Kurdish vowels are very similar to their English counterparts:

[i] close to the vowel in bit
[i:] close to the vowel in beet
[e] close to the vowel in bet, in some dialects closer to bat
[e:] close to the vowel in bait
[a] close to the vowel in box
[u] close to the vowel in put
[u:] close to the vowel in boot
[o] close to the vowel in boat

Long vowels are indicated by a '^' above the vowel in question in Kurmancî. In Sorani, long vowels are represented by the corresponding character; short vowels are not written at all (as is the case in Arabic).

Some consonants sounds will be familiar to English speakers:

[b] as in bay  
[ch] as in cheese
[d] as in dog
[f] as in flower
[g] as in go 
[h] as in how  
[j] as in juice  
[l] as in lose  
[m] as in mouse  
[n] as in net  
[p] as in put  
[t] as in tap
[v] as in van
[w] as in well
[y] as in yes
[z] as in zip
[zh] as in treasure    

However, some Kurdish consonants have the following sounds which do not appear in English:

[x]: like German ach, or Scottish loch.
[gh]: like [x] only pronounced with the vocal cords vibrating
[r]: like the Spanish or Italian [r]
[q]: a k pronounced very far back in the mouth

Kurdish has thirty-one consonant phonemes, some of which have entered the language through borrowing from Arabic; and five long and four short vowel phonemes. Stem-final vowels are regularly stressed, but stress is somewhat complicated and predictable morphologically. No vowel sequences are permitted.

Hello - Silav

How are you? - Tu chawanî?

I am good thank you; how are you? - Ez bashim, supas, û tu?

Pleased to meet you. - Memnûn bûm

What is your name? - Nawê te bi xêr?

My name is _____. - Nawê min _____ +ye if name ends with a vowel or +e if name ends with a consonant.

Thank you. - Sipas

You're welcome. - Fermû

Yes - Belê

No - Nexêr

Goodbye - Xuda hafiz

I don't understand. - Ez fam nakem.

I don't speak Kurdish very well. - Ez nizanim Kurdî bash qise bikem/biaxiwim.

Do you speak English? - Inglizî diaxiwî?

Knot your tongue!
~ Hold your tongue!

This yoghurt is not without hair.
~ There's a conspiracy afoot.

He can't separate black from white.
~ He's stupid.

A travelling fox is better than a sleeping lion.
~ Travelling brings strength and experience.

A human is a bird with no wings.
~A human can reach whatever place he or she wants.

This dough requires a lot of water.
~ This task is difficult.

My tongue is breaking!
~ I'm thirsty.

To pour pepper for someone.
~ To make oneself cry for someone's attention.

If you try to teach an old man how to eat rice, he'll put his hand to his ear.
~ You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Woman and man took their mud and water from the same place.
~ Men and women aren't so very different.

A woman with a baby only has half of her time to herself.