دایک
dayk/daːi̯k/
In Kurdish, mother is دایک (dayk). Wiktionary also lists ma and dayik.
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Kurdish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| دایک | dayk | /daːi̯k/ | |
| ma | |||
| dayik | /dɑːˈjɪk/ | feminine |
The word refers to a female human who gives birth to or parents a child.
Which one should you use?
The form دایک is the standard, neutral way to say mother. In contrast, the colloquial form ma is used. Additionally, dayik is specifically marked as feminine.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Kurmanji Kurdish, the informal term dê is used to refer to mother.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate the possessive form 'mother of' or 'mother's' in many Kurdish dialects, you can add the suffix '-î' to the word, resulting in دایکی.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /daːi̯k/.
Did you know?
- In Kurdish culture, the term dayik is often used in poetic and patriotic contexts to personify the homeland as a mother.
- Because of its Proto-Indo-European roots, dayik is a linguistic cousin to the Armenian word dayeak, linking Kurdish to ancient historical languages.
- In some Kurdish traditions, the word for mother is used as a term of endearment for elderly women who are not biological relatives.
Examples in context
- ڕێک لە دایکی دەچێت.She looks just like her mother.This sentence is useful for describing physical resemblance using دایک.Tatoeba #10298916 by Sarchia, translation #2661902 by WestofEden
- دایکت منی خۆش دەوێت.Your mother loves me.This sentence is useful for expressing affection using دایک.Tatoeba #10645163 by Sarchia, translation #2978864 by CM
- ماری دایکی سێ منداڵە.Mary is the mother of three children.This sentence is useful for stating how many children a mother has using دایک.Tatoeba #9832169 by Sarchia, translation #6247811 by CK
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Heval and Rojda are talking about their families.
- Hevalدایکی تۆ لە کوێیە؟Where is your mother?
- Rojdaدایکم لە ماڵدایە.My mother is at home.
- Hevalمن زۆر حەزم لە دایکی تۆیە.I like your mother very much.
- Rojdaسپاس، ئەویش تۆی خۆش دەوێت.Thanks, she likes you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries دایک, dayik, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dayik, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
