Central Kurdish and English/Contrastive Grammar
From LING073
ckb-eng
Definiteness Marker
In Sorani Kurdish, definiteness is marked by a suffix at the end of a noun instead of a separate determiner.
- (ckb) پیاوەکە → (eng) the man
- (ckb) پیاو<n><def><sg> → (eng) the<det><def><sp> man<n><sg>
- (ckb) پیاوێک → (eng) a man
- (ckb) پیاو<n><ind><sg> → (eng) a<det><ind><sg> man<n><sg>
- (ckb) سەگەکان → (eng) the dogs
- (ckb) سەگ<n><def><pl> → (eng) the<det><def><sp> dog<n><pl>
- (ckb) سەگێک → (eng) a dog
- (ckb) سەگ<n><ind><sg> → (eng) a<det><ind><sp> dog<n><sg>
Verb Negation
Sorani verbs are negated using a negation prefix. The prefixes are نە for past tense, نا for nonpast tense, and مە for imperative verbs.
- (ckb) ئەو نەچوو → (eng) He did not go
- (ckb) ئەو<n><def><sg> چوون<v><iv><past><neg><p3><sg> → (eng) he<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> do<vaux><past> not<adv> go<vblex><inf>
- (ckb) ئەو ناچێت → (eng) He is not going
- (ckb) ئەو<n><def><sg> چوون<v><iv><npast><neg><p3><sg> → (eng) he<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> do<vaux><pres> not<adv> go<vblex><ger>