LingoflyFood and drink in Kazakh
188 words in Kazakh on the topic “food and drink”: Кофе (Kofe) — coffee, Шай (Shai) — tea, Су (Su) — water, Нан (Nan) — bread. 188 words can be played from recordings.
188 words on the topic
- КофеKofecoffeeA loanword, unchanged. The home drink is still tea: coffee is ordered in city cafes, where the word travels.
- ШайShaiteaThe main drink of the house: a guest is poured tea before anything else.
- СуSuwaterThe same word as Turkish. The Turkic languages are closer kin to each other than they look.
- НанNanbreadA Persian loanword — the same "nan" you hear in "lavash" and "naan".
- ІрімшікIrimshikcheeseA firm homemade cheese. The salty dried curd balls are "qurt" — a separate treat, not a kind of cheese.
- ЕтEtmeatAlso lives in the name of the main dish — "beshbarmak", where there is the most of it.
- БалықBalyqfishBoth the live fish and the fish on the plate. Hence "balyqshy", "fisherman", with the same tail -shy as in "satushy", "seller".
- СалатSalatsaladA loanword meaning only the dish. Lettuce the plant is "zhapyraqty salat", literally "the leafy kind".
- СорпаSorpasoupAbove all a meat broth, served as a course of its own, not the opener of the meal. A thick noodle soup is "koje".
- ТұзTūzsaltu is a short "u" with rounded lips: TUZ
- ЖемісZhemisfruitOne form covers "fruit" and "fruits" alike. A vegetable is "kokonis", from "kok", "green".
- АлмаAlmaappleThe source of Almaty — "apple-rich": the city is named after the apple. The apple tree is "alma agashy".
- АпельсинApelsinorangeOnly the fruit. The color orange is "qyzghyld sary" and does not share the fruit's name.
- ҚызанақQyzanaqtomatoFrom "qyzyl", "red".
- ДәмдіDämditasty"Dam" is "taste" and "-di" is "with": literally "with taste".
- ЖеуZheuto eatOnly about food: "eat" in the sense of "exist" is a different word, "bar". Inviting you to the table, they say "zhengiz" — do eat.
- ІшуIshuto drinkAlso "to take medicine": "dari ishu". Soup is "drunk" too, not eaten.
- БалғынBalğynfreshgh is a voiced g made deep in the throat: bal-GHYN
- ПіскенPiskenripeFrom "pisu", which means "to ripen" and "to cook" at once. "-ken" is the participle: "having ripened". Hence "piskin et" is "boiled meat".
- Таңғы асTañğy asbreakfastng is an n said in the nose; gh is a throaty g on the exhale: tan-GHY as
- Түскі асTüski aslunchu with the lips rounded and the tongue set for "ee": tus-KI as
- Кешкі асKeshki asdinnerthe i in "keshki" is short, between "ee" and the i in "bit": kesh-KI as
- ШайнауShainauto chewIt looks like "shai", "tea", but the kinship is imaginary. Chewing gum is "saghyz".
- ЖұтуZhūtuto swallowu is a short "u" with a shade of "o", the lips barely stretched: zhu-TU
- ТәбетTäbetappetitea midway between "a" and "e": ta-BET
- КесекKesekpieceFrom "kesu", "to cut". About meat and sugar it is "kesek"; about bread more often "slice".
- ИісIissmelltwo vowels in a row, "ee" and a short i — they do not fuse into one syllable: i-IS
- Таңғы ас кіредіTañğy as kiredibreakfast is includedng nasal, gh throaty: tan-GHY
- СиырSiyrcowHence "cow meat" — beef. On a menu the combination is met more often than the animal itself.
- МайMaibutterButter, vegetable oil, fat, and the month of May. The neighbor word specifies: "yellow butter" is the dairy kind, "sunflower" the other.
- КартопKartoppotatoThe Russian kartofel reworked by Kazakh phonetics into kartop. At the bazaar only this form is heard.
- ҰнŪnflouru short, lips tense: UN
- БалBalhoneyHoney and "sweet" in the figurative sense: "honey-tongued". There is a homonym meaning "divination".
- ЖаңғақZhañğaqnutsng nasal before gh, q at the end: zhang-GHAQ
- ПиязPiyazonionA word of Persian root. Green onion is "the green onion", where the color word means greens.
