kazakhtiliқазақ тілі

Lesson

Alphabet: the 9 Kazakh letters

The nine letters that exist only in Kazakh — tap each card to hear exactly how it is spoken. These sounds are what make Kazakh sound like Kazakh, so learn them first. Each card's note gives a common word to hear the letter in the wild.

9 words · 3 sentences

Words 9

Tap a card to hear it
  • ә
    open 'a', like the a in 'cat'
    example: әке — father
  • ғ
    deep voiced 'gh' from the back of the throat
    example: аға — older brother
  • қ
    deep throaty 'k', made further back than к
    example: қала — city
  • ң
    'ng' as in 'song'
    example: таң — dawn
  • ө
    rounded front vowel, like German ö
    example: өзен — river
  • ұ
    short back 'u', like the u in 'put'
    example: ұл — son / boy
  • ү
    front rounded 'u', like German ü
    example: үй — house
  • һ
    light 'h' — rare, mostly loanwords
    example: гауһар — diamond
  • і
    very short front 'i', a clipped 'bit'
    example: тіл — language / tongue

Sentences 3

  • Әже үйде.
    Grandma is at home.
  • Қала әдемі.
    The city is beautiful.
  • Гүл өседі.
    The flower grows.