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Kyrgyz phrasebook

Kyrgyz (кыргызча / قىرعىزچا‎) is a language spoken by 4 million people primarily in Kyrgyzstan and, to a lesser extent, in adjacent regions such as Kazakhstan, Xinjiang (China), Uzbekistan, & Tajikistan. In Kyrgyzstan, the language is co-official with Russian, which is the predominant language used in urban areas (especially Bishkek) while Kyrgyz is predominant in rural areas and small cities/towns, though even in these areas many people speak Russian as well. It is also an official language in Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture of China's Xinjiang province. It is a Turkic language and has many similarities with languages such as Turkish, Tatar, Kazakh, Azeri, & Uzbek. As a result of close ties culturally and economically, Kyrgyz has become increasingly mutually intelligible with Kazakh in recent decades.

ScriptKyrgyz is primarily written using the Cyrillic alphabet in Kyrgyzstan, and using the Arabic script in China.
Pronunciation guide
Phrase listOtuz Kyrk Eluu Altymish jetimysh Seksen tokson Júz Meen
Learning moreA 325-page PDF document covering the Kyrgyz language that was created for US Peace Corps volunteers in Kyrgyzstan is available to view and download here. (direct link to PDF)

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