başe
The Kurdish word for okay is başe.
başe is used as an interjection to mean OK.
Meaning: OK (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word başe literally means "it is good."
Which one should you use?
While başe is a common way to say okay, the word temam is also frequently used to express agreement or to indicate that something is all right.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form başe includes the suffix -e, which functions as the third-person singular present tense of the verb "to be".
Did you know?
- While başe is used for agreement, the alternative temam is a loanword from Arabic that is shared with Turkish.
- While başe means 'it is good', in some Kurdish dialects, saying 'it is good' can actually sound dismissive or sarcastic if your tone is too short, similar to saying 'fine' in English.
- In many Kurdish social settings, instead of a verbal 'okay', a slight nod or a specific hand gesture is often more common to signal agreement during a conversation.
Examples in context
- Başê, spas dikim!Okay, thank you!
- Başe, ez ê bêm.Okay, I will come.
- Ser çavan, başe.With pleasure, okay.
- Başe, ez nizanim.Okay, I don't know.
Example conversation
Rojda and Dijwar are deciding where to eat lunch.
- RojdaEm herin xwarîgehê?Shall we go to the restaurant?
- DijwarBaşe, ez birçî me.Okay, I am hungry.
- RojdaTu çi dixwazî bixwî, Dijwar?What do you want to eat, Dijwar?
- DijwarEz her tiştî dixwazim.I want anything.
