Dema Niha / The Simple Present Tense
1. Verbs in general: stems and infinitive
Each verb in Kurdish has two stems, or basic forms: a present stem, and a past stem. Each stem is used as the basis for different tenses, moods etc., by adding various prefixes and suffixes, which will be explained during the course. In this lesson we look at the simple present tense.
The usual way of referring to a verb is by its infinitive, which is based on the past stem of the verb. The infinitive is the form that a verb is listed under in the dictionary. It is formed very simply by adding -n to the past stem. If the stem ends in a consonant, then a short buffer vowel -i is inserted before the -n. The formation of the present stem, on the other hand, is often irregular (see below).
Here are examples of the basic forms of some verbs:
meaning infinitive Present stem
speak, talk axaft-in axiv-
eat xwar-in xw-
read, study xwend-in xwîn-
work xebitî-n xebit-
see dît-in bîn-
wash şûşt-in şo-
do, make kir-in k-
give da-n d-
know zanî-n zan-
2. The simple present tense
The simple present tense is used for all actions performed in the present, whether continuous or regularly recurring. It is formed from the present stem (see previous point), to which a prefix di- is attached. Then the personal endings are added according to each person. Examples of conjugations are as follow:
Ez di – xebit – im ‘I work / am working’
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present tense prefix present stem personal ending
kirin (to do) xwendin (to read, study)
Ez di – k – im Em di – k – in Ez di – xwîn – im Em di – xwîn – in
Tu di – k – î Hûn di – k – in Tu di – xwîn – î Hûn di – xwîn – in
Ew di – k – e Ew di – k – in Ew di – xwîn – e Ew di – xwîn – in
3. The negative form of the simple present tense is derived by replacing di- with the na- negation marker:
xwarin (to eat) xebitîn (to work)
Ez na – xw – im Em na – xw – in Ez na-xebit-im
Tu na – xw – î Hûn na – xw – in
Ew na – xw – e Ew na – xw – in
However, there are two exceptions to the negation marker. The negative form of the present tense prefix for the verb zanîn (to know) and karîn (to be able) is formed by replacing di- with ni- instead of na-:
zanîn (to know) karîn (to know)
Ez ni – zan – im Em ni – zan – in Ez ni – kar – im Em ni – kar – in
Tu ni – zan – î Hûn ni – zan – in Tu ni – kar – î Hûn ni – kar – in
Ew ni – zan – e Ew ni – zan – in Ew ni – kar – e Ew ni – kar – in
3. Common irregular verbs in the present tense:
There are two irregular verbs conjugated differently both in affirmative and negative sentences in present tense. These are hatin (to come) and anîn (to bring).
Hatin (to come)
Affirmative Negative
Ez têm Em tên Ez nayêm Em nayên
Tu tê Hûn tên Tu nayê Hûn nayên
Ew tê Ew tên Ew nayê Ew nayên
Anîn (to bring)
Affirmative Negative
Ez tînim Em tînin Ez naynim Em naynin
Tu tînî Hûn tînin Tu naynî Hûn naynin
Ew tînê Ew tînin Ew nayne Ew naynin
5. Derivated verbs
The verb vexwarin (to drink) is a derivated verb, based on a particle ve- plus the verb xwarin ‘eat’. It is important to note that the present tense prefix comes between the preverbal particle and the present stem:
from vexwarin the first person singular present is: ve-di-xw-im
from rabûn ‘get up’ the first person singular present is: ra-di-b-im
To use them in negative sentences, we simply replace di- with na.
venaxwim.
6. Compound Verbs
The verb hez kirin (to like, to love) is a compound verb. It consists of two meaningful words. Usually the first word is a noun and the second one is verb (helping verb if you like) which is kirin (to do) or bûn (to be) in most of the cases. When we use a compound verb in a sentence, we only conjugate the helping verb (kirin or bûn or any other helping verb) with the appropriate person markers. Sometimes, we may see another word (noun or adjective) inserted between the first noun and the helping verb. Let’s look at the example:
Ez ji televizyonê hez dikim
Ew guhdarî nûçeyan dike.
Onur destê bavê xwe maçî dike.
Hevalên min temaşê filmekê dikin
Ez herroj di saet 9an de hişyar dibim
Dersên me di saet 2yan de dest pê dikin
Li gundan, em li hespan siwar dibin.
Ez qet li teyyareyan siwar nabim.
The Reflexive Xwe
The reflexive pronoun xwe has different meanings and usages. It always has the same form, regardless of how it is used.
1. It can be used as possessive pronoun in an Izafe construction:
Ew ji dersên xwe hez dike She likes her courses.
Ez li gel malbata xwe dimînim. I stay with my family.
Tu li mefta xwe digerî? Are you looking for your keys?
2. It can be used as reflexive pronoun as in:
Xelk ji xwe re li bazaran meyweyan dikirin.
The people buying fruits for themselves in bazaars.
Ez xwe dibînim neynikê da.
I see myself in the mirror.
3. The reflexive xwe can only be used when it refers to the subject of the sentence it occurs in, and in this context, it must be used. Compare the following:
Ez ji dayika xwe hez dikim I love my mother (xwe refers back to the subject Ez)
Tu ji dayika min hez dikî You love my mother (xwe cannot be used here,
because the subject of the sentence is Tu ‘you’, is not the same person as the possessor in dayika min ‘my mother’. In contexts like these, a form of the oblique personal is used.
Rojeke Min / My Day (literally: one day (roj-ek) of me)
Navê min Salih e. Ez xwendekar im li zanîngeha Marmarayê. Ez li mala mamê xwe dimînim. Lê mala dê û bavê min li Diyarbekirê ye. Ez sibêhan zû radibim. Ewil ser û çavên xwe dişom, taştê dixwim. Paşî diçim zanîngehê. Pênç dersên min hene. Ez ji hinek dersên xwe hez dikim ji hinekan hez nakim. Em hinca kitêbên balkêş dixwînin û nîqaşên baş dikin, lê belê hinca jî ez gelek acz dibim. Li zanîngehê gelek hevalên min hene. Hin hevalên min tirk in û hin jî kurd in. Ez li gel hevalên xwe yên kurd re bi Kurmancî xeber didim, lê mixabin hin hevalên min ên kurd Kurmancî nizanin. Piştî nîvro tenê derseke min heye; dersa edebiyatê. Dersa edebiyatê da em nivîsên edebiyata tirkiyê dixwînin, lê ez gelek cara meraq dikim edebiyata kurdî çawa ye. Dersên min direng xelas dibin. Paşî, têm malê, dersên xwe dixebitim û hinca televizyonê seyr dikim. Hema bêje herşev ez dora saet 12an radizêm.
Mam: uncle, amca
Zû: early
Ewil: firstly, first of all
Taştê: breakfast
Paşî: Then
Hinek: some
Hinca: sometimes
Balkêş: interesting
Acz dibim: I am getting bored
Li gel: together with
Mixabin: unfortunately
Piştî nîvro: afternoon
Hema bêje: almost
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