Dialect comparison

Bahdini vs Zaza

Compare two dialects of Kurdish side by side — where they're spoken, what they're called, and how they relate.

Bahdini

Behdini · Badini · Behdînî · Bahdînî

A southern Kurmanji subdialect spoken in Duhok province of Iraqi Kurdistan and adjacent areas of southeastern Turkey. Mutually intelligible with northern Kurmanji but with distinct phonology and vocabulary, and traditionally written in Arabic script alongside Sorani rather than the Latin script used for Kurmanji further north.

Spoken in
Speakers (approx.)
3,000,000
Approximate centre
36.87°, 42.99°
Zaza

Spoken in eastern Turkey. Closely related to Kurdish varieties, with its own grammar and vocabulary.

Spoken in
Approximate centre
38.70°, 39.50°

Keep exploring

Read the full picture of Kurdish and the dialects within it.

Open Kurdish →Bahdini →Zaza →