Abkhaz phrasebook

Abkhaz (Аҧсуа бызшәа) is a Caucasian language spoken primarily in Abkhazia. It is an extremely difficult language to read, which requires a lot of labialization.

Pronunciation guide

In the alphabet, whilst coming across a 'ә' letter, you need to labialize it. To do this, round your lips as if you are trying to whistle, and utter the letter you are trying to say. There are many occasions where you are going to encounter this, and below is the alphabet from where it is present. Like Russian, when a reader comes across a 'ь', you need to pronounce the word heavily.

А а: 'a' as in "air"
Б б: 'b' as in "bar"
В в: 'v' as in "vent"
Г г: 'g' as in "game"
Гь гь: Hard 'g'
Гә гә: Labialized 'g'
Ӷ ӷ: 'gh' as in "gamble"
Ӷь ӷь: Hard 'gh'
Ӷә ӷә: Labialized 'gh'
Д д: 'd' as in 'dangle'
Дә дә: Labialized 'd'
Е е: 'e' as in 'everybody'
Ж ж: 'zh' like 'leisure'
Жь жь: Hard 'zh'
Жә жә: Labialized 'zh'
З з: 'z' as in 'zebra'
Ӡ ӡ: 'dz' like 'pizza'
Ӡә ӡә: Labialized 'dz'
И и: 'ee' as in 'eel'
К к: 'k' as in 'cancer'
Кь кь: Hard 'k'
Кә кә: Labialized 'k'
Қ қ: 'q' as in 'Qatar'
Қь қь: Hard 'q'
Қә қә: Labialized 'q'
Ҟ ҟ: 'q' as in 'Qatar'
Ҟьҟь: Hard 'q'
Ҟә ҟә: Labialized 'q'
Л л: 'l' as in 'leg'
М м: 'm' as in 'meet'
Н н: 'n' as in 'nod'
О о: 'o' as in 'orange'
П п: 'p' as in 'peel'
Ҧ ҧ: Hard 'p'
Р р: 'r' as in 'ring'
С с: 's' as in 'sea'
Т т: 't' as in 'tea'
Тә тә: Labialized 't'
Ҭҭ: 'th' as in 'thanks'
Ҭә ҭә: Labialized 'th'
У у: 'u' like 'pool'
ф Ф: 'f' as in 'find'
Х х: 'kh' like cage
Хь хь: Hard 'kh'
Хә хә: Labialized 'kh'
Ҳ ҳ: 'h' as in 'hello'
Ҳә ҳә: Labialized 'h'
Ц ц: 'ts' as in lets
Цә цә: Labialized 'ts'

Phrase list

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Basics

Hello.: Бзиа збаша. (Bzia zbaşa )
Hello. (informal): . ( )
How are you?: Ушҧаҟоу? (Uşpakou ?)
Fine, thank you.: итабуп ибзианы. ( itabup ibziani )
What is your name?: (to a man) Уара́ иу́хьӡузеи? (to a woman) Бара́ ибы́хьӡузеи? (“WaRA YUkhdzuzey? BaRA ibYKHdzuzey?”)
My name is ______ .: Сара́ ______ сы́хӡуп. (“SaRA _____ SYKHdzup”)
Nice to meet you.: . )’’ ‘‘_
Please.: . )’’ ‘‘_
Thank you.: . ( )
You're welcome.: . ( )
Yes.: Ааи. (Aye. )
No.: Мап. ( Map’)
Excuse me. (getting attention): . ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon): . ( )
I'm sorry.: . ( )
Goodbye: Абзи́араз. (AbZIAraz.)
Goodbye (informal): . ( )
I can't speak Abkhaz [well].: [ ]. ( [ ])
Do you speak English?: ? ( ?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?: ? ( ?)
Help!: ! ( !)
Look out!: ! ( !)
Good morning.: Шьыжьбзи́а(қәа). (ShyzhbZIAkwa. ) – The ending -kwa is for multiple people.
Good evening.: Хәлыбзи́а(қәа). (KhwlybZIAkwa.)
Good night.: . ( )
Good night (to sleep): . ( )
I don't understand.: . ( )
Where is the toilet?: ? ( ?)

Problems

Leave me alone.: . ( .)
Don't touch me!: ! ( !)
I'll call the police.: . ( .)
Police!: ! ( !)
Stop! Thief!: ! ! ( ! !)
I need your help.: . ( .)
It's an emergency.: . ( .)
I'm lost.: . ( .)
I lost my bag.: . ( .)
I lost my wallet.: . ( .)
I'm sick.: . ( .)
I've been injured.: . ( .)
I need a doctor.: . ( .)
Can I use your phone?: ? ( ?)

