Kyrgyz Phrasebook Language recorded

The Kyrgyz have a long history of hunting with trained eagles.

The Talking Kyrgyz Phrasebook

Published: April 6, 2025

The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Below, you will find several useful phrases and words. To the left is the English and to the above right is an English transliteration of the Kyrgyz translation. Below the English transliteration is the original Kyrgyz Cyrillic.

In the center column for each row is a play button. The recorded file will feature first English, then the Serbian in three versions: one slow, one with each syllable broken out, and a last version that will be spoken as it might be overheard in a conversation between native speakers.

In the center of each row is a play button that will play a recorded file of the English and Kyrgyz words. (In “Counting,” the audio files have been grouped into three sets.)

 

Briefly About Kyrgyz

Kyrgyz is a Turkic language of the Kipchak branch. It is related to Turkic and most other languages of Central Asia.

Kyrgyz is one of two official languages in Kyrgyzstan, along with Russian. Both official languages are written in Cyrillic script. Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan is spoken in dialects, with Northern and Southern being the two major divisions. “Standard Kyrgyz” is based on the Northern dialect.

Kyrgyz is spoken by about 7.3 million people worldwide. There are significant immigrant populations of Kyrgyz abroad, where they often live and work in order to send money back to Kyrgyzstan to support their families. As of 2018, there were about 640,000 Kyrgyz in Russia – equal to about a tenth of the population of Kyrgyzstan itself. There were also major populations in Kazakhstan (35,000), Turkey (30,000), and the US (15,000).

Kyrgyz is closely related to Kazakh, the language of Kyrgyzstan’s larger, richer neighbor. It is also closely related to Altai, spoken in the Altai republic in southern Russia. All three languages share a high degree of mutual intelligibility.

Pamiri Kyrgyz is a dialect spoken in Afghanistan and there are also Kyrgyz-speaking populations native to western China and eastern Tajikistan. The wide geographic spread of the language is a testament of the traditionally nomadic nature of the Kyrgyz people and Central Asian cultures in general.

 

Facts About Krygyz Grammar

Kyrgyz has no grammatical gender. The Kyrgyz pronoun “ал” can mean “he,” “she,” or “it.”

Kyrgyz Phrasebook Language recorded
An advertisement for KFC in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Ads in the Kyrgyz capital feature Russian and Kyrgyz languages as a standard.

Kyrgyz uses six grammatical cases: nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, locative, and ablative. These cases affect the endings of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.

Kyrgyz is an agglutinative language, which means that grammatical information is primarily conveyed through the addition of suffixes to root words. These suffixes represent various grammatical features, such as tense, mood, aspect, and case.

Kyrgyz uses honorifics, as are common in many Turkic and Asian languages. These do have gender. Generally, any woman older than you will be “eje.” Men older than you will be “baike.” Teachers are generally referred to as “agai.” These can be used on their own, or, if you know the person’s name, as a suffix attached to the name. This system is also embedded in verb forms and pronoun usage.

Kyrgyz typically follows an SOV word order, which means that the subject comes first, followed by the object, and then the verb. This is in contrast to English, which follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order.

Kyrgyz uses postpositions, rather than prepositions like in English. Postpositions are attached to the noun phrases and indicate relationships such as location, direction, and possession.

 

Kyrgyz Special Characters

Kyrgyz uses three letters in its Cyrillic alphabet that are not found in Russian:

Ң: It’s a nasal sound made at the back of the mouth, like you’re humming with your tongue pulled back, like the “ng” in “sing” or “long.”

Ү: Say “ee” (as in “see”) and round your lips like you’re saying “oo” – the tongue stays forward like in “ee”.

Ө: Say “eh” (like in “bed”) but round your lips.

 

