Tajik phrasebook
Tajik (забо́ни тоҷикӣ́ / zaboni tojikī) is the main language of Tajikistan, and is closely related to Farsi, Dari and Kurdish. Since the late 1930s, it is written using a variant of the Cyrillic script (also used by many languages spoken in the former Soviet Union, including Russian). Whether or not travellers need to learn Tajik is a matter of debate as most citizens of Tajikistan are also able to speak Russian. Nevertheless, attempting to communicate in Tajik will most certainly please the locals. The "Tajik" language in China is not mutually intelligible with the Tajik language of Tajikistan, but is at least two distinct languages in the same family, namely Sarikoli and Wakhi.
Pronunciation guide
Vowels
Consonants
Common diphthongs
Phrase list
Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.
Basics
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Common signs
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Some of the basics of everyday Tajik vocabulary are below. For words with two or more translations, the most common is listed first. When two translations vary due to having formal and informal variants, the markers formal and informal will be added.
- Hello.
- ассалому алейкум (asah-lomu ah-lay-koom)
- Hello. (informal)
- салом (sah-lohm), ассалом (a-sah-lohm)
- How are you?
- Шумо чи хел? (shoo-moh-chee-khel), чи хел Шумо? (chee-khel-shoo-moh)
- Fine, Well.
- Нағз (naghz), Coz (sohz),
- Fine, thank you.
- Нағз, рахмат (naghz, rah-mat )
- What is your name?
- Номатон чист? (No-ma-ton chist?), Номи Шумо чист? (No-mi shoo-mo chist?)
- My name is ______ .
- Номи ман ______. (No-mi man _____ .)
- Nice to meet you.
- Аз вохуриамон шод ҳастам. (Az vo-khu-ri-amon shod has-tam )
- Please.
- Лутфан, Илтимос (Loot-fan/Il-ti-mos )
- Thank you.
- . Рахмат(rah-mat)
- You're welcome.
- . Саломат бошед(Salomat boshed)
- Yes.
- . Ҳа (Ha) (informal) , Бале(bah-le) (formal)
- No.
- . Не (Ne)
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Meбaxшeд . (Mebakhshed)
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- :Meбaxшeд . (Mebakhshed)
- I'm sorry.
- Мебахшед . (mebakhshed)
- Goodbye
- khair. (khair) pronounced like the English word 'hire' but with a KH sound at the beginning
- Goodbye (informal)
- Сихату саломат боши . ( Sikhatu salomat boshi)
- I can't speak Russian [well].
- русӣ намедонам (Rus-si na-me-do-nam)
- Do you speak English?
- Шумо англиси гап мезанед? (Shumo ang-li-si gap me-za-nad)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Оё касе дар инчо англиси гап мезанад ? (Oyo kase dar injo anglisi gap mezanad?)
- Help!
- Ёри диҳед! (Yori dihed!)
- Look out!
- Эҳтиёт шавед ! (Eh-ti-yot shaved!)
- Good morning.
- Субҳ ба xaйр. (Soobh-ba-khair )
- Good evening.
- шаб ба хайр (Shab-ba-khair)
- Good night.
- шаб ба хайр (Shab-ba-khair)
- Good night (to sleep)
- Хоби ширин/Шаби хуш . (Khobi shirin/Shabi khoosh )
- I don't understand.
- . Ман немефаҳмам (Man na-me-fah-mam), ман нафаҳмидостам (Man na-fah-mi-dos-tam )
- Where is the toilet?
- Ҳочатхона кани? (Ho-jat-kho-na kani?)
Problems
Time
Clock time
Duration
Days
Months
Writing time and date
Colors
- black
- сиёҳ (see-yoh)
- white
- сафед (sah-fed)
- gray
- хокистарранг (kho-kee-star-rang)
- red
- сурх (soorkh)
- blue
- кабуд (ka-bood)
- yellow
- зард (zard)
- green
- сабз (sah-bz)
- orange
- норанҷӣ (no-ran-jee)
- purple
- бунафш (boo-nafsh)
- pink
- гулобӣ (goo-loh-bee)
- brown
- қаҳваранг (qah-vah-rang)
Transportation
Bus and train
Directions
Taxi
Lodging
Money
- money
- pul
- Tajik somoni
- somoni
Eating
- Water
- об (ob)
- Milk
- молоко (mo-lo-ko), шир (shir) (rarely spoken in cities)
- Yoghurt
- йогурт (yo-gurt)
- Honey
- асал (a-sal)
- Fruit
- мева (me-va)
- Apple
- себ (seb)
- Grapes
- ангур (ang-oor)
- Watermelon
- тарбуз (tar-booz)
- Bread
- нон (non)
- Sliced Bread
- хлеб (klep)
- Fish
- моҳӣ (mo-hi)
- Meat
- гӯшт (gusht)
- Beef
- гӯшти гов (gusht-i-gov)
- Vegetables
- сабзавот (sabz-a-vot)
Bars
Shopping
- I need
- ba-man darkor / losim doram
- How much does it cost?
- In chand pul ast?