Uyghur phrasebook

Uyghur (ئۇيغۇرچە/Uyƣurqə/Уйғурчә/Uyghurche), a member of the Turkic language family, is mostly spoken in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of northwestern China, where it is an official language.

Most Uyghurs in China are also able to speak Mandarin, so it's not really necessary to communicate in Uyghur. That said, attempting to communicate in the language will surely impress the locals.

Pronunciation guide

Uyghur pronunciation is fairly straightforward except for the sounds "gh" and "x" which might need some practice. It is generally written in the Arabic script.

Vowels

A, a - as in "palm"

E, e - as "a" in "cat"

Ë, ë - as in "pen" (also spelt as É é)

I, i - as "ee" in "see"

O, o - as in "not"

Ö, ö - same as in German

U, u - as in "groove"

Ü, ü - same as in German

Consonants

B, b - as in "bunk"

D, d - as in "door"

F, f - as in "fold"

G, g - as in "go" (This is always pronounced hard in Uighur.)

H, h - as in "heart"

J, j - as in "jam"

K, k - as in "kite"

L, l - as in "lemon"

M, m - as in "matter"

N, n - as in "nose" (Never the "ng" sound of "pink"! Uyghur has another letter that is the "ng" sound of "pink".)

P, p - as in "peach"

Q, q - like k but further back in the throat (IPA: /q/)

R, r - a trilled "r" sound, as in Spanish "burrito" in most dialects, but similar to "r" in American or Irish English in Khotan

S, s - as in "salad"

T, t - as in "taco"

W, w - as in "weather"

X, x - as "ch" in Scots "loch" or German "Bach"

Y, y - as in "yoghurt"

Z, z - as in "zoo"

CH, ch - as in "chair"

GH, gh - like French "r" (IPA: /ʁ/)

NG, ng - like "ng" in "singing", not like "ng" in "finger" (That is the NGG, ngg, which is pronounced like 'ng' in 'finger'.)

SH, sh - as in "shore"

ZH, zh - as "s" in "pleasure"

' - glottal stop. as "h" in "uh-oh" (IPA: /ʔ/)

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. (Greeting): .ئەسسالامۇ ئەلەيكۇم (Essalamu eleikum) (formal)
Hello. (Reply): .ۋەئەلەيكۇم ئەسسالام (We-eleikum essalam) (formal)
Hello.: .ياخشىمۇسىز (Yaxshimusiz) (informal)
How are you?: ياخشىمۇسىز؟ (Yaxshimusiz)
How are you?: قانداق ئەھۋالىڭىز؟ (Qandaq ehwalingiz)
Fine.: .ياخشى (Yaxshi)
So-So.: بەلەن. (Belen)
I'm fine, thanks!: ياخشى، رەھمەت! (Yaxshi, rehmet)
Thank you (very much)!: (كۆپ) رەھمەت! ((Köp) rehmet)
You're welcome! (for "thank you"): ئەرزىمەيدۇ (Erzimeydu)
Good morning!: خەيىرلىك ئەتىگەن! (Xeyirlik etigen)
Good evening!: خەيىرلىك كەچ! (Xeyirlik kech)
Welcome! (to greet someone): قارشى ئالىمىز! (Qarshi alimiz)
Hey! Friend!: ھەي! ئاداش/ئاغىنە! (Hey! Adash / aghine)
I missed you so much!: سىزنى بەك سېغىنىپ كەتتىم! (Sizni bek sëghinip kettim)
What's new?: نىمە بولدى؟ (Nime boldi)
Nothing much!: ھېچ ئىش! (Hëch ish)
Excuse me ...!: كەچۈرۈڭ...! (Kechürüng)
Good night!: خەيىرلىك كەچ! (Xeyirlik kech)
See you later!: كېيىن كۆرۈشەيلى! (Këyin körüsheyli)
Good bye!: خەير خوش! (Xeyr xosh)

