Kurdish Alphabet | ئەلفوبێی کوردی
The Kurdish alphabet varies by region, using Arabic script (Sorani), Latin script (Kurmanji), or Cyrillic. The Sorani variant has 33 letters.
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About the Kurdish Alphabet
The Kurdish language uses different scripts depending on the region. Sorani Kurdish (Central Kurdish) uses a modified Arabic script with 33 letters, including several letters not found in standard Arabic. Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) uses a Latin-based alphabet. The Sorani script is widely used in Iraq and Iran.
History
Kurdish has been written in various scripts throughout history, including Arabic, Armenian, and Cyrillic. The modern Sorani Kurdish alphabet was standardized in the early 20th century with additional letters to represent sounds unique to Kurdish. The Latin-based Kurmanji alphabet was developed in the 1930s.
Key Features
- Written from right to left (Sorani)
- 33 letters in Sorani variant
- Modified Arabic script
- Includes letters not in standard Arabic
- Multiple script variants by region
- Used in Iraq and Iran