Uyghur (ئۇيغۇر تىلى)

travel photo to inspire Uyghur language study
A Uyghur girde naan baker. Photo by Doron, CC BY-SA 3.0

ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS

The Uyghur language is interesting and unique due to its linguistic roots, cultural significance, and script diversity. Uyghur is a Turkic language, part of the Karluk branch, sharing linguistic similarities with Uzbek and other Central Asian languages. It has a rich phonetic system with distinctive vowel harmony and consonant clusters, which sets it apart from many neighboring languages. Historically, the Uyghur language has been written in multiple scripts, including Arabic, Latin, and Cyrillic. Today, the Arabic-based Uyghur script is the most widely used, particularly in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The script reflects a deep cultural connection with Islamic heritage and history, as well as influences from Persian and Arabic.

The Uyghur language is central to the identity and culture of the Uyghur people, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group native to Xinjiang. The language plays a key role in preserving oral traditions, folk music, and literature, such as the famous Muqam, a form of classical Uyghur music that is both poetic and narrative. Uyghur is not only a medium for artistic expression but also a symbol of resistance and cultural pride for Uyghur communities, particularly amidst challenges to their cultural autonomy. The Uyghur diaspora in countries like Turkey, Kazakhstan, and the United States also actively promotes the use of the language to maintain their heritage and foster a sense of solidarity among Uyghurs globally. This cultural and political significance, combined with its linguistic richness, makes the Uyghur language a fascinating subject of study and appreciation.

Why Learn Uyghur?

LearningUyghuroffers several unique benefits, both culturally and practically:

  • Cultural and Historical Insights
    • Connection to a Rich Cultural Heritage: Uyghur is the primary language of theUyghur people, an ethnic group with a long history and vibrant culture inXinjiangand Central Asia. Learning Uyghur allows you to access theiroral traditions,music,literature, andpoetry, including the famousMuqam, a traditional form of Uyghur musical storytelling. This provides a deeper understanding of the Uyghur people’s customs, values, and artistic expressions.
    • Understanding a Unique Turkic Language: Uyghur belongs to theKarluk branch of the Turkic language family, which includes languages like Uzbek. Learning Uyghur can provide valuable insights into otherTurkic languagesdue to shared grammar and vocabulary. It also offers a window into the linguistic diversity of Central Asia, making it a valuable addition for those interested in regional studies.
  • Practical and Social Benefits
    • Engaging with Uyghur Communities: There are approximately10-12 million Uyghur speakersin China, particularly in theXinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, as well as significant Uyghur diaspora communities inTurkey,Kazakhstan,Germany, and theUnited States. Learning Uyghur allows you to communicate with these communities, fostering connections and building trust. It can be particularly beneficial for those working inhumanitarian aid,journalism, orsocial researchinvolving Uyghur populations.
    • Academic and Professional Opportunities: For scholars and researchers inCentral Asian studies,linguistics,anthropology, orhuman rights, proficiency in Uyghur provides access toprimary sources, including historical texts, literature, and media that are otherwise difficult to access. It opens doors to academic research in areas such asethnolinguistics,history, andpolitical studiesfocused on Xinjiang and the Uyghur diaspora.
  • Cognitive and Personal Growth
    • Cognitive and Linguistic Skills: Learning Uyghur involves mastering anArabic-based scriptand understanding the language’s distinct phonetic structure, including vowel harmony and unique sounds. This helps develop cognitive flexibility and enhances yourability to learn other languages, particularly those within the Turkic language family.
  • Advocacy and Understanding
    • Contributing to Awareness and Advocacy: With the increasing global focus on theUyghur situationin Xinjiang, learning Uyghur enables you to access authentic perspectives from Uyghur individuals, allowing you to better understand and support advocacy efforts. It provides the language skills necessary to engage with Uyghur cultural preservation initiatives and to share their stories accurately and empathetically.

Overall, learning Uyghur offers a rich cultural experience, valuable academic and professional opportunities, and a meaningful way to engage with Uyghur communities worldwide. It connects learners to theheritageof the Uyghur people and theirunique placewithin the broader tapestry of Central Asia.

Knowing Uyghur opens the door to art, music, dance, fashion, cuisine, film, philosophy, and science Understanding Uyghur enhances your opportunities in government, business, medicine, law, technology, military, industry, marketing, etc. Acquiring a second language can improve your skills and grades in math and English. Learning another language is part of a liberal education.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Uyghur?

The time it takes to learnUyghurdepends on factors such as your language background, study consistency, and immersion opportunities. Here’s a breakdown of general time estimates:

