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Central Kurdish (Iraq) style guide

Scope

This page covers Modern Standard Central Kurdish.

Characters

  • Caseless script. No lower-case, no upper-case, no extended Latin characters.
  • Alphabet, 33 characters: ئ ا ە ب پ ت ج چ ح خ د ر ڕ ز ژ س ش ع غ ف ڤ ق ک گ ل ڵ م ن و ۆ ھ ی ێ
  • Unicode: ئ (0626), ا (0627), ە (06D5), ب (0628), پ (067E), ت (062A), ج (062C), چ (0686), ح (062D), خ (062E), د (062F), ر (0631), ڕ (0695), ز (0632), ژ (0698), س (0633), ش (0634), ع (0639), غ (063A), ف (0641), ڤ (06A4), ق (0642), ک (06A9), گ (06AF), ل (0644), ڵ (06B5), م (0645), ن (0646), و (0648), ۆ (06C6), ھ (06BE), ی (06CC), ێ (06CE)
  • Alphabetical order and sorting order are always the same.
  • Characters take initial, middle, and final forms.
  • Never use the old combination of ه (0647) plus zero-width non-joiner (200C). Forbidden in new Kurdish keyboards. Use ە (06D5).
  • Replace the independent character ه (0647) with ھ (06BE). All translators and editors MUST follow this.

Date

  • Calendar: Gregorian (localized). First day of week: Sunday. First week of year: January 1 to January 7.
  • Separator: slash.
  • Short date: yyyy/MM/dd, example 2011/08/15.
  • Long date: dddd, dd MMMM, yyyy, example Monday, 15 August, 2011.
  • Additional long date 1: yyyy MMMM dd, example 91ی مارسی 1199.
  • Additional long date 2: yyyy MMMM dd, week day, example چوارشەممە 91ی مارسی 1191.
  • No additional short date formats.
  • No leading zero in day or month field, short or long date.
  • Digits for year: short format 2, long format 4.
  • Correspondence date: d/M/yyyy, example 17/3/2011.
  • The year 9111 can be written in short form.
  • Format codes: d = day (d = no leading zero, dd = 2 digits); M = month (M = no leading zero, MM = 2 digits, MMM = abbreviated name, MMMM = full name); y = year (yy = 2 digits, yyyy = 4 digits).

Time

  • 24 hour format: yes. Standard format HH:mm:ss, example 12:13:45.
  • Separator: colon :. Example 12:13:45.
  • Hours leading zero: yes. Example 03:24:12.
  • AM designator: ب.ن. PM designator: د.ن.

Days

  • Normal form and abbreviation are identical.
  • Sunday: یەکشەممە
  • Monday: دووشەممە
  • Tuesday: سێشەممە
  • Wednesday: چوارشەممە
  • Thursday: پێنجشەممە
  • Friday: ھەینی
  • Saturday: شەممە
  • Abbreviation is rare. Use the abbreviated form only where context makes weekdays clear, such as a calendar display.

Months

  • Two norms exist. Prefer the transliterated English names, understood by all Central Kurdish speakers, not only the Iraqi community.
  • No abbreviations for month names. Always use the full form. Long date form equals full form.
  • Transliterated norm: January جانوییەر, February فێبرییەر, March مارس, April ئاپریل, May مەی, June جوون, July جوالی, August ئۆگست, September سێپتەمبەر, October ئۆکتۆبەر, November نێڤەمبەر, December دیسەمبەر
  • Assyrian-derived norm: January کانوونی دووەم, February شوبات, March ئادار, April نیسان, May ئایار, June حوزەیران, July تەمووز, August ئاب, September ئەیلوول, October تشرینی یەکەم, November تشرینی دووەم, December کانوونی یەکەم

Numbers

  • List separator: ؛
  • Decimal separator: .
  • Thousand separator: , — not used most of the time in Central Kurdish.
  • Date separator: /
  • Time separator: :

Phone numbers

  • International dialing code: +169-
  • Area codes used: yes. Digits in area code: 1; 2. Separator: space (mainly) or hyphen.
  • Domestic digits: 6;7. Domestic grouping: ### ####
  • Local digits: 7 is the longest local number in Iraq, excluding the area code. Local grouping: ### ####
  • Mobile: 11 digits. Grouping: #### ### ####
  • International: 13-14 digits. Grouping: 00964 (#)# ### ####
  • Local area codes start with zero when dialed locally. Omit the leading zero when dialing from abroad.

