The most widely spoken Kurdish variety, used across southeast Turkey, northern Syria, and parts of Iraq and Iran.
Bahdini
Also known as: 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Bahdini?
Bahdini is a dialect of Kurdish.
Where is Bahdini spoken?
Bahdini is primarily spoken in Iraq, Türkiye.
Which region is Bahdini associated with?
Bahdini is part of the Middle East region on DialectAtlas.
Is Bahdini known by other names?
Yes — Bahdini is also referred to as Behdini, Badini, Behdînî, Bahdînî.
How many people speak Bahdini?
Bahdini is spoken by approximately 3,000,000 people.
What are the other dialects of Kurdish?
Kurdish also includes Kurmanji, Sorani, Hawrami, Zaza. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Kurdish dialects
See on the atlas →Spoken across Iraqi Kurdistan and western Iran. The main written language in Iraqi Kurdistan.
An older and distinctive Kurdish variety spoken in pockets along the Iran-Iraq border, rich in classical poetic tradition.
Spoken in eastern Turkey. Closely related to Kurdish varieties, with its own grammar and vocabulary.