Asking for Help and Directions

Can you help me?: ماڭا ياردەم قىلارسىزمۇ؟ (Manga yardem qilarsizmu)
Can I help you?: سىزگە ياردەم كېرەكمۇ؟ (Sizge yardem kërekmu)
Where is the bathroom / pharmacy?: ھاجەتخانا/دورىخانا قەيەردە/نەدە؟ (Hajetxana / dorixana qeyerde/nede)
Go straight! then turn left / right!: ئۇدۇل مېڭىڭ! ئاندىن سولغا/ئوڭغا بۇرۇلۇڭ! (Udul mënging! Andin solgha / onggha burulung)
I'm looking for John.: مەن جوننى ئىزدەۋاتىمەن. (Men Jon-ni izdewatimen)
One moment please!: بىردەم ساقلاپ تۇرۇڭ! (Birdem saqlap turung)
Hold on please! (phone): بىردەم كۈتۈپ تۇرۇڭ! (Birdem kütüp turung)
Come with me!: بۇياققا كېلىڭ! / مەن بىلەن بىللە مېڭىڭ! (Buyaqqa këling / Men bilen bille mënging)

Problems

Leave me alone.: مېنى يالغۇز قويۇڭ. (Mëni yalghuz qoyung)
Don't touch me!: ماڭا تەگمە! (Manga tegme)
I'll call the police.: ساقچىغا مەلۇم قىلىمەن. (Saqchigha melum qilimen)
Police!: ساقچى! (Saqchi)
Stop! Thief!: توختا! ئوغرى! (Toxta! Oghri)
I need your help.: مەن ياردىمىڭىزگە مۇھتاج. (Men yardimingizge muhtaj)
It's an emergency.: جىددىي ئەھۋال. (Jiddiy ehwal)
I'm lost!: مەن ئېزىپ قالدىم. (Men ëzip qaldim)
I lost my bag.: سومكامنى يۈتتۈرىۋەتتىم. (Somkamni yüttüriwettim)
I lost my wallet.: ھەميانىمنى يۈتتۈرىۋەتتىم. (Hemyanimni yüttüriwettim)
I'm sick.: مەن ئاغرىپ قالدىم. (Men aghrip qaldim)
I've been injured.: مەن يارىلاندىم. (Men yarilandim)
I need a doctor.: ماڭا دوختۇر كېرەك. (Manga doxtur kërek)
Can I use your phone?: تېلىفونىڭىزنى ئىشلىتىپ تۇرسام بولامدۇ؟ (Tëlifoningizni ishlitip tursam bolamdu)

Numbers

1: بىر (bir)
2: ئىككى (ikki)
3: ئۈچ (üch)
4: تۆت (töt)
5: بەش (besh)
6: ئالتە (alte)
7: يەتتە (yette)
8: سەككىز (sekkiz)
9: توققۇز (toqquz)
10: ئون (on)
11: ئون بىر (on bir)
12: ئون ئىككى (on ikki)
13: ئون ئۈچ (on üch)
14: ئون تۆت (on töt)
15: ئون بەش (on besh)
16: ئون ئالتە (on alte)
17: ئون يەتتە (on yette)
18: ئون سەككىز (on sekkiz)
19: ئون توققۇز (on toqquz)
20: يىگىرمە (yigirme)
30: ئوتتۇز (ottuz)
40: قىرىق (qiriq)
50: ئەللىك (ellik)
60: ئاتمىش (atmish)
70: يەتمىش (yetmish)
80: سەكسەن (seksen)
90: توقسان (toqsan)
100: يۈز (yüz)
200: ئىككى يۈز (ikki yüz)
300: ئۈچ يۈز (üch yüz)
1,000: مىڭ (ming)
2,000: ئىككى مىڭ (ikki ming)
1,000,000: مىليون (milyon)
1,000,000,000: مىليارد (milyard)
1,000,000,000,000: تىرىليون (trilyon)
number ____ (train, bus, etc.): نومۇر (nomur)
half: يېرىم (yërim)
less: ئاز (az)
more: كۆپ (köp)

