Greetings and courtesy
- Саламатсызбы?
- Salamatsyzby?Hello.Polite singular or plural.
- Кандайсыз?
- Kandaysyz?How are you?
- Рахмат.
- Rakhmat.Thank you.
- Сураныч.
- Suranych.Please / you’re welcome.
- Кечиресиз.
- Kechiresiz.Excuse me / sorry.
- Кош болуңуз.
- Kosh bolunguz.Goodbye.
- Мен кыргызча аз сүйлөйм.
- Men kyrgyzcha az süylöym.I speak a little Kyrgyz.
- Жайыраак сүйлөңүзчү.
- Jayyrak süylöngüzchü.Please speak more slowly.
Directions and places
- … кайда?
- … kayda?Where is …?
- Даараткана кайда?
- Daaratkana kayda?Where is the toilet?
- Аэропортко кантип барсам болот?
- Aeroportko kantip barsam bolot?How can I get to the airport?
- Түз барыңыз.
- Tüz baryngyz.Go straight.
- Оңго буруңуз.
- Onggo burunguz.Turn right.
- Солго буруңуз.
- Solgo burunguz.Turn left.
- Жакынбы?
- Jakynby?Is it close?
- Алыспы?
- Alyspy?Is it far?
Transport and tickets
- Мага Бишкекке бир билет керек.
- Maga Bishkekke bir bilet kerek.I need one ticket to Bishkek.
- Автобус качан жөнөйт?
- Avtobus kachan jönöyt?When does the bus leave?
- Бул маршрутка борборго барабы?
- Bul marshrutka borborgo baraby?Does this minibus go to the center?
- Бул жерде токтотуңузчу.
- Bul jerde toktotunguzchu.Please stop here.
- Жол кире канча?
- Jol kire kancha?How much is the fare?
- Такси чакырып бериңизчи.
- Taksi chakyryp beringizchi.Please call a taxi for me.
- Жол болсун!
- Jol bolsun!Have a good journey!
Hotel, food, and shopping
- Бош бөлмө барбы?
- Bosh bölmö barby?Is there a room available?
- Бир түнгө канча?
- Bir tüngö kancha?How much for one night?
- Менюну бериңизчи.
- Menyunu beringizchi.Please give me the menu.
- Эт жебейм.
- Et jebeym.I do not eat meat.
- Суу бериңизчи.
- Suu beringizchi.Please give me water.
- Эсепти бериңизчи.
- Esepti beringizchi.The bill, please.
- Бул канча турат?
- Bul kancha turat?How much does this cost?
- Карта менен төлөсөм болобу?
- Karta menen tölösöm bolobu?Can I pay by card?
Problems and emergencies
- Мен адашып калдым.
- Men adashyp kaldym.I am lost.
- Мага жардам бериңизчи!
- Maga jardam beringizchi!Please help me!
- Тез жардам чакырыңыз!
- Tez jardam chakyryngyz!Call an ambulance!
- Полиция чакырыңыз!
- Politsiya chakyryngyz!Call the police!
- Менин паспортум жоголду.
- Menin pasportum jogoldu.My passport is lost.
- Дарыкана кайда?
- Darykana kayda?Where is a pharmacy?
- Мен ооруп жатам.
- Men oorup jatam.I am ill.
- Телефонуңузду колдонсом болобу?
- Telefonunguzdu koldonsom bolobu?May I use your phone?
Ten travel nouns to recognize
- жол — road / journey
- сапар — trip
- унаа — vehicle
- учак — airplane
- поезд — train
- автобус — bus
- маршрутка — minibus
- билет — ticket
- жүк — luggage
- чек ара — border
Common questions
- Do I need Kyrgyz to travel in Kyrgyzstan?
- You can manage without it — Russian is understood almost everywhere in the cities. But a handful of Kyrgyz phrases changes how you are received, and once you leave the cities it is the language people are more comfortable in.
- What Kyrgyz phrases should a tourist learn first?
- Four: a greeting, a thank-you, how to ask a price, and how to ask the way. Between them they cover the bazaar, the taxi and the guesthouse, which is most of an ordinary trip.
- How do you ask how much something costs in Kyrgyz?
- Канча — \'how much\'. Do not be surprised when the number comes back in Russian even though you asked in Kyrgyz; at the bazaar the two languages share a sentence all the time.
Turn these reference lists into short daily practice.
Learn with Söz