Addresses

  • Never use this address information in examples as fictitious information.
  • Format: [Title/Honorific] FirstName LastName, [CompanyName], Address1, [Address2], City, PostalCode, [Country]
  • Example: خاتوو/کوێستان سەنگاوی کۆمپانیای نیشتمان ھەولێر، گەڕەکی ئازادی، شەقامی سمکۆ، بینای کازیوە، نھۆمی 3 کۆدی پۆست xxxxx ھەرێمی کوردستان - ئێراق
  • Postal code format: xxxxx

Currency

  • Currency name: دیناری عێراقی (Iraqi Dinar). Symbol: د.ع. ISO code: IQD
  • Symbol position: left of the digits, prefix, no separation, for example 9.9
  • Negative sign: -. Negative format: monetary symbol, negative sign, number, for example $-1.1
  • Decimal symbol: . Digits after decimal: 1.
  • Digit grouping symbol: ، Digits in a group: 3.
  • Positive example: د913916111.ع،91
  • Negative example: د913916111.ع-،91
  • Subunit name: فلس (Fels). Subunit symbol: ف. Subunit example: 11 فلس

Digit groups

  • Decimal separator: point . Example 1.5
  • Thousand separator: comma ، Example 91،919. The comma might be used as thousand separator.

Measurement units

  • Metric system: yes. Temperature: Celsius.
  • Transliterate measurement units in complete form. Abbreviations are rare and limited to the most common units, such as کم for km, and to formulas.
  • Prefer the full form. Use ھێکتۆلیتر instead of ھل for hectoliter.
  • Kurdish abbreviations apply better to the Latin Kurdish alphabet.
  • Linear measure: Kilometer كیلومیتر كم; Meter میتر م; Decimeter دیسیمیتر دم; Centimeter سانتیمیتر سم; Millimeter میلیمیتر مم
  • Capacity: Hectoliter ھێكتولیتر ھل; Liter لیتر ل; Deciliter دیسیلیتر دل; Centiliter سانتیلیتر سل; Milliliter میلیلیتر مل
  • Mass: Ton تۆن ت; Kilogram کیلۆگرام کگ; Pound پاوند پن; Gram گرام گ; Decigram دیسیگرام دگ; Centigram سانتیگرام سگ; Milligram میلیگرام مگ
  • English units: Inch ئینچ ئچ; Feet پێ پێ; Mile مایل ما; Gallon گاڵۆن گن

Percentages

  • Symbol: %. Read as لەسەد (lesed).
  • Position: to the left of the digit. Example %13

Sorting

  • Sort words by the alphabetical order of the first letter, then the next letters. Example AA.AB.AC
  • No capitalization rules.
  • The vowels ا and ە never appear at the start of a word. They follow a consonant. They never follow each other.
  • Alphabetical order equals sorting order.
  • Digits sort after non-alphabetical characters and before the letters of the alphabet.
  • Sorting order: ئ ا ە ب پ ت ج چ ح خ د ر ڕ ز ژ س ش ع غ ف ڤ ق ک گ ل ڵ م ن و ۆ ھ ی ێ
  • Sorted example words: ئازاد, ئەسمەر, ئێستا, بارکردن, بنەما, پاراستن, پیت, تاریک, تیشک, جادە, جۆگە, چاک, چیا, حاڵەت, حساب, خاکی, خراپ, دروست, دیمەن, رابەر, ڕێنونێن, زمان, زوو, ژاڵە, ژیر, ساڵ, سوور, شارەزا, شریت, عادەت, عەیب, غەربی, غەڵەت, فایل, فلۆپی, قانوون, قوفل, کاتالۆگ, کێشان, گەڕانەوە, گرووپ, الپەڕە, لێوار, مانگ, مێوان, نابەجێ, نامە, وانە, وێنەگرتن, ھاوکات, ھیچیەک, یاریدەر, یەکسان

