Tu çawa yî?
informal, one person
To ask "how are you" in Kurmanji, say Tu çawa yî? to one person you know. Use Hûn çawa ne? for a group or someone you should address formally. It is also called Tu baş î?
Meaning: greeting asking about well-being (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Kurdish | Note |
|---|---|
| Tu çawa yî? | informal, one person |
| Tu baş î? | casual |
| Hûn çawa ne? | formal, plural |
The usual answer is Ez baş im, "I am fine", often followed by spas, "thanks", and Tu çawa yî? back.
How does it change in a sentence?
Tu means "you" for one person and hûn is the plural, which is also the polite form for one person. The verb yî changes to ne with hûn.
How do you pronounce it?
The ç in çawa sounds like "ch" in "church".
Did you know?
- The question word çawa, "how", is also used in Çawa ye?, "how is it?"
Examples in context
- Silav, tu çawa yî?Hello, how are you?
- Hûn çawa ne?How are you all?
Example conversation
Evin meets her elderly neighbor Mr. Hesen at the market.
- EvinRoj baş, apo. Hûn çawa ne?Good day, uncle. How are you?
- HesenEz baş im, spas. Tu çawa yî?I am fine, thanks. How are you?
- EvinEz jî baş im.I am fine too.
