Everyday hellos
“Салам” is the easy, friendly hello you can use almost anywhere. “Саламатсызбы” is more polite and works well with elders, strangers and formal settings.
- Салам!
- Salam!Hi! (friendly)
- Саламатсызбы?
- Salamatsyzby?Hello. (polite, “are you well?”)
- Ассалоому алейкум!
- Assalomu aleykum!Peace be upon you. (traditional)
Greetings by time of day
- Кутман таң!
- Kutman tañ!Good morning!
- Кайырлуу күн!
- Kayyrluu kün!Good day!
- Кайырлуу кеч!
- Kayyrluu kech!Good evening!
- Кайырлуу түн!
- Kayyrluu tün!Good night!
Asking how someone is
Use the -сың form with friends and the -сыз form to be polite. A short “Жакшы, рахмат” is a natural reply.
- Кандайсың?
- Kandaysyñ?How are you? (informal)
- Кандайсыз?
- Kandaysyz?How are you? (polite)
- Иштер кандай?
- Ishter kanday?How are things?
- Жакшы, рахмат.
- Jakshy, rakhmat.Good, thank you.
Meeting someone and saying goodbye
Kyrgyz has a nice detail at parting: the person staying and the person leaving use different phrases. The one leaving says “Жакшы калыңыз” (stay well); the one staying says “Жакшы барыңыз” (go well).
- Таанышканыма кубанычтамын.
- Taanyshkanyma kubanychtamyn.Nice to meet you.
- Кош болуңуз.
- Kosh boluñuz.Goodbye. (polite)
- Жакшы калыңыз.
- Jakshy kalyñyz.Goodbye — said by the one leaving.
- Жакшы барыңыз.
- Jakshy baryñyz.Goodbye — said to the one leaving.
Make greetings a daily habit
- Greet one person in Kyrgyz each day, matching the time of day.
- Choose the polite form with elders and the informal form with close friends.
- Practise a tiny two-line exchange: a hello, a “how are you?” and a reply.
Turn greetings into short conversations.
Continue with useful phrases