Adjectives

  • Adjectives follow the noun, except in rare cases. en John's book -> ckb کتێبی جۆن (Kteb-i John).
  • Write possessive adjectives as separate pronouns like من or as attached pronouns like م.
  • Always write the genitive connector ی between the noun and the adjective.
  • en My folders -> فۆڵدەرەکان من -> فۆڵدەرەکانی من or فۆڵدەرەکانم

Articles

  • The definite article follows the source.
  • Use product names and non-translated feature names without definite or indefinite articles. Leave them untranslated or transliterate them. en Excel -> ئێکسێڵ
  • Treat translated feature names as Central Kurdish terms. No articles. Highlight them with double or single quotes inside other text. en Movie Maker -> فیلمساز; بە بەرنامەی "فیلمساز"ی ویندەوز دەتوانی وێنە و گۆرانی تێکەڵ بکەی و فیلم دروست بکەی.
  • For an English loan word already used, check motivation (does it integrate into the Central Kurdish noun class system), analogy (is there an equivalent Central Kurdish term), and frequency (which form other technical documentation uses).
  • en Computer -> کۆمپیۆتەر
  • en Computer Software -> نەرمئامێری کۆمپیۆتەری — noun converted to adjective by adding ی.

Capitalization

  • Does not apply to Central Kurdish.

Compounds

  • Compound nouns are very common. en Phonebook -> پەرتووکی تەلەفۆن; en workgroup -> کارگرووپ
  • Keep compounds clear and understandable. Avoid long or complex compounds.
  • Never hyphenate a compound noun. Write the morphemes separately.
  • To pluralize a compound noun, usually pluralize the first noun. Pluralizing the second noun is also common.
  • en Phonebooks -> پەرتووک تەلەفۆنەکان -> پەرتووکەکانی تەلەفۆن
  • en Parliament members -> ئەندام پەڕلەمانەکان -> ئەندامانی پاڕلەمان

Gender

  • Does not apply to Central Kurdish.

Genitive

  • The genitive case is common. The most common genitive mark is ی. It marks a noun as modifying another noun.
  • en My book -> کتێبەکانی من; en Video file -> فایلی ویدیۆ
  • When an English word stands between the governed and governing word, add the genitive connector to the English word too. en New Excel file -> فایلی Excelی نوێ
  • Class genitive constructs follow the source for singular and plural.

Modifiers

  • Modifiers come after the modified word nearly always. Never translate word by word.
  • Take care with word order for a non-translatable product name used as a modifier.
  • en New registered member -> ئەندامی تۆمارکراوی نوێ
  • en Windows password -> نهێنوشەی Windows

Nouns

  • No noun classes based on animacy or gender.
  • Nouns are not inflected. en book- software- tools -> پەرتووک- نەرمئامێر- ئامرازەکان
  • Plural of definite nouns: marker کان. Plural of indefinite nouns: گەل and ئان.
  • Definite example: en The books are on the table -> کتێبەکان لە سەر میزەکەن
  • Indefinite example: en women tend to live more than men -> ژنان زۆرتر لە پیاوان دەژین

Prepositions

  • Use the correct preposition. Never omit it. Never change word order under English influence.
  • Choose the preposition that fits the accompanying verb. Never translate prepositions from the source.
  • en click on -> کرتە لەسەر
  • en on a web page -> لە یەک الپەڕەی وێب دا

Pronouns

  • All pronouns are neutral. They never refer to a specific gender.
  • Never stress gender difference. Never reinforce stereotypes. Keep language neutral.
  • en she is working in Microsoft Company -> ئەو لە کۆمپانیای Microsoft کار دەکات.

