Сәлеметсіз бе? (Introductory Phrases)
Greeting People and Introducing Yourself
At a New Year's Eve Party in Astana, Kazakhstan (December 31, 2012)
Keep in mind that when you speak to others in Kazakh, there is a formal and an informal way of addressing people. This is similar to French Vous and tu, Spanish usted and tu and German Sie and du. How you address someone depends on context. Speaking with a person you've just met, an older person, someone in authority, or with whom you have a professional relationship, you would use the formal, as indicated below. When speaking to a child, friends, or family, you would use the informal.
Introductory phrases
- Hello
- Сәлеметсіз бе! – Salemetsiz be! (formal)
- Hi
- Сәлем! –Salem! (informal)
- How are you?
- Халіңіз қалай?–Halingiz qalai? (formal)
- Хал қалай?– Hal qalai? (informal)
- I am well, thank you!
- Рахмет, мен жақсы!–Rakhmet, men zhaqsy.
- It's nice to meet you!
- Сізбен танысқаныма қуаныштымен!–Sizben tanysqanyma quanyshtymen! (formal)
- Сенімен танысқаныма қуаныштымен!–Senimen tanysquanyma quanyshtymen! (informal)
- What is your name?
- Сіздің атыңыз кім?–Sizding atyngyz kim? (formal)
- Сенің атың кім?–Sening antyng kim? (informal)
- Goodbye!
- Сау болыңыз!–Sau bolyngyz! (formal)
- Сау бол–Sau bol! (informal)
Talking about yourself...
- Менің атым...– Mening atym...
- My name is...
- Мен американдықпын. – Men amerikandyqpyn.
- I am American
- Мен аз қазақша сөйлеймін.– Men az qazaqsha soileimin
- I speak a little Kazakh