Language/Central-kurdish/Grammar/Common-Prepositions

◀️ Directions and Locations — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Common Conjunctions ▶️

Central Kurdish → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Common Prepositions

Welcome to the lesson on Common Prepositions in Central Kurdish! Understanding prepositions is essential for anyone looking to express relationships between objects, people, and locations. They may seem small, but they pack a punch when it comes to constructing meaningful sentences. In this lesson, we will explore how to use common prepositions such as "in", "on", "at", and many more in Central Kurdish. By the end of this lesson, you will feel more comfortable using these essential words in your conversations and writings.

Before we dive in, let’s outline what you can expect in this lesson:

• Introduction to Prepositions: What they are and why they're important.

• Common Prepositions: A comprehensive list with examples.

• Practice Exercises: To reinforce your understanding and application of the prepositions.

Introduction to Prepositions

Prepositions are words that help us express various relationships in our sentences. They can indicate time, place, direction, and more. In Central Kurdish, mastering prepositions will elevate your language skills and help you communicate more effectively. Each preposition can change the meaning of a sentence significantly, so it's crucial to use them correctly.

Common Prepositions

In this section, we will cover some of the most commonly used prepositions in Central Kurdish. Here is a list of prepositions we will explore:

• لە (la) - in

• سەر (sar) - on

• لەگەڵ (legel) - with

• بەر (ber) - in front of

• ژێر (jêr) - under

• بەرەو (berêw) - towards

• لای (lay) - beside

• بەرز (berz) - above

• نێوان (newan) - between

• بەوە (bawa) - from

Let's take a closer look at each one with examples.

Preposition: لە (la) - in

This preposition indicates a location within something.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
لە ماڵەوە	la malawa	in the house
لە کلاسی زانکۆدا	la klasi zankoda	in the university classroom
لە پارکەوە	la parkawe	in the park

Preposition: سەر (sar) - on

Used to indicate placement on a surface.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
سەر میزە	sar miza	on the table
سەر کەشەیە	sar kasha	on the wall
سەر بەرزە	sar berza	on the roof

Preposition: لەگەڵ (legel) - with

This preposition shows companionship or association.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
لەگەڵ هاورامان	legel hawraman	with my friend
لەگەڵ خانووە	legel xanuwe	with family
لەگەڵ کەسەکان	legel kesekan	with the people

Preposition: بەر (ber) - in front of

Indicates something located at the front.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
بەر فەرمیسکە	ber fermiska	in front of the supermarket
بەر پەنجەرە	ber penjere	in front of the window
بەر کەسە	ber kesa	in front of the person

Preposition: ژێر (jêr) - under

Used to describe something that is below or beneath.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
ژێر مەزگەوتە	jêr mezgawta	under the mosque
ژێر کەشە	jêr kasha	under the table
ژێر پەردە	jêr perde	under the curtain

Preposition: بەرەو (berêw) - towards

Indicates direction or movement in a specific direction.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
بەرەو زانکۆ	berêw zankô	towards the university
بەرەو پەنجەرە	berêw penjere	towards the window
بەرەو شەنگە	berêw shanga	towards the city

Preposition: لای (lay) - beside

This preposition indicates proximity or being next to something.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
لای ماڵەوە	lay malawa	beside the house
لای کەسە	lay kesa	beside the person
لای سەرپەرشتیار	lay sarparishtiyar	beside the teacher

Preposition: بەرز (berz) - above

Describes something that is higher or over another object.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
بەرز لە ماڵەوە	berz la malawa	above the house
بەرز لە شەنگە	berz la shanga	above the city
بەرز لە بەرەوە	berz la berawa	above the mountains

Preposition: نێوان (newan) - between

Indicates a position that is in the middle of two objects.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
نێوان ماڵەکان	newan malakan	between the houses
نێوان شەنگە و هەولێر	newan shanga u hawler	between the city and Hewlêr
نێوان کەسەکان	newan kesekan	between the people

Preposition: بەوە (bawa) - from

This preposition indicates the origin or source.

Central Kurdish	Pronunciation	English
بەوە کوردستان	bawa Kurdistan	from Kurdistan
بەوە ئیشکرا	bawa ishkra	from work
بەوە زانکۆ	bawa zankô	from the university

Practice Exercises

Now that we've explored these common prepositions, it's time to practice using them! Below are some exercises designed to reinforce your understanding.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct preposition from the list.

• 1. من لە ___ ماڵەوە.

• 2. پەنجەرە لە ___ کەشە.

• 3. من لەگەڵ ___ هاورامان.

• 4. بەرەو ___ زانکۆ.

• 5. کەسە لای ___ کەسە.

• 6. بەرز لە ___ شەنگە.

• 7. نێوان ___ کەسەکان.

