Basic Words

29 phrases · Chuvash with romanization, English and audio

  1. Ҫапла.

    Çapla.

    Yes / That's right

    Usage

    An affirmative reply that confirms what the other person said.

    Grammar Note

    Originally the adverb "so, thus"; Chuvash has no separate bare word for "yes". "Ҫапла ҫав" strengthens it to "exactly so". The negative reply is "Ҫук".

  2. Ҫук.

    Çuk.

    No / There is none

    Usage

    A negative reply that also means "there is none".

    Grammar Note

    The word for non-existence, also used as a short "no". "Not X" is expressed with мар, and "there is" with пур (Кунта сӑра ҫук. "There is no beer here").

  3. Тархасшӑн

    Tarkhasshăn

    Please

    Usage

    Added to a request; also used as "please, go ahead" when inviting someone.

    Grammar Note

    Put it at the start and combine it with an imperative ("Тархасшӑн, ҫакна ҫырса хурӑр." = please write this down).

  4. Тавтапуҫ!

    Tavtapuç!

    Thank you!

    Usage

    The standard way to say thanks; fine with anyone.

    Grammar Note

    Add the reason before it with -шӑн/-шӗн ("Ӗҫкӗ-ҫикӗшӗн тавтапуҫ!" = thanks for the treat). The Tatar loan "рахмат" is dialectal; do not use it.

  5. Каҫарӑр!

    Kaçarăr!

    Excuse me! / I'm sorry! (polite)

    Usage

    A polite way to get someone's attention or to apologise.

    Grammar Note

    The plural/polite imperative of каҫар- "to forgive" (a homograph of каҫар- "to take across"). A question can follow ("Каҫарӑр, … ?"). To one close person: "Каҫар!".

  6. Каҫарӑр, тархасшӑн.

    Kaçarăr, tarkhasshăn.

    I'm sorry. Please forgive me.

    Usage

    A polite way to apologise for a mistake or an inconvenience.

    Grammar Note

    The polite imperative of каҫар- "to forgive" plus тархасшӑн "please", i.e. "please forgive me". To merely get attention, "Каҫарӑр!" alone is enough.

  7. Пурте аван.

    Purte avan.

    It's OK. / Everything is fine.

    Usage

    Says that there is no problem and all is well.

    Grammar Note

    пурте "all" + аван "good". There is no present-tense copula; juxtaposing the two words makes the sentence. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  8. Эпӗ ӑнланмастӑп.

    Epĕ ănlanmastăp.

    I don't understand.

    Usage

    Say this when you cannot follow what is being said.

    Grammar Note

    ӑнлан- + negative -мас- + 1st-person singular -тӑп. The subject эпӗ can be dropped. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  9. Эпӗ ӑнлантӑм.

    Epĕ ănlantăm.

    I understand.

    Usage

    Say this when you have understood.

    Grammar Note

    The past ending -тӑм gives "I have understood" (with 2sg: "Эсӗ мана ӑнлантӑн-и?" = did you understand me?). The subject эпӗ can be dropped. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  10. Хатӗр.

    Khatĕr.

    Ready. / Done.

    Usage

    A short reply meaning "ready" or "done".

    Grammar Note

    An adjective "ready, finished" that works as a one-word reply (Апат хатӗр. = the meal is ready). To say that you finished doing something, use the past of пӗтер- "to finish".

  11. Тархасшӑн, кӗтсе тӑрӑр.

    Tarkhasshăn, kĕtse tărăr.

    Please wait.

    Usage

    A polite way to ask someone to wait.

    Grammar Note

    кӗт- "to wait" with -се тӑр- "to keep …ing", in the plural/polite imperative (-ӑр). To one close person: "кӗтсе тӑр". Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  12. Пӗр самант.

    Pĕr samant.

    Just a moment.

    Usage

    A short phrase asking for a brief wait.

    Grammar Note

    The noun after the numeral пӗр stays singular; самант is the noun "moment". Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  13. Тархасшӑн, ҫитӗннӗ ҫын валли пӗр билет.

    Tarkhasshăn, çitĕnnĕ çyn valli pĕr bilet.

    One adult ticket, please.

    Usage

    Say this at a ticket counter to ask for one adult ticket.

    Grammar Note

    валли is a postposition "for" placed after the noun, and билет stays singular after пӗр. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  14. Эпӗ вырӑн заказламарӑм.

    Epĕ vyrăn zakazlamarăm.

    I haven't made a reservation.

