How to choose an app to learn Kurdish
Five things that matter when you pick a Kurdish app, and how ZimanGo handles each one.
Pick an app that teaches the dialect you need, in the script that dialect uses, with speaking practice and a real course rather than word lists. ZimanGo is a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android that teaches Kurmancî (Northern Kurdish) and Soranî (Central Kurdish) from an Alphabet level to C2, with its own Kurdish speech recognition for pronunciation feedback, streaks, weekly leagues and a live Kurdish trivia game.
Start with the right dialect
Kurdish is a family of dialects, and the two biggest, Kurmancî and Soranî, differ in grammar, vocabulary and script. A good app tells you clearly which one it teaches, so you learn the Kurdish your family or friends actually speak.
ZimanGo teaches Kurmancî and Soranî today; Behdînî (Badini), Zazakî (Kirmanckî) and Hewramî (Gorani) are coming soon. Not sure which one is yours? Read the dialect guide for beginners.
Make sure it teaches the script
Kurmancî is written in Latin letters with a few marks (ç, ê, î, ş, û); Soranî uses an Arabic-based script written from right to left. Without the script you can only learn by ear, and you will struggle to read signs, messages and lyrics.
ZimanGo starts with an Alphabet level for both scripts, with letter tracing, before the first lesson.
What ZimanGo offers for Kurdish
Start at the Alphabet level, with letter tracing in Latin or Arabic script, or take the placement test and jump to the right spot on a road of 150 lessons in 30 topics. Every lesson has audio, and you can tap any word to see its meaning.
More than 25 exercise types keep it varied: pictures, matching, listening, typing, dialogues, scenario dialogues, stories, roleplay and idioms.
How it feels to learn with ZimanGo
Lessons take a few minutes each, with a progress bar, instant corrections and the ZimanGo lion for company. Streaks, XP, badges and weekly leagues keep you going, and the leaderboard is easy to ignore if you don't like competing.
Beyond the lessons, share and vote on Kurdish quotes and proverbs on the Gotin wall, or chat with other learners in the app. You can try the first lesson without an account, and your progress syncs across devices once you sign in.
Who ZimanGo is for
ZimanGo is for heritage speakers who understand Kurdish from home but never learned to read, write or speak it with confidence, for partners and friends of Kurdish families, and for curious beginners, who can start with the Kurdish for beginners guide.
You get a structured course rather than word lists, built by a founder-led team working with native Kurdish speakers. Questions, mistakes or ideas: write to us.
What to look for in a Kurdish app
Use this list to judge any app, including ours.
| What to look for | Why it matters | ZimanGo |
|---|---|---|
| Your dialect | Kurmancî and Soranî differ in grammar, words and script | Kurmancî and Soranî now; Behdînî, Zazakî and Hewramî coming soon |
| The script | Reading opens up messages, signs and songs | Alphabet level for Latin and Arabic script, with letter tracing |
| Speaking practice | You learn to talk by talking | Its own Kurdish speech recognition gives pronunciation feedback |
| A real course | Word lists stop helping after the first weeks | 150 lessons in 30 topics, A1 to C2, more than 25 exercise types |
| Reasons to come back | A few minutes every day beat one long session | Streaks, XP, weekly leagues and the live Kurdish Game |
| Price | You should be able to start without paying | Free core course with ads; optional Premium |
Questions people ask
Which app should I use to learn Kurdish?
Choose one that teaches your dialect in its own script and lets you practise speaking, with a structured course from the alphabet upwards. We built ZimanGo to do all of that for Kurmancî and Soranî. Get it for iPhone, iPad or Android.
Is ZimanGo 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.
Which Kurdish dialects can I learn in ZimanGo?
Kurmancî and Soranî are available now. Behdînî (Badini), Zazakî (Kirmanckî) and Hewramî (Gorani) are coming soon. If you are not sure which is yours, see the dialect guide for beginners.
Can I learn Kurdish from German, Turkish or another language?
Yes. The interface comes in English, German, French, Turkish, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, Arabic and Kurdish itself, among others. You can change it, and your learning dialect, in the app's settings at any time.
Can an app really teach me to speak Kurdish?
An app gives you daily practice: in ZimanGo you say words and sentences out loud and its Kurdish speech recognition shows you what to fix. Pair it with real conversations with family or friends, and you will hear the difference quickly.
Start learning Kurdish today
Em dest pê bikin! (Let's begin!)
