Getting around
Метро
Есіктер жабылады.
The doors are closing.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Almaty
Kazakhstan
Almaty sits under the Tian Shan, a former capital of wooden houses, bazaars, and a mountain backdrop.
How the language is used
Kazakh is the state language. Russian is widely used in this city, in shops and in conversation, alongside Kazakh.
In this city
- Language
- Russian
- Also heard
- Mostly Russian
- A local word
- Сәлеметсіз бе — Hello.
- Writing
- Cyrillic
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
Кафе
Бір шай, өтінемін.
One tea.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
Дүкен
Здравствуйте.
Hello.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
Көше
Сәлеметсіз бе.
Hello.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Kazakh is the state language. In this city Russian is still wide in shops and conversation, and an ordinary day uses both.
Around Panfilov, Kok-Tobe, Dostyk, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Almaty can run on four lines: “Есіктер жабылады.”, “Бір шай, өтінемін.”, “Здравствуйте.”, and “Сәлеметсіз бе.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in Cyrillic.
- With strangers and at the counter you use вы. Ты is for people you know.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Almaty, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Сәлеметсіз бе. It means Hello..
Places you can see
- Kok-Tobe — A hill above the city, reached by cable car, with a view toward the peaks.
- Zenkov Cathedral — A tall wooden cathedral in Panfilov Park, one of the city’s landmarks.
- Green Bazaar — The city’s main bazaar, with rows of produce and dried fruit.
Food
Beshbarmak, baursak, and lagman. Dish names come from Kazakh and from the region’s noodle kitchens.
Getting around
A small metro, buses, and the cable car up to Kok-Tobe.
Daily life
You meet Kazakh on state signs and Russian in many shops. Both belong in town.
A few everyday phrases
Russian
| Phrase | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Здравствуйте | Zdravstvuyte | Hello |
| Спасибо | Spasibo | Thank you |
| Доброе утро | Dobroye utro | Good morning |
| Меня зовут… | Menya zovut… | My name is… |
