Indulgences

1. Кымыз

   Kymyz

   Kymyz (fermented mare's milk)

   Usage

   Mare's milk — sometimes cow's or camel's — fermented by a dedicated method; the central drink of Kyrgyz culture, sold from barrels on the summer pastures and at mountain passes. Depending on how far it has fermented it can be strong enough to intoxicate, or light and merely soporific. The alcohol is slight but real, so avoid it before driving, during pregnancy, or if you do not drink at all. When the bowl comes round, take it with the right or both hands and drink at least a sip before passing it back

2. Бозо

   Bozo

   Bozo (fermented grain drink)

   Usage

   A cloudy drink of millet, wheat, maize or barley boiled and fermented with malt (ugut). It is a sour drink with a slight warming, intoxicating power — a home-brewed alcoholic drink. It looks and is sold much like the non-alcoholic maksym and jarma, so do not pick it up assuming it is one of those. It is drunk warm in the cold season

3. Арак

   Arak

   Arak (vodka, spirits)

   Usage

   It is an alcoholic, intoxicating drink, in Russian vodka; in a shop today that is what it means. The older idiom kymyzdan arak tart- means to distil spirit from mare's milk. To decline, "Men arak ichpeym" — I don't drink spirits — is enough

4. Шарап

   Sharap

   Wine

   Usage

   Wine, fermented from grapes, apples and other fruit. Paired as arak-sharap it means alcoholic drink in general, and in some contexts carries the negative sense of heavy drinking

5. Сыра

   Syra

   Beer

   Usage

   Beer, brewed from barley malt and hops. Note the unrelated homonym syra I, an adverb meaning "at all, ever" (syra bilbeym — I know nothing at all), so do not confuse the two in running text. Signboards often use the Russian word pivo instead

6. Тамеки

   Tameki

   Tobacco

   Usage

   The tobacco leaf and products made from it; tameki tart- is to smoke. In Central Asia you will also see nasybai, a smokeless tobacco placed under the lip, sold at bazaars — its effects include nicotine dependence, dental and gastric disease and oral cancer. Decline it if it is offered

Browse all TravelPhrases languages