çawa yî?
How are you? In Kurdish is çawa yî?
This is a common greeting used to ask someone about their well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The word çawa literally means how.
How does it change in a sentence?
çawa yî? is the singular, informal form of how are you?
When do people say it?
A common response to çawa yî? is baş im, which means I am well.
Did you know?
- Kurdish is an Indo-European language, meaning çawa is a distant relative of the English word 'how' and the Latin 'quomodo'.
- Depending on the region, a common non-verbal accompaniment to çawa yî? is a hand placed over the heart to show sincerity and warmth.
- In many Kurdish-speaking regions, instead of answering 'I am well', people often respond with 'Xwedê spâs', which means 'Thanks to God'.
Examples in context
- Çawa yî? Ez baş im, spasi.How are you? I am well, thanks.
- Tu çawa yî?How are you?
- Silav, çawa yî?Hello, how are you?
- Ez baş im, tu çawa yî?I am fine, how are you?
Example conversation
Heval and Rojda meet on the street.
- HevalSilav Rojda, çawa yî?Hello Rojda, how are you?
- RojdaEz baş im, spas dikim.I am fine, thank you.
- HevalTu îro pir şad xuya yî.You look very happy today.
- RojdaErê, her tişt pir baş e.Yes, everything is very good.
