Rengdêr
Adjectives
📌 What are Adjectives?
Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns. They tell us about qualities, characteristics, colors, sizes, and more.
Examples in English:
- a big house
- a beautiful girl
- a red book
In Kurdish, adjectives usually come AFTER the noun they describe, which is the opposite of English!
| English Word Order | Kurdish Word Order | Literal Translation |
|---|---|---|
| big house | mala mezin | house big |
| beautiful girl | keçika xweşik | girl beautiful |
| red book | pirtûka sor | book red |
| old man | pîrê pîr | man old |
A few common adjectives can come before the noun, especially in compound words or fixed expressions:
• mezin (big/great): mezinbav (grandfather)
• pîr (old): pîremêr (old man)
But in most cases, adjectives follow the noun!
In Kurdish, adjectives do NOT change for gender or number in most cases. The same adjective form is used for masculine, feminine, singular, and plural nouns.
| Type | Kurdish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | pirtûkê mezin | the big book |
| Feminine singular | mala mezin | the big house |
| Masculine plural | pirtûkên mezin | the big books |
| Feminine plural | malên mezin | the big houses |
Unlike French or Spanish, Kurdish adjectives stay the same! Only the noun changes for gender and number, not the adjective. This makes Kurdish adjectives easier to learn!
Size & Quantity:
| Kurdish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mezin | big, large, great | mala mezin (big house) |
| biçûk | small, little | pirtûka biçûk (small book) |
| dirêj | long, tall | riya dirêj (long road) |
| kurt | short | pirtûka kurt (short book) |
| fireh | wide, broad | riya fireh (wide road) |
| teng | narrow, tight | riya teng (narrow road) |
Quality & Appearance:
| Kurdish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| xweş | good, nice, pleasant | roja xweş (nice day) |
| xirab | bad | hewa xirab (bad weather) |
| xweşik | beautiful, pretty | keçika xweşik (beautiful girl) |
| zêde | much, many, too much | pirtûkên zêde (many books) |
| nû | new | mala nû (new house) |
| kevin | old (things) | pirtûka kevin (old book) |
| pîr | old (people) | pîrê pîr (old man) |
Colors (Reng):
| Kurdish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sor | red | pirtûka sor (red book) |
| kesk | green | dara kesk (green tree) |
| şîn | blue | ezmana şîn (blue sky) |
| zer | yellow | gula zer (yellow flower) |
| spî | white | mala spî (white house) |
| reş | black | pişîka reş (black cat) |
To make comparisons in Kurdish, use the word ji... -tir (more than). The pattern is: Adjective + -tir + ji + noun
Formation Pattern:
Formula: Adjective + -tir + ji + compared noun
| Positive | Comparative | English |
|---|---|---|
| mezin (big) | mezintir | bigger |
| biçûk (small) | biçûktir | smaller |
| xweş (good) | xweştir | better |
| xirab (bad) | xirabtir | worse |
| dirêj (long) | dirêjtir | longer |
| kurt (short) | kurttir | shorter |
Use ji (from/than) to introduce what you're comparing to:
• mezintir ji te = bigger than you
• xweştir ji wê = better than that
To express the superlative (the most, the best, the biggest), add -tirîn or -tirin to the adjective.
Formation Pattern:
Formula: Adjective + -tirîn or -tirin
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| mezin | mezintir | mezintirîn | big → bigger → biggest |
| biçûk | biçûktir | biçûktirîn | small → smaller → smallest |
| xweş | xweştir | xweştirîn | good → better → best |
| xirab | xirabtir | xirabtirîn | bad → worse → worst |
| dirêj | dirêjtir | dirêjtirîn | long → longer → longest |
| xweşik | xweşiktir | xweşiktirîn | beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful |
The superlative often comes with the definite article on the noun:
• mala mezintirîn = the biggest house
• pirtûka xweştirîn = the best book
Quick Reference: Degrees of Comparison
| Degree | Formation | Example (mezin) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | Base form | mezin | big |
| Comparative | Add -tir | mezintir ji... | bigger than... |
| Superlative | Add -tirîn | mezintirîn | biggest |
- Position: Adjectives come AFTER the noun (opposite of English)
- Agreement: Adjectives do NOT change for gender or number
- Comparative: Add -tir and use "ji" for "than" (mezintir ji te = bigger than you)
- Superlative: Add -tirîn (mezintirîn = biggest)
- Pattern: mezin → mezintir → mezintirîn (big → bigger → biggest)
- Kurdish adjectives are simpler than many languages because they don't change form!