Lesson 3: To Be Verb – Present Tense

 

In this lesson we’ll learn the present tense of the “to be” verb and finally be able to make a simple sentence!

One important note: in Kurdish the “to be” verb changes slightly depending on whether the word before it ends in a vowel or consonant. Let’s first look at the forms which follow consonants. Use the scroll function on the Forms tabs to see each form and examples for each form.

A brief note on word order: in a typical Kurmanji sentence, the verb comes at the end. There are exceptions which we will mention later. So, normal basic word order in Kurmanji is: subject + object + verb (I the book see.)

Scroll through the slides below to see all forms.

1. Positive Sentence (After Consonant)

I am… Ez…im.
You are… Tu…î.
He/She/It is… Ew…e.
We are… Em…in.
You are… Hûn…in.
They are… Ew…in.
Note: The plural forms are all the same, nice and easy. This is true for all verbs in all tenses: the plural forms are all the same.

Examples

I am a student. Ez xwendekar im.
You (sg) are a student. Tu xwendekar î.
He/She is a student. Ew xwendekar e.
We are students. Em xwendekar in.
You (pl) are students. Hûn xwendekar in.
They are students. Ew xwendekar in.
To Be Present Tense Positive Sentence After ConsonantListen to the Examples

2. Negative Sentence (After Consonant)

I am not… Ez ne…im.
You are not… Tu ne…î.
He/She/It is not… Ew ne…e.
We are not… Em ne…in.
You are not… Hûn ne…in.
They are not… Ew ne…in.

Examples

I am not a student. Ez ne xwendekar im.
You (sg) are not a student. Tu ne xwendekar î.
He/She is not a student. Ew ne xwendekar e.
We are not students. Em ne xwendekar in.
You (pl) are not students. Hûn ne xwendekar in.
They are not students. Ew ne xwendekar in.
To Be Present Tense Negative Sentence After ConsonantListen to the Examples

3. Positive Question (After Consonant)

Am I…? Ez…im?
Are you…? Tu…î?
Is he/she/it…? Ew…e?
Are we…? Em…in?
Are you…? Hûn…in?
Are they…? Ew…in?
Note: In Kurdish the word order does not change for a question. In speech, a question is made by raising the pitch of the voice. In writing, a sentence is made by placing a question mark at the end.

Examples

Am I a student? Ez xwendekar im?
Are you (sg) a student? Tu xwendekar î?
Is he/she a student? Ew xwendekar e?
Are we students? Em xwendekar in?
Are you (pl) students? Hûn xwendekar in?
Are they students? Ew xwendekar in?
To Be Present Tense Positive Question After ConsonantListen to the Examples

4. Negative Question (After Consonant)

Am I not…? Ez ne…im?
Are you not…? Tu ne…î?
Is he/she/it not…? Ew ne…e?
Are we not…? Em ne…in?
Are you not…? Hûn ne…in?
Are they not…? Ew ne…in?

Examples

Am I not a student? Ez ne xwendekar im?
Are you (sg) not a student? Tu ne xwendekar î?
Is he/she not a student? Ew ne xwendekar e?
Are we not students? Em ne xwendekar in?
Are you (pl) not students? Hûn ne xwendekar in?
Are they not students? Ew ne xwendekar in?
To Be Present Tense Negative Question After ConsonantListen to the Examples

 

Scroll through the slides below to see all forms.

1. Positive Sentence (After Vowel)

I am… Ez…me.
You are… Tu…yî.
He/She/It is… Ew…ye.
We are… Em…ne.
You are… Hûn…ne.
They are… Ew…ne.
Note: The plural forms are all the same, nice and easy. This is true for all verbs in all tenses: the plural forms are all the same.

Examples

I am a teacher. Ez mamoste me.
You (sg) are a teacher. Tu mamoste yî.
He/She is a teacher. Ew mamoste ye.
We are teachers. Em mamoste ne.
You (pl) are teachers. Hûn mamoste ne.
They are teachers. Ew mamoste ne.
To Be Present Tense Positive Sentence After VowelListen to the Examples

2. Negative Sentence (After Vowel)

I am not… Ez ne…me.
You are not… Tu ne…yî.
He/She/It is not… Ew ne…ye.
We are not… Em ne…ne.
You are not… Hûn ne…ne.
They are not… Ew ne…ne.

Examples

I am not a teacher. Ez ne mamoste me.
You (sg) are not a teacher. Tu ne mamoste yî.
He/She is not a teacher. Ew ne mamoste ye.
We are not teachers. Em ne mamoste ne.
You (pl) are not teachers. Hûn ne mamoste ne.
They are not teachers. Ew ne mamoste ne.
To Be Present Tense Negative Sentence After VowelListen to the Examples

3. Positive Question (After Vowel)

Am I…? Ez…me?
Are you…? Tu…yî?
Is he/she/it…? Ew…ye?
Are we…? Em…ne?
Are you…? Hûn…ne?
Are they…? Ew…ne?
Note: In Kurdish the word order does not change for a question. In speech, a question is made by raising the pitch of the voice. In writing, a sentence is made by placing a question mark at the end.

Examples

Am I a teacher? Ez mamoste me?
Are you (sg) a teacher? Tu mamoste yî?
Is he/she a teacher? Ew mamoste ye?
Are we teachers? Em mamoste ne?
Are you (pl) teachers? Hûn mamoste ne?
Are they teachers? Ew mamoste ne?
To Be Present Tense Positive Question After VowelListen to the Examples

4. Negative Question (After Vowel)

Am I not…? Ez ne…me?
Are you not…? Tu ne…yî?
Is he/she/it not…? Ew ne…ye?
Are we not…? Em ne…ne?
Are you not…? Hûn ne…ne?
Are they not…? Ew ne…ne?

Examples

Am I not a teacher? Ez ne mamoste me?
Are you not a teacher? Tu ne mamoste yî?
Is he/she not a teacher? Ew ne mamoste ye?
Are we not teachers? Em ne mamoste ne?
Are you not teachers? Hûn ne mamoste ne?
Are they not teachers? Ew ne mamoste ne?
To Be Present Tense Negative Question After VowelListen to the Examples

 

 

Make sure you learn the vocabulary before attempting the exercises in the next tab. You will need to know the new words in order to complete the exercises. After you’ve learned the vocabulary, go to the ‘Exercises’ tab.

Remember that these Quizlet sets allow for lots of study and test options. For an explanation of these options, see this page.

Lesson 03 Vocabulary Vocabulary Lesson 03 Audio

Remember that these Quizlet sets allow for lots of study and test options. For an explanation of these options, see this page.

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3