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Khegay Sabaqtary

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A1 · Ordering in a café

Order a drink and food, then ask for the bill.

Practise this lessonDictionary A1

How the language works

Mağan means “to me/for me”. A polite request often uses -yñyz/-ıñız with the particle -şy/-şı: berıñızşı — “please give”. The suffix -syz/-sız after a noun conveys “without”: qant means “sugar”, and qantsyz means “without sugar”. So Qantsyz bolsynşy means “No sugar, please”. In Kazakh, an adjective usually comes before a noun: qara şai — “black tea”.

Useful phrases

Read, recall the meaning and say it aloud. Then compare with the audio.

Mağan bır kese şai berıñızşı.

Please give me a cup of tea.

Qantsyz bolsynşy.

No sugar, please.

Sızderde bauyrsaq bar ma?

Do you have baursak?

Mäzırdı berıñızşı.

Please give me the menu.

Esepşotty äkelıñızşı.

Please bring the bill.

Bärı öte dämdı boldy.

Everything was delicious.

Dialogue

Waiter

Sälemetsız be! Ne alasyz?

Hello! What would you like?

Guest

Mağan bır kese şai berıñızşı. Qantsyz bolsynşy.

Please give me a cup of tea. No sugar, please.

Waiter

Tağy ne alasyz?

What else would you like?

Guest

Bauyrsaq berıñızşı.

Some baursak, please.

Check your understanding

Choose an answer before opening the explanation. Then explain your choice.

1. Choose the correct translation: “Mağan bır kese şai berıñızşı.”

  1. Everything was delicious.
  2. Please give me a cup of tea.
  3. No sugar, please.
  4. Do you have baursak?
Answer and explanation

Please give me a cup of tea.

Mağan bır kese şai berıñızşı. — Please give me a cup of tea.

2. How do you say: “Please give me the menu.”?

  1. Mäzırdı berıñızşı.
  2. Esepşotty äkelıñızşı.
  3. Qantsyz bolsynşy.
  4. Bärı öte dämdı boldy.
Answer and explanation

Mäzırdı berıñızşı.

Mäzırdı berıñızşı. — Please give me the menu.

3. What does the suffix -syz mean in qantsyz?

  1. Plural
  2. Absence: without sugar
  3. Polite form of address
  4. Future tense
Answer and explanation

Absence: without sugar

Qant means “sugar”; the suffix -syz adds the meaning of absence: qantsyz means “without sugar”.

Make it your own

Order tea, specify a preference and ask for the bill.

  • I ordered a drink
  • I specified a preference
  • I politely asked for the bill
Example response

Mağan bır kese şai berıñızşı. Qantsyz bolsynşy. Bauyrsaq bar ma? Esepşotty äkelıñızşı.