Learn Sorani (Soranî) with ZimanGo
Learn Sorani for free: the alphabet with letter tracing, 150 lessons from A1 to C2 and pronunciation feedback when you speak.
Soranî (Sorani, Central Kurdish) is the Kurdish dialect of the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Iran, around Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Sanandaj and Mahabad, and it is written in an Arabic-based alphabet from right to left. ZimanGo teaches Soranî with an Alphabet level, 150 short lessons from A1 to C2 and speaking practice, free on iPhone, iPad and Android.
- Dialect
- Soranî (Sorani); Central Kurdish
- Script
- Arabic-based, right to left
- Also written
- Sometimes in Latin letters online; there is no agreed Latin spelling
- ISO 639-3 code
- ckb
- Where it is spoken
- The Kurdish regions of Iraq and Iran, and the diaspora
- In ZimanGo
- Available
- Levels
- Alphabet level, then Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced (A1–C2)
- How to start
- Choose Soranî in the app and begin at the first letter; the first lesson needs no account
The letters of Soranî
Unlike Arabic, Soranî writes every vowel, so words read as they are spelled. Each letter below has an approximate English sound.
- ئsilent; carries a vowel at the start of a word
- اa in father
- بb in bed
- پp in pen
- تt in tea
- جj in jam
- چch in church
- حh from deep in the throat
- خch in loch
- دd in day
- رr, a light tap
- ڕr, strongly rolled
- زz in zoo
- ژs in pleasure
- سs in sun
- شsh in ship
- عtight sound from the throat, as in Arabic
- غgh, like a French r
- فf in fun
- ڤv in van
- قk from the back of the throat
- کk in kite
- گg in go
- لl in light
- ڵthick l, as in full
- مm in man
- نn in no
- وw in water, or u in put
- ۆo in go
- ووoo in moon
- هh in hat
- ەa in cat
- یy in yes, or ee in see
- ێay in day
Hints are approximate; the app teaches each letter with audio, tracing and syllables.
Your first Soranî words
Six words from the first lessons; tap a card to see the meaning.
سڵاوTap to flip
Hello
/sɪˈlaːw/
A common greeting used any time of day.
سپاسTap to flip
Thank you
/sɪˈpaːs/
An expression of gratitude.
بەڵێTap to flip
Yes
/bæˈleː/
An affirmative answer.
بە خاتری تۆTap to flip
Goodbye
/bæ xaːˈtɪɾɪ to/
A farewell phrase used when leaving someone.
هاوڕێTap to flip
Friend
/hawˈɾeː/
A person you like and trust.
نانTap to flip
Bread
/naːn/
A staple food made from flour and water.
150 lessons in 30 topics
From first words to confident conversation: short lessons that unlock one by one, in three levels.
Beginner A1–A2
- About Me
- Counting & Time
- Daily Life
- Describing
- Food & Drinks
- Feelings & Likes
- First Words
- Home & Places
- Outdoors
- Asking Questions
Intermediate B1–B2
- Future Plans
- Health & Body
- Opinions & Debate
- Past Stories
- Real Conversations
- Shopping & Money
- Social Issues
- Tech & Modern Life
- Travel & Directions
- Work & Study
Advanced C1–C2
- Academic
- Arts & Culture
- Business
- Global Issues
- Idioms & Expressions
- Mastery & Nuance
- Politics & Law
- Psychology & Philosophy
- Science & Technology
- Sophisticated Talk
- More than 25 exercise types: pictures, matching, listening, typing, dialogues, stories and roleplay.
- Audio in every lesson; tap any word to see its meaning.
- Already know some Soranî? The placement test finds your level.
- Streaks, XP, badges and weekly leagues keep the habit going.
say it in Soranî.
Say سڵاو out loud and ZimanGo's Kurdish speech recognition shows you what to fix. If Kurdish is new to you altogether, the beginners guide helps you choose a dialect.
Questions about learning Sorani
Sorani or Soranî: which spelling is right?
Both are right: Soranî is the Kurdish spelling in Latin letters (سۆرانی in its own script), Sorani the English one. The name comes from the historical Soran region around Rawanduz in Iraq.
Which alphabet does Sorani use?
An Arabic-based alphabet with letters that Arabic lacks: پ, چ, ژ, گ, ڤ, ڵ, ڕ, ۆ and ێ. You do not need to know Arabic; ZimanGo's Alphabet level starts from the first letter.
Is Behdînî (Badini) the same as Sorani?
No. Behdînî (Badini) is Northern Kurdish from around Duhok, written in Arabic script but much closer to Kurmancî; it is coming soon in ZimanGo. Until then, Kurmancî is the closest course.
How long does it take to learn basic Sorani?
It depends on how much Soranî you already understand and how often you practise. The first days go on the alphabet; then topics such as First Words and About Me cover greetings, your name, family and simple questions. A short lesson a day is a realistic habit.
Is the Sorani course 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, the App Store or Google Play.
Can I switch from Sorani to Kurmanji later?
Yes. Both dialects share one app and one account, so you can switch any time and keep your progress while signed in. Read about learning Kurmancî.
Does the Sorani course have speaking practice?
Yes. Say the word or sentence out loud and ZimanGo's own Kurdish speech recognition, trained for Kurmancî and Soranî, checks your pronunciation and shows you what to fix.
What is the difference between Sorani and Kurmanji?
They are the two most widely spoken Kurdish dialects: Soranî (Central Kurdish) in the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Iran, in Arabic-based script; Kurmancî (Northern Kurdish) in Turkey, Syria, northern Iraq and north-western Iran, in Latin script. They differ in grammar, pronunciation and some vocabulary. Families from Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Sanandaj or Mahabad usually choose Soranî; if you are not sure, start here.
Start learning Kurdish today
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