• 8. من بەوە ___ ئیشکرا.

Answers:

1. لە (la) - in

2. سەر (sar) - on

3. لەگەڵ (legel) - with

4. بەرەو (berêw) - towards

5. لای (lay) - beside

6. بەرز (berz) - above

7. نێوان (newan) - between

8. بەوە (bawa) - from

Exercise 2: Matching Exercise

Match the Central Kurdish sentences with their English translations.

• A. لە ماڵەوە

• B. سەر میزە

• C. لەگەڵ خانووە

• D. بەر فەرمیسکە

• E. ژێر پەردە

1. in the house

2. beside the table

3. with family

4. in front of the supermarket

5. under the curtain

Answers:

A - 1

B - 2

C - 3

D - 4

E - 5

Exercise 3: Sentence Construction

Construct meaningful sentences using the given prepositions.

• 1. لە (la), پارک (park) - in the park

• 2. سەر (sar), مۆبایل (mobile) - on the mobile

• 3. لەگەڵ (legel), فامیل (family) - with family

• 4. بەر (ber), کەس (person) - in front of the person

• 5. ژێر (jêr), مېز (table) - under the table

Answers:

1. من لە پارکەوە مەن.

2. مۆبایل سەر میزه.

3. من لەگەڵ فامیلم.

4. بەر کەسێک منی.

5. ژێر مېزە.

Exercise 4: True/False Statements

Read the statements and decide whether they are true or false.

• 1. لە (la) means "above." (False)

• 2. سەر (sar) is used for "under." (False)

• 3. لەگەڵ (legel) means "with." (True)

• 4. بەر (ber) means "behind." (False)

• 5. نێوان (newan) means "between." (True)

Exercise 5: Sentence Translation

Translate the following sentences into Central Kurdish.

• 1. I am in the house.

• 2. The book is on the table.

• 3. She is with her friend.

• 4. The cat is under the chair.

• 5. They are going towards the market.

Answers:

1. من لە ماڵەوە مەن.

2. پەڕە لە سەر میزه.

3. ئەو لەگەڵ هاورامانە.

4. پشکا ژێر کەشەیە.

5. ئەوان بەرەو بازار دەچن.

Exercise 6: Preposition Identification

Identify the prepositions used in the following sentences.

• 1. من لە پارکەوە مەن.

• 2. پەنجەرە لە سەر کەشە.

• 3. لەگەڵ فامیلەکان.

• 4. بەر فەرمیسکە.

• 5. ژێر پەردە.

Answers:

1. لە (la)

2. لە (la), سەر (sar)

3. لەگەڵ (legel)

4. بەر (ber)

5. ژێر (jêr)

Exercise 7: Compose Your Own Sentences

Use at least three different prepositions to create a sentence about your daily routine.

Example Answer: من لە ماڵەوە مەن، لەگەڵ فامیلەکان و بەر زانکۆ دەچم.

Exercise 8: Fill in the Prepositions

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate prepositions from the list provided.

• 1. من بەرەو ___ زانکۆ دەچم.

• 2. پشکا ژێر ___ کەشەیە.

• 3. من لەگەڵ ___ خەمڵیە.

• 4. سەر ___ میزه بم.

Answers:

1. زانکۆ

2. کەشە

3. خەمڵی

4. میزه

Exercise 9: Create a Dialog

Create a short dialog using at least five prepositions from this lesson.

Example Dialog:

• A: کەسە لای پەنجەرە دەردەخات. (The person is beside the window.)

• B: من لە ماڵەوە مەن. (I am in the house.)

Exercise 10: Group Activity

In pairs, create a mini skit that incorporates at least ten prepositions from today's lesson. Perform it for the class.

At the end of this lesson, you should have a solid understanding of common prepositions in Central Kurdish and how to use them effectively in your sentences. Keep practicing, and you will see significant improvement in your language skills!

Table of Contents - Central Kurdish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Greetings

• Introduction to Greetings
• Polite Expressions

  ---

Pronouns and Nouns

• Subject Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Counting

• Numbers 1-10
• Ordinal Numbers

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Forming Simple Sentences
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Time and Dates

• Days of the Week
• Months and Seasons

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Food Items
• Dining and Ordering

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Common Conjunctions

  ---

Housing and Accommodations

• Types of Housing
• Household Items

  ---

Central Kurdish Culture and Society

• Kurdish Traditions and Customs
• Kurdish Family and Social Structure

Other Lessons

• Present Tense
• Forming Simple Sentences
• Past Tense
• Questions
• Subject Pronouns
• Common Conjunctions
• Future Tense
• Gender
• How to Use Be

◀️ Directions and Locations — Previous Lesson

Next Lesson — Common Conjunctions ▶️