Why learn Kurdish?
Kurdish is the language of around 30 million people across Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria — and a vast diaspora in Germany, France, Sweden and the UK. Learning it is often an act of cultural affirmation, of reconnection with an identity preserved despite long-standing pressure.
Whether you are part of the diaspora or simply passionate about world languages, Dialect gives you the tools to progress quickly.
The Dialect Method
Our app combines playful learning with linguistic rigor:
- Essential vocabulary: learn the words most used in everyday life.
- Clear audio: hear the clear pronunciation of every word.
- Interactive quizzes: test your knowledge and track your progress.
- Review mode: never lose what you've already learned.
The Science Behind Dialect
To be among the best educational resources, Dialect builds on cognitive neuroscience principles:
- Spaced Repetition System (SRS): our algorithm calculates the optimal time to review each word, right before you would forget it.
- Clear audio: every word comes with audio to guide your pronunciation.
- Granular learning: we break dialects into manageable units to prevent cognitive overload.
Kurdish in a few facts
- Language family: Western Iranian language (Indo-European).
- Speakers: about 17 million for Kurmanji, the variety taught here; close to 30 million for Kurdish as a whole.
- Main regions: Kurdistan, divided between southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran and northern Syria, with major diaspora in Germany, France and Sweden.
- Writing systems: Latin alphabet for Kurmanji (Turkey, Syria), modified Arabic alphabet for Sorani (Iraq, Iran).
Kurdish is not a single language but a group of sometimes mutually less intelligible varieties. The two main ones — Kurmanji (north, Latin alphabet) and Sorani (center, modified Arabic alphabet) — are recognized as regional official languages in Iraqi Kurdistan. The language carries a rich and resilient literature, deeply tied to a stateless nation's identity.
10 everyday Kurdish (Kurmanji) words
The vocabulary people actually use at home or at the market. The right-hand column gives the full sentence in Kurdish, exactly as it appears in the app.
| English | Kurdish | Example |
|---|---|---|
| water | av | Ez av vedixwim. |
| to eat | xwarin | Ez birinc dixwim. |
| to drink | vexwarin | Ez av vedixwim. |
| home | mal | Mala min xweşik e. |
| mother | dê | Diya min xwarin çêdike. |
| father | bav | Bavê min li malê ye. |
| child | zarok | Zarok lîstik dike. |
| market | bazar | Ez diçim bazarê. |
| tomorrow | sibê | Ez ê sibê bêm. |
| a lot | gelek | Gelek spas. |
Kurmanji uses the Hawar Latin alphabet, devised in 1932, while southern Sorani uses Arabic script: two Kurds can speak Kurdish and still be unable to read each other.
How Dialect makes learning Kurdish easier
Learning a heritage language when you live in the diaspora has unique challenges: few structured resources, materials often aimed at linguists rather than daily learners, and a critical shortage of reliable audio recordings. Dialect was built to address these obstacles.
Specifically for Kurdish, the app provides:
- Progress by frequency of use: you first learn words and phrases you will actually hear.
- Clear audio: consistent pronunciation from session one.
- Short sessions (5 cards a day): consistency beats intensity.
- Smart review: the spaced repetition algorithm presents each word right before you would forget it.
Hello, thank you and essential phrases in Kurdish
Looking to say hello in Kurdish, thank you or how are you? Here are the must-know greetings and polite phrases. Each one is available with audio in the Dialect app:
| English | Kurdish |
|---|---|
| Hello | rojbaş |
| Hi | silav |
| Thank you | spas |
| Yes | erê |
| No | na |
| Goodbye | oxir be |
| Sorry | lêborîn |
| How are you | tu çawa yî |
Transcriptions above are approximate: real pronunciation varies by region. To hear the pronunciation, listen to each phrase in Dialect.
Frequently asked questions about learning Kurdish
How do you say hello in Kurdish?
In Kurdish, "hello" is "rojbaş". In casual settings you can also say "silav". Hear the pronunciation in the Dialect app.
How long does it take to learn the basics of Kurdish?
With Dialect, practicing 5 to 10 minutes a day, you can master essential Kurdish vocabulary in 4 to 6 weeks.
Is the Dialect app free?
Dialect is free to start: every day you get one session, one quiz and the Greetings lesson of the Path. Premium unlocks everything.
Is the Kurdish audio available in the Dialect app?
Yes, every word comes with clear audio in the app to help you memorise the pronunciation.
Which Kurdish variety does Dialect cover?
Dialect currently focuses on Kurmanji, the most widely spoken Kurdish variety.
Is Dialect available on Android?
Yes. The app is on Google Play. On desktop, Dialect runs directly in your browser through the web app (mydialect.io/app): same languages, same native audio, same account. The native app is available on iPhone and iPad from the App Store.
Learning Kurdish (Kurmanji): the essentials
Neither Duolingo, nor Babbel, nor Memrise offers a Kurdish (Kurmanji) course. It exists on uTalk, which teaches vocabulary and phrases rather than a structured course, and through a handful of private tutors — the offering stays thin. Dialect covers Kurdish (Kurmanji) with 308 words and phrases and 308 audio files in a native speaker's voice, grouped by theme and reviewed with spaced repetition. The app is free for one session per day per language, on iPhone, iPad, Android and the browser.
Discover other languages on Dialect
Dialect offers 19 heritage languages to reconnect with your roots:
Start for free, today
Free daily session. On iPhone via the App Store, on Android via Google Play, or straight in the browser on desktop.
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On a computer?
Open the web application