It is not just a translation of "congratulations." It is the sound of a Daf drum. It is the smell of Biryani and Dolma at a family gathering. It is the tear in a mother’s eye at a wedding. It is the defiance of a people who celebrate life despite history trying to erase them.
The next time you see a Kurdish friend succeed, or when the spring equinox rolls around, don't just say "Good for you." Look them in the eye and say: mubarakan kurdish
When a Kurd says Mubarakan to another Kurd, they are validating their existence. They are saying: Despite the wars, despite the bans on our language, despite the borders drawn across our mountains—we are still here, and we are still happy. In recent years, social media has revived the term. On platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter (X), the hashtag #MubarakanKurdish trends during wedding season. You will see videos of massive Halay lines, women in sequined Kurdish Jila , and men firing rifles in the air (traditional but dangerous!) with the caption: "Mubarakan be hemî Kurdan" (Congratulations to all Kurds). How to Use "Mubarakan" Correctly (A Mini-Guide for Non-Kurds) Are you attending a Kurdish event or wishing a Kurdish friend happy birthday? Here is how to win their heart. It is not just a translation of "congratulations
However, language is living. Kurds have used Mubarakan for centuries. In the Sorani dictionary, it is fully lexicalized. As one Kurdish linguist put it: "English uses 'Café' from French. We use 'Mubarakan' from Arabic. That doesn't make us less Kurdish; it makes us cosmopolitan." It is the defiance of a people who