For Duhok and other Kurmanji-speaking areas, these phrases can help in everyday encounters:
- Merheba or Rojbaş: hello.
- Spas: thank you.
- Erê: yes. Na: no.
- Zehmet nebe: please.
- Tuwalet li kû ye?: where is the toilet?
- Tu bi inglîzî dizanî?: do you speak English?
Kurdish varies by place. The Kurdistan Regional Government's archived language guide says Sorani is spoken in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah governorates, while Kurmanji is spoken in Duhok and parts of Erbil governorate. Ask your hotel or a local speaker which phrases suit your stop; do not assume everyone speaks the same variety.
Sources: Wikivoyage Kurmanji phrasebook, Kurdistan Regional Government language guide, archived.
Checked on 2026-10-26.