Eñ, tym, eñ zhaqsysy: the superlative and its kin
To say the biggest, put eñ in front of the word, and you are done. Eñ ülken. Eñ zhaqyn bank bölimshesi is the nearest branch of the bank. Eñ itself never changes. For example: “Бұл — қаладағы ең арзан пәтер” — This is the cheapest flat in the city. A rule from the Kazakh course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say the biggest, put eñ in front of the word, and you are done. Eñ ülken. Eñ zhaqyn bank bölimshesi is the nearest branch of the bank. Eñ itself never changes.
The set you pick from takes the tail -nan: bärinen zhaqsy, word for word good out of all.
From this comes a very frequent turn, eñ zhaqsysy, best of all is that. Eñ zhaqsysy, erteñ barayyq means best of all, let us go tomorrow. Eñ bastysy and eñ qyzyğy are built the same way.
The trap: that very one is not eñ but sol or osy. Sol kitap is that very book, while eñ kitap cannot be said at all.
Table
| The device | How it is built | Example | In English |
|---|---|---|---|
| the superlative | eñ + adjective | eñ ülken | the biggest |
| what we choose from | the -nan tail | bärinen zhaqsy | better than anyone |
| "best of all" | eñ + adj. + -sy | eñ zhaqsysy | best of all is that... |
| "the main thing" | eñ bastysy | eñ bastysy — uaqyt | the main thing is time |
| "that very one" | sol / osy, not "eñ" | sol adam | that very person |
| the extreme degree | asa | asa mañyzdy | extremely important |
| syllable doubling | qyp-, jap-, tap- | qyp-qyzyl | scarlet red |
By example
- Бұл — қаладағы ең арзан пәтерThis is the cheapest flat in the city
- Ең бастысы — денсаулық, қалғаны кейінThe main thing is health, the rest can wait
- Оның біліктілігі бәрінен жоғарыHis qualification is higher than everyone's
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Eñ, tym, eñ zhaqsysy: how does it work in Kazakh?
To say the biggest, put eñ in front of the word, and you are done. Eñ ülken. Eñ zhaqyn bank bölimshesi is the nearest branch of the bank. Eñ itself never changes.
What does it look like in an example sentence Kazakh?
“Бұл — қаладағы ең арзан пәтер” — This is the cheapest flat in the city. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.