Yes, no and the essentials in Kyrgyz
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Kyrgyz words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Kyrgyz phrases in this lesson
- ОобаO-ba
- Yes
- Жокzhok
- No
- Болотbo-LOT
- Okay
- Мен түшүнбөймmen tew-SHEWN-bey-m
- I don't understand
- Сиз англис тилинде сүйлөйсүз бө?seez AN-glis ti-LI-nde SEW-lo-sewz be
- Do you speak English?
- Кайталап коюңузчуkai-ta-LAP ko-yu-NUZ-chu
- Can you repeat that?
- Жайыраак, суранычzha-yy-RAAK, su-ra-NYCH
- Slowly, please
- Бул эмне?bul em-NE
- What is this?
- Мага ... керекma-GA ... ke-REK
- I need...
- Мага жардам бере аласызбы?ma-GA zhar-DAM be-RE a-la-syz-BY
- Can you help me?
The standard affirmative. Pronounced with a slight emphasis on the first O. Very clear and direct.
Direct and unambiguous. Жок without further softening is understood as firm but not rude.
Means it is fine or acceptable. Related to болуу (to be). Less formal than ооба but signals agreement.
Your escape hatch. Turkish-speaking people may switch to Turkish if you say this; otherwise expect Russian or patient repetition.
The answer is often no outside Bishkek. Asking in Kyrgyz first earns genuine appreciation.
Literally "please repeat it".
Literally "slower, please". Russian is widely spoken too.
Literally "to me ... is needed".