Time

now: ھازىر (hazir)
later: بىردەم تۇرۇپ (birdem turup)
before: بۇرۇن (burun)
morning: ئەتىگەن (etigen)
afternoon: چۈشتىن كېيىن (chüshtin këyin)
evening: كەچ (kech)
night: كېچە (këche)

Clock time

one o'clock AM: چۈشتىن بۇرۇن بىر (chüshtin burun bir)
two o'clock AM: چۈشتىن بۇرۇن ئىككى (chüshtin burun ikki)
noon: چۈش (chüsh)
one o'clock PM: چۈشتىن كېيىن بىر (chüshtin këyin bir)
two o'clock PM: چۈشتىن كېيىن ئىككى (chüshtin këyin ikki)
midnight: يېرىم كېچە (yërim këche)

Duration

_____ minute(s): _____ مىنۇت (minut)
_____ hour(s): _____ سائەت (saet)
_____ day(s): _____ كۈن (kün)
_____ week(s): _____ ھەپتە (hepte)
_____ month(s): _____ ئاي (ay)
_____ year(s): _____ يىل (yil)

Days

today: بۈگۈن (bügün)
yesterday: تۈنۈگۈن (tünügün)
tomorrow: ئەتە (ete)
this week: بۇ ھەپتە (bu hepte)
last week: ئالدىنقى ھەپتە (aldinqi hepte)
next week: كېلەر ھەپتە (këler hepte)

There are two ways to express the days of the week: one borrowed from Persian and the other calqued from Chinese using Turkic words.

Monday: دۇشەنبە (dushenbe) or ھەپتىنىڭ بىرىنچى كۈنى (heptining birinchi küni)
Tuesday: سەيشەنبە (seyshenbe) or ھەپتىنىڭ ئىككىنچى كۈنى (heptining ikkinchi küni)
Wednesday: چارشەنبە (charshenbe) or ھەپتىنىڭ ئۈچىنچى كۈنى (heptining üchinchi küni)
Thursday: پەيشەنبە (peyshenbe) or ھەپتىنىڭ تۆتىنچى كۈنى (heptining tötinchi küni)
Friday: جۈمە (jüme) or ھەپتىنىڭ بەشىنچى كۈنى (heptining beshinchi küni)
Saturday: شەنبە (shenbe) or ھەپتىنىڭ ئالتىنچى كۈنى (heptining altinchi küni)
Sunday: يەكشەنبە (yekshenbe) or ھەپتىنىڭ يەتتىنچى كۈنى (heptining yettinchi küni)

Months

There are two ways to express months: one borrowed from Russian, another calqued from Chinese using Turkic words.

January: يانىۋار (Yaniwar) or بىرىنچى ئاي (birinchi ay)
February: فېبرال (Fëbral) or ئىككىنچى ئاي (ikkinchi ay)
March: مارت (Mart) or ئۈچىنچى ئاي (üchinchi ay)
April: ئاپرىل (April) or تۆتىنچى ئاي (tötinchi ay)
May: ماي (May) or بەشىنچى ئاي (beshinchi ay)
June: ئىيۇن (Iyun) or ئالتىنچى ئاي (altinchi ay)
July: ئىيۇل (Iyul) or يەتتىنچى ئاي (yettinchi ay)
August: ئاۋغۇست (Awghust) or سەككىزىنچى ئاي (sekkinzinchi ay)
September: سىنتەبىر (Sintebir) or توققۇزىنچى ئاي (toqquzinchi ay)
October: ئۆكتەبىر (Öktebir) or ئونىنچى ئاي (oninchi ay)
November: نويابىر (Noyabir) or ئون بىرىنچى ئاي (on birinchi ay)
December: دېكابىر (Dëkabir) or ئون ئىككىنچى ئاي (on ikkinchi ay)

