Immediate family
- үй-бүлө
- üy-bülöfamily
- ата
- atafather
- апа / эне
- apa / enemom / mother
- ата-эне
- ata-eneparents
- бала
- balachild
- бөбөк
- böbökbaby / infant
- уул
- uulson
- кыз
- kyzdaughter; girl
- аял
- ayalwife; woman
- күйөө
- küyööhusband
- жубай
- jubayspouse
Brothers and sisters
Kyrgyz often names the relationship instead of using one generic word for brother or sister. The speaker’s gender matters for some younger-sibling terms.
- ага
- agaolder brother or respected older man
- эже
- ejeolder sister or respected older woman
- ини
- iniyounger brother
- карындаш
- karyndasha man’s younger sister
- сиңди
- singdia woman’s younger sister
- бир тууган
- bir tuugansibling; literally, born together
Grandparents and relatives
- чоң ата
- chong atagrandfather
- чоң эне / чоң апа
- chong ene / chong apagrandmother
- таята
- tayatamaternal grandfather
- таене
- taenematernal grandmother
- тууган
- tuuganrelative
- таяке
- tayakematernal uncle
- жээн
- jeenniece, nephew, or a descendant through the maternal line
- небере
- neberegrandchild
- чебере
- cheberegreat-grandchild
- бөлө
- bölömaternal cousin
Family by marriage
- келин
- kelindaughter-in-law; young married woman in the family
- күйөө бала
- küyöö balason-in-law
- жеңе
- jengeolder brother’s wife; respectful term for a young older woman
- кайнене
- kaynenemother-in-law
- кайната
- kaynatafather-in-law
- кайни
- kayniyounger brother-in-law
- балдыз
- baldyzwife’s younger sister
- жезде
- jezdeolder sister’s husband
Talk about your family
- Менин үй-бүлөм чоң.
- Menin üy-bülöm chong.My family is large.
- Менин атам мугалим.
- Menin atam mugalim.My father is a teacher.
- Менин агам шаарда иштейт.
- Menin agam shaarda ishteyt.My older brother works in the city.
- Сиздин балаңыз барбы?
- Sizdin balangyz barby?Do you have children?Polite.
- Апа, мен сени жакшы көрөм.
- Apa, men seni jakshy köröm.Mom, I love you.
Common questions
- How do you say mother and father in Kyrgyz?
- Ата is father. For mother you have two: апа, the everyday one you would actually call her, and эне, warmer and more traditional, the one that turns up in songs and blessings.
- Why does Kyrgyz have so many words for brother and sister?
- Because the words carry information English throws away. One word can tell you whether the person is older or younger than the speaker, and which side of the family they come from. Where English says \'cousin\' and leaves you guessing, Kyrgyz has already answered.
- How do you say son and daughter in Kyrgyz?
- Уул is son, кыз is daughter. Кыз also means girl in general, so context does the sorting — the same way \'my girl\' works in English.
Turn these reference lists into short daily practice.
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