What are common mistakes with Dema Borî ya Sade?

Common mistakes with Simple past tense with split ergativity introduction. 🇬🇧 English: Structural differences. 🇷🇺 Russian: Some parallels but key differences. 🇩🇪 German: Partial overlap with German patterns.

Dema Borî ya Sade: rules, examples & exercises | Kurdish Grammar A1

Dema Borî ya Sade

A1 — Lêker

Simple past tense with split ergativity introduction

Can form basic past tense sentences understanding ergative alignment

Simple past tense with split ergativity introduction

Examples

Min nan xwar. — I ate bread.
Te çi got? — What did you say?
Wê nameyek nivîsand. — She wrote a letter.

LêkerA1

Simple past tense with split ergativity introduction

Learning Goal

Can form basic past tense sentences understanding ergative alignment

Exam Skills:AxaftinGuhdarîkirinNivîsandinXwendin

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Min nan xwar.

I ate bread.

Te çi got?

What did you say?

Wê nameyek nivîsand.

She wrote a letter.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Di dema borî de, Kurmancî ergatîv e — di çavkaniya lêkerê de karker di rewşa rew de ye, lê kêşker di rewşa berê de ye:

Niha (Nominatîv)	Borî (Ergatîv)
Ez dixwînim. (I read.)	Min xwend. (I read [past].)
Tu dixwînî.	Te xwend.
Ew dixwîne.	Wî/Wê xwend.

Girîng: Di dema borî de, cînavka berê (min, te, wî, wê) tê bikaranîn, ne cînavka rew!

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Common mistakes with Simple past tense with split ergativity introduction. 🇬🇧 English:

Common Error Patterns

Error with Simple past tense with split ergativity introduction

Review the rules for Dema Borî ya Sade

Min nan xwar.

I ate bread.

Min (oblique, not ez!) = I. Nan = bread. Xwar = ate. Ergative: agent in oblique case.

Te çi got?

What did you say?

Te (oblique, not tu!) = you. Çi = what. Got = said.

Wê nameyek nivîsand.

She wrote a letter.

Wê (oblique feminine) = she. Name = letter. Nivîsand = wrote.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Frequently asked questions

When is Dema Borî ya Sade used?: Di dema borî de, Kurmancî ergatîv e — di çavkaniya lêkerê de karker di rewşa rew de ye, lê kêşker di rewşa berê de ye:
How is Dema Borî ya Sade formed?: Girîng: Di dema borî de, cînavka berê (min, te, wî, wê) tê bikaranîn, ne cînavka rew!
What are common mistakes with Dema Borî ya Sade?: Common mistakes with Simple past tense with split ergativity introduction. 🇬🇧 English: Structural differences. 🇷🇺 Russian: Some parallels but key differences. 🇩🇪 German: Partial overlap with German patterns.