Greetings and small talk in Kyrgyz

Begin with a polite greeting and your name. A few short Kyrgyz phrases help you keep a conversation going, talk about your trip and thank someone.

Use polite forms with an adult you do not know. Save the informal greeting for people you know or a conversation where that tone is already welcome. Give the other person time to answer.

How to read the phrases

The Latin line is an approximate reading aid. u sounds like oo in food; ı is an unrounded back vowel. y sounds like y in yes, j like j in jam, ng like ng in sing, ch like ch in chair and sh like sh in shop. For ö and ü, round your lips while trying to say eh and ee. Double vowels are held longer. Bold type in the reading aid marks the stressed syllable. One-syllable words and words whose stress has not been confirmed are left unmarked.

Greetings and introductions

Start with the polite “Саламатсызбы” when speaking to an adult you do not know. “Салам” is an informal greeting for friends and peers. The traveller in the example has come from Germany. When introducing yourself, give the country you have actually come from.

You say Hello! (polite): Саламатсызбы! [Salamatsızbı!]
You say Hi! (informal): Салам! [Salam!]
You say How are you? (polite): Кандайсыз? [Kandaysız?]
You may hear I’m well, thank you.: Жакшы, рахмат. [Jakshı, rakhmat.]
You may hear And you? (polite): Өзүңүзчү? [Özüngüzchü?]
You say My name is …: Менин атым … [Menin atım …]
You may hear What is your name?: Атыңыз ким? [Atıngız kim?]
You say Nice to meet you.: Таанышканыма кубанычтамын. [Taanıshkanıma kubanıchtamın.]
You may hear Where have you come from?: Кайдан келдиңиз? [Kaydan keldingiz?]
You say I have come from Germany.: Мен Германиядан келдим. [Men Germaniyadan keldim.]
You say I am a tourist.: Мен туристмин. [Men turistmin.]

Work, family and the weather

Work and children can keep a conversation going when the other person is comfortable discussing them. “Teacher” and “two children” are practice answers. The weather or an impression of the trip gives you a neutral opening.

You may hear What do you do for work?: Ким болуп иштейсиз? [Kim bolup ishteysiz?]
You say I am a teacher.: Мен мугалиммин. [Men mugalimmin.]
You may hear Do you have children?: Балдарыңыз барбы? [Baldarıngız barbı?]
You say I have two children.: Менин эки балам бар. [Menin eki balam bar.]
You say The weather is nice today.: Бүгүн аба ырайы жакшы. [Bügün aba ırayı jakshı.]
You say I like Kyrgyzstan.: Мага Кыргызстан жагат. [Maga Kırgızstan jagat.]

Keep the conversation going and say goodbye

Say openly that you speak only a little Kyrgyz. Accept or decline tea with a simple “yes, thank you” or “no, thank you”. The person leaving says “Жакшы калыңыз”; the person staying replies “Жакшы барыңыз”.

You say Do you speak English?: Сиз англисче сүйлөйсүзбү? [Siz anglische süylöysüzbü?]
You say Do you speak Russian?: Сиз орусча сүйлөйсүзбү? [Siz oruscha süylöysüzbü?]
You say I speak a little Kyrgyz.: Мен кыргызча бир аз сүйлөйм. [Men kırgızcha bir az süylöym.]
You say I didn’t understand.: Түшүнгөн жокмун. [Tüshüngön jokmun.]
You say Please speak more slowly.: Жайыраак сүйлөңүзчү. [Jayıraak süylöngüzchü.]
You may hear Would you like some tea?: Чай ичесизби? [Chay ichesizbi?]
You say Yes, thank you.: Ооба, рахмат. [Ooba, rakhmat.]
You say No, thank you.: Жок, рахмат. [Jok, rakhmat.]
You say Goodbye! (said by the person leaving): Жакшы калыңыз! [Jakshı kalıngız!]
You may hear Goodbye! (said to the person leaving): Жакшы барыңыз! [Jakshı barıngız!]

Sample conversations

A short introduction

Germany is an example. Name the country you have actually come from.

You say
Саламатсызбы! [Salamatsızbı!]

Hello! (polite)
You may hear
Саламатсызбы! [Salamatsızbı!]

Hello! (polite)
You say
Кандайсыз? [Kandaysız?]

How are you? (polite)
You may hear
Жакшы, рахмат. [Jakshı, rakhmat.]

I’m well, thank you.
You may hear
Өзүңүзчү? [Özüngüzchü?]

And you? (polite)
You say
Жакшы, рахмат. [Jakshı, rakhmat.]

I’m well, thank you.
You may hear
Кайдан келдиңиз? [Kaydan keldingiz?]

Where have you come from?
You say
Мен Германиядан келдим. [Men Germaniyadan keldim.]

I have come from Germany.
You may hear
Таанышканыма кубанычтамын. [Taanıshkanıma kubanıchtamın.]

Nice to meet you.

Decline tea and say goodbye

A short, polite refusal does not need an invented explanation.

You may hear
Чай ичесизби? [Chay ichesizbi?]

Would you like some tea?
You say
Жок, рахмат. [Jok, rakhmat.]

No, thank you.
You say
Жакшы калыңыз! [Jakshı kalıngız!]

Goodbye! (said by the person leaving)
You may hear
Жакшы барыңыз! [Jakshı barıngız!]

Goodbye! (said to the person leaving)

Finding a topic

Your journey, the place, languages and impressions offer starting points. Ask about family or work as the conversation develops, if the other person is happy to share. You do not need to cover these personal topics to make an introduction.

Ending the conversation

The farewell depends on who is leaving and who is staying. You can thank someone for their help before you go. If you cannot accept an invitation, decline politely without making a promise.

Find practical advice in the communication guide. For your next question on the road, use the directions phrasebook.

All phrasebooks. How to use the reading aid.

This guide was prepared by the team at I Love KG. About the team →

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