More questions from a reader named Ross. I will double-check these with Azerbaijani colleagues on Monday. Changes are now noted below. I will leave my mistakes for instructional purposes!
Showing posts with label Basic vocabulary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basic vocabulary. Show all posts
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Reader Request - "Most Needed Words"
I had a very nice email today from a fellow named Ross. He spent a month teaching English as a second language in Baku last year and had used my blog to prepare him for speaking Azerbaijani in the street. He has requested a list of “most needed” words. I must say, they are the ones that I found myself constantly in need of but constantly forgetting. Memorize these and your fluency should increase!
Thanks Ross for your request. Hope to meet you if you ever return to Baku!
To anyone else reading this post - make a request for new content and I'll try my best to answer.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Eurovision: Ten things you need to be able to say
Excitement is growing in Baku about the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. Improvements in infrastructure are beetling along at an amazing pace. The city is really looking fantastic and there is news every day about another new hotel drawing to completion.
When I speak with local shopkeepers they are excited - and nervous - about the prospect of such a huge number of foreigners descending on their city. Why nervous? Because most Azerbaijanis in shops and taxis know almost no English. So - be kind! Come prepared. Learn the following list of simple words and phrases and you will be met with smiling (and relieved) Bakuvians. If you are fortunately enough to speak Russian, you will have very little trouble in Baku. If you speak Turkish, you will be understood.
NB: Download the mp3 file at the bottom of the list to hear what it all sounds like.
1. "Hello" is a very simple Salam.
2. "Please" is a more difficult Zəhmət olmasa - but you will definitely get people's attention if you start out like this.
3. "I didn't understand." is Başa düşmədim.
4. "Where is ______?" is ________________ haradadır?
5. Numbers one to ten: bir, iki, üç, dörd, beş, altı, yeddi, səkkiz, doqquz, on.
6. Item - dənə (as in 2 of these - iki dənə)
7. Thanks - Sağ ol.
8. Bye - Sağ ol. (And you thought this would be difficult?)
9. Excuse me - Bağışlayın.
10. Do you speak English? Siz İngiliscə danışırsınız?
Need to be able to say
When I speak with local shopkeepers they are excited - and nervous - about the prospect of such a huge number of foreigners descending on their city. Why nervous? Because most Azerbaijanis in shops and taxis know almost no English. So - be kind! Come prepared. Learn the following list of simple words and phrases and you will be met with smiling (and relieved) Bakuvians. If you are fortunately enough to speak Russian, you will have very little trouble in Baku. If you speak Turkish, you will be understood.
NB: Download the mp3 file at the bottom of the list to hear what it all sounds like.
1. "Hello" is a very simple Salam.
2. "Please" is a more difficult Zəhmət olmasa - but you will definitely get people's attention if you start out like this.
3. "I didn't understand." is Başa düşmədim.
4. "Where is ______?" is ________________ haradadır?
5. Numbers one to ten: bir, iki, üç, dörd, beş, altı, yeddi, səkkiz, doqquz, on.
6. Item - dənə (as in 2 of these - iki dənə)
7. Thanks - Sağ ol.
8. Bye - Sağ ol. (And you thought this would be difficult?)
9. Excuse me - Bağışlayın.
10. Do you speak English? Siz İngiliscə danışırsınız?
Need to be able to say
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Təqvim (The Calendar)
Fəsillər - Seasons
Payız - Autumn, Fall
Qış - Winter
Yaz, Bahar - Spring
Yay - Summer
Payız - Autumn, Fall
Qış - Winter
Yaz, Bahar - Spring
Yay - Summer
İnsan bədəni (The Human Body)
Bədən üzvləri (Body parts)
baş - head
saç - hair
göz - eye
qulaq - ear
baş - head
saç - hair
göz - eye
qulaq - ear
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