- СәбізSäbizcarrota open, i short: sa-BIZ
- БұрышBūryshpepper (spice)u short: bu-RYSH
- БұршақBūrshaqbeansu short, q at the end: bur-SHAQ
- ДәмдеуішDämdeuishspicesa open, i short: dam-de-UISH
- Тамақ дайындауTamaq daiyndauto cook"Tamaq" means both the throat and the meal; here it is the meal. The verb is "to prepare".
- ЖууZhuuto washTo wash anything: dishes, hands, the car, as in "doing the laundry".
- ПышақPyshaqknifeq at the end: py-SHAQ
- ҚайнатуQainatuto boilq at the start: qai-na-TU
- ҚуыруQuyruto fryq at the start: qu-y-RU
- ПісіруPisiruto bakei short twice: pi-si-RU
- ТурауTurauto chopTo cut into small pieces. To cut in two is a different verb, and to cut a finger yet another phrase.
- КәстрөлKäströlpota open, o rounded: kas-TROL
- ТабаTabafrying panHence "pan bread" — bread baked in the pan. A short and thoroughly native word.
- ПешPeshstoveThe stove, the oven and the range at once. In Almaty people say the Russian plita, but in the instructions pesh stands.
- ТәрелкеTärelkeplatea open: ta-rel-KE
- КесеKesetea bowlThe handleless bowl for tea — the central object of the Kazakh table. A cup with a handle is a different phrase, but tea is drunk from this.
- СтақанStaqanglassq in the middle: sta-QAN
- ҚасықQasyqspoonq at the start and the end: qa-SYQ
- ШанышқыShanyshqyforkq before y: sha-nysh-QY
- БөтелкеBötelkebottleo rounded at the start: bo-tel-KE
- ТоңазытқышToñazytqyshrefrigeratorng nasal, q deep: to-nga-zyt-QYSH
- МайлықMailyqnapkinq at the end: mai-LYQ
- ШәйнекShäinekteapota open: shai-NEK
- ТабақTabaqtrayq at the end: ta-BAQ
- Ып-ыстықYp-ystyqscalding hotq at the end: yp-ys-TYQ
- МұздайMūzdaiice coldu short: MUZ-dai
- АшAshhungryA short word, a full homonym of the command "open!". The place in the sentence tells them apart.
- ДәмDämtastea open: DAM
- ТұздыTūzdysaltedu short: tuz-DY
- ҚышқылQyshqylsourq twice: qysh-QYL
- АщыAshchybitterBitter and biting at once — the taste that stings. Spelled without the doubling you might expect.
- ӨткірÖtkirpungento rounded, i short: ot-KIR
- ТоқToqsatedq at the end: TOQ
- Дәмін татуDämin tatuto tastea open: da-MIN
- МәзірMäzirmenua open, i short: ma-ZIR
- ДаяшыDayashywaiterFrom "ready": the one who stands ready. The doer tail, as in "seller" and "fisherman".
- ТапсырысTapsyrysorderFrom "to hand over, to entrust". An order in a cafe, online and in a factory — one word.
- Тапсырыс беруTapsyrys beruto place an orderAnother "noun + give" pair, like "to promise". Kazakh builds half its verbs this way.
- ТағамTağamdishgh throaty between vowels: ta-GHAM
- ПорцияPortsiyaportionA loanword that stands in menus too. The native word means rather a share in a division than a cafe portion.
