Sightseeing

1. Бәйтерек мұнарасы қайда?

   Bäy-te-rek mu-na-ra-sy qay-da?

   Where is the Bayterek Tower?

   Usage

   Finding Astana's iconic landmark tower

   Grammar Note

   "Münara" (tower) + 3rd person possessive "-sy". Bayterek is Astana's 97m symbol. The golden sphere at top holds a handprint of President Nazarbayev

2. Фотосурет түсіруге бола ма?

   Fo-to-su-ret tü-si-ru-ge bo-la ma?

   Is it okay to take photos?

   Usage

   Asking permission to take photos at a sight or facility

   Grammar Note

   "Bol" (become) + "-a" (connective) + "ma" (question) = "is it okay?". Standard permission-asking phrase. "Bola ma?" alone means "is it okay?"

3. Кіру ақысы қанша?

   Ki-ru a-qy-sy qan-sha?

   How much is the admission fee?

   Usage

   Asking the admission price at a museum or attraction

   Grammar Note

   "Aqy" (fee) + "-sy" (3rd person possessive). "Kiru tegin" = entry is free. "Tegin" (free of charge) is essential vocabulary

4. Атты сапар

   At-ty sa-par

   Horseback journey / Horse trekking

   Usage

   Referring to horse trekking on the Kazakh steppe

   Grammar Note

   "At" (horse) + "-ty" (having/with) = "on horseback". Horses are essential in Kazakh nomadic culture. Horse trekking on the steppe is a popular tourist experience

5. Ұлттық музей қай жерде?

   Ul-ttyq mu-zey qay jer-de?

   Where is the National Museum?

   Usage

   Asking directions to the National Museum in Astana

   Grammar Note

   "Qay" (which) + "jer" (place) + locative "-de" = where. Similar to "qayda?" but emphasizes place. National Museum of Kazakhstan opened in Astana in 2014

6. Бүркітпен аң аулау

   Bür-kit-pen añ aw-law

   Eagle hunting experience

   Usage

   Referring to traditional Kazakh eagle hunting experience

   Grammar Note

   Eagle hunting is "bürkitpen añ awlaw" (to hunt with a golden eagle). "Bürkit" is the golden eagle and "-pen" is the instrumental suffix; the hunter is a "bürkitshi". The practice is on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage list and festivals are held each autumn

7. Далаға шығамыз

   Da-la-gha shy-gha-myz

   Let's go out to the steppe

   Usage

   Inviting someone to visit the vast Kazakh steppe

   Grammar Note

   "Dala" (steppe) is a core word in Kazakh culture. Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, mostly steppe. "Üly dala" (Great Steppe) is central to Kazakh identity

8. Тур нешеге тұрады?

   Tur ne-she-ge tu-ra-dy?

   How much does the tour cost?

   Usage

   Asking the price of a tourist tour

   Grammar Note

   "Neshe" (how many/how much) + dative "-ge" = for how much. Two ways to ask price: "qansha türady?" and "neshege türady?"

9. Жайлауда демалу

   Jay-lau-da de-ma-lu

   Relaxing at the summer pasture (jailau)

   Usage

   Staying at high-altitude summer pastures in Kazakh mountains

   Grammar Note

   "Jaylau" is the summer highland pasture. Nomads traditionally moved up in spring and returned to lowlands in winter. Jailau stays are now popular eco-tourism

10. Экскурсия бар ма?

    Eks-kur-si-ya bar ma?

    Is there a guided tour?

    Usage

    Asking if guided tours are available at an attraction

    Grammar Note

    "Bar" (there is) + "ma" (question) = the simplest existential question. "Ekskursiya" borrowed from Russian. Parallel to "does X exist?"

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