Survival Basics for Kyrgyz

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Hello! Salamatsyzby!
(Саламатсызбы!)
Yes Ooba
(Ооба)
No Jok
(Жок)
Good morning! Kutmanduu tangyngyz menen!
(Кутмандуу таңыңыз менен!)
Good evening! Kutmanduu kechingiz menen!
(Кутмандуу кечиңиз менен!)
What’s up? Emne jangylyk?
(Эмне жаңылык?)
What’s up? Emne boldu?
(Эмне болду?)
How are you? Kandaysiz?
(Кандайсыз?)
Good, thanks, and you? Jakshy, rahmat, ozunguz?
(Жакшы, рахмат, өзүңүз?)
Good bye! Kosh kalyng!
(Кош калың!)
See you later! Korushkoncho!
(Корушкончо!)
Sorry! Kechirip koyunguz!
(Кечирип коюңуз!)
Open/closed Achyk/jabyk
(Ачык/жабык)
Pull/push Tart/turt
(Тарт/түрт)
Small/big Kichine/chong
(Кичине/чоң)
Do you speak English? Siz Anglische suyloy alasyzby?
(Сиз англисче сүйлөй аласызбы?)
I don’t speak English. Men Anglische suyloy albaym.
(Мен англисче суйлой албайм.)
I only speak a little Kyrgyz. Men bir az Kyrgyzscha suyloy alam.
(Мен бир аз Кыргызсча суйлой алам.Мен бир аз кыргызча сүйлөй алам.)
I understand. Men tushundom.
(Мен түшүндүм.)
I don’t understand. Men tushunboym.
(Мен түшүнбөйм.)
Thank you! Rahmat!
(Рахмат!)
Thank you very much! Chong rahmat!
(Чоң рахмат!)
Very well, thanks! Oto jakshy, rahmat!
(Өтө жакшы, рахмат!)
Good Jakshy
(Жакшы)
Please Suranych
(Сураныч)
You’re welcome! Echteke emes!
(Эчтеке эмес)
Excuse me! Kechiresiz!
(Кечиресиз!)
A little Bir az
(Бир аз)
Could you speak more slowly? Bir az jayiraak suylonguzchu!
(Бир аз жайыраак суйлонузчу!)
Could you write that down? Jazyp beresizbi?
(Жазып бересизби?)
My bag/wallet/passport was stolen Men sumkamdy/kapchigimdi/pasportumdu uurdatip jiberdim
(Мен сумкамды/капчыгымды/паспортумду уурдатып жибердим)
I need a doctor! Maga dogdurdu chakyrgyla!
(Мага догдурду чакыргыла!)
Call the police! Militsiyaga konguro kylyngyzchy!
(Милицияга чалыңызчы!)

 

Introductions in Kyrgyz

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What is your name? Atyngyz kim?
Атыңыз ким?
Pleased to meet you Siz menen tanyshkanyma aban kubanychtamyn!
Сиз менен таанышканыма абдан кубанычтамын!
I am 25 years old. Menin jashym zhyiyrma beshte.
Менин жашым жыйырма беште.
How old are you? Jashyngyz kanchada?
Жашыңыз канчада?
Where are you from? Kaysil jerden bolosuz?
Кайсыл жерден болосуз?
I am American. Men Amerikadan bolom.
Мен Аменрикадан болом.
No, I am from Canada. Jok, men Kanadalikmin.
Жок, мен Канадалыкмын.
She is Australian. Al Avstralialyk.
Ал Австралиялык.
He is Irish. Al Irlandialyk.
Ал Ирландиялык.
We are from New Zealand. Biz Jangy Zelandiyalik bolobuz.
Биз Жаңы Зеландиялык болобуз.
They are from Wales. Alar Uelsten bolushat.
Алар Уельстен болушат.
How do you like Kyrgyzstan? Kyrgyzstan sizge jaktyby?
Кыргызстан сизге жактыбы?
I like Kyrgyzstan very much. Maga Kyrgyzstan ayabay jakty.
Мага Кыргызстан аябай жакты.
Have you ever been to Osh? Oshto murda bolgonsuzbu?
Ошто мурда болгонсузбу?
I have never been to Osh before. Men Oshto murda bir da bolgon emesmin.
Мен Ошто мурда бир да болгон эмесмин.
This is my second time in Kyrgyzstan. Men Kyrgyzstanda ushunu menen ekinichi jolu.
Мен Кыргызстанда ушуну менен экинчи жолу.
What do you do? Emne jumush kylasyz?
Эмне жумуш кыласыз?
I am a student/businessman/teacher/doctor. Men studentmin/biznesmen/mugalimin/dogdurmun.
Мен студентмин/бизнесмен/мугалимин/догдурмун.
I am on vacation. Men dem alyshtamyn.
Мен дем алыштамын.
I am here on business. Men bul jerde jumushtar menen.
Мен бул жерде жумуштар менен.

