Languages in Kazakhstan
The official language of Kazakhstan is Kazakh. Russian language is also used in state organizations and local governments, along with Kazakh.
80-90% of the population is fluent in Russian. Basically all employees in travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and shops in large cities can speak English.
In remote regions, it is best for foreign guests to have an English-Kazakh-Russian phrasebook. Below you can find a mini-phrasebook with some necessary words. In addition, feel free to use Google Translate and other online translation services. If the necessary language packs are available for download, we recommend that you download them in advance to use the translator offline, as in remote places there may be problems with access to the Internet.
Some interesting facts about languages in Kazakhstan:
- The government is making efforts to ensure that the population uses at least three languages: Kazakh, Russian and English;
- Kazakh is one of the most widely-spoken languages of the Turkic language family;
- In 2017, a decree was signed on the transition of the Kazakh alphabet from Cyrillic to Latin script. The transition will be phased until 2025.
Useful phrases in Russian and Kazakh:
|
English |
Russian |
Kazakh |
|
Hello! |
Здравствуйте! (ZDRAHST-vooy-tyeh) |
Сәлеметсіз
бе? (sah-le-MET-siz beh?) |
|
Hi! |
Привет! (pree-VYET) |
Сәлем (sah-LEM) |
|
Goodbye! |
До свидания! (duh svee-DAH-nyah) |
Сау болыңыз! (SAH-w bo-ly-NGYZ) |
|
My name is… |
Меня зовут ... (mee-NYAH zah-VOOT…) |
Менің
атым ... (me-NING ah-TYM…) |
|
I’m a tourist/We’re tourists |
Я турист / Мы туристы
(yah too-RIST/myh too-RIS-tyh) |
Мен туристпін / Біз туристпіз (men too-RIST-pin/byz too-RIST-piz) |
|
I’m from Great Britain/We’re from Great Britain |
Я приехал (-а) из Великобритании / Мы приехали из Великобритании (ya pree-YE-khal(-ah) eez vye-lee-kuh-bree-TAH-nee-ee/myh pree-YE-kha-lee eez vye-lee-kuh-bree-TAH-nee-ee) |
Мен Ұлыбританиядан келдім / Біз Ұлыбританиядан келдік (men oo-lyh-bree-TAH-nee-yah-dahn kel-DYM/biz oo-lyh-bree-TAH-nee-yah-dahn kel-DIK) |
|
Thank you! |
Спасибо! (spuh-SEE-buh) |
Рахмет! (rakh-MET) |
|
Excuse me (Sorry) |
Извините (Простите) (eez-vee-NEET-yeh) (prah-STEET-yeh) |
Кешіріңіз
(ke-shee-ryh-NGYZ) |
|
Help me, please |
Помогите, пожалуйста
(puh-mah-GEE-tyeh,
puh-ZHAH-loo-stah) |
Көмектесіңізші
(ko-mek-TE-syh-ngiz-shee) |
|
Where is the nearest store? |
Где
ближайший
магазин? (gdye blee-ZHAI-sheey
muh-gah-ZEEN?) |
Ең
жақын
дүкен
қай
жерде? (en zhah-KYN DOO-koon
KAI zher-DE?) |
|
I’m lost |
Я заблудился (-ась) (m/f). (yah
zah-bloo-DEEL-suh / zah-bloo-DEE-luhs’) |
Мен
адасып
кеттім
(MEN ah-DAH-syp
ket-TIM) |
|
I don’t understand |
Не
понимаю
(nee puh-nee-MIGH-yoo) |
Түсінбеймін
(too-soon-BEI-min) |
|
Where is it? |
Где
это
находится? (gdye EH-tuh nah-KHO-deet-sya?) |
Бұл
қай
жерде? (bool kigh zher-DE?) |
|
How can I get to this place? |
Как можно дойти до этого
места? (kahk
MOZH-nuh digh-TEE duh EH-tuh-guh MYES-tuh?) |
Мына жерге қалай жетуге
болады? (my-NAH zher-GE kah-LAI zhe-TOO-ge bo-LAH-dyh?) |
|
Show me, please |
Покажите, пожалуйста
(puh-kah-ZHEE-tye, puh-ZHAH-luh-stuh) |
Көрсетіп
жіберіңізші
(kor-soh-TOOP
zhee-be-RYH-niz-shee) |
|
Turn right |
Поверните
направо
(puh-veer-NEE-tyeh nuh-PRAH-vuh) |
Оңға
бұрылу
(ong-GAH
boo-rooh-LOOH) |
|
Turn left |
Поверните
налево
(puh-veer-NEE-tyeh nuh-LYEH-vuh) |
Солға
бұрылу
(sol-GAH
boo-rooh-LOOH) |
|
Go straight |
Вперед (Vpe-RYOD) |
Алға / Тіке / Тура
(ahl-GAH/ty-KE/too-RAH) |
|
Go back |
Назад (Nah-ZAHD) |
Артқа (art-KAH) |
|
Is there Internet here? |
Здесь есть интернет? (Zdyes’ yest’ een-ter-NET?) |
Бұл жерде интернет бар
ма? (bool
zher-DE een-ter-NET bahr mah?) |
|
How can I connect to the Internet? |
Как можно подключиться к
интернету? (kahk
MOZH-nuh pahd-klyu-CHEET-sya k een-ter-NEH-too?) |
Интернетке
қалай
қосылуға
болады? (een-ter-net-KEH
kah-LAI ko-sy-LOO-gah bo-LAH-dyh?) |
|
Can I make a phone call? |
Можно
позвонить
по
телефону? (MOZH-nuh
pahz-vah-NEET’ puh tye-lye-FOH-noo?) |
Телефон
соғуға
бола
ма? (te-le-FOHN so-goo-GAH
bo-LAH mah?) |
|
My phone is dead |
На
моем
телефоне
села
зарядка
(nah mo-YOM
tye-lye-FOH-nyeh SYEH-lah zah-RYAD-kuh) |
Телефоным
отырып
қалды
(te-le-foh-NYM
otyh-RYP kahl-DYH) |
|
Our car broke down |
Наша
машина
сломалась
(NAH-shah
mah-SHEE-nah slah-MAH-lahs’) |
Көлігіміз
сынып
қалды (koo-LYH-gyh-miz syh-NYP kahl-DYH) |
|
How much does it cost? |
Сколько
это
стоит? (SKOL’-kuh EH-tuh STOH-eet?) |
Қанша
тұрады? (kahn-SHAH too-RAH-dyh?) |
|
Where can I find a taxi? |
Где
можно
найти
такси? (Gdye MOZH-nah nai-TEE
tahk-SEE?) |
Такси
қайдан
табуға
болады? (tahk-SEE kai-DAHN
tah-boo-GAH bo-LAH-dyh?) |