Learning a new language can be an exciting and rewarding journey, and Azerbaijani, with its rich history and vibrant culture, is no exception. For beginners, especially those aiming to reach the A1 proficiency level, building a solid foundation of essential words is crucial. In this article, we will introduce you to some of the most important Azerbaijani words to know for A1 level learners. These words will help you navigate basic conversations, understand common phrases, and start building your vocabulary.

Greetings and Basic Phrases

One of the first things you need to learn in any new language is how to greet people and use basic phrases. Here are some essential Azerbaijani words and phrases for A1 learners:

– **Salam** (sah-lahm): This is the Azerbaijani word for “hello.” It’s a simple yet effective way to greet someone.
– **Hər vaxtınız xeyir** (her vahk-tuh-nuhz khay-eer): This phrase means “good day” and can be used at any time of the day.
– **Sabahınız xeyir** (sah-bah-uh-nuhz khay-eer): This means “good morning.”
– **Axşamınız xeyir** (ahk-shahm-uh-nuhz khay-eer): This means “good evening.”
– **Necəsiniz?** (neh-jeh-see-neez): This means “How are you?” It’s a common way to inquire about someone’s well-being.
– **Yaxşıyam** (yahkh-shuh-yahm): This means “I am fine.”
– **Sağ olun** (sah-uh oh-loon): This means “thank you.”
– **Xahiş edirəm** (khah-heesh eh-dee-rehm): This means “please.”
– **Bağışlayın** (bah-ghuhsh-lah-yuhn): This means “sorry” or “excuse me.”

Numbers

Knowing numbers is essential for various everyday tasks, such as shopping, telling time, and counting. Here are the numbers from 1 to 10 in Azerbaijani:

1. **Bir** (beer)
2. **İki** (ee-kee)
3. **Üç** (ooch)
4. **Dörd** (doerd)
5. **Beş** (besh)
6. **Altı** (ahl-tuh)
7. **Yeddi** (yed-dee)
8. **Səkkiz** (seh-keez)
9. **Doqquz** (doh-kkooz)
10. **On** (ohn)

Days of the Week

Learning the days of the week is also important for scheduling and understanding daily conversations. Here are the days of the week in Azerbaijani:

– **Bazar ertəsi** (bah-zahr ehr-teh-see): Monday
– **Çərşənbə axşamı** (cher-shehn-beh ahk-shah-muh): Tuesday
– **Çərşənbə** (cher-shehn-beh): Wednesday
– **Cümə axşamı** (joo-meh ahk-shah-muh): Thursday
– **Cümə** (joo-meh): Friday
– **Şənbə** (shehn-beh): Saturday
– **Bazar** (bah-zahr): Sunday

Common Nouns

Building your vocabulary with common nouns will help you describe your surroundings and communicate more effectively. Here are some essential nouns to know:

– **Ev** (ev): House
– **Məktəb** (mek-tehb): School
– **Mağaza** (mah-ghah-zah): Store
– **Kitab** (kee-tahb): Book
– **Stol** (stohl): Table
– **Stul** (stool): Chair
– **Qapı** (gah-puh): Door
– **Pəncərə** (pehn-jeh-reh): Window
– **Çay** (chai): Tea
– **Su** (soo): Water

Family Members

Talking about family is a common topic in everyday conversations. Here are some important words related to family:

– **Ana** (ah-nah): Mother
– **Ata** (ah-tah): Father
– **Bacı** (bah-juh): Sister
– **Qardaş** (ghar-dahsh): Brother
– **Nənə** (neh-neh): Grandmother
– **Baba** (bah-bah): Grandfather

Food and Drinks

Knowing the names of common foods and drinks can be very helpful, especially when dining out or shopping for groceries. Here are some essential words:

– **Çörək** (choe-rehk): Bread
– **Pendır** (pen-deer): Cheese
– **Ət** (et): Meat
– **Balıq** (bah-luhk): Fish
– **Meyvə** (mey-veh): Fruit
– **Tərəvəz** (teh-reh-vez): Vegetable
– **Qəhvə** (kah-heh): Coffee
– **Çay** (chai): Tea
– **Şirniyyat** (sheer-nee-yaht): Sweets

Adjectives

Adjectives are used to describe nouns and give more information about them. Here are some basic adjectives to get you started:

– **Böyük** (beu-yook): Big
– **Kiçik** (kee-cheek): Small
– **Yaxşı** (yahkh-shuh): Good
– **Pis** (pees): Bad
– **Gözəl** (geh-zehl): Beautiful
– **Çirkin** (cheer-keen): Ugly
– **Bahalı** (bah-hah-luh): Expensive
– **Ucuz** (oo-jooz): Cheap

Verbs

Verbs are essential for constructing sentences and expressing actions. Here are some common verbs in their infinitive form:

– **Olmaq** (ohl-mahk): To be
– **Gəlmək** (gehl-mehk): To come
– **Getmək** (geht-mehk): To go
– **Etmək** (eht-mehk): To do
– **Demək** (deh-mehk): To say
– **Yemək** (yeh-mehk): To eat
– **İçmək** (eech-mehk): To drink
– **Oxumaq** (oh-khoo-mahk): To read
– **Yazmaq** (yahz-mahk): To write
– **Görmək** (goer-mehk): To see

Pronouns

Pronouns are used to replace nouns and make sentences less repetitive. Here are the basic pronouns in Azerbaijani:

– **Mən** (men): I
– **Sən** (sen): You (singular, informal)
– **O** (oh): He/She/It
– **Biz** (beez): We
– **Siz** (sees): You (plural, formal)
– **Onlar** (ohn-lahr): They

Prepositions

Prepositions are used to indicate relationships between words in a sentence. Here are some common prepositions:

– **İçində** (ee-cheen-deh): In
– **Üstündə** (oos-toon-deh): On
– **Altında** (ahl-tuhn-duh): Under
– **Arxasında** (ahr-khah-suhn-duh): Behind
– **Yanında** (yah-nuhn-duh): Beside
– **Qarşısında** (ghar-shuh-suhn-duh): In front of

Questions and Interrogative Words

Asking questions is a vital part of communication. Here are some basic interrogative words and common questions:

– **Kim?** (keem): Who?
– **Nə?** (neh): What?
– **Harada?** (hah-rah-dah): Where?
– **Nə vaxt?** (neh vahkht): When?
– **Niyə?** (nee-yeh): Why?
– **Necə?** (neh-jeh): How?
– **Bu nədir?** (boo neh-deer): What is this?
– **Kimdir o?** (keem-deer oh): Who is that?

Useful Expressions

Finally, here are some useful expressions that can help you in various situations:

– **Başa düşmürəm** (bah-shah doosh-moo-rehm): I don’t understand.
– **Zəhmət olmasa** (zehm-eht ohl-mah-sah): Please (formal).
– **Bəli** (beh-lee): Yes.
– **Xeyr** (khay-eer): No.
– **Bilmirəm** (beel-mee-rehm): I don’t know.
– **Bir dəqiqə** (beer deh-gee-keh): Just a moment.
– **Yardım edin** (yahr-deem eh-deen): Help.
– **Neçədir?** (neh-cheh-deer): How much is it?

Conclusion

Reaching an A1 level in Azerbaijani involves familiarizing yourself with these basic words and phrases. Practice using them in everyday situations and try to immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. Listen to Azerbaijani music, watch films, and engage in conversations with native speakers if you have the opportunity. Remember, consistency is key. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with the language. Happy learning!