  • Factors Influencing Learning Time
    • Language Background: If you have experience withTurkic languages(like Turkish or Uzbek) or withArabic-based scripts, you may find Uyghur easier to learn due to shared vocabulary and script familiarity.
    • Study Consistency: Regular and structured study sessions (even a few hours per week) combined with active practice in listening, speaking, and reading will significantly help your progress.
    • Immersion Opportunities: Engaging with native Uyghur speakers or consuming Uyghur media can provide real-world exposure, improving your listening and conversational skills faster.
  • General Time Estimates
    • Basic Proficiency: Achieving basic conversational skills, such as greetings, common phrases, and simple sentences, typically takes6 to 12 monthsof consistent study (around5-10 hours per week). At this level, you can handle everyday interactions like introducing yourself, ordering food, or asking simple questions.
    • Intermediate Proficiency: Reaching an intermediate level, where you can engage in more complex conversations, understand basic grammar and vocabulary, and read simple texts, usually takes1 to 2 yearsof regular study and practice. This level allows you to communicate more comfortably with native speakers.
    • Advanced Proficiency: Achieving advanced fluency, where you can understand native speakers at a natural pace, discuss diverse topics, and read and write in theUyghur Arabic scriptproficiently, may take2 to 3 yearsor more, depending on immersion and exposure.
  • Immersion and Practice
    • Living or Immersing in Uyghur-Speaking Communities: Spending time in regions likeXinjiangor interacting regularly with Uyghur-speaking diaspora communities can greatly accelerate your learning by providing real-life experience.
    • Language Exchange and Media: Regular conversations with native speakers, listening toUyghur music, watchingfilms, and consuming media in Uyghur can significantly improve your listening and speaking skills.

For most learners, it takes6-12 monthsto achieve basic conversational skills in Uyghur, while intermediate proficiency may require1-2 years. Advanced proficiency could take2-3 yearsor more, depending on immersion opportunities, consistency in practice, and exposure to the language. The key to mastering Uyghur is regular practice and active engagement with native speakers and authentic content.

Uyghur Alphabet & Pronunciation

The Uyghur writing system primarily uses an Arabic-based script called Uyghur Ereb Yëziqi. It consists of 32 letters adapted to represent Uyghur sounds, including special characters for vowels and consonants not found in Arabic. Uyghur script is written right to left and includes vowels explicitly, unlike Arabic. Uyghur has also historically used the Latin and Cyrillic scripts, but the Arabic script is the most common and officially used in Xinjiang.

ئا،ا
[ɑ]
ئە،ە
[ɛ]
ب
[b]
پ
[p]
ت
[t]
ج
[dʒ]
چ
[tʃ]
خ
[χ]
د
[d]
ر
[r]
ز
[z]
ژ
[ʒ]
س
[s]
ش
[ʃ]
غ
[ʁ]
ف
[f]
ق
[q]
ك
[k]
گ
[g]
ڭ
[ŋ]
ل
[l]
م
[m]
ن
[n]
ھ
[h]
ئو،و
[o]
ئۇ،ۇ
[u]
ئۆ،ۆ
[ø]
ئۈ،ۈ
[y]
ۋ
[w]
ئې،ې
[e]
ئى،ى
[i]
ي
[j]

Basic Phrases in Uyghur

Helloياخشىمۇسىز (jχʃmsz)
Goodbyeخەير خوش (χjr χʃ)
Yesھەئە (h)
Noياق (jq)
Excuse meكەچۈرۈڭ (ktʃrŋ)
Pleaseكەچۈرۈڭ (ktʃrŋ)
Thank youرەھمەت سىزگە (rhmt szg)
You are welcomeقارشى ئالىمىز (qrʃ lmz)
Do you speak englishسىز ئىنگلىزچە سۆزلەمسىز؟ (sz nglztʃ szlmsz)
Do you understandچۈشەندىڭىزمۇ؟ (tʃʃndŋzm)
I understandچۈشەندىم (tʃʃndm)
I do not understandچۈشەنمىدىم (tʃʃnmdm)
How are youقانداق ئەھۋالىڭىز؟ (qndq hwlŋz)
Fine thanksياخشى ، رەھمەت! (jχʃ rhmt)
What is your nameئىسمىڭىز نېمە؟ (smŋz nm)
My name isمېنىڭ ئىسمىم (mnŋ smm)
Pleased to meet youسىز بىلەن كۆرۈشكەنلىكىمدىن خۇشالمەن (sz bln krʃknlkmdn χʃlmn)

Uyghur Grammar

Uyghur Nouns

Man
Womanئايال (jl)
Boy
Girlبىر قىز (br qz)
Catمۈشۈك (mʃk)
Dogئىت (t)
Fishبېلىق (blq)
Water
Milkسۈت (st)
Eggتۇخۇم (tχm)
Houseئۆي (j)
Flowerگۈل (gl)
Treeدەرەخ (drχ)
Shirtكۆڭلەك (kŋlk)
Pantsئىشتان (ʃtn)

Uyghur Adjectives

Colors in Uyghur

Black
Whiteئاق (q)
Redقىزىل (qzl)
Orangeئاپېلسىن (plsn)
Yellowسېرىق (srq)
Greenيېشىل (jʃl)
Blueكۆك (kk)
Purpleبىنەپشە (bnpʃ)
Pinkھالرەڭ (hlrŋ)
Grayكۈلرەڭ (klrŋ)
Brownقوڭۇر (qŋr)

Numbers in Uyghur

Zeroنۆل (nl)
Oneبىرى (br)
Twoئىككى (kk)
Threeئۈچ (tʃ)
Fourتۆت (tt)
Fiveبەش (bʃ)
Sixئالتە (lt)
Sevenيەتتە (jtt)
Eightسەككىز (skkz)
Nineتوققۇز (tqqz)
Tenئون (n)
Elevenئون بىر (n br)
Twelveئون ئىككى (n kk)
Twentyيىگىرمە (jgrm)
Thirtyئوتتۇز (ttz)
Fortyقىرىق (qrq)
Fiftyئەللىك (llk)
Sixtyئاتمىش (tmʃ)
Seventyيەتمىش (