- Екі кісілік үстелEki kisilik üsteltable for twoi three times, u rounded: ki-si-LIK us-TEL
- Тәтті асTätti asdesserta open: tat-TI
- ЕтсізEtsizmeatlessi short: et-SIZ
- ШайлықShailyqtipq at the end: shai-LYQ
- ТортTortcakea borrowing; do not mix it up with the number tort, four — one dotted letter apart, and the meaning is worlds away
- ҚонақасыQonaqasyguest feastdeep back q: qo-na-qa-SY
- Кешкі ас дайындауKeshki as daiyndauto cook dinnershort i: kesh-KI
- МакаронMakaronpastain Kazakh the word stands in the singular, though English pasta is a mass noun anyway: I cooked pasta; the plural would be about sorts
- ЙогуртIogurtyogurta borrowing, but long since at home; the relatives live beside it: the sour milk drink, the thick set kind and the camel one
- КілегейKilegeicreamshort i: ki-le-GEI
- БалмұздақBalmūzdaqice creamback tense short u, throaty q: bal-muz-DAQ
- ШоколадShokoladchocolatea bar is a chocolate bar and a candy is kampit; a chocolate cake keeps the word as a modifier
- ПеченьеPechenecookiesthe borrowing settled as is; the nearest kin are the bun and the fried dough bites
- Сиыр етіSiyr etibeefshort i at the end: si-YR e-TI
- Қой етіQoi etimuttonthroaty q: QOI e-TI
- АсшаянAsshayanlarge shrimpliterally an edible scorpion: as, food, plus shaian, scorpion, crayfish; a bookish word — in the shop people say the borrowed shrimp
- ЖүзімZhüzimgrapesround u, short i: zhu-ZIM
- ҚиярQiyarcucumberthroaty q: qi-YAR
- ҚырыққабатQyryqqabatcabbagethroaty q three times: qy-ryq-qa-BAT
- СарымсақSarymsaqgarlicshort y, throaty q: sa-rym-SAQ
- АсқабақAsqabaqpumpkinthroaty q twice: as-qa-BAQ
- БаялдыBayaldyeggplantthe word came from the south with the vegetable; at the bazaar you will hear the borrowed one too; the folksy name means the blue ones
- ЛимонLimonlemontea with lemon is lemon-added tea and citric acid is the lemon-sour word
- ҚарбызQarbyzwatermelonthroaty q, short y: qar-BYZ
- ҚұлпынайQūlpynaistrawberryback tense short u, short y: qul-py-NAI
- АлмұртAlmūrtpearback tense short u: al-MURT
- ШабдалыShabdalypeachthe peach and the peach tree; the apricot is orik, and the dried one is orik too
- Тағам рецептіTağam retseptirecipesoft throaty g, short i: ta-GHAM re-tsep-TI
- Көкөністі тазалауKökönisti tazalauto peel the vegetablesrounded lips twice, short i: ko-ko-nis-TI ta-za-LAU
- ҚайнатуQainatuto bring to a boilthroaty q: qai-na-TU
- АраластыруAralastyruto stirfrom aralasu, to mix and mingle; keep stirring it is the cooking instruction; the same word is about mixing in general, like mixing languages
- ТұздауTūzdauto add saltback tense short u: tuz-DAU
- ЖылытуZhylytuto heat upfrom zhyly, warm; it fits food and a room alike: to warm the room; the same root gives zhylu, warmth and heating
- СуытуSuytuto cool downfrom suyq, cold; it cooled by itself is one form and to cool it on purpose another; about feelings the same word works: his heart cooled
- Жұмыртқаны шайқауZhūmyrtqany shaiqauto beat the eggsback tense short u, throaty q: zhu-myrt-qha-NY shai-QAU
- Су қосуSu qosuto add waterthroaty q: SU qo-SU
- Грильде қуыруGrilde quyruto grillthroaty q, short u: gril-DE qu-y-RU
- Жарамдылық мерзіміZharamdylyq merzimiexpiration datethroaty q, short i: zha-ram-dy-LYQ mer-zi-MI
- Бұзылып кеттіBūzylyp kettiwent badback tense short u, short i: bu-zy-LYP ket-TI
- БанкаBankajara borrowing, but settled: one jar of jam; the native word for a small flask or vial is alive too
- Қосымша порцияQosymsha portsiyaextra helpingthroaty q: qo-sym-SHA por-tsi-IA
- Алып кетугеAlyp ketugetakeawayliterally so as to take with you; at the coffee place they ask: here, or to take away?
- ҚантсызQantsyzsugar-freethroaty q: qant-SYZ
- Мен вегетарианмынMen vegetarianmynI am a vegetarianthe predicate builds with the person ending straight on the word; a woman says exactly the same — the language has no gender; people also explain it simply: I do not eat meat
- Ас дәмді болсынAs dämdi bolsynenjoy your mealwider than e, short i: AS dam-DI bol-SYN
- Майлы тамақMaily tamaqfatty foodthroaty q at the end: mai-LY ta-MAQ
- КәмпитKämpitcandyopen ae with an e shade: kaem-PIT
- Ұлттық тағамŪlttyq tağamnational dishback tense short u, throaty q, voiced g: ult-TYQ ta-GHAM
- Көше тағамыKöshe tağamystreet foodrounded o, voiced throaty g: ko-SHE ta-gha-MY
- шошқа етіshoshqa etipork"Shoshqa" on its own is the animal; the meat is named by the possessive chain, and the tail "-i" on "et" is obligatory.
- тауық етіtauyq etichicken (the meat)The bird is "tauyq", on the plate it is "tauyq eti". The tail is front-row even though the first word is back-row.