    Usage

    Tell staff that you arrived without a booking.

    Grammar Note

    заказла- is a verb built on the Russian loan заказ "order"; with вырӑн "place" it means to reserve a place. The negative past is -мар- + person ending -ӑм. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  15. Эпӗ вырӑн заказларӑм.

    Epĕ vyrăn zakazlarăm.

    I have a reservation.

    Usage

    Tell staff that you have booked in advance.

    Grammar Note

    The past form (-рӑм) "I reserved" is used for "I have a reservation". заказла- is a verb built on the Russian loan заказ "order". Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  16. Тархасшӑн, мана пулӑшӑр.

    Tarkhasshăn, mana pulăshăr.

    Please help me.

    Usage

    A polite request for help.

    Grammar Note

    мана is the dative-accusative of эпӗ, and пулӑш- "to help" takes the person helped in the dative. To one close person: "Мана пулӑш". Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  17. Тархасшӑн, тепре калӑр.

    Tarkhasshăn, tepre kalăr.

    Please say it once more.

    Usage

    Ask someone to repeat what you missed.

    Grammar Note

    тепре кала- "to repeat what was said" is a combination given in the dictionary. -ӑр is the plural/polite imperative; to one close person: "тепре кала".

  18. Тархасшӑн, ерипен калаҫӑр.

    Tarkhasshăn, yeripen kalaçăr.

    Please speak slowly.

    Usage

    A polite request for someone to speak more slowly.

    Grammar Note

    The adverb ерипен "slowly" stands before the verb; калаҫ- + -ӑр is the plural/polite imperative. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  19. Эпӗ кӑшт чӑвашла калаҫатӑп.

    Epĕ kăsht chăvashla kalaçatăp.

    I speak a little Chuvash.

    Usage

    Tell someone you speak only a little Chuvash.

    Grammar Note

    Language name + -ла "in …" stands before калаҫ- "to speak"; -атӑп is the 1st-person singular present. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  20. Акӑлчанла калаҫатӑр-и?

    Akălchanla kalaçatăr-i?

    Do you speak English?

    Usage

    A polite way to ask whether someone speaks English.

    Grammar Note

    акӑлчан "English" + -ла "in …". The question particle -и is attached to the questioned word with a hyphen; -атӑр is the polite (эсир) ending. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

  21. Ку

    Ku

    This

    Usage

    Points to something near: "this".

    Grammar Note

    The near demonstrative; before a noun it means "this …" (ку кӗнеке "this book"). The plural is кусем.

  22. Вӑл

    Văl

    That

    Usage

    Points to something mentioned or a little away: "that".

    Grammar Note

    The third-person pronoun (he, she, it) that doubles as the "that" demonstrative; there is no gender. Before a noun the form is ҫав ("that …").

  23. Авӑ ҫав

    Avă çav

    That one over there

    Usage

    Points to something far: "that one over there".

    Grammar Note

    The pointing particle авӑ "there, look" + ҫав "that". The combination "авӑ ҫав" ("that one over there") is given in the dictionary.

  24. Кунта

    Kunta

    Here

    Usage

    Gives a place: "here"; it also means "to here".

    Grammar Note

    A place form of ку "this". The same form means both "here" and "to here" (Кил кунта. = come here).

  25. Унта

    Unta

    There

    Usage

    Gives a place: "there".

    Grammar Note

    A place form of вӑл "that", the counterpart of кунта "here" (унта та кунта = here and there).

  26. Лере

    Lere

    Over there

    Usage

    Points to a distant place: "over there".

    Grammar Note

    Points to a place farther away than унта and serves for both "over there" and "to over there" (Лере мӗн пур? = what is over there?).

  27. Эпӗ

    Epĕ

    I / me

    Usage

    Refers to yourself: "I".

    Grammar Note

    First person singular (subject form); other forms are манӑн (my) and мана (to/for me). The short form эп appears in dictionaries, but running text uses эпӗ.

  28. Эсир

    Esir

    You (polite or plural)

    Usage

    The polite "you" for strangers and elders; it is also the plural "you".

    Grammar Note

    Covers both polite singular and plural "you", with verbs in -атӑр/-етӗр. To one close person use эсӗ.

  29. Пӗрле

    Pĕrle

    Together

    Usage

    An adverb meaning "together".

    Grammar Note

    An adverb placed before the verb; it is built on пӗр "one".

More Chuvash phrases

Browse all TravelPhrases languages