Kurmanji Grammar Series 11 — Imperative, Subjunctive and Conditional. English explanations, Kurmanji examples, exercises and answer key. Download the four-page PDF guide.
Three constructions at a glance
| Function | Kurmanji | English |
|---|---|---|
| Imperative | Biçe! | Go! |
| Non-indicative | Ez dixwazim biçim. | I want to go. |
| Conditional | Heke tu werî, em ê biaxivin. Eger tu werî, em ê biaxivin. |
If you come, we will talk. |
| Future + non-indicative | Tu yê biçî. | You will go. |
Learning objectives — Armancên fêrbûnê
Distinguish imperative commands, subjunctive/non-indicative verb forms, and conditional sentences. Compare person endings, negative forms and future reference; practice with exercises and answers.
1. Three related ideas, three different jobs
Biçe! — Go! (imperative). Ez dixwazim biçim. — I want to go (non-indicative). Heke tu werî, em ê biaxivin. — If you come, we will talk (conditional). A conditional sentence is a construction, not simply another verb mood.
2. Imperative: commands and requests — Awayê fermanî
Biçe! — Go! Were! — Come! Bixwîne! — Read/study! Binivîse! — Write! Plural: Biçin!, Werin!, Bixwînin!. Some common verbs have irregular forms.
3. Negative imperatives — Fermanên neyînî
Neçe! — Don’t go! Newere! — Don’t come! Nexwîne! — Don’t read! Neçin! — Don’t go (plural)! Compare affirmative Biçe! with negative Neçe!.
4. Requests and politeness
Ji kerema xwe, were. — Please come. Ji kerema xwe, li vir rûne. — Please sit here. Tone and context matter; requests can also be questions.
5. Subjunctive/non-indicative: when it appears — Awayê daxwazî
A common non-indicative pattern uses bi- plus a verb stem and person ending. Compare Ez diçim (I go / am going) with Ez dixwazim biçim (I want to go). The second verb is not an English infinitive.
6. Practical paradigm: çûn (to go)
Ez biçim — that I go; Tu biçî — that you go; Ew biçe — that he/she go; Em biçin — that we go; Hûn biçin — that you (plural) go; Ew biçin — that they go. Singular imperative Biçe! differs from second-person subjunctive biçî.
7. Non-indicative with desire and necessity
Ez dixwazim biçim. — I want to go. Tu dixwazî biçî. — You want to go. Divê ez biçim. — I must/should go. Divê tu bixwînî. — You should/must study.
8. Future and the non-indicative
Ez ê biçim. — I will go. Tu yê biçî. — You will go. Ew ê biçe. — He/she will go. Em ê biçin. — We will go. This connects to Lesson 08.
9. Negative non-indicative forms
Ez ê neçim. — I will not go. Ez naxwazim biçim. — I do not want to go. The first negates going; the second negates wanting.
10. Real/open conditions: heke — Hevokên şertî
Heke tu werî, em ê biaxivin. — If you come, we will talk. Heke baran bibare, em ê li malê bimînin. — If it rains, we will stay home. Alternative: Eger tu werî, em ê biaxivin. — If you come, we will talk. This course teaches heke first and acknowledges eger as an alternative used in some varieties.
11. Condition versus consequence
Heke wextê min hebe, ez ê bixwînim. — If I have time, I will study. The condition and result can have different tense/mood patterns. Do not mechanically translate English will into the if-clause.
12. Hypothetical and counterfactual conditions
English If I had time, I would go differs from If I have time, I will go. Kurmanji has additional patterns whose details can vary by dialect; this introduction focuses on open conditions and does not present an unverified universal counterfactual paradigm.
13. Could, would and should revisited
English could can express ability, possibility or politeness; would hypothetical results, politeness or past habits; should advice. Kurmanji may use a conditional, a question, divê / baş e ku, or past habitual forms. See Lesson 10.
14. Contrast chart
Biçe! — Go! (imperative). Tu biçî — that you go (non-indicative). Tu yê biçî. — You will go (future). Heke tu werî, em ê biaxivin. — If you come, we will talk (conditional). These are not interchangeable.
15. Mini dialogue — Axaftin
A: Ji kerema xwe, were! — Please come! B: Ez ê werim. — I will come. A: Heke tu werî, em ê biaxivin. — If you come, we will talk. B: Baş e. — All right.
16. Common mistakes — Çewtiyên gelemperî
Do not use biçî as the ordinary singular command; use Biçe! Do not assume every imperative is fully regular, confuse ê with an imperative, or translate all English would sentences with xwestin.
17. Exercises — Rahênan
A. Translate: Biçe!, Neçe!, Werin!, Ez dixwazim biçim. B. Choose the second-person singular non-indicative: biçî or biçe? C. Fill: Heke tu ___ (werin), em ê biaxivin. D. Translate: If it rains, we will stay at home. E. Explain Tu yê biçî versus Biçe! F. Make plural command from Biçe! G. Negate Ez ê biçim. H. Replace heke with the alternative conjunction.
18. Answer key — Bersiv
A. Go!; Don’t go!; Come! (plural); I want to go. B. biçî. C. werî. D. Heke baran bibare, em ê li malê bimînin. E. Future statement versus command. F. Biçin! G. Ez ê neçim. H. Eger tu werî, em ê biaxivin.
19. References and editorial note — Çavkanî
Consult W. M. Thackston, Kurmanji Kurdish: A Reference Grammar (2006), and descriptive studies of Kurmanji morphosyntax by Geoffrey Haig and Ergin Öpengin. Regional variation and advanced hypothetical constructions need dialect-specific checking. No independent native-speaker editorial review has been performed.
20. Next lesson — Dersa pêş
Lesson 12 — Adjectives (Rengdêr): descriptions, ezafe connections and comparison.
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