Briefly describe your family and where you live.
How the language works
Possession is marked by an ending: menıñ otbasym — “my family”, sızdıñ otbasyñyz — “your family”. “I have…” is often expressed with Menıñ … bar. Kazakh ol can mean either “he” or “she”.
Useful phrases
Read, recall the meaning and say it aloud. Then compare with the audio.
Menıñ otbasym ülken emes.
My family is not large.
Menıñ bır balam bar.
I have one child.
Bız päterde tūramyz.
We live in a flat.
Üiımız ortalyqqa jaqyn.
Our home is close to the centre.
Būl — menıñ anam.
This is my mother.
Sız qai jerde tūrasyz?
Where do you live?
Dialogue
Sız qai jerde tūrasyz?
Where do you live?
Osy üide tūramyn.
I live in this building.
Jalğyz tūrasyz ba?
Do you live alone?
Joq, otbasymmen tūramyn.
No, I live with my family.
Check your understanding
Choose an answer before opening the explanation. Then explain your choice.
1. Choose the correct translation: “Menıñ otbasym ülken emes.”
- I have one child.
- My family is not large.
- Where do you live?
- We live in a flat.
Answer and explanation
My family is not large.
Menıñ otbasym ülken emes. — My family is not large.
2. How do you say: “Our home is close to the centre.”?
- Sız qai jerde tūrasyz?
- Üiımız ortalyqqa jaqyn.
- Būl — menıñ anam.
- Menıñ bır balam bar.
Answer and explanation
Üiımız ortalyqqa jaqyn.
Üiımız ortalyqqa jaqyn. — Our home is close to the centre.
3. How do you say “my family”?
- Sızdıñ otbasyñyz
- Menıñ otbasym
- Bızdıñ otbasymyz
- Onyñ otbasy
Answer and explanation
Menıñ otbasym
Menıñ takes the first-person possessive form: otbasym.
Make it your own
Tell a neighbour about yourself and your home. You may invent a family for this exercise.
- I said something about my family
- I described where I live
- I asked a question in return
Example response
Menıñ otbasym ülken emes. Bız päterde tūramyz. Üiımız ortalyqqa jaqyn. Al sız qai jerde tūrasyz?