- үйрек етіüirek etiduck (the meat)"Uirek" on its own is the bird; for the meat you need the chain, as in "tauyq eti".
- тартылған етtartylğan etminced meatLiterally "pulled meat": a participle of "tartu", to put through the grinder.
- ветчинаvetchinahamThe word was borrowed whole, but it takes Kazakh cases as its own: "vetchinany", "vetchinadan".
- сосискаsosiskafrankfurter"Shuzhyq" is the salami kind of sausage; the frankfurter goes by the borrowed word in the shop.
- тунецtunetstunaA brought-in fish, and the name arrived with it; the tin says tunets, the Russian name.
- қызыл балықqyzyl balyqsalmonLiterally "red fish" — the name for the whole salmon family; price tags often carry the borrowed word instead.
- креветкаkrevetkashrimpThe native "asshaian" is a mass word, the catch as a whole; piece by piece, on menus and price tags, the borrowed word is what you hear.
- теңіз өнімдеріteñiz önimderiseafoodLiterally "the products of the sea": the plural "-der" on "onim" plus the possessive "-i".
- қара өрікqara örikplum"Orik" is the apricot, and the plum differs from it by the single word "qara", "black". Prunes are called the same way.
- таңқурайtañqurairaspberryA native, living word; next to it the borrowed name is almost never heard.
- қауынqauynmelonWithout qualifiers "qauyn" is always the melon; the watermelon is a separate word, "qarbyz".
- анарanarpomegranateA Persian word, long settled in Kazakh; the gemstone with the same borrowed name has nothing to do with it.
- ананасananaspineappleA loanword; the tails are Kazakh and back-row: "ananasty", "ananastan".
- мандаринmandarinmandarinSpelled like the borrowed original, with the stress on the last syllable.
- кивиkivikiwi (the fruit)The word does not change inside, but it takes cases: "kiwidi", "kiwiden"; borrowed whole.
- авокадоavokadoavocadoA new word that arrived by way of Russian together with the fruit.
- мейізmeiizraisinGrapes are "zhuzem", but the dried kind has its own name, and the ear hears no connection.
- інжірinzhirfigA front-row word from end to end, so the tails are front-row too: "injirdi", "injirge".
- тәтті бұрышtätti būryshbell pepperThe bare "burysh" is kept for pepper the spice; the garden vegetable is set apart by "tatti", "sweet".
- кәдіkädizucchini"Asqaqaq" is the pumpkin; the zucchini is its small kin and is called "kadi". In speech the borrowed word is more common.
- қызылшаqyzylshabeetFrom "qyzyl", "red". The same word names measles — only the conversation tells the kitchen from the clinic.
- шомырshomyrradishThe dictionary name for both the radish and the black radish; at the bazaar you will hear the borrowed "rediska".
- көк шөпkök shöpgreens"Kok" is "blue", but about food it means "green, fresh"; "shop" is "grass".
- аскөкaskökdillA compound of "as", "food", and "kok", "greens": literally "edible greens", written as one word.
- ақжелкенaqzhelkenparsleyLiterally "white sail" — after the look of the leaf. A native word that holds its ground firmly.
- зімбірzimbirgingerThe whole word is front-row, so the tails are front-row: "zimbirdi", "zimbirge", not "-du", "-gha".
- жүгеріzhügericornOne word for the cob and the field alike; the cereal from it is "zhugeri zharmau".
- шпинатshpinatspinachA new dish on the table, and the name came by way of Russian.
- тоқашtoqashrollThe native name for soft pastry; "nan" is kept for bread in general.
- бәлішbälishpieA pie with a filling, usually meat, and the dough closed over it.
- пирожноеpirozhnoepastryThe name arrived whole from the borrowed stock, together with the patisserie itself.
- пончикponchikdoughnutThe native "baursaq" and "shelphek" live alongside, but the round thing in the display case goes by the borrowed name.
- нан-тоқашnan-toqashbaked goodsA hyphenated pair, "bread-roll": that is how Kazakh names the whole class of things baked.
- тосапtosapjamBerries boiled down with sugar. The word is native, but the jar on the shop shelf more often carries the borrowed label.
- шәрбатshärbatsyrupAn eastern word of the same root as "sherbet"; it names any thick sweet liquid.
- попкорнpopkornpopcornIt arrived from English through the borrowed channel; Kazakh calls corn "zhugeri", and this is only "popcorn".
