What are the basic food words in Kyrgyz?

Тамак (food), суу (water), нан (bread), эт (meat), чай (tea), сүт (milk). Those six turn up constantly; the guide then adds staples, traditional dishes and the phrases you need to order.

How do you order food in Kyrgyz?

Naming the dish is usually enough — menus in Kyrgyzstan tend to keep the Kyrgyz name even when everything around it is in Russian. Add a phrase for asking what there is and one for the bill, and you are set.

What is the word for bread in Kyrgyz?

Нан — the flatbread, and the same word runs across much of Central Asia and well beyond it. It is one of those words you will recognise long before you learn it.

Food in Kyrgyz: 50 words and restaurant phrases

Everyday food and drink

тамак — food / meal
суу — water
нан — bread
эт — meat
чай — tea
сүт — milk
май — butter / oil
жумуртка — egg
балык — fish
тоок — chicken
шорпо — soup
күрүч — rice
картошка — potato
туз — salt
шекер — sugar
бал — honey

Fruit and vegetables

жемиш — fruit
жашылча — vegetable
алма — apple
алмурут — pear
өрүк — apricot
жүзүм — grapes
дарбыз — watermelon
коон — melon
сабиз — carrot
пияз — onion
помидор — tomato
бадыраң — cucumber
капуста — cabbage
калемпир — pepper

Kyrgyz foods to recognize

бешбармак: beshbarmakmeat and noodles traditionally eaten by hand
боорсок: boorsoksmall pieces of fried dough
куурдак: kuurdakfried meat with onions, often potatoes
манты: mantysteamed filled dumplings
лагман: lagmanhand-pulled noodles with meat and vegetables
кымыз: kymyzfermented mare’s milk
максым: maksymfermented grain drink
курут: kurutdried salted dairy balls

At a café or restaurant

Аш болсун!: Ash bolsun!Enjoy your meal!
Менюну бериңизчи.: Menyunu beringizchi.Please give me the menu.
Эмне сунуштайсыз?: Emne sunushtaysyz?What do you recommend?
Мага бир чай бериңизчи.: Maga bir chay beringizchi.One tea, please.
Эт жебейм.: Et jebeym.I do not eat meat.
Ачуу эмес болсун.: Achuu emes bolsun.Please make it not spicy.
Даамдуу экен!: Daamduu eken!It is delicious!
Эсепти бериңизчи.: Esepti beringizchi.The bill, please.

Meals and kitchen words

эртең мененки тамак — breakfast
түшкү тамак — lunch
кечки тамак — dinner
ашкана — kitchen / canteen
табак — plate / serving dish
кесе — bowl / cup
кашык — spoon
бычак — knife
даам — taste
ачуу — spicy / bitter
таттуу — sweet
туздуу — salty

FAQ

Common questions

What are the basic food words in Kyrgyz?: Тамак (food), суу (water), нан (bread), эт (meat), чай (tea), сүт (milk). Those six turn up constantly; the guide then adds staples, traditional dishes and the phrases you need to order.
How do you order food in Kyrgyz?: Naming the dish is usually enough — menus in Kyrgyzstan tend to keep the Kyrgyz name even when everything around it is in Russian. Add a phrase for asking what there is and one for the bill, and you are set.
What is the word for bread in Kyrgyz?: Нан — the flatbread, and the same word runs across much of Central Asia and well beyond it. It is one of those words you will recognise long before you learn it.

Turn these reference lists into short daily practice.

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