Learning a new language can be an exciting and rewarding experience, and if you’ve chosen to learn Azerbaijani, you’re in for a journey rich with culture, history, and linguistic beauty. Azerbaijani, also known as Azeri, is the official language of Azerbaijan and is spoken by millions of people in the region. For beginners, getting a grip on some essential words can make a significant difference in your learning curve. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the most important Azerbaijani words you should know at the beginner level.
Basic Greetings and Polite Expressions
First impressions matter, and in any language, knowing how to greet people properly is crucial. Here are some basic greetings and polite expressions:
Salam (sah-lahm) – Hello
Hər vaxtınız xeyir (hahr vahkh-tuh-nuhz khe-yeer) – Good day
Sabahınız xeyir (sah-bah-huh-nuhz khe-yeer) – Good morning
Axşamınız xeyir (akh-shah-muh-nuhz khe-yeer) – Good evening
Gecəniz xeyir (geh-jah-nuhz khe-yeer) – Good night
Necəsiniz? (neh-jah-suh-neez) – How are you?
Yaxşıyam (yahkh-shuh-yahm) – I am fine
Çox sağ olun (chokh sah o-loon) – Thank you very much
Buyurun (boo-roon) – You’re welcome / Please (as in inviting someone to do something)
Bağışlayın (bah-ghish-lah-yuhn) – Excuse me / I’m sorry
Bəli (beh-lee) – Yes
Xeyr (khay-eer) – No
Common Nouns and Everyday Objects
Familiarizing yourself with common nouns and everyday objects can help you navigate daily life more easily. Here are some frequently used nouns:
Ev (ev) – House
Otaq (oh-tahkh) – Room
Mətbəx (meht-behkh) – Kitchen
Yataq otağı (yah-tahkh oh-tah-ghuh) – Bedroom
Hamam (hah-mahm) – Bathroom
Məktəb (mehk-tehb) – School
Mağaza (mah-ghah-zah) – Store
Bazar (bah-zar) – Market
Kitab (kee-tahb) – Book
Qələm (ghah-lehm) – Pen
Kağız (kah-ghuhz) – Paper
Stol (stohl) – Table
Stul (stool) – Chair
Divar (dee-var) – Wall
Numbers and Counting
Being able to count and understand numbers is essential in everyday situations, such as shopping or telling time. Here are the basics:
1. Bir (beer) – One
2. İki (ee-kee) – Two
3. Üç (ooch) – Three
4. Dörd (durd) – Four
5. Beş (besh) – Five
6. Altı (ahl-tuh) – Six
7. Yeddi (yed-dee) – Seven
8. Səkkiz (sehk-keez) – Eight
9. Doqquz (dohk-kooz) – Nine
10. On (ohn) – Ten
For multiples of ten:
20. İyirmi (ee-yeer-mee) – Twenty
30. Otuz (oh-tooz) – Thirty
40. Qırx (ghurkh) – Forty
50. Əlli (eh-lee) – Fifty
60. Altımış (ahl-tuh-muhsh) – Sixty
70. Yetmiş (yeht-meesh) – Seventy
80. Səksən (sehk-sehn) – Eighty
90. Doxsan (dohk-sahn) – Ninety
100. Yüz (yooz) – Hundred
Days of the Week and Months
Understanding the days of the week and the months of the year is also vital for everyday conversation and planning.