- чипсыchipsypotato chipsThe word was borrowed in the plural and froze that way: tails attach to it as a whole — "chipsyny".
- сағызsağyzchewing gumA native word: the same one names resin and any sticky mass.
- лимонадlimonadlemonadeA loanword that lives by Kazakh rules: "limonadty", "limonadtan".
- минералды суmineraldy sumineral waterThe qualifier stands before the noun and does not decline: only "su" takes the case.
- газдалған суgazdalğan susparkling waterA participle of "gazdau". The opposite is said through negation: "gazdalmaghan su".
- коктейльkokteilcocktailThe soft final sound pulls front-row tails: "kokteildi", "kokteilge".
- какаоkakaococoaThe word does not change inside; the case attaches at the very end: "kakaonu", "kakao-ğa".
- еритін кофеeritin kofeinstant coffee"Eritin" is a participle of "eru", "to dissolve"; the ground kind is "untaqtalghan kofe".
- шай пакетіshai paketitea bagA possessive chain: "shai" stands bare, and the borrowed "packet" takes the Kazakh tail "-i".
- қайнаған суqainağan suboiling waterA participle of "qainau". "Uystyq su" is hot tap water — not the same thing.
- арақ-шарапaraq-sharapalcoholA paired word, "vodka-wine": that is how Kazakh names spirits in general; in speech the borrowed "alcohol" is heard too.
- сусынsusynbeverageFrom "su", "water": anything you drink. A sign reading "Susyndar" means "Drinks".
- шырынshyrynjuiceThe word means both the drink and the juice inside the fruit itself; which one is the possessive chain's job: "alma shyruny", "apple juice".
- СарымайSarymaisarymai"Yellow" plus "butter": the name describes the color.
- БешбармақBeshbarmaqbeshbarmakKazakhs themselves use the word less than the borrowed one; more often they simply say "meat".
- ҚымызQymyzkumysThe sack is churned with a wooden paddle hundreds of times a day — otherwise the kumys is not the real thing.
- ШұбатShūbatshubatThe pair of kumys: that one is from mare's milk, this one from camel's.
- ҚұртQūrtkurtSour and very salty: hardly anyone likes it at first bite.
- БауырсақBauyrsaqbaursakThe shape differs by region: some are diamonds, some are balls — by it you can tell where the hostess is from.
- ҚазыQazykazyBeside it go the finer sausage and the smoked haunch; all of it is horse meat.
- ҚуырдақQuyrdaqkuyrdakThis is the dish of the slaughter day: making it from store-bought meat is not the same.
- ШелпекShelpekshelpekIt differs from the baursak in shape and purpose: that one goes to the table, this one to the rite.
- Наурыз көжеNauryz közhenauryz-kozheThe ingredients may vary; the number seven may not — the whole meaning of the dish is in it.
- Тандыр нанTandyr nantandyr nanThe bread is not cut with a knife but broken by hand — and never laid on the table upside down.
- ТалқанTalqantalkanOften served in a bowl together with butter — the two are mixed right there.
- АйранAiranairanDiluted with water and salted, it gets another name — a different word again.
Download the word set (CSV) · Open the printable sheet
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How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
What is worth knowing about these words
Кофе (Kofe) — coffee. A loanword, unchanged. The home drink is still tea: coffee is ordered in city cafes, where the word travels.
Шай (Shai) — tea. The main drink of the house: a guest is poured tea before anything else.
Су (Su) — water. The same word as Turkish. The Turkic languages are closer kin to each other than they look.
Нан (Nan) — bread. A Persian loanword — the same "nan" you hear in "lavash" and "naan".
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Kazakh?
A loanword, unchanged. The home drink is still tea: coffee is ordered in city cafes, where the word travels.
- How do you say “salad” in Kazakh?
A loanword meaning only the dish. Lettuce the plant is "zhapyraqty salat", literally "the leafy kind".
- How do you say “tasty” in Kazakh?
"Dam" is "taste" and "-di" is "with": literally "with taste".
- How do you say “dinner” in Kazakh?
"Kesh" is "evening" — it has already turned up in "it got late".
- How do you say “cow” in Kazakh?
Hence "cow meat" — beef. On a menu the combination is met more often than the animal itself.
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “coffee” in Kazakh?
«Кофе» (Kofe), read “Kofe”. A loanword, unchanged. The home drink is still tea: coffee is ordered in city cafes, where the word travels. It is one of 188 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 188 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.
Is there audio?
Yes, 188 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.