Punctuation

  • Comma: no space before, space after. Example فایلی یەک، فایلی دوو و فایلی سێ بسڕەوە.
  • The Kurdish comma has a different symbol from the English one. Convert English commas to Kurdish commas, including between English terms inside Kurdish sentences. Put a space after commas and periods.
  • Colon: no space before, space after. Use a colon to introduce a list, a long quotation, or a speech.
  • en to install the software, you shall follow these steps: -> بۆ دامەزراندنی ئەم نەرمئامێرە دەبێ ئەم ھەنگاوانەی خوارەوە ئەنجام بدەی:
  • No colon mid-sentence when the verb still has to come at the end. en to get more information, please refer to this address: www.microsoft.com -> سەردانی ئەم ناونیشانە بکە: www.microsoft.com بۆ زانیاریی زۆرتر. -> بۆ زانیاریی زۆرتر سەردانی ئەم ناونیشانە بکە: www.microsoft.com
  • Hyphen: divides words between syllables, links parts of a compound word, connects parts of an inverted or imperative verb form. Hyphenation is rare in Central Kurdish.
  • en The file-related commands cannot be executed at this level. -> ناکرێ فەرمانەکانی فایل-پەیوەست لەم ئاستە دا ئیجرا بکەی. -> ناکرێ فەرمانەکانی پەیوەست بە فایل لەم ئاستە دا ئیجرا بکەی.
  • En dash: used as a minus sign, usually with spaces before and after. Rare in Central Kurdish.
  • En dash in number ranges: no spaces around it. Replace it with هەتا (to). Usually no dash is needed.
  • en 8am-6pm -> 1 ب.ن- 6 د.ن -> 1 ب.ن ھەتا 6 د.ن
  • Em dash: use only to emphasize an isolated element or to introduce a non-essential element.
  • en The software was developed by Mozilla — a known open source community — in 2009. -> ئەم نەرمئامێرە لە ساڵی 1111 لەالیەن Mozilla – کۆمەڵەیەکی ناسراوی چاوگ ئاوەاڵ - - بەرھەم ھێنرا.
  • Ellipsis: shows omitted material, and interruption in speech.
  • en to do things like add or remove programs, install a new software, etc… -> بۆ ئەنجامدانی ھەندێ کار وەکوو زێدەکردن یان البردنی بەرنامەکان، دامەزراندنی بەرنامەیەکی نوێ، و ھتد...
  • Sometimes ignore the ellipsis to complete the sentence with a verb. Never put an ellipsis mid-sentence.
  • en this application is not working when you add, save, remove items… -> ئەم بەرنامە لەو کاتانە کە تۆ خەریکی ئەنجامدانی ھەندێ کار وەکوو زێدەکردن، ھەمارکردن، البردن یان ...ی شتێکی کار ناکات. -> ئەم بەرنامە لەو کاتانە کە تۆ خەریکی ئەنجامدانی ھەندێ کار وەکوو زێدەکردن، ھەمارکردن، یان البردنی شتێکی کار ناکات.
  • Period: no space before, space after. Always put a full stop at the end of a sentence.
  • Avoid a full stop at the end of a phrase, unless instructed to follow English punctuation. Put the period outside brackets at the end of a sentence.
  • en for more information, please refer to page 56 in the same manual. -> بۆ زانیاریی زۆرتر، تکایە بڕوانە لە الپەڕەی 16ـی ھەمان نامیلکە دا.
  • Quotation marks highlight UI items such as button names. en Click View menu -> لەسەر پێڕستی بینین کرتە بکە -> لەسەر پێڕستی "بینین" کرتە بکە
  • Quotation mark spacing: opening has space before, no space after; closing has no space before, space after.
  • Use quotation marks for a speech, quotation, phrase, or word. Use them to emphasize a term capitalized in the source.
  • Never use single quotation marks. Where the source has English quotation marks around software references, follow the source but use double quotation marks.
  • en you can find My Music and My Pictures folders in My Document. -> دەتوانی لە بەشی "بەڵگەکانی من" دا فۆڵدەرەکانی "مووزیکی من" و "وێنەکانی من" ببینی.
  • Parentheses spacing: opening has space before, no space after; closing has no space before, space after.
  • Put parenthetical text in the suitable place. Do not follow English word order.
  • en You can use more than one email account (such as your home and work accounts). -> دەتوانی زۆرتر لە یەک حسابی ئیمەیل بە کار بھێنی (وەکوو حسابەکانی ماڵ و کاری خۆت). -> دەتوانی زۆرتر لە یەک حسابی ئیمەیل (وەکوو حسابەکانی ماڵ و کاری خۆت) بە کار بھێنی.