Bazar ertəsi (bah-zahr ehr-teh-see) – Monday
Çərşənbə axşamı (chehr-shehn-beh ahkh-shah-muh) – Tuesday
Çərşənbə (chehr-shehn-beh) – Wednesday
Cümə axşamı (joo-meh ahkh-shah-muh) – Thursday
Cümə (joo-meh) – Friday
Şənbə (shehn-beh) – Saturday
Bazar (bah-zahr) – Sunday
Yanvar (yahn-var) – January
Fevral (fehv-rahl) – February
Mart (mart) – March
Aprel (ah-prehl) – April
May (my) – May
İyun (ee-yoon) – June
İyul (ee-yool) – July
Avqust (ahv-goost) – August
Sentyabr (sehn-tyahb-r) – September
Oktyabr (ohk-tyahb-r) – October
Noyabr (noh-yahb-r) – November
Dekabr (deh-kahb-r) – December
Basic Verbs and Actions
Verbs are the backbone of any language. Here are some basic Azerbaijani verbs to get you started:
Olmaq (ohl-mahk) – To be
Gəlmək (gehl-mehk) – To come
Getmək (geht-mehk) – To go
Sevmək (sehv-mehk) – To love
İstəmək (ees-teh-mehk) – To want
Almaq (ahl-mahk) – To buy
Görmək (gohr-mehk) – To see
Oxumaq (oh-khoo-mahk) – To read
Yazmaq (yahz-mahk) – To write
Danışmaq (dah-nuhsh-mahk) – To speak
Yemək (yeh-mehk) – To eat
İçmək (eech-mehk) – To drink
Family Members
Talking about family is common in any language. Here are the Azerbaijani words for family members:
Ailə (ah-ee-leh) – Family
Ata (ah-tah) – Father
Ana (ah-nah) – Mother
Oğul (oh-ghool) – Son
Qız (ghuhz) – Daughter
Bacı (bah-juh) – Sister
Qardaş (ghar-dahsh) – Brother
Nənə (neh-neh) – Grandmother
Baba (bah-bah) – Grandfather
Common Adjectives
Adjectives help you describe nouns and add detail to your sentences. Here are some common Azerbaijani adjectives:
Böyük (beh-yook) – Big
Kiçik (kee-cheek) – Small
Gözəl (geh-zehl) – Beautiful
Çirkin (cheer-keen) – Ugly
Yaxşı (yahkh-shuh) – Good
Pis (pees) – Bad
Yeni (yeh-nee) – New
Köhnə (keh-nuh) – Old
Useful Phrases
Knowing some useful phrases can help you navigate social situations more easily. Here are a few to get you started:
Adınız nədir? (ah-duh-nuhz neh-deer) – What is your name?
Mənim adım… (meh-neem ah-duhm) – My name is…
Hansı dildə danışırsınız? (hahn-suh deel-deh dah-nuh-shuh-ruh-suh-nuhz) – Which language do you speak?
Azərbaycan dilində danışırsınız? (ah-zahr-bah-ee-jahn deel-deh dah-nuh-shuh-ruh-suh-nuhz) – Do you speak Azerbaijani?
Necə deyə bilərəm…? (neh-jeh deh-yeh bee-leh-rehm) – How do you say…?
Başa düşmürəm (bah-shah doosh-moo-rehm) – I don’t understand
Yardım edə bilərsiniz? (yahr-deem eh-deh bee-leh-ree-see-nuhz) – Can you help me?
Neçədir? (neh-cheh-deer) – How much is it?
Haradadır? (hah-rah-dah-deer) – Where is it?
Common Questions
Asking questions is a fundamental part of communication. Here are some common questions in Azerbaijani:
Bu nədir? (boo neh-deer) – What is this?
Kim? (keem) – Who?
Harada? (hah-rah-dah) – Where?
Nə vaxt? (neh vahkht) – When?
Niyə? (nee-yeh) – Why?
Necə? (neh-jeh) – How?
Food and Drinks
Food is an essential part of any culture. Here are some common Azerbaijani words related to food and drinks:
Su (soo) – Water
Çay (chay) – Tea
Qəhvə (ghah-vah) – Coffee
Süd (sood) – Milk
Çörək (choh-rehk) – Bread
Pendir (pen-deer) – Cheese
Ət (eht) – Meat
Balıq (bah-luhk) – Fish
Meyvə (mey-veh) – Fruit
Tərəvəz (teh-reh-vehz) – Vegetable
Travel and Directions
When traveling, knowing a few key phrases can be very helpful. Here are some Azerbaijani words related to travel and directions:
Avtobus (ahv-toh-boos) – Bus
Taksi (tahk-see) – Taxi
Qatar (ghah-tahr) – Train
Gəmi (geh-mee) – Ship
Təyyarə (teh-yah-reh) – Airplane
Hava limanı (hah-vah lee-mah-nuh) – Airport
Stansiya (stahn-see-yah) – Station
Otel (oh-tehl) – Hotel
Xəritə (khe-ree-teh) – Map
Yol (yohl) – Road
Sağ (sah) – Right
Sol (sohl) – Left
Düz (dooz) – Straight
Conclusion
Embarking on the journey to learn Azerbaijani can be both exciting and challenging. By familiarizing yourself with these essential words and phrases, you’ll be well on your way to building a solid foundation in the language. Remember, practice is key, so try to use these words in daily conversation as much as possible. Happy learning!
