Tourism
Travelling to Kazakhstan
Say it in Kazakh!
Things to do in Kazakhstan
Accomodation
Restaurants
Bars - Clubs

You would like to experience Kazakhstan? Visit the recently-launched tourism portal Visit Kazakshtan by clicking here

Say it in Kazakh!

Travelling to Kazakhstan? But you don't speak a word of Kazakh? Keep on reading...!
The following section provides the very basics of Kazakh, the official state language.
Kazakh belongs to the Turkish language group, which also includes Azeri, Kyrghyz, Turkish and Turkmen. Kazakh is usually written in the Cyrillic alphabet, but to make it easier for you, the words are written here in the Latin alphabet.

General Phrases

English	Kazakh	Pronunciation
Good morning	Qayirly Tan	Ka-ihr-ly Tan
Good afternoon (formal)	Salamatsyz ba	Sala-maht-syz bah
Good evening (formal)	Qayirly Kesh	Ka-ihr-ly Kesh
Good night (informal)	Qayirli tyun	Ka-ihr-ly Tiun
How are you?	Qalynyz Kalai	Ka-ly-nyz Ka-lai
My name is...	Menym atym...	Meh-nym ah-tym
It is nice to meet you	Sizben tanyskanyma ote kuyanyshtymyn	Syz-behn tah-nys-kah-nyh-ma au-teh kuh-ah-nysh-tyh-myn
How old are you?	Sizdin zhasynyz kanshada?	Syz-DIN ZHA-sy-nyz kan-SHA-da
What do you do for a living?	Kim bolyp zhumys isteisiz?
Are you married or single?	Siz uilengen siz be alde boidak syz ba?
Where are you from?	Siz qai elden keldiniz?
I am American	Men Amerikandyqpyn
Thank you	Rakhmet	Rah-k-met
Thank you very much!	Ulken rakhmet!
Excuse me	Keshiriniz
I don't understand	Tusinbedim
Do you speak English?	Syz aglshynsha soileisiz be?
What would you like to do now?	Siz kazir ne isteginiz kelip tur?	Siz ka-ZYR nye stay-ghi-NIZ Ke-LEAP tour
Welcome	Qosh Keldinizder
Please come in and take a seat	Zhogary shygynyz
What time is it?	Sagat kansha boldy? or: Sagat nishe?	What day is it?
Bugun aptanyn kai kuni?		What is this?
Mynau ne?	Myh-nau neh?
Open	Ashyk
Closed	Zhabyk
Happy Birthday!	Tuylgan Kuninisben!	Too-yhl-ghan Koo-nyh-nyz-ben
Happy New Year!	Zana Zhylynyzben!
Congratulations!	Kuttyktaimyn!
Happy Nauryz!	Nauryz qutti bolsyn!

In a restaurant or hotel

English	Kazakh
Could I have an English menu, please?	Sizde dastarkhan mazere aglshyn tilinde barma?
Could I have the bill, please?	Bizben eseptesinizshi.
Water, please.	Magan su beriniz.
Do you have ...?	Syzde ... barma?
At which hotel should we stay?	Biz qai qonaq uyne tusemiz?
I would like a hotel not far from the city center.	Magan kala ortalygyna zhakyn qonaq ui kerek.
I would like a single (double) room.	Magan bir oryndyk (eki oryndyk) bolme kerek.
I have a reservation.	Magan bolme dayindalyp qoilgan.
How much is this?	Bul kansha turady?
That's too expensive!	Bul ote kymbat!
How much is this in US dollars?	Bunun bagasy kansha dollar turady?

Where is...?

English	Kazakh
Where is...?	...qaida?
...a hotel?	Konak yui qaida?
...a restaurant?	Meiramkhana qaida?
...a library?	Kitapkhana qaida?
...a hospital?	Aurukhana qaida?
...a pharmacy?	Darikhana qaida?
...a cinema?	Kinoteatr qaida?
...a museum?	Murazhai qaida?
...a grocery store?	Azyk tylik dukeni qaida?
...a post office?	Pochta bolymshesi qaida?
...the restrooms?	Daretkhana qaida?
...the nearest bus stop?	Zhakyn zherdegi avtobus ayaldamasy qaida?
...the taxi stand?	Taksi toragy qaida?
...the train station?	Temir zhol vokzaly qaida?
...the airport?	Auezhai qaida?
...a barber shop?	Shashtaraz qaida?
...a dry cleaners?	Kiim tazalau qaida?
...public swimming pool?	Kogamdyk bassein qaida?
...a parking lot?	Avto turak qaida?

days of the week

English	Kazakh
Monday	Duisenbi
Tuesday	Seisenbi
Wednesday	Sarsenbi
Thursday	Beisenbi
Friday	Zhuma
Saturday	Senbi
Sunday	Zheksenbi

FOOD & shopping

English	Kazakh
I need a...	Magan kerek...
shirt	zheide
pants	shalbar
pair of shoes	ayak kiym
dress	koeilek
hat	kalpak
tie	galstuk
belt	taspa
bread	nan
meat	et
beef	siyr eti
lamb	koi eti
chicken	tauyk eti
pork	shoshka eti
apple	alma
pear	almurt
peach	shabdaly
watermelon	karbyz
melon	kauyn