Singular and plural

  • Nouns after a number are always singular. Units are always singular. Never follow the English source here.
  • en 12 days -> 91 ڕۆژ; 91 ڕۆژان
  • en 120 meters -> 911 میتر

Split infinitive

  • Does not apply to Central Kurdish.

Subjunctive

  • Use the subjunctive mood when addressing software, such as check box options.
  • en Don't show this dialog again -> ئەم خانەی گفتوگۆیە دیسان نیشان نەدرێت

Symbols and non-breaking spaces

  • Keep certain expressions on one line. Use ctrl + shift + space bar between words that must not split.
  • Between two parts of a single word: پێ بگات
  • Between Part, Chapter, or Appendix and the number: بەشی سێیەم
  • Between the unit of measurement and the number that follows it: 1 کیلۆگرام

Syntax

  • Central Kurdish is verb final. Never follow English syntax.
  • en click on the link below to get more information. -> بۆ زانیاریی زۆرتر لەسەر لینکی خوارەوە کرتە بکە.
  • Verbs inflect for subject and number. en they installed 3 applications. -> ئەوان 3 بەرنامەیان دامەزراند.

Verbs

  • Verbs inflect for subject, number, and time.
  • en they will create an application with the following features: -> ئەوان بەرنامەیەک بەم تایبەتمەندییانەی خوارەوە دروست دەکەن:
  • Translate an English gerund for a continuous operation as progressive tense. en connecting… -> خەریکی لکاندنە...

Word order

  • Main word order: subject (object1) verb (object2).
  • en I gave Ali the book. -> من کتێبەکەم دا بە عەلی.

Style and tone considerations

  • Forbid local non-formal grammatical usage. Reject local bias and prejudice.
  • Use month names understood by the whole Central Kurdish community, not only the Iraqi community. Prefer the English transliteration.
  • No respect tone: never use second person plural for second person singular. Always use the singular.
  • Never address the computer as a person.
  • Write uniformly across UI strings, online assistance, and documentation: one style, one syntax, one structure.
  • Use the simplest, clearest, most common words.
  • Audience: same as style and tone.
  • Style: formal, not colloquial, as in media and press. Less ambiguity, less passive. Direct but polite, especially in written form.
  • Tone: formal in most products. Informal tone is allowed for products such as a social network.
  • Voice: English you can be singular, plural, or either gender. Account for this in Central Kurdish.
  • en You are now connected to the Internet. -> ئێستا تۆ لکێندراوی بە ئینترنێت.
  • en You are now connected to the Internet. -> ئێستا ئێوە لکێندراون بە ئینترنێت.

General considerations

  • Follow the fixed conventions: computer -> ژمێرەر, not کامپیۆتەر; mouse -> ماوس, not مشک.

Abbreviations

  • Central Kurdish has very few abbreviations, mostly in mathematics. Never invent an abbreviation to match an English one.
  • Most common abbreviations: country names and currencies. Never abbreviate month names or day names.
  • No dot after an abbreviation.
  • Form an abbreviation from the first character of the word, such as د.ن for دوانیوەڕۆ (PM), or from two characters present in a transliterated English word, such as کم for کیلۆمیتر (Kilometer).
  • Prefer the full form.
  • AM: ب.ن
  • C (Celsius): پلەی سەدی
  • CM: سم
  • CPU: یەکەی لێکدانەوەی ناوەندی
  • EB: ئێکزابایت
  • GB: گیگابایت
  • USB: یو.ئێس.بی
  • Grams: گرام
  • Hz: ھێرتز
  • KB: کیلۆبایت
  • KHz: کیلۆھێرتز
  • MB: مگابایت
  • MHz: مگاھێرتز
  • Mm: مم
  • PB: پتابایت
  • PM: د.ن
  • Pt: خاڵ
  • RAM: ڕام
  • ROM: بیرگەی تەنیا خوێندەنی
  • TB: ترلیۆن بایت
  • U.S.: ویالیاتی یەکگرتووی ئەمەریکا

