Festivals & Events

1. Акатуй

   Akatuy

   Akatuy (Chuvash folk festival after the spring sowing)

   Usage

   The best-known Chuvash festival, held when spring sowing is over, with songs, dances and contests. It is still held in many places.

   Grammar Note

   Акатуй is a name built on ака "sowing" and туй "feast". Russian writes it the same way. The Tatar counterpart is called Сабантуй.

2. Акатуй хӑҫан иртет?

   Akatuy khăçan irtet?

   When is Akatuy held?

   Usage

   Asks for the festival date, which varies by place and year.

   Grammar Note

   "Event + хӑҫан иртет?" asks when something takes place; ирт- basically means "to pass" and is also used for events being held. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

3. Эпӗ уява кайатӑп.

   Epĕ uyava kayatăp.

   I am going to the festival

   Usage

   Tells someone where you are heading when you are on your way to a festival.

   Grammar Note

   The dative -а turns уяв "festival, holiday" into "to the festival"; уяв is the general word for a holiday. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

4. Сурхури

   Surkhuri

   Surkhuri (traditional Chuvash New Year festival)

   Usage

   A traditional New Year event held as the days begin to lengthen, with young people and children going from house to house.

   Grammar Note

   Сурхури is the name of the traditional event; the modern January new year is called Ҫӗнӗ ҫул.

5. Ҫӑварни

   Çăvarni

   Savarni (Chuvash spring festival, akin to Maslenitsa)

   Usage

   A festival around the spring equinox, close to the Russian Maslenitsa, with songs and food.

   Grammar Note

   Ҫӑварни names the festival around the spring equinox and is said to correspond to the Russian Масленица. Ҫ is a Chuvash-specific letter.

6. Мӑнкун

   Mănkun

   Mankun (old Chuvash new year; coincides with Easter)

   Usage

   A major spring holiday that coincides with Orthodox Easter; it marks the start of spring.

   Grammar Note

   Мӑнкун is мӑн "big" + кун "day" and is also written as two words, Мӑн кун. The Orthodox Easter is Пасха in Russian.

7. Раштав

   Rashtav

   Christmas (Nativity)

   Usage

   The holiday marking the birth of Christ; on the Orthodox calendar it falls on 7 January.

   Grammar Note

   Раштав means the Nativity feast and is also the name of the twelfth month in the Chuvash calendar, matching December.

8. Уявпа саламлатӑп!

   Uyavpa salamlatăp!

   Happy holiday! (I congratulate you on the holiday)

   Usage

   A short greeting that suits any holiday or festival day.

   Grammar Note

   Official greetings use the longer pattern "… ячӗпе саламлатӑп"; this is a shortened form. Composed sentence — native-speaker review recommended.

9. Чӳк

   Chÿk

   Chuk (communal prayer-and-offering festival)

   Usage

   A general name for the community prayer events held several times a year; the term turns up in museum and folklore explanations.

   Grammar Note

   Чӳк covers prayer events by season, such as the spring ака-суха чӳкӗ. Ӳ is a Chuvash-specific letter, a front rounded vowel close to French u.

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