Tu pirrî rindî nezani. (You don't know much about music.)
- Person 2: Ne, ez pirrî rindî dizanim. (No, I know a lot about music.)
How to Practice
To improve your Northern Kurdish Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
You can also practice by reading and listening to Northern Kurdish texts and watching videos. The more you practice, the more confident you will become in using negation in Northern Kurdish.