Kazakhstan, the largest landlocked country in the world, is an essential part of any trip to Central Asia.
Many travellers only make it as far as Almaty, the cosmopolitan start or end point for many journeys in the Stans. Despite this, though, one could easily spend months exploring this vast land of deserts, prairies, mountains, and Silk Road remains.
Speaking Kazakh will help make your trip to Kazakhstan easier and should win you many new friends! While you cannot be expected to speak the language of every country, region, or city that you visit, we’ve learnt that knowing a few words of the local tongue will ingratiate you with the locals anywhere – particually in a country renowned for their hospitality.
What do they speak in Kazakhstan?
Kazakh, the official language of Kazakhstan, is a fascinating and rich language rooted in the Turkic family. While it shares some similarities with modern Turkish, the two languages are not mutually intelligible. Kazakh’s closest linguistic relative is Kyrgyz, and speakers of either language can generally understand one another with ease.
Russian is the other official language of Kazakhstan, and it is not only still widely spoken but remains the native language of much of the country, especially in urban areas. Indeed, there are some ethnic Kazakhs who struggle to speak the language, preferring to use Russian instead.
However, learning a few phrases and speaking Kazakh will go a long way in helping you connect with locals and experience the true, legendary Kazakh hospitality. Here’s your guide to doing so!
So, how do you say hello in Kazakh?
Сәлем/sälem! It comes from the Arabic word for peace.
How much English is spoken in Kazakhstan?
More than in other Central Asian countries – not that that’s saying much!
Some younger Kazakhs, especially in Almaty and Astana, speak some level of English, and the language is now compulsory in school. However, the further you venture into rural areas, the less you’ll encounter. In short, do not expect people to speak English.
Everyone speaks Russian, and you may even find some older Kazakhs who speak German, as it was the main foreign language during the USSR.
Kazakhstan remains one of the most diverse countries in the world. Native speakers of Uzbek, Ukrainian, German, Korean, and Uighur can be found in some places, just to name a few!
What is Kazakh written in?
Okay, so this question has a long answer!
The Kazakh language was historically written using Arabic letters. However, in 1929, this was switched to the Latin script by the Soviets. Come 1940, however, the USSR switched almost all the country’s minority languages to the Cyrillic script. This was on the grounds that it made communication easier during WW2.
Currently, almost all Kazakh speakers in Kazakhstan use the Cyrillic script, but the government has just begun a transition to the Latin alphabet. The aim is for this to be completed by 2031, with the switch made in schools for the 2023-24 academic year. Whether this will succeed, though, remains to be seen.
To make things more confusing, Kazakhs in China and Mongolia continue to use the Arabic script.
Kazakh has 42 letters, including 33 from the Cyrillic alphabet and 9 additional ones to capture unique Kazakh sounds. If you don’t speak either Kazakh or Russian, you’ll be able to tell the difference between their written forms by noticing the unique Kazakh letters, such as Ә, Ғ, Ө, and Ұ.
Useful Kazakh Phrases:
How do you say hello in Kazakh? Сәлем – Sälem.
Use the pan-Islamic greeting “As-salaam alaykum” (peace be with you) if wanting to be more polite.
How do you say goodbye in Kazakh? Сау болыңыз – Sau bolynyz.
How do you say thank you in Kazakh? Рахмет – Rakhmet. This is used across Central Asia.
How do you say happy new year in Kazakh? Жаңа жылыңызбен – Jaña jylınızben
How to say brother in Kazakh: Аға – Agha, for older brother or male friend, and the term is also a respectful way to address men when speaking Kazakh. You’ll also hear the word “brat” plenty of times. Don’t worry, you’re not being insulted, it’s just brother in Russian!
Beer: The word for beer when speaking Kazakh is simply сыра – syra. Be careful, though, as this can sometimes refer to cheese in Russian!
How do I count in Kazakh?
Kazakh numbers are fairly straightforward, though learning 1-10 is a great start to speaking Kazakh! Turkish speakers should notice the overlap here.
0 – nol (нөл)
1 – bir (бір)
2 – eki (екі)
3 – üsh (үш)
4 – tört (төрт)
5 – bes (бес)
6 – alty (алты)
7 – jeti (жеті)
8 – segiz (сегіз)
9 – toğız (тоғыз)
10 – on (он)
What’s some Kazakh Slang?
Sälem! (Сәлем!) / hello – We’ve already covered this, but it’s worth mentioning that “sälem” is the casual version, similar to saying “hi” in English, and is used between friends.
Shala Kazakh (шала қазақ) – This slang term is used to refer to people who are ethnically Kazakh but don’t speak the language fluently, a result of historical Russian influence.
Feel confident speaking Kazakh now?
Kazakhs are known for their warm hospitality and friendliness and using a few local phrases by speaking Kazakh will definitely enhance your experience.
Unsure about how to start your Kazakhstan adventure? We offer regular trips to the country, so get in touch if you would like us to help you plan your visit, or have any questions!
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