Indulgences in Kazakh: 7 Travel Phrases with Audio

Сыра
Syra
Beer
Usage
Barley, water and hops fermented into a low-strength drink, about 1.8 to 6 percent alcohol. Sold in ordinary shops and restaurants
Шарап
Sharap
Wine
Usage
The Kazakh word for grape wine. Menus and labels often print the Russian-derived vino instead, and the phrases in the Wine & Spirits category use that form. Colours are aq (white), qyzghylt (rosé) and qyzyl (red)
Арақ
Araq
Vodka
Usage
Rectified ethyl alcohol cut with water, made from rye, wheat or barley at 40, 50 or 56 percent. At a feast the toasts come round one after another, so say at the start if you are not drinking
Коньяк
Konyak
Brandy / cognac
Usage
Dry white wine distilled and aged in oak. Across the former Soviet area the word is used regardless of origin, and it has been produced at the Almaty distillery since 1967. Age is marked with stars
Арақ-шарап
Araq-sharap
Alcoholic drinks (general term)
Usage
The two words paired to mean alcohol in general. Using it to say you do not drink covers every kind at once
Темекі
Temeki
Tobacco
Usage
Covers both the leaf and the product, and is the word on shop signage. Indoor smoking is regulated, so check whether a place allows it
Шылым
Shylym
Cigarette
Usage
The cigarette itself. To smoke is shylym shegu or shylym tartu. The same spelling also names the water-caltrop plant, but the two are unlikely to be confused in conversation

More Kazakh phrases