LingoflyShould I move or not in Kazakh
Two people discuss an offer of a job and a move in Kazakh. 8 phrases that the conversation is made of: «Маған (Mağan) басқа (Basqa) қаладан (qaladan) жұмыс (Zhūmys) ұсынды (ūsyndy). Не (Ne) істерімді білмеймін (Bilmeimin).» — I've been offered a job in another city. I don't know what to do; «Шарты (sharty) қандай (Qandai)? Жалақысы жоғары (Zhoğary) болса (bolsa), байқап көрген жөн (Baiqap körgen zhön).» — What are the terms? If the salary is higher, it's worth trying. Every line can be played right on the page.
How the whole thing sounds
The situation: two people discuss an offer of a job and a move. First the whole conversation, then each line on its own, with a translation.
- Sharty qandai? Zhalaqysy zhoğary bolsa, baiqap körgen zhön.What are the terms? If the salary is higher, it's worth trying.
- Seniñ ornyñda bolsam, keliser edim. Ondai mümkindik zhii bolmaidy.In your place I would agree. Such an opportunity doesn't come often.
Lines one by one
| Kazakh | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Маған (Mağan) басқа (Basqa) қаладан (qaladan) жұмыс (Zhūmys) ұсынды (ūsyndy). Не (Ne) істерімді білмеймін (Bilmeimin). | Mağan basqa qaladan zhūmys ūsyndy. Ne isterimdi bilmeimin. | I've been offered a job in another city. I don't know what to do. |
| Шарты (sharty) қандай (Qandai)? Жалақысы жоғары (Zhoğary) болса (bolsa), байқап көрген жөн (Baiqap körgen zhön). | Sharty qandai? Zhalaqysy zhoğary bolsa, baiqap körgen zhön. | What are the terms? If the salary is higher, it's worth trying. |
| Екі есе (Eki ese) көп (Köp). Бірақ (Biraq) пәтерді (Päterdi) өзім (özim) табуым керек (Kerek). | Eki ese köp. Biraq päterdi özim tabuym kerek. | Twice as much. But I have to find a flat myself. |
| Сенің орныңда болсам, келісер едім (Seniñ ornyñda bolsam, keliser edim). Ондай (Ondai) мүмкіндік (Mümkindik) жиі (Zhii) болмайды (bolmaidy). | Seniñ ornyñda bolsam, keliser edim. Ondai mümkindik zhii bolmaidy. | In your place I would agree. Such an opportunity doesn't come often. |
| Отбасым (Otbasym) ше? Балалар (Balalar) мектепті (Mektepti) ауыстыруы керек (Kerek) болады (bolady). | Otbasym she? Balalar mektepti auystyruy kerek bolady. | And the family? The children will have to change schools. |
| Ол (Ol) да (da) дұрыс (dūrys). Онда (Onda) бір (Bir) жыл (Zhyl) жалдау (Zhaldau) шартымен (Shartymen) көшіп (köship) көрсеңдер ше? | Ol da dūrys. Onda bir zhyl zhaldau shartymen köship körseñder she? | That's true too. Then how about moving on the condition of renting for a year? |
| Ұнады (ūnady). Бекер (Beker) асығып, үй (Üi) сатып (Satyp) алмағаным жөн (zhön). | Ūnady. Beker asyğyp, üi satyp almağanym zhön. | I like it. It's good I didn't rush into buying a house. |
| Білуімше (Biluimshe), ол (Ol) қалада (qalada) пәтер (Päter) арзан (Arzan). Жаңылмасам (Zhañylmasam), көлік (Kölik) те (te) қажет (qazhet) емес (emes). | Biluimshe, ol qalada päter arzan. Zhañylmasam, kölik te qazhet emes. | As far as I know, flats are cheap in that city. If I'm not mistaken, a car isn't needed either. |
How to prepare for a conversation like this
Memorizing the lines is not enough: the other person will say their own thing, not what is written. What helps more is catching the key words by ear and keeping three rescue phrases ready: “I don't understand”, “repeat, please”, “slower”.
And one more thing phrasebooks do not mention: awkwardness gets in the way more than not knowing the words.
- Fear of making mistakes gets in the way of learning a language, and noticeably so. The link turns up study after study, and together those studies cover almost twenty thousand people.checked many timesTeimouri, Goetze & Plonsky, 2019, Studies in Second Language Acquisition 41(2) · 19,933 participants from 23 countries; correlation with results r = −0.36.
- That fear can be dealt with — the methods have been tested and they work.checked many timesXiong et al., 2024, Journal of Language and Social Psychology · 37 studies, anxiety reduced by −0.61. Of the seven conditions examined, only age turned out to matter.
Frequently asked
How do you start a conversation in Kazakh in this situation?
“Маған (Mağan) басқа (Basqa) қаладан (qaladan) жұмыс (Zhūmys) ұсынды (ūsyndy). Не (Ne) істерімді білмеймін (Bilmeimin).” (Mağan basqa qaladan zhūmys ūsyndy. Ne isterimdi bilmeimin.) — I've been offered a job in another city. I don't know what to do. The first line in such a conversation is almost always the same, and that is the one worth learning: the other person will carry it from there.
What if you did not understand the reply?
Say “I don't understand” and “repeat, please” — both are in the rescue set. Admitting your language is still shaky almost always makes the other person more patient.
Should you memorize the dialogue?
No. It is more useful to catch the key words by ear: the other person will say their own thing, and a memorized line will not always fit their reply.