Greetings and politeness in Kyrgyz
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. 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 11 Kyrgyz phrases in this lesson
- Саламsa-LAM
- Hello
- Кутман таңkoot-MAN tan
- Good morning
- Кутман кечkoot-MAN kech
- Good evening
- Кош болуңузkosh bo-lu-NUZ
- Goodbye
- Көрүшкөнчөkuh-rush-kun-CHUH
- See you
- Суранычsu-ra-NICH
- Please
- Рахматrah-MAT
- Thank you
- Эч нерсе эмесech ner-SE e-MES
- You're welcome
- Кечиресизke-chi-re-SIZ
- Sorry
- Уруксат этиңизu-ruk-SAT e-ti-NIZ
- Excuse me
- Таанышканыма кубанычтамынtaa-nysh-ka-ny-MA ku-ba-nych-TA-myn
- Nice to meet you
The standard, neutral greeting. Works in all contexts from a shop to a formal meeting.
Used in early hours. Таң means dawn, so this is literally "good dawn", a gentle opener.
Said arriving anywhere in the evening. Салам (sa-LAM) works at any hour.
Literally "be well" or "stay safe", the formal goodbye. More casual: "кош" alone, or "кош болгула" in some regions.
Literally "until we see each other". Кош болуңуз (kosh bo-lu-NUZ) is the polite goodbye.
The polite request particle. Kyrgyz hospitality tradition means please is deeply valued; asking nicely opens doors.
The workhorse thank you. Can be shortened to рахм in casual speech, and always appreciated, even for small favors.
Literally "it is nothing", the humble response to thanks. Kyrgyz politeness lives in minimizing the favor given.
The polite apology.
Literally "permit me", to get past or interrupt.
Literally "I am glad to have met".