Basic Nouns

1. Суу

   Suu

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

   Grammar Note

   Kyrgyz has no gender; case is a suffix: суу → сууну (accusative), сууда (locative).

2. Тамак

   Tamak

   Food

   Usage

   The general word when you are looking for something to eat

3. Акча

   Akcha

   Money

   Usage

   Comes up when paying or changing currency

4. Даараткана

   Daaratkana

   Toilet

   Usage

   The word alone is enough to ask for directions

5. Майлык

   Maylyk

   Tissue

   Usage

   For asking at a shop or a diner

6. Дары

   Dary

   Medicine

   Usage

   The core word at a pharmacy, paired with your symptom

7. Жүк

   Jük

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, picking up, or storing bags

8. Ачкыч

   Achkych

   Key

   Usage

   For collecting or returning it at hotel reception

9. Билет

   Bilet

   Ticket

   Usage

   The base word for transport and admission tickets

10. Паспорт

    Pasport

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at every check-in and border control

11. Телефон

    Telefon

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to the device and to making a call

12. Кубаттагыч

    Kubattagych

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café

13. Вокзал

    Vokzal

    Station

    Usage

    The easiest landmark to name when asking directions

14. Оорукана

    Oorukana

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

15. Милиция

    Militsiya

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; the word alone gets help

    Grammar Note

    "Милиция" is a term inherited from the Soviet period and still widely used for the police. "Ички иштер органдары" means "internal affairs bodies", i.e. the wider interior-ministry system.

16. Дүкөн

    Dükön

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when hunting for somewhere to buy things

17. Бөлмө

    Bölmö

    Room

    Usage

    For negotiating a stay or confirming a room number

18. Жол

    Jol

    Road

    Usage

    Used when asking directions, often over a map

19. Үй-бүлө

    Üy-bülö

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up in small talk about who you are travelling with

20. Аты

    Aty

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

21. Баш

    Bash

    Head

    Usage

    Point at your body while showing it: "баш" can also mean "beginning" or "chief"

22. Көз

    Köz

    Eye

    Usage

    Body-part card for eye trouble

23. Тиш

    Tish

    Tooth

    Usage

    For toothache; a dentist is "тиш доктору"

24. Кекиртек

    Kekirtek

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat; the everyday word "тамак" also means "food", so this one is unambiguous

25. Курсак

    Kursak

    Belly / stomach

    Usage

    To indicate stomach pain; "ич" (inside/belly) is used the same way

26. Арка

    Arka

    Back

    Usage

    To indicate back pain

27. Бел

    Bel

    Lower back / waist

    Usage

    For lower-back pain; in place names "бел" means a mountain pass, so point at your body too

28. Бут

    But

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Kyrgyz "бут" covers both leg and foot; point at the exact spot yourself

29. Кол

    Kol

    Hand / arm

    Usage

    "Кол" covers both hand and arm; point at the exact spot yourself

30. Билек

    Bilek

    Forearm / wrist

    Usage

    Specifically the wrist-to-elbow section, narrower than "кол"

31. Көкүрөк

    Kökürök

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain or tightness; the anatomical chest

32. Кулак

    Kulak

    Ear

    Usage

    For earache or hearing trouble

33. Моюн

    Moyun

    Neck

    Usage

    For neck pain

34. Ийин

    Iyin

    Shoulder

    Usage

    For shoulder pain

35. Тизе

    Tize

    Knee

    Usage

    For knee pain, including trekking injuries

36. Манжа

    Manja

    Finger

    Usage

    For a finger injury; the same word covers toes

37. Тери

    Teri

    Skin

    Usage

    For skin problems; note "тери" also means leather or hide in a bazaar context

38. Мурун

    Murun

    Nose

    Usage

    For nose trouble; "мурун" can also be an adverb meaning "earlier", so point at your body too

39. Мейманкана

    Meymankana

    Hotel

    Usage

    To indicate a hotel as your destination; Russian "гостиница" works too

40. Аэропорт

    Aeroport

    Airport

    Usage

    To show your destination to a taxi driver; Bishkek's airport is "Манас"

41. Автобус аялдамасы

    Avtobus ayaldamasy

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Point at this to ask for a bus stop; marshrutka minivans use the same stops

42. Элчилик

    Elchilik

    Embassy

    Usage

    Use when you need to reach your embassy, e.g. after losing a passport

43. Банкомат

    Bankomat

    ATM

    Usage

    To ask where an ATM is; the word appears on street signs as "Банкомат"

44. Кир жуучу жай

    Kir juuchu jay

    Laundry

    Usage

    Finding somewhere to wash clothes; in Kyrgyzstan drop-off shops (often signed "химчистка") are the norm rather than coin laundromats

45. Өрт өчүргүч автомобиль

    Ört öchürgüch avtomobil

    Fire engine

    Usage

    Ört (fire) + öchürgüch (extinguisher) + avtomobil (vehicle); the fire brigade in Kyrgyzstan is on 101

46. Консулдук

    Konsulduk

    Consulate

    Usage

    For finding your own consulate after losing a passport or becoming a victim of crime; a consulate-general is "bashky konsulduk" and an embassy is "elchilik"

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