Acronyms

  • Spell an acronym out in parentheses at first occurrence, then use the English acronym.
  • en OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) -> OLE (لکاندن و بنەجێکردنی شت).
  • Acronyms are rare. Some western acronyms are transliterated, such as OPEC -> ئۆپێک.
  • Keep the acronym as in English and follow it with the full translated form in parentheses, such as RAM followed by بیرگەی تەنیا خوێندەنی.
  • Transliterate well-known acronyms such as SIM and PIN for fluent text. Translate terms such as SMS when a Central Kurdish translation exists.
  • en SIM card -> سیم کارت
  • en Pin code -> پین کۆد
  • en SMS -> پەیامۆک
  • Keep an acronym in English, untranslated and untransliterated, when it is standardized as an English word, or when transliteration gives an unacceptable Kurdish word.
  • en CD-ROM drive -> درایڤی CD-ROM
  • In documentation an acronym may appear fully in English followed by its full English spelling, for example ANSI (American National Standards Institute).
  • In software UI, respect spacing constraints. Where space does not permit the full form, use the English acronym only, for example ANSI.

Applications, products, and features

  • Verify that an application, product, or feature name is translatable and not protected before translating it.
  • Keep product names in the original if they are trademarks. Otherwise transliterate them.

Frequent errors

  • en Show and hide an image -> نیشاندانو شاردنەوەی وێنە -> نیشاندان و شاردنەوەی وێنە — the Kurdish و takes one space on both sides, not only after.
  • en Show and hide an image -> نیشاندانی وێنە و شاردنەوەی -> نیشاندان و شاردنەوەی وێنە — never mimic Arabic grammar.
  • en Use the draft version -> نوسخەی ڕەشنووس بە کار بھێنە -> نوسخەی بەرنووس بە کار بھێنە.
  • en Call us on our hotline -> لە ڕێگەی تەلەفۆنی گەرمی ئێمە پەیوەندیمان پێوە بکە. -> لە ڕێگەی ھێڵی فریاکەوتنی ئێمە پەیوەندیمان پێوە بکە.
  • Avoid loan translation through Farsi and Arabic. Avoid literal translation.
  • en Creates a new page -> الپەڕێکی نوێ دروستدەکات -> الپەڕێکی نوێ دروست دەکات — write a compound verb such as دروست دەکات as one word only in the infinitive form دروستکردن. In inflected forms such as دروستی کرد, دروستی دەکات, دروستمان کرد, write the main components separately.
  • Other frequent errors: incorrect word order when a placeholder is in the text; inconsistent style across a set of similar strings; following English syntax instead of Central Kurdish syntax.

Recurring patterns

  • Does not apply to Central Kurdish.

User interface

  • Click -> کرتە بکە
  • Click in the window -> لەنێو پەنجەرە کرتە بکە
  • Click the button -> لەسەر دوکمەی ... کرتە بکە
  • Double-click -> دوو کرتە بکە
  • Move the mouse pointer to -> نیشاندەری ماوس ببە سەر...
  • Position the mouse pointer on -> نیشاندەەی ماوس لەسەر ... دابنێ
  • Press and hold the mouse button -> دوکمەی ماوس فشار بدە و ڕایبگرە
  • Drag -> ... ڕاکێشە
  • Click and drag -> لەسەر ... کرتە بکە و ڕایکێشە
  • Press and drag -> ... فشار بدە و ڕایکێشە
  • Hove the mouse -> ماوس بەرز بکەوە