Colors

black: قارا (qara)
white: ئاق (aq)
gray: كۈلرەڭ (külreng)
red: قىزىل (qizil)
blue: كۆك (kök)
yellow: سېرىق (sëriq)
green: يېشىل (yëshil)
orange: ئاپېلسىن رەڭ (apëlsin reng)
purple: بىنەپشە (binepshe)
brown: قەھۋە رەڭ (qehwe reng)

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____?: _____گە بارىدىغان بىلەت قانچە پۇل؟ (_____ge baridighan bilet qanche pul)
One ticket to _____, please.: بىر دانە _____گە بارىدىغان بىلەت بېرىڭ. (Bir dane _____ge baridighan bilet bëring)
Where does this train/bus go?: بۇ پويىز/ئاپتۇز نەگە بارىدۇ؟ (Bu poyiz/aptuz nege baridu)
Where is the train/bus to _____?: _____گە بارىدىغان پويىز/ئاپتۇز نەدە؟ (_____ge baridighan poyiz/aptuz nede)
Does this train/bus stop in _____?: بۇ پويىز/ئاپتۇز _____دە توختامدۇ؟ (Bu poyiz/aptuz _____de toxtamdu)
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?: _____گە بارىدىغان پويىز/ئاپتۇز قاچان چىقىدۇ؟ (_____ge baridighan poyiz/aptuz qachan chiqidu)
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?: بۇ پويىز/ئاپتۇز _____گە قاچان كېلىدۇ؟ (Bu poyiz/aptuz _____ge qachan këlidu)

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?: _____ قانداق بارىمەن؟ (_____ qandaq barimen)
...the train station?: پويىز ئىستانسىسىغا (poyiz istansisigha)
...the bus station?: ئاپتۇز ئىستانسىسىغا (aptuz istansisigha)
...the airport?: ئايروپورتقا (ayroportqa)
...downtown?: .
...the youth hostel?: .
...the _____ hotel?: _____ مېھمانخانىسىغا (_____ mëhmanxanisigha)
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?: ئامېرىكىلىق/كانادالىق/ئاۋسترالىيلىك/ئىنگلىز كونسۇلخانىسىغا (Amërikiliq/Kanadaliq/Awstraliylik/Ingliz konsulxanisigha)
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: سول (sol)
right: ئوڭ (ong)
straight ahead: .
towards the _____: .
past the _____: .
before the _____: .
Watch for the _____.: .
intersection: .
north: شىمال (shimal)
south: جەنۇب (jenub)
east: شەرق (sherq)
west: غەرب (gherb)
uphill: تىك (tik)
downhill: دۆڭ (döng)

Taxi

Taxi!: Taksi.
Take me to _____, please.: Mëni _____ge apirip qoyung.
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: .
a la carte: .
breakfast: .
lunch: .
tea (meal): .
supper: .
I want _____.: .
I want a dish containing _____.: .
chicken: .
beef: .
fish: .
ham: .
sausage: .
cheese: .
eggs: .
salad: .
(fresh) vegetables: .
(fresh) fruit: .
bread: .
toast: .
noodles: .
rice: .
beans: .
May I have a glass of _____?: .
May I have a cup of _____?: .
May I have a bottle of _____?: .
coffee: .
tea (drink): .
juice: .
(bubbly) water: .
(still) water: .
beer: .
red/white wine: .
May I have some _____?: .
salt: .
black pepper: .
butter: .
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): .
I'm finished.: .
It was delicious.: .
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: .
rum: .
water: .
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?: Buning bahasi Qancha?
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.: . مەن ھېچنىمىنى خاتا قىلمىدىم. Men hëchnimini xata qilmidim.
It was a misunderstanding.: U digen bir uqushmasliq.
Where are you taking me?: Mëni nege apirisen?
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.: Adwokatim bilen körüshimen.
Can I just pay a fine now?: .

Learning more

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