Let’s learn KurmanjiLesson
Kurmancî
UNIT 24 · LESSON 47

Reha demên din · Present and subjunctive stems

Learn stem pairs instead of guessing from the infinitive.

By the end of this lessonChoose the present stem for present indicative and regular subjunctive forms, including future constructions.

The idea

The present stem is often different from the past stem: xwend-/xwîn-, dît-/bîn-, kir-/k-, çû-/ç-. In regular examples, di- + present stem gives the present indicative; bi- + present stem gives the subjunctive. The future uses dê and a suitable subjunctive form: Ez dê bixwînim.

See it in a sentence

Ez dixwînim.I read: di-xwîn-im.
Ez dixwazim bixwînim.I want to read: the second verb is subjunctive.
Ez dê bixwînim.I will read: dê plus subjunctive.
Tu dibînî.You see: present stem bîn-.
Ez diçim.I go: present stem ç-.
Ez çûm.I went: past stem çû-.

“Other tenses” is not one universal conjugation. Copulas, hatin, modal verbs and many prefixed verbs have special forms; do not insert bi- mechanically into every prefixed verb. A stem is not di-, bi-, or a person ending.

GRAMMAR IN DEPTH

Build it step by step

Useful before this lesson:
  1. The present stem is often different from the past stem: xwend-/xwîn-, dît-/bîn-, kir-/k-, çû-/ç-. In regular examples, di- + present stem gives the present indicative; bi- + present stem gives the subjunctive. The future uses dê and a suitable subjunctive form: Ez dê bixwînim.
  2. Separate lexical stem and grammatical markers before conjugating: di-xwîn-im, bi-xwîn-im. Xwîn- stays; the marker changes the construction.
  3. Keep prefixed forms as a separate learning task. This table illustrates regular bi- formations of the listed simple verbs, not a universal rule for every compound or prefix.
  4. “Other tenses” is not one universal conjugation. Copulas, hatin, modal verbs and many prefixed verbs have special forms; do not insert bi- mechanically into every prefixed verb. A stem is not di-, bi-, or a person ending.
Compare the forms
InfinitivePresent stemI: indicativeI: subjunctive
xwendinxwîndixwînimbixwînim
xwarinxwdixwimbixwim
dîtinbîndibînimbibînim
kirinkdikimbikim
nivîsandinnivîsdinivîsimbinivîsim
çûnçdiçimbiçim
xwestinxwazdixwazimbixwazim

Take a sentence apart

Ez

direct subject: I

dê

future marker

bi-xwîn-im

subjunctive built on present stem xwîn-

Connect it to English

Use English and Turkish meanings to understand the situation, but choose Kurdish stems and agreement from the Kurdish construction. A translation does not determine the conjugation.

A common trap

Incorrect: Ez dixwendim.

Correct: Ez dixwînim.

For “I read / am reading”, use xwîn-. Dixwendim contains the past stem and belongs to a past construction, not this present meaning.

Grammar reference: Thackston, Course grammar reference: Thackston, verb formation and tense chapters; forms selected for this lesson.