Transcribe long Kurdish recordings in Sorani or Kurmanji
Kurdish is written in two scripts, so start by choosing the right variety: Kurdish (Sorani) gives Arabic-based script, Kurdish (Kurmanji) gives Latin letters. You get every word with timestamps and an English translation under each paragraph. Up to 15 minutes is free in full; a longer recording opens with a free part and costs $5 for up to 6 hours.
- Two separate entries: Kurdish (Sorani) and Kurdish (Kurmanji)
- Sorani comes out in Arabic-based script, right to left, with vowels written as letters
- Kurmanji comes out in Latin letters such as ç, ê, î, ş and û
- Sorani is preselected with English; switch to Kurmanji for a Kurmanji speaker
- Up to 6 hours for $5, or 12 hours per job with Unlimited
Real output from a demo recording. Click a timestamp to see where it sits in the audio.
Pick the variety, and the script follows
- Sorani: spoken in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and much of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and in Iranian Kurdistan around Sanandaj and Mahabad. Choose Kurdish (Sorani).
- Kurmanji: spoken in northeast Syria, around Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in parts of northwest Iran, and by much of the diaspora in Germany. Choose Kurdish (Kurmanji).
- Not sure: play the first minute to a Kurdish speaker, or run the free first part with each setting and keep the one that reads right.
Why the scripts look so different
Sorani uses an Arabic-based alphabet, but unlike Arabic it writes its vowels as full letters, and it adds letters such as ڕ, ڵ, ۆ and ێ. Kurmanji is normally written in the Latin-based Hawar alphabet, where x, q and w are ordinary letters and the hats on ê, î and û mark vowels. A Sorani reader and a Kurmanji reader may each struggle with the other script, which is why the setting matters more than for most languages.
In Duhok and Zakho, Badini Kurmanji is often written in Arabic-based script in daily life. The Kurmanji setting writes it in Latin letters. If your readers prefer Arabic script, say so to them up front, or use the English translation as the shared version.
Arabic, Persian and other varieties in the same recording
Kurdish speakers often switch into Arabic in Iraq and Syria, or Persian in Iran, and diaspora speakers mix in German, Swedish or English. Each language is written in its own script. Southern Kurdish (such as Feyli or Kalhuri) and Hawrami (Gorani) are not in the language list; passages in them may be marked [inaudible] or written inaccurately, so check the free first part.
Recordings people bring
- Asylum and family reunion interviews for lawyers in the UK, Germany or Sweden
- Research and journalism interviews from the Kurdistan Region and northeast Syria
- Elders telling family history, songs and stories
- Lectures, meetings and community events
How the tool works, what it costs and how your files are handled is on the Long Audio & Video to Text page; prices for every tool are on the pricing page.
Last updated
Questions and answers
Can a chatbot transcribe a long Kurdish recording?
On a short clip, sometimes. Long recordings tend to hit upload limits, and the output is often shortened or turned into a summary. This tool transcribes the recording part by part and keeps every minute.
Can I get Sorani in Latin letters, or Kurmanji in Arabic script?
No. Sorani is written in Arabic-based script and Kurmanji in Latin letters; there is no conversion between them. The English translation can serve readers of either.
What does it cost?
A recording of up to 15 minutes is free in full. A longer one is $5 for the whole file, up to 6 hours. Unlimited costs $19 a week, renews weekly, and you can cancel any time.
How accurate is it for Kurdish?
Kurdish has far less training audio than the biggest languages, so expect more errors than in English, especially with noise or strong local accents. Check the free part against the audio before you pay.
Is my recording kept private?
Only you can open it. It is sent to an AI model provider only for transcription and is never used to train models. Jobs without an account are deleted after 7 days, and you can delete a job yourself.