Kyrgyz (кыргызча / قىرعىزچا) is a language spoken by 4 million people primarily in Kyrgyzstan and, to a lesser extent, in adjacent regions such as Kazakhstan, Xinjiang (China), Uzbekistan, & Tajikistan. In Kyrgyzstan, the language is co-official with Russian, which is the predominate language used in urban areas (especially Bishkek) while Kyrgyz is predominate in rural areas and small cities/towns. It is also an official language in Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture of China's Xinjiang province. It is a Turkic language and has many similarities with languages such as Turkish, Tatar, Kazakh, Azeri, & Uzbek. As a result of close ties culturally and economically, Kyrgyz has become increasingly mutually intelligible with Kazakh in recent decades.
Script[edit]
Kyrgyz is primarily written using the Cyrillic alphabet in Kyrgyzstan, and using the Arabic script in China.
| Cyrillic | Arabic (initial) | Latin |
|---|---|---|
| А а | ا | A a |
| Б б | ب | B b |
| В в | ۋ | V v |
| Г г | گ | G g |
| Д д | د | D d |
| Е е | ه | Ye ye |
| Ё ё | يو | Yo yo |
| Ж ж | ج | J j |
| З з | ز | Z z |
| И и | ي | İ i |
| Й й | ي | Y y |
| К к | ك | K k |
| Л л | ل | L l |
| М м | م | M m |
| Н н | ن | N n |
| Ң ң | ڭ | Ñ ñ |
| О о | و | O o |
| Ө ө | ۅ | Ö ö |
| П п | پ | P p |
| Р р | ر | R r |
| С с | س | S s |
| Т т | ت | T t |
| У у | ۇ | U u |
| Ү ү | ۉ | Ü ü |
| Ф ф | ف | F f |
| Х х | ح | X x |
| Ц ц | تس | C c |
| Ч ч | چ | Ç ç |
| Ш ш | ش | Ş ş |
| Щ щ | -- | Şç şç |
| Ъ ъ | -- | |
| Ы ы | ى | I ı |
| Ь ь | -- | |
| Э э | ه | E e |
| Ю ю | يۋ | Yu yu |
| Я я | يا | Ya ya |
Pronunciation guide[edit]
Vowels[edit]
Consonants[edit]
Common diphthongs[edit]
Phrase list[edit]
Basics[edit]
|
Common signs
|
- Hello.
- Salamatsyzby. ( )
- Hello. (informal)
- Salam. ( )
- How are you?
- Kandaisiz? ( ?)
- Fine, thank you.
- Jakshuh, rakhmat. ( )
- What is your name?
- Atyngyz kim? ( ?)
- My name is ______ .
- Menim atem______. ( _____.)
- Nice to meet you.
- Siz menen tanyshkanyma kubanychtumun. ( )
- Please.
- Suranych/Otunuch. ( )
- Thank you.
- Rakhmat. ( )
- You're welcome.
- Echteke emes. ( )
- Yes.
- Ooba. ( )
- No.
- Jok. ( )
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Ozor dilerem. ( )
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- Kecheraysis. ( )
- I'm sorry.
- Korushkoncho. ( )
- Goodbye
- Jakshuh Kalgula. ( )
- Help!
- Jardam Bergulay! ( !)
- Good morning.
- Kutmanduu tangyngyz menen. ( )
- Good evening.
- Kutmanduu kechingiz menen. ( )
- I don't understand.
- Men tushunbaym. ( )
- Where is the toilet?
- Tualet kaida? ( ?)
Problems[edit]
Numbers[edit]
- one
- бир (bir)
- two
- Eki
- three
- ooch
- four
- turt
- five
- Besh
- six
- Altuh
- seven
- жети (..jeti.)
- eight
- сегиз (segiz)
- nine
- toguz
- ten
- On
- twenty
- jyirma
Otuz Kyrk Eluu Altymish jetimysh Seksen tokson Júz Meen
Time[edit]
Clock time[edit]
Duration[edit]
Days[edit]
Monday - Duishombu Tuesday - Sheishembi Wednesday - Sharshembi Thursday- Beishembi 'Friday - Juma Saturday - Ishembi Sunday - Jekshembi
Months[edit]
Writing time and date[edit]
Colors[edit]
White - "Ak" Black - "Khara" Red - "Kyzyl"
Transportation[edit]
Bus and train[edit]
Directions[edit]
Taxi[edit]
Lodging[edit]
Money[edit]
- Money
- Ackcha
- Worth/Price
- Baa
- Pay
- To'lo'
Eating[edit]
Bars[edit]
Shopping[edit]
Driving[edit]
Authority[edit]
Learning more[edit]
A 325 page PDF document covering the Kyrgyz language, originally created for US Peace Corps volunteers in Kyrgyzstan, is available to view and download here.