Kurdish for beginners: how to start learning Kurdish
Not sure where to begin learning Kurdish? Here is which dialect to choose, how the alphabet works, your first words and a plan for month one.
Kurdish for beginners starts with one decision: pick a dialect, Kurmancî (Northern Kurdish) or Soranî (Central Kurdish). Then learn its alphabet, say your first everyday words and practise a few minutes a day. ZimanGo is a free app that takes you down exactly that road on iPhone, iPad and Android: an Alphabet level, 150 short lessons from A1 to C2, speaking practice with pronunciation feedback and a live Kurdish trivia game.
five steps to start
No textbook, teacher or Kurdish family needed: a dialect, an alphabet and ten minutes a day.
Choose your dialect
Kurdish is a family of dialects, so pick one: most beginners start with Kurmancî or Soranî, usually the one their family speaks. If in doubt, read the dialect guide below.
Learn the alphabet
Kurmancî's 31-letter Latin alphabet adds five new letters (ç, ê, î, ş, û); Soranî uses an Arabic-based script, read right to left. ZimanGo's Alphabet level teaches both from the first letter, with tracing, sounds and syllables.
Say your first words
Hello, thank you, yes, no, goodbye, friend: enough to greet someone politely, so flip the cards below. In the app, every lesson has audio and a tap on any word shows its meaning.
Follow the road every day
Lessons on the learning road unlock one after another, so you always know what comes next. Streaks, XP and weekly leagues bring you back tomorrow.
Speak out loud from day one
Reading is not speaking, so say every new word out loud. In ZimanGo somebody is listening: the app's own Kurdish speech recognition shows you what to fix before a silent habit sets in.
which Kurdish should a beginner learn?
No single standard Kurdish exists: here are the main dialects and where each stands in ZimanGo.
Kurmancî
AvailableNorthern Kurdish · Latin script
The most widely spoken dialect: for families from Turkey, Syria, Armenia or Duhok in Iraq, and the diaspora in Germany, Sweden, France, the Netherlands and the UK.
Learn Kurmancî →Soranî
AvailableCentral Kurdish · Arabic-based script
Spoken in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and much of Iraqi Kurdistan, and in Sanandaj and Mahabad in Iran.
Learn Soranî →Behdînî
Coming soonNorthern Kurdish spoken around Duhok
Behdînî (Badini) is usually written in Arabic-based script; until its course arrives, Kurmancî is the closest start.
Tell us you want it →Zazakî
Coming soonAlso called Kirmanckî or Dimilî
Zazakî (Kirmanckî) is spoken in eastern Turkey around Dersim, Bingöl and Diyarbakır, in Latin script.
Tell us you want it →Hewramî
Coming soonAlso called Gorani
Hewramî (Gorani) is spoken in the Hewraman mountains on the Iraq–Iran border, in Arabic-based script.
Tell us you want it →
six Kurdish words to start with
Everyday words in Kurmancî: tap a card to see what it means.
SilavTap to flip
Hello
/siˈlav/
A common greeting used any time of day.
SpasTap to flip
Thank you
/spas/
An expression of gratitude.
ErêTap to flip
Yes
/ɛˈɾɛ/
An affirmative answer.
NaTap to flip
No
Bi xatirê teTap to flip
Goodbye
/bi xaˈtire tɛ/
A farewell phrase used when leaving someone.
HevalTap to flip
Friend
/hɛˈval/
A person you like and trust.
a 4-week starter plan
Ten minutes a day for four weeks will not make you fluent, but it gives you the alphabet, first conversations and a habit.
Week 1: the alphabet and hello
Install the app, pick your dialect and start in the Alphabet level, then say every greeting in the Greetings lessons aloud. Goal: read a short word unaided and greet someone.
Week 2: politeness, yes and no, family
Follow the road through the first Basics topics. Goal: introduce yourself and name your family.
Week 3: speak more, start playing
Repeat speaking exercises until the pronunciation feedback is happy, then try the Kurdish Game: low-pressure live trivia with other learners. Goal: swap greetings, your name and where you are from.
Week 4: review and look ahead
Redo the lessons you found hard, vote on a few Gotin quotes and proverbs, and join a weekly league if you like competing. Goal: plan month two.
five tips that make the start easier
- One dialect at a time: mixing two from day one slows you down.
- Letters before words: ten minutes on the alphabet saves hours of guessing.
- Speak even when alone: your mouth needs practice as much as your memory.
- A single lesson on a busy day keeps the streak and the habit.
- Use Kurdish with someone: a friend, a shopkeeper or the learners in ZimanGo's chat, and ask to be corrected.
Beginner questions
Is Kurdish hard to learn for beginners?
Kurdish is Indo-European, so some grammar and vocabulary feel familiar to European speakers, and anyone who reads a Latin alphabet can read Kurmancî within days. The hard part is consistency, not difficulty.
Which Kurdish dialect should I learn first?
Can I learn Kurdish for free?
Yes. The core course is free and supported by ads. Optional Premium removes ads and gives unlimited Agir (lesson energy), Spaces and exclusive app icons; prices are shown in your store. Get the app.
How long does it take to learn Kurdish?
Nobody can promise a date, and we will not either. Most beginners on the plan above read the alphabet and handle greetings within a month; the road's 30 topics then go on at your pace.
Do I need to learn the Kurdish alphabet first?
We recommend it, and ZimanGo starts there: Kurmancî adds only five new letters, Soranî's script is taught letter by letter. Already read your dialect? Take the placement test and skip ahead.
Which app should I use to learn Kurdish?
Choose one that teaches your dialect in its own script and lets you practise speaking. ZimanGo teaches Kurmancî and Soranî for free, from the alphabet to C2, with its own Kurdish speech recognition. How to choose a Kurdish app.
Start learning Kurdish today
Em dest pê bikin! (Let's begin!)
