şev baş
/ʃɛv bɑːʃ/word by word
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Kurdish as şev baş. Wiktionary also lists شەو باش (şew baş) and şev xweş.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Kurdish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| şev baş | /ʃɛv bɑːʃ/ (word by word) | |
| شەو باش | şew baş | /ʃau̯ baːʃ/ (word by word) |
| şev xweş | ||
| şev bixêr |
These phrases are used as a farewell.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase şev baş is composed of şev (night) and baş (good).
Which one should you use?
şev xweş uses the adjective xweş (pleasant/sweet) instead of baş (good), making it a slightly more melodic or warm variation of 'good night'. şev bixêr is a more traditional or idiomatic way to say 'good night', often implying a wish for a night filled with blessings or goodness.
How does it change in a sentence?
şev bixêr can be expanded into the more formal or complete sentence şevê te bi xêr be to mean 'may your night be good/blessed'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃɛv bɑːʃ/
Did you know?
- The word şev shares an ancient ancestor with the Sanskrit word kṣap, meaning 'night'. This connects the Kurdish word for night to much older Indo-European roots.
- The term xweş in şev xweş is not only used for 'pleasant' nights but is also the root for expressing 'sweetness' or 'deliciousness' in other contexts.
- Depending on the dialect, the choice between şev baş and şev xweş can signal a difference in emotional warmth or regional identity.
Examples in context
- Şev baş!Good night!This example shows how to use şev baş as a farewell.Tatoeba #11056984 by Sarchia, translation #426950 by Pun_intended
- Şev baş, ez diçim.Good night, I am leaving.
- Şev baş, bi xatirê te.Good night, goodbye.
Example conversation
Rojda and Heval are leaving a gathering at home.
- RojdaEz ê herim, şev baş.I am going, good night.
- HevalŞev baş, Rojda.Good night, Rojda.
- RojdaSpas, Heval.Thanks, Heval.
- HevalXatirê te.Goodbye.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (şev, baş, شەو, باش) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries baş, xweş, şev, باش, شەو, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
