Basic Nouns

31 phrases · Chuvash with romanization, English and audio

  1. Шыв

    Shyv

    Water

    Usage

    For asking for or buying water.

    Grammar Note

    A basic noun meaning "water", and also "river, body of water" (ӗҫме юрӑхла шыв = drinking water). Do not confuse it with ҫу "butter; summer", and do not use the Tatar су.

  2. Апат

    Apat

    Food / Meal

    Usage

    The general word for food and meals.

    Grammar Note

    Means food, a dish or a meal (вӗри апат = hot food, ирхи апат = breakfast). It combines with the verb ҫи- "to eat".

  3. Укҫа

    Ukça

    Money

    Usage

    Money in general, for payments and exchange.

    Grammar Note

    The general word for money (вак укҫа = small change, укҫа тӳле = to pay money). The rouble is тенкӗ.

  4. Туалет

    Tualet

    Toilet

    Usage

    For finding a toilet; also seen on signs.

    Grammar Note

    A loan via Russian; a synonym is уборнӑй. The dictionary also lists the sense "grooming", but when asking for a place it means the toilet.

  5. Хут салфетка

    Khut salfetka

    Tissue / Paper napkin

    Usage

    A paper for wiping mouth and hands; works for tissue or a paper napkin.

    Grammar Note

    Two words: хут "paper" + салфетка "napkin" (the dictionary gives "хут салфетка" as "paper napkin").

  6. Эмел

    Emel

    Medicine

    Usage

    For buying or asking for medicine.

    Grammar Note

    Combines with the verb ӗҫ- "to drink" as эмел ӗҫ "to take medicine", and with кирлӗ "needed" as in "Мана … эмел кирлӗ." (I need … medicine).

  7. Багаж

    Bagazh

    Luggage

    Usage

    For talking about luggage at airports and stations.

    Grammar Note

    A loan via Russian, used in багажа пар "to check in luggage" and ҫӑмӑл багаж "light luggage".

  8. Ҫӑраҫҫи

    Çăraççi

    Key

    Usage

    For hotel and room keys.

    Grammar Note

    The word for "key" (пӳлӗм ҫӑраҫҫийӗ = room key, машина ҫӑраҫҫийӗ = car key). A spare key can be asked for with "Хушма ҫӑраҫҫи пур-и?".

  9. Билет

    Bilet

    Ticket

    Usage

    A ticket for transport or entry.

    Grammar Note

    A loan via Russian (чукун ҫул билечӗ = railway ticket, театр билечӗ = theatre ticket).

  10. Паспорт

    Pasport

    Passport

    Usage

    The passport shown at the border or a hotel.

    Grammar Note

    A loan via Russian; a passport for foreign travel is called ют ҫӗршыва каймалли паспорт.

  11. Телефон

    Telefon

    Phone

    Usage

    For talking about a phone.

    Grammar Note

    A loanword; a mobile phone is мобильлӗ телефон. "To talk by phone" is телефонпа калаҫ, with -па "by means of".

  12. Вокзал

    Vokzal

    Station

    Usage

    For asking about a train or bus station.

    Grammar Note

    A loan via Russian for a station building (чукун ҫул вокзалӗ = railway station).

  13. Больница

    Bolnitsa

    Hospital

    Usage

    For finding a hospital in an emergency.

    Grammar Note

    A Russian loan. The destination takes the dative-accusative -на, as in больницӑна вырттар "to put into hospital".

  14. Полици

    Politsi

    Police

    Usage

    When you need the police.

    Grammar Note

    A loan via Russian (полици участокӗ = police station, полици машини = police car).

  15. Магазин

    Magazin

    Shop

    Usage

    For finding a shop.

    Grammar Note

    A loan via Russian (апат-ҫимӗҫ магазинӗ = grocery shop). A synonym is лавкка.

  16. Пӳлӗм

    Pÿlĕm

    Room

    Usage

    For hotel rooms.

    Grammar Note

    The word for "room" ("Пӳлӗмӗн хакӗ мӗн чухлӗ?" = how much is the room?).

  17. Ҫул

    Çul

    Road

    Usage

    For roads and directions.

    Grammar Note

    Means "road, way" (аслӑ ҫул = main road). The same spelling ҫул also means "year", so context decides.

  18. Ҫемье

    Çemye

    Family

    Usage

    For talking about family.

    Grammar Note

    Means "family, household" (йышлӑ ҫемье = a large family).

  19. Ят

    Yat

    Name

    Usage

    For giving or asking a name.

    Grammar Note

    Takes possessive endings (ятӑр = your name, polite). It means "name, title" and also "reputation" (урам ячӗ = the name of a street).

  20. Пуҫ

    Puç

    Head

    Usage

    For describing pain or symptoms.

    Grammar Note

    A body part. "My head aches" is пуҫ ыратать. It also means "chief, beginning".

  21. Куҫ

    Kuç

    Eye

    Usage

    For eye symptoms.

    Grammar Note

    The singular covers one eye or both (илемлӗ куҫ = beautiful eyes). The plural is куҫсем.

  22. Шӑл

    Shăl

    Tooth

    Usage

    For tooth pain.

    Grammar Note

    The word for "tooth", also used for teeth in general (кайри шӑл = molar). It also means the teeth of a saw or comb.

  23. Пыр

    Pyr

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat.

    Grammar Note

    The word for "throat" (пыр ыратни = throat illness). The verb пыр- "to go, arrive" has the same spelling, so context decides. карланкӑ is a near-synonym.

  24. Хырӑм

    Khyrăm

    Belly / stomach

    Usage

    For stomach or abdomen complaints.

    Grammar Note

    Means "stomach, belly" (хырӑм выҫрӗ = I am hungry). It has a colloquial tone and also refers to the unborn child in pregnancy.

  25. Ҫурӑм

    Çurăm

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain.

    Grammar Note

    Means "back" (ҫурӑм шӑмми = spine). For just the lower back use пилӗк.

  26. Пилӗк

    Pilĕk

    Lower back / waist

    Usage

    For lower-back pain.

    Grammar Note

    Means "lower back, waist" (пилӗк ыратать = my lower back hurts). It is spelled like the modern numeral пилӗк "five", so context decides.

  27. Ура

    Ura

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    For leg or foot injuries.

    Grammar Note

    Covers both leg and foot, like Russian "нога". It also means a table leg (сӗтел ури).

  28. Алӑ

    Ală

    Hand / arm

    Usage

    For hand or arm complaints.

    Grammar Note

    Covers hand and arm without distinction. In compounds it appears as the short form ал (ал лаппи = palm, ал арманӗ = hand mill).

  29. Кӑкӑр

    Kăkăr

    Chest

    Usage

    For chest pain.

    Grammar Note

    The word for "chest" (кӑкӑр шӑмми = rib cage, сарлака кӑкӑр = a broad chest).

  30. Пушар машини

    Pushar mashini

    Fire engine

    Usage

    For naming a fire engine when reporting a fire.

    Grammar Note

    пушар "fire" + машини "its vehicle" (машина with the 3rd-person possessive). The dictionary lists "пушар машини".

  31. Консульство

    Konsulstvo

    Consulate

    Usage

    For asking about a consulate.

    Grammar Note

    A loan from Russian, used with a possessive ending as in Акӑлчан консульстви "the English consulate".

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