Kurdish (Sorani)→English

Translate Kurdish (Sorani) to English the way locals mean it.

Sorani speakers often soften agreement, delay, and praise with phrases that a textbook reader may take literally.

Going the other way? English to Kurdish (Sorani)

474 local dialects

AIRTranslate on iPhone choosing between Kurdish varieties

What locals actually say

بەڵێ، هەرچی تۆ بڵێی

Yeah, sure, whatever you say.

هەرچی تۆ بڵێی literally means “whatever you say,” but in a chat it often signals reluctant or sarcastic agreement rather than genuine approval.

ئێستا دێم

I’m on my way. Give me a minute.

ئێستا means “now” and دێم means “I’m coming,” but together they commonly soften a short delay and do not necessarily mean the person has already left.

دەستت خۆش

Thanks, you did a great job.

دەستت خۆش literally refers to the other person’s hand being well, but it is an idiomatic way to thank or praise someone for what they did.

ئەوەندە پارەم نییە

I don't have that much money.

ئەوەندە پارەم نییە uses the Sorani quantity construction ئەوەندە ... نییە to signal that the available amount is insufficient.

لە چوارڕێیانییەکە بە لای ڕاستدا بچۆ

At the intersection, go right.

بە لای ڕاستدا is a Sorani directional construction that signals movement toward the right.

تکایە خوێی کەمتر بکە

Please use less salt.

کەمتر signals a reduced quantity, while بکە forms the informal Sorani imperative.

دایکم هێشتا لە ماڵە

My mother is still at home.

هێشتا is the Sorani word for still, signaling that the situation continues.

ئەم کارە تا سبەی تەواو دەکەم

I’ll finish this work by tomorrow.

تا سبەی marks a deadline, and دەکەم is the Sorani دە- verb form used for an expected or planned action.

Notes like these come with every AIRTranslate translation, so you learn why locals phrase it that way as you go.

How Kurdish (Sorani) differs

Sorani in Arabic-based script; Sulaymaniyah/Erbil standard.

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Localization Notes explaining why locals say it that way