Lesson 1

Кыргыз Алфавити (Kyrgyz Alphabet)

There are 36 letters in the Kyrgyz language. The letters are based on the Cyrillic alphabet
from the Russian language. In addition to the Russian letters, the three additional letters are ө, ү, ң.
Like other languages, the alphabet has two phonetic groups: vowels and consonants. There are 14
vowels and 25 consonants (the three letters к, г and ж have two different sounds). Thus, the total
number of sounds in the Kyrgyz alphabet is 39.
Alphabet Sound Examples in words
1. Аа [a] Like a in English – far алма [alma] – apple
2. Бб [b] Like b in English – bed балык [balyk] – fish
3. Вв [v] Like v in English – very вагон [vagon] – carriage
4. Гг [g] Like g in English – good гүл [gül] – flower
кагаз [kagaz] – paper
5. Дд [d] Like d in English – door дарбыз [darbyz] – watermelon
6. Ее [e] Like e in English – end таене [tayene] – grandmother
(mother's mother)
7. Ёё [yo] Like yo in English – your коён [koyon] – hare
8. Жж [j] Like – journal and pleasure жүзүм [jüzüm] – grape
журнал [zhurnal] – magazine
9. Зз [z] Like z in English – zone зебра [zebra] – zebra
10. Ии [i:] Like ee in English – machine, ит [it] – dog
tree
11. Йй [(o) i] Like oy in English – boy уй [uy] – cow
12. Кк [k] Like – kick and card (2nd is китеп [kitep] – book
hard) калем [kalem] – pencil
13. Лл [l] Like l in English – ill лимон [limon] – lemon
14. Мм [m] Like m in English – mother мышык [myshyk] – cat
15. Нн [n] Like n in English – net нан [nan] – bread
16. ң [ng] Like ng in English – cooking, жаңгак [janggak] – nut
singer
17. Оо [o] Like o in English – port Ош [Osh] – Osh
18. Өө [ö] Like German ö Umlaut өрдөк [ördök] – duck
19. Пп [p] Like p in English – pet пиала [piala] – bowl
20. Рр [r] Like r in English – rose ручка [ruchka] – pen
21. Сс [s] Like s in English – summer сабиз [cabiz] – carrot
22. Тт [t] Like t in English – table терезе [tereze] – window
23. Уу [u] Like oo in English – foot учак [uchak] – airplane
24. Үү [ü] Like German ü Umlaut үтүк [ütük] – flatiron
25. Фф [f] Like f or ph in English – телефон [telefon] – phone
father, phone
26. Хх [h] Like h in English – hat халат [halat] – robe
27. Цц [ts] Like ts in English – sits циркуль [tsirkul] – dividers
 28. Чч [ch] Like ch in English – church чай [chay] – tea
29. Шш [sh] Like sh in English – ship шаар [shaar] – city
30. Щщ [shch] Like – fresh chops together щетка [shchetka] – brush
31. ь no sound “soft” sign, softens the коньки [kon'ki] – skates
consonant before it
32. Ыы [y] Like er in English – lips шыпыргы [shypyrgy] – broom
33. ъ no sound “hard” sign, hardens the подъезд [pod"yezd] – porch
consonant before it
34. Ээ [e] Like e in English – pet эшик [eshik] – door
35. Юю [yu] Like yu in English – you моюн [moyun] – neck
36. Яя [ya] Like ya in English – yard уя [uya] – nest

Exercise 2. Write them in the Kyrgyz letters.

1.ajal – 11. otur -
2. aiyl – 12. uchur -
3. ylai – 13. kurut -
4. kata – 14. murat -
5. arak – 15. jumush -
6. barak – 16. butak -
7. tarak – 17. ochok -
8. ai – 18. oku -
9. yras – 19. otun -
10. akyl – 20. ukta -

Homework. Write them in the Kyrgyz letters.

1. kerek – 11. ötük -
2. tilek – 12. örük -
3. kitep – 13. kürök -
4. jilik – 14. bülö -
5. tezek – 15. bölük -
6. ichik – 16. tör -
7. etek – 17. jöjö -
8. ker – 18. kör -
9. bereke – 19. küz -
10. iyne – 20. ütük -