Numbers

1 - aky – акы́

2 - ôba - ҩба

3 - hpa - хҧа

4 - pshba - ҧшьба

5 - huba - хәба

6 - fba - фба

7 – byĵba - быжьба́

8 - aaba - ааба́

9 - juba - жәба

10 - juwaba - жәаба́

20 - ôajui - ҩажәа́

30 - ôajui juwaba - ҩажәи ́жәаба́

40 - ôynôajua - ҩы́нҩажәа

50 - ôynôajui juwaba - ҩы́нҩажәи жәаба́

60 - hynôajui - хынҩажәа́

70 - hynôajui juwaba - хынҩажәи́ жәаба́

80 - pshynôajui - ҧшьы́нҩажәа

90 - pshynôajui juwaba - ҧшьы́нҩажәи жәаба́

100 - шәкы

200 - óysha - ҩышә

500 - huysha - хәышә

1000 - zkîy - зқьы

Time

now: ( )
later: Нас (Nas )
before: ( )
morning: ( )
afternoon: ҽы́нла ( )
evening: уахы́нла( )
night: а́ҵх( )

Clock time

one o'clock AM: саа́́ҭк. ( )
two o'clock AM: ҩсаа́ҭк. ( )
noon: ( )
one o'clock PM: ( )
two o'clock PM: ( )
midnight: ( )

Duration

_____ minute(s): ( )
_____ hour(s): ( )
___амш__ day(s): ( amsh)
_____ week(s): ( )
__амза___ month(s): ( amza)
_____ year(s): ( )

Days

today: иахьа́ ( )
yesterday: иахы́ ( )
tomorrow: уаҵәа́шьҭахь ( )
this week: ( )
last week: ( )
next week: ( )

Sunday: амҽы́ша ( )
Monday: ашәахьа́( )
Tuesday: аҩа́ша ( )
Wednesday: аха́ша ( )
Thursday: аҧшьа́ша( )
Friday: ахәа́ша ( )
Saturday: аса́бша ( )

Months

January: жьырны́ҳәа
February: жәабра́н
March: жәажәкы́ра
April: мшаҧы́
May: лаҵара́
June: рашәара́
July: ҧхынгәы́
August: на́нҳәа
September: цәыббра́
October: жьҭаара́
November: абҵара́
December: ҧхынҷкәы́н

Colors

black: а́иқәаҵәа
white: а́шкәакәа
gray: ацәы́ш
red: а́ҟаҧшь
blue: а́иаҵәа
yellow: ахьыҧштәы́
green: ашьа́цҧштәы
orange: апатырқа́лҧштәы
purple: адәыкры́нҧштәы
pink: агәи́лҧхтәы
brown: а́хьаҧштәы

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____?: ( )
One ticket to _____, please.: ( )
Where does this train/bus go?: ( )
Where is the train/bus to _____?: ( )
Does this train/bus stop in _____?: ( )
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?: ( )
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?: ( )

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?: ( )
...the train station?: ( )
...the bus station?: ( )
...the airport?: ( )
...downtown?: ( )
...the youth hostel?: ( )
...the _____ hotel?: ( )
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?: ( )
Where are there a lot of...: ( )
...hotels?: ( )
...restaurants?: ( )
...bars?: ( )
...sites to see?: ( )
Can you show me on the map?: ( )
street: ( )
Turn left.: ( )
Turn right.: ( )
left: ( )
right: ( )
straight ahead: ( )
towards the _____: ( )
past the _____: ( )
before the _____: ( )
Watch for the _____.: ( )
intersection: ( )
north: ( )
south: ( )
east: ( )
west: ( )
uphill: ( )
downhill: ( )

Taxi

Taxi!: ( )
Take me to _____, please.: ( )
How much does it cost to get to _____?: ( )
Take me there, please.: ( )

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available?: ( )
How much is a room for one person/two people?: ( )
Does the room come with...: ( )
...bedsheets?: ( )
...a bathroom?: ( )
...a telephone?: ( )
...a TV?: ( )
May I see the room first?: ( )
Do you have anything quieter?: ( )
...bigger?: ( )
...cleaner?: ( )
...cheaper?: ( )
OK, I'll take it.: ( )
I will stay for _____ night(s).: ( )
Can you suggest another hotel?: ( )
Do you have a safe?: ( )
...lockers?: ( )
Is breakfast/supper included?: ( )
What time is breakfast/supper?: ( )
Please clean my room.: ( )
Can you wake me at _____?: ( )
I want to check out.: ( )