Colors

  • Aqua -> پیرۆزەیی
  • Butter Milk -> شیرەیی
  • Black -> ڕەش
  • Blue -> شین
  • Dark gray -> سووتەیی تێر
  • Fuchsia -> سوورئەرخەوانی
  • Gray -> خۆڵەمێشی
  • Green -> سەوز
  • Light gray -> سووتەیی کاڵ
  • Lime -> لیمۆیی
  • Maroon -> بەڕوویی
  • Medium gray -> سووتەیی ناوەند
  • Navy -> شینی دەریایی
  • Olive -> زەیتوونی
  • Purple -> ئەرخەوانی
  • Red -> سوور
  • Silver -> زیوی
  • Teal -> سەوزی مراوی
  • White -> سپی
  • Yellow -> زەرد
  • Aquamarine -> شینسەوز
  • Blanched Almond -> بادامیی کاڵ
  • Blue Gradient -> سەوزی پلەیی
  • Blue Violet -> شینبەنەوش
  • Dark Magenta -> ماگێنتای تێر
  • Dark Olive Green -> زەیتوونیی تاڵ
  • Dark Orchid -> ئۆرکیدیی تێر
  • Dark Slate Blue -> شینی بەردی
  • Dark Turquoise -> تۆرکوازی تێر
  • Deep Pink -> پەمەیی تێر
  • Dodger Blue -> شینی ناوەند
  • Fire Brick -> خشتی
  • Green Gradient -> سەوزی پلەیی
  • Honeydew -> هەنگوینی
  • Light Sky Blue -> ئاسمانیی کاڵ
  • Light Slate Gray -> بارووتیی کاڵ
  • Medium Aquamarine -> پیرۆزەی ناوەند
  • Medium Turquoise -> تۆرکۆازی ناوەند
  • Mint Cream -> سەوزکرێمی
  • Misty Rose -> گوڵەباخی
  • Moccasin -> مۆکاسی
  • Navajo White -> سپیی ناڤاجۆ
  • Olive Drab -> زەیتوونیی کاڵ
  • Orchid -> ئۆرکیدی
  • Pale Goldenrod -> زەردی کاڵ
  • Pale Turquoise -> تۆرکوازی کاڵ
  • Papaya Whip -> پاپایا
  • Plum -> هەڵووژەیی
  • Powder Blue -> شینی گەردی
  • Sandy Brown -> قاوەیی زیخی
  • Sky Blue -> ئاسمانی
  • Tan -> تەن
  • Turquoise -> تۆرکواز
  • White Smoke -> دووکەڵی
  • Yellow Green -> زەردسەوز

Messages

  • Two types: informative messages (message box or status bar) and interactive messages (message box, requires a response or action).
  • Do not copy the source text format. Focus on meaning. Reproduce in natural Kurdish.
  • en File format unknown -> فۆرمەتی فایل نەزانرا -> فۆرمەتی ئەم فایلە نەناسراوە
  • en File cannot be saved -> فایل ناکرێ پاشەکەوت بکرێت -> ناتوانێ ئەم فایلە پاشەکەوت بکات

Status messages

  • A status bar message informs about the active document, a selected command, or a selected interface item. It refers to actions being performed or already complete.
  • Menu status bar messages and command status bar messages do not differ in Central Kurdish.
  • Edit (menu), en Contains editing commands -> فەرمانی دەستکاریی تێدایە
  • Copy to Folder... (menu), en Copies the selected items to a new location -> ئایتمە دیاریکراوەکان کۆپی دەکاتە نێو شوێنێکی نوێ
  • New (command), en Creates a new document -> بەڵگەیەکی نوێ دروست دەکات
  • Use one standard translation where the source phrases the same meaning differently.
  • en Press F1 to get Help / If you want Help press F1 / To get Help press F1 -> بۆ ڕێنوێنی F1 لێ بدە
  • en Not enough memory / Insufficient memory / There is not enough memory -> بیرگە جێگەی تەواوی نیە
  • en Save changes to %1? / Do you want to save changes to %1? -> ئەتەوێ گۆڕانکارییەکانی 1%، خزن بکەی؟

