Learning a new language can be an exciting and rewarding journey. If you’re beginning to learn Kazakh, one of the most significant Turkic languages spoken primarily in Kazakhstan, starting with essential vocabulary can greatly ease your way into the language. At the A1 level, which is the beginner’s stage, acquiring a foundational set of words is crucial. This article will introduce you to 50 essential words you need to know for Kazakh at the A1 level.
Basic Greetings and Politeness
1. Сәлеметсіз бе (Salemetsiz be) – Hello
– This is a formal greeting used in most situations.
2. Сәлем (Salem) – Hi
– A more casual greeting, often used among friends.
3. Қош келдіңіз (Qosh keldingiz) – Welcome
– Used to welcome someone warmly.
4. Рахмет (Rakhmet) – Thank you
– A fundamental word for expressing gratitude.
5. Кешіріңіз (Keshiriniz) – Excuse me / Sorry
– Used to apologize or get someone’s attention politely.
Basic Pronouns
6. Мен (Men) – I
– The first-person singular pronoun.
7. Сен (Sen) – You (informal)
– Used when addressing friends or peers.
8. Сіз (Siz) – You (formal)
– Used in formal situations or when showing respect.
9. Ол (Ol) – He/She/It
– The third-person singular pronoun, gender-neutral.
10. Біз (Biz) – We
– The first-person plural pronoun.
Common Nouns
11. Адам (Adam) – Person
– A general term for an individual.
12. Үй (Üy) – House / Home
– Refers to a place where someone lives.
13. Мектеп (Mektep) – School
– An educational institution.
14. Кітап (Kitap) – Book
– A common noun for reading material.
15. Дос (Dos) – Friend
– Refers to a companion or buddy.
16. Отбасы (Otbası) – Family
– A group of related individuals living together.
17. Күн (Kün) – Sun / Day
– Can refer to the solar object or a day in a week.
18. Ана (Ana) – Mother
– A term for one’s female parent.
19. Әке (Äke) – Father
– A term for one’s male parent.
20. Бала (Bala) – Child
– A young human being.
Numbers and Time
21. Бір (Bir) – One
– The numeral for 1.
22. Екі (Eki) – Two
– The numeral for 2.
23. Үш (Üsh) – Three
– The numeral for 3.
24. Төрт (Tört) – Four
– The numeral for 4.
25. Бес (Bes) – Five
– The numeral for 5.
26. Сағат (Sağat) – Hour / Clock
– Refers to time or a timekeeping device.
27. Күнтізбе (Küntizbe) – Calendar
– A tool for tracking dates and months.
Essential Verbs
28. Болу (Bolu) – To be
– An essential verb for existence and identity.
29. Жасау (Zhasau) – To do / To make
– A versatile verb used in various contexts.
30. Келу (Kelu) – To come
– Used when someone arrives at a place.
31. Кету (Ketu) – To go
– Refers to leaving or going somewhere.
32. Жүру (Zhüru) – To walk / To go
– Can mean walking or traveling.
33. Сөйлесу (Söylesu) – To speak / To talk
– Refers to verbal communication.
34. Тыңдау (Tıñdau) – To listen
– Involves paying attention to sound or speech.
35. Көру (Körü) – To see / To watch
– Used for visual perception.
36. Сүю (Süyu) – To love
– Expresses affection or strong liking.
37. Ұнату (Ünatu) – To like
– Indicates preference or liking.
Common Adjectives
38. Жақсы (Zhaqsy) – Good
– A positive descriptor for quality.
39. Жаман (Zhaman) – Bad
– Indicates poor quality or negativity.
40. Үлкен (Ülken) – Big
– Describes large size or magnitude.
41. Кіші (Kishi) – Small
– Refers to small size or lesser degree.
42. Әдемі (Ädemi) – Beautiful
– Used to describe attractiveness.
43. Тез (Tez) – Fast / Quick
– Indicates high speed or promptness.
44. Баяу (Bayau) – Slow
– Describes low speed or slowness.
Days of the Week
45. Дүйсенбі (Düysenbi) – Monday
– The first day of the week.
46. Сейсенбі (Seysenbi) – Tuesday
– The second day of the week.
47. Сәрсенбі (Särsenbi) – Wednesday
– The middle of the week.
48. Бейсенбі (Beysenbi) – Thursday
– The fourth day of the week.
49. Жұма (Juma) – Friday
– The fifth day of the week.
50. Сенбі (Senbi) – Saturday
– The sixth day of the week.
Conclusion
Mastering these 50 essential words will provide a solid foundation for your Kazakh language journey at the A1 level. These words cover common greetings, pronouns, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and days of the week, allowing you to communicate basic ideas and understand simple conversations. As you practice and use these words in real-life situations, your confidence and proficiency in Kazakh will grow. Happy learning!