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?: ( )
Do you accept British pounds?: ( )
Do you accept euros?: ( )
Do you accept credit cards?: ( )
Can you change money for me?: ( )
Where can I get money changed?: ( )
Can you change a traveler's check for me?: ( )
Where can I get a traveler's check changed?: ( )
What is the exchange rate?: ( )
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?: ( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please.: ( )
Can I look at the menu, please?: ( )
Can I look in the kitchen?: ( )
Is there a house specialty?: ( )
Is there a local specialty?: ( )
I'm a vegetarian.: ( )
I don't eat pork.: ( )
I don't eat beef.: ( )
I only eat kosher food.: ( )
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard): ( )
fixed-price meal: ( )
à la carte: ( )
breakfast: ( )
lunch: ( )
tea (meal): ( )
supper: ( )
I want ___сара истахуп__.: (sara istakhup )
I want a dish containing _____.: ( )
chicken: акәты́жь ( )
beef: ( )
fish: (апсыӡ )
ham: ( )
sausage: ( )
cheese: ашә ( )
eggs: акәта́ӷь ( )
salad: асала́ҭ( )
(fresh) vegetables: ауҭраҭы́хқәа ( )
(fresh) fruit: ашәы́р ( )
bread: ача́ ( )
toast: ( )
noodles: ( )
rice: ( )
beans: аҟәы́д( )
May I have a glass of _____?: ( )
May I have a cup of _____?: ( )
May I have a bottle of _____?: ( )
coffee: ( )
tea (drink): ача́и ( )
juice: аӡы́ ( )
(bubbly) water: ( )
(still) water: аӡы(azi)
beer: ауара́ш ( )
red/white wine: аҩы́ ( )
May I have some _____?: ( )
salt: аџьыкахы́ш( )
black pepper: ( )
butter: а́хәша ( )
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): ( )
I'm finished.: ( )
It was delicious.: даара ихаан (daara ikhaan )
Please clear the plates.: ( )
The check, please.: ( )

Bars

Do you serve alcohol?: ( )
Is there table service?: ( )
A beer/two beers, please.: ( )
A glass of red/white wine, please.: ( )
A pint, please.: ( )
A bottle, please.: ( )
_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.: ( )
whiskey: ( )
vodka: ауадка(auadka)
rum: ( )
water: аӡы( azi)
club soda: ( )
tonic water: ( )
orange juice: ( )
Coke (soda): ( )
Do you have any bar snacks?: ( )
One more, please.: ( )
Another round, please.: ( )
When is closing time?: ( )
Cheers!: ( )

Shopping

Do you have this in my size?: ( )
How much is this?: ( )
That's too expensive.: ( )
Would you take _____?: ( )
expensive: ( )
cheap: ( )
I can't afford it.: ( )
I don't want it.: ( )
You're cheating me.: ( )
I'm not interested.: (..)
OK, I'll take it.: ( )
Can I have a bag?: ( )
Do you ship (overseas)?: ( )
I need...: ( )
...toothpaste.: ( )
...a toothbrush.: ( )
...tampons.: . ( )
...soap.: ( )
...shampoo.: ( )
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen): ( )
...cold medicine.: ( )
...stomach medicine.: ... ( )
...a razor.: ( )
...an umbrella.: ( )
...sunblock lotion.: ( )
...a postcard.: ( )
...postage stamps.: ( )
...batteries.: ( )
...writing paper.: ( )
...a pen.: ( )
...English-language books.: ( )
...English-language magazines.: ( )
...an English-language newspaper.: ( )
...an English-English dictionary.: ( )

Driving

I want to rent a car.: ( )
Can I get insurance?: ( )
stop (on a street sign): ( )
one way: ( )
yield: ( )
no parking: ( )
speed limit: ( )
gas (petrol) station: ( )
petrol: ( )
diesel: ( )

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong.: ( )
It was a misunderstanding.: ( )
Where are you taking me?: ( )
Am I under arrest?: ( )
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.: ( )
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.: ( )
I want to talk to a lawyer.: ( )
Can I just pay a fine now?: ( )

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