 

Asking Directions

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Where are the toilets? Tualet kayda?
Туалет кайда?
Men Erkek
Эркек
Women Ayal
Аял
Where is the nearest bank? Eng jakyn bank kayda?
Эң жакын банк кайда?
Where is the nearest post office? Eng jakyn pochta kayda?
Эң жакын почта кайда?
Where is the nearest train station? Eng jakyn vokzal kayda?
Эң жакын вокзал кайда?
Where is the nearest Internet café? Eng jakyn Internet kafe kayda?
Эң жакын Интернет кафе кайда?
Where can I get a taxi? Kaydan taxi jaldasam bolot?
Кайдан такси жалдасам болот?
Straight ahead! Tuptuz barasyz!
Түптүз барасыз!
Take a right! Ongo burulasyz!
Оңго буруласыз!
Take a left! Solgo burulasyz!
Солго буруласыз!
After the stoplight Stop belgisinen kiyin
Стоп белгисинен кийин
Next Kiyin
Кийин
First Birinchi
Биринчи
Last Akyrky
Акыркы

 

Shopping

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How much does that cost? Tetigi kancha turat?
Тээтиги канча турат?
The menu, please! Menunu berip koyunguzchu!
Менюну берип коюңузчу?
I’d like a beer, please Maga syra alyp kelingizchi!
Мага сыра алып келиңизчи?
I would like to pay. Men tologonu jatam.
Мен төлөгөнү жатам.
Do you accept credit cards? Kredit kartochka menen tolosom bolobu?
Кредит карточка менен төлөсөм болобу?

 

Counting

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0 nol’
ноль
1 bir
бир
2 eki
эки
3 uch
үч
4 tort
төрт
5 besh
беш
6 alty
алты
7 jeti
жети
8 segiz
сегиз
9 toguz
тогуз
10 (Count 1-10) on
он
11 on bir
он бир
12 on eki
он эки
13 on uch
он үч
14 on tort
он төрт
15 on besh
он беш
16 on alty
он алты
17 on jeti
он жети
18 on segiz
он сегиз
19 (Count 11-19) on toguz
он тогуз
20 jiyirma
жыйырма
21 zhyiyrma bir
жыйырма бир
22 zhyiyrma eki
жыйырма эки
30 otuz
отуз
40 kyrk
кырк
50 eluu
элүү
60 altymysh
алтымыш
70 jetimish
жетимиш
80 seksen
сексен
90 tokson
токсон
100 juz
жүз
111 juz on bir
жүз он бир
125 juz zhyiyrma besh
жүз жыйырма беш
200 (Count 20-200) eki juz
эки жүз

 

More About the Kyrgyz

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More Phrasebooks

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Kyrgyz Phrasebook Language recorded

The Talking Kyrgyz Phrasebook

The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Below, you will find several useful phrases and words. To the left is the English and to the above right is an English transliteration of the Kyrgyz translation. […]

Serbian language phrasebook

The Talking Serbian Phrasebook

The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Below, you will find several useful phrases and words. To the left is the English and to the far right is the Serbian translation in both Latin and […]

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Georgian Talking Phrasebook

The Talking Georgian Phrasebook

The Talking Phrasebook Series presents useful phrases and words in side-by-side translation and with audio files specifically geared to help students work on listening skills and pronunciation. Each entry below, divided by category, features an English word or phrase in the left column and its Georgian translation in the right. The Georgian is presented in […]

About the author

Mirajidin Arynov

Mirajidin Arynov, at the time he wrote for this site, was a studying at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He is a native Kyrgyz speaker from Kyrgyzstan.

View all posts by: Mirajidin Arynov

Michael Denner

Michael Denner

Dr. Michael Denner is a professor at Stetson’s Program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (REEES). A food enthusiast, he is currently translating and adapting a cookbook called Лобио, сациви, хачапури, или Грузия со вкусом (Lobio, Satsivi, Khachapuri, or Georgia with Taste) for English-speaking audiences. As part of this project, Dr. Denner is leading a Georgian Cooking Club at Stetson to test the recipies with Stetson’s diverse student group. Dr. Denner will also be leading Georgian Foodways for SRAS a new, two-week study abroad course that will address topics such as climate change and state agricultural policies within the context of broader issues of food security, the place of food in social justice and ethnic identity, and the role of Georgian foodways in the current global tourism economy.

Program attended: Georgian Foodways

View all posts by: Michael Denner

Josh Wilson

Josh Wilson

Josh lived in Moscow from 2003, when he first arrived to study Russian with SRAS, until 2022. He holds an M.A. in Theatre and a B.A. in History from Idaho State University, where his masters thesis was written on the political economy of Soviet-era censorship organs affecting the stage. At SRAS, Josh assists in program development and leads our Internship Programs. He is also the editor-in-chief for the SRAS newsletter, the SRAS Family of Sites, and Vestnik. He has previously served as Communications Director to Bellerage Alinga and has served as a consultant or translator to several businesses and organizations with interests in Russia.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

View all posts by: Josh Wilson