Forma Pirsê (Question Form)
In Kurdish, there are two main ways to form questions: using question words (who, what, where, when, why, how) or using intonation with yes/no questions. The word order typically remains the same as in statements.
Question Words (Peyvên Pirsê)
| Kurdish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Kî / Kê | Who | Kî ye? (Who is it?) |
| Çi | What | Çi ye? (What is it?) |
| Kû / Li ku | Where | Tu li ku yî? (Where are you?) |
| Kengî | When | Kengî tê? (When are you coming?) |
| Çima / Çi ji bo | Why | Çima tu naçî? (Why don't you go?) |
| Çawa | How | Çawa yî? (How are you?) |
| Çend | How many / How much | Çend e? (How much is it?) |
| Kîjan | Which | Kîjan dixwazî? (Which one do you want?) |
Yes/No Questions
Rule:
For yes/no questions, you can use "Ma" or "Aya" at the beginning of the sentence, or simply use rising intonation. You can also add "an na" (or not) at the end.
| Statement | Question | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tu diçî | Ma tu diçî? | Are you going? |
| Ew mamosta ye | Aya ew mamosta ye? | Is he/she a teacher? |
| Hûn xwendekar in | Hûn xwendekar in an na? | Are you students or not? |
| Ez dikarin biçim | Ma ez dikarin biçim? | Can I go? |
Common Question Patterns
Asking about identity:
- Tu kî yî? → Who are you?
- Navê te çi ye? → What is your name?
- Ew kî ye? → Who is he/she?
Asking about location:
- Tu li ku yî? → Where are you?
- Tu ji ku yî? → Where are you from?
- Pirtûk li ku ye? → Where is the book?
Asking about state/condition:
- Tu çawa yî? → How are you?
- Hûn çawa ne? → How are you? (plural/formal)
- Ev çi ye? → What is this?
Asking about time:
- Kengî tu tê? → When are you coming?
- Saet çend e? → What time is it?
- Kengî em dê biçin? → When will we go?
Practice Questions
Tu çi dixwazî? → What do you want?
Ma tu birçî yî? → Are you hungry?
Çima tu naçî dibistanê? → Why don't you go to school?
Kîjan reng tu hez dikî? → Which color do you like?
Çend pirtûk hene? → How many books are there?
Aya hûn Kurdî dizanin? → Do you know Kurdish?
💡 Important Notes:
- Question words usually come at the beginning of the sentence
- "Ma" and "Aya" are optional for yes/no questions
- Intonation is very important - your voice should rise at the end of a question
- "Ji ku" means "from where" while "li ku" means "at where"
📚 Learning Tip:
Start by memorizing the basic question words (kî, çi, kû, kengî, çima, çawa). Practice forming questions from statements you already know. Listen to how native speakers use intonation to distinguish questions from statements!