Error messages

  • Use consistent terminology and language style. Do not translate as they appear in the source.
  • Standardize the phrase for error messages with the same meaning and purpose.
  • en Cannot / Could not: File could not be found / File cannot be found -> ئەم فایلە نەدۆزرایەوە
  • en Failed to .. / Failure of ..: Failed to connect / Failure to connect -> پەیوەندی ئەنجام نەبوو
  • en Cannot find .. / Could not find .. / Unable to find .. / Unable to locate ..: Cannot find driver software / Could not find driver software / Unable to find driver software / Unable to locate driver software -> ئەم نەرمامێری درایڤە نەدۆزرایەوە
  • en Not enough memory / Insufficient memory / There is not enough memory / There is not enough memory available -> بیرگە جێگەی تەواوی نیە
  • en .. is not available / .. is unavailable: The command is not available / The command is unavailable -> ئەم فەرمانە لە بەردەست نیە
  • Find out what replaces a placeholder, so the sentence stays grammatical.
  • %d, %ld, %u, %lu mean <number>. %c means <letter>. %s means <string>.
  • "Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!" means "Checking Web <number> of <number>".
  • "INI file "%1!-.200s!" section" means "INI file "<string>" section".

Keys

  • Key names, such as arrow keys, function keys, and numeric keys, appear in normal text, not small caps.
  • Keep all keys in English when they are listed as an action to do or an instruction to follow, and directly concern the UI.
  • Translate keys when they occur in narrative or explanatory text.

Key names

  • Alt -> Alt
  • Backspace -> Backspace
  • Break -> Break
  • Caps Lock -> Caps Lock
  • Ctrl -> Control
  • Delete -> Delete
  • Down Arrow -> تیرنیشانی خوار
  • End -> End
  • Enter -> Enter
  • Esc -> Esc
  • Home -> Home
  • Insert -> Insert
  • Left Arrow -> تیرنیشانی چەپ
  • Num Lock -> Num Lock
  • Page Down -> Page Down
  • Page Up -> Page Up
  • Pause -> Pause
  • Right Arrow -> تیرنیشانی ڕاست
  • Scroll Lock -> Scroll Lock
  • Shift -> Shift
  • Spacebar -> کلیلی مەودا
  • Tab -> Tab
  • Up Arrow -> تیرنیشانی سەر
  • Windows key -> کلیلی Windows
  • Menu Key -> کلیلی پێرست
  • Print Screen -> Print Screen

Access keys and hot keys

  • Slim characters, such as I, l, t, r, f: allowed. Characters join together in Central Kurdish, so a hotkey on a slim character may not be visible. Use it only when the character stands alone.
  • Characters with downstrokes, such as g, j, y, p, q: allowed, but not the first choice when other characters are available.
  • Extended characters: not allowed.
  • An additional letter in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • A number in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • A punctuation sign in brackets after the item name: allowed.
  • Duplicate hotkeys when no other character is available: not allowed.
  • No hotkey when no more characters are available: allowed, minor options only.
  • Avoid characters produced with more than one key stroke, such as Shift plus another key: ء, ێ, ڵ.

Arrow key names

  • Translate arrow keys.
  • Right Arrow -> تیرنیشانی ڕاست
  • Left Arrow -> تیرنیشانی چەپ
  • Up Arrow -> تیرنیشانی سەر
  • Down Arrow -> تیرنیشانی خوار

Titles

  • How to… -> چۆنیەتی …
  • Working with … -> کارکردن بە …
  • Using … -> بەکارھێنانی …
  • Never translate literally or word by word. The target must read as an original, simple and understandable.
  • Avoid American idioms and jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations not understood in the Central Kurdish market.
  • Report anything too American or culturally inappropriate.
  • Translate all related titles consistently. Use infinitives only where that gives better consistency and understanding.
  • What's New in <product name> -> ئامرازە نوێکانی "ناوەیبەرھەم"
  • Getting Started with <product name> -> دەستکردن بە بەکارھێنانی "ناوەی بەرھەم"
  • Installing and Configuring <product name> -> دامەزراندن و پەیکەربەندیی "ناوەی بەرھەم"