Central Kurdish and English/Contrastive Grammar

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>

Object Order

Sorani Kurdish sentences follow an SOV pattern, meaning that the object precedes the verb phrase.

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> be<vbser><pres><p3><sg> not<adv> go<vblex><ger>

• (ckb) مەچۆ → (eng) Do not go

  (ckb) چوون<v><iv><imp><neg><p3><sg> → (eng) do<vbdo><imp> not<adv> go<vblex><inf>