Turkmen (Türkmençe / Түркменче / تۆرکمنچه using the Latin, Cyrillic and Arabic scripts) is a Turkic language spoken in Turkmenistan and northeastern Iran. Whether or not you need to learn Turkmen is debatable, as most Turkmen citizens are also able to speak Russian. Nevertheless, as with anywhere else, locals generally appreciate efforts by visitors to learn their language.

Pronunciation guide

Turkmen is primarily written using the Latin alphabet in Turkmenistan.

Vowels

A a

like father (IPA: a)

Ä ä

like hair (IPA: æː)

E e

like bed (IPA: ɛ)

I i

like sick (IPA: ɪ)

O o

like toe (IPA: o)

Ö ö

like bird (IPA: œ)

U u

like wood (IPA: ʊ)

Y y

like roses (IPA: ɯ)

Ü ü

pronounced as in German, make a sound like "ee", but round your lips like you are going to say "oo" (IPA: ʏ)

Consonants

B b

like boat

D d

like dog

J j

like jolt

Z z

like then

F f

like follow

G g

like ago

H h

like hallow

Ý ý

like yellow

K k

like court

L l

like late

M m

like mango

N n

like narrow

Ň ň

like singer

P p

like parrot

Q q

like quail

R r

like rail

Ş ş

like shoe

T t

like table

Ç ç

like chat

S s

like think

W w

like vile

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

Common signs OPEN CLOSED ENTRANCE EXIT PUSH PULL TOILET MEN WOMEN FORBIDDEN

Hello.

Salam. (sah-lam )

Hello. (informal)

. ( )

How are you?

Nähilisiň? (Nae-hee-lee-seeng?)

Fine, thank you.

. (yaxshi, sagh bol)

What is your name?

Adyň näme? (Ah-duhng-nae-meh?)

My name is ______ .

Meniň adym ______ . (Meh-ning-ah-duhm _____ .)

Nice to meet you.

Tanşanyma örän şat . ( tanshanyma őrän shat)

Please.

Baş. (ba-sh )

Thank you.

Sag boluň. (sahg-bol-ung )

You're welcome.

. ( )

Yes.

Hawa . (Ho-wa )

No.

Yok . (*deep o as in Egg yolk )

Excuse me. Bagyşlaň (getting attention)

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

. ( )

I'm sorry.

. ( )

Goodbye

Sag boluň. (sahg-bohl-ung )

Goodbye Görüşýänçäk (informal)

. ( )

I don't speak Turkmen.

Men türkmençe geplemeýärin (men-toork-men-che-gap-ley-mayah-rin)

Do you speak English?

Siz iňlisçe gepleýärsiňizmi?  ? (siz-ing-lis-che-gap-ley-ahr-ing-izmi ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

Bärde iñlisçe gürläp bilýän kimdir biri barmy? ( ?)

Help!

kömek ediň! ( !)

Look out!

 ! ( !)

Good morning.

ertiriňiz haýyrly bolsun. (er-ti-ring-iz-hay-uhr-luh-bol-sun)

Good evening.

agşamyňyz haýyrly bolsun. (ahg-sham-uhng-uhz-hay-uhr-luh-bol-sun )

Good night.

gijäňiz rahat bolsun. (gee-jahng-iz-rah-hat-bol-sun )

Good night (to sleep)

. ( )

I don't understand.

Men Düshümedim . (men-du-shu-me-dim' )

Where is the toilet?

 ? ( ?)

Where are you from?

Siz nireli :& :siz nireden

Numbers

0

nol (nohl)

1

bir (beer)

2

iki (ee-kee)

3

üç (uech)

4

dört (doert)

5

baş (bash)

6

alty (ahl-tuh)

7

ýedi (yeh-dee)

8

sekiz (theh-kidh)

9

dokuz (doh-kudh)

10

on (on)

11

on bir (on-beer)

12

on iki (on-ee-kee)

13

on üç (on-uech)

14

on dört (on-doert)

15

on baş (on-bash)

16

on alty (on-ahl-tuh)

17

on ýedi (on-yeh-dee)

18

on sekiz (on-theh-kidh)

19

on dokuz (on-doh-kudh)

20

ýigrimi (yee-gree-mee)

21

ýigrimi bir (yee-gree-mee-beer)

22

ýigrimi iki (yee-gree-mee-ee-kee)

23

ýigrimi üç (yee-gree-mee-uech)

30

otuz (oh-toodh)

40

kyrk (kuhrk)

50

elli (elli)

60

altmyş (ahlt-muhsh)

70

ýetmiş (yet-mish)

80

segsen (theg-then)

90

dogsan (dok-than)

100

ýüz (yuedh)

101

ýüz bir (yuedh-beer)

200

iki ýüz (ee-kee-yuedh)

300

üç ýüz (uech-yuedh)

400

dört ýüz(doert-yuedh)

500

baş ýüz(bash-yuedh)

600

alty ýüz (ahl-tuh-yuedh)

700

ýedi ýüz (yeh-dee-yuedh)

800

sekiz ýüz (theh-kidh-yuedh)

900

dokuz ýüz (doh-kudh-yuedh)

1000

müň (mueng)

2000

iki müň (ee-kee-mueng)

1,000,000

bir million (beer-milyon)

1,000,000,000

bir milyar (beer-milyar)

Time

Duration

Monday

Duşenbe

Tuesday

Sişenbe

Wednesday

Çarşenbe

Thursday

Penşenbe

Friday

Anna

Saturday

Şenbe

Sunday

Ýekşenbe

Months

January

Ýanwar (yan-var)

February

Fewral (fev-ral)

March

Mart (mah-rt)

April

Aprel (ah-preel)

May

Maý (mai)

June

Iýun (ee-yoon)

July

Iýul (ee-yool)

August

Awgust (av-goost)

September

Sentýabr (sent-yah-br)

October

Oktýabr (ohkt-yah-br)

November

Noýabr (noh-yah-br)

December

Dekabr (deh-kah-br)

Colors

black

gara (gah-rah)

blue

gök (go-yuk)

brown

goňur (gong-oor)

gray

çal (chal)

green

ýaşyl (yah-shul)

orange

narynç (nah-ruhn-ch)

pink

gülgün (gool-goon)

purple

benewşe (beh-neh-she)

red

gyzyl (guh-zuhl)

white

ak (ahk)

yellow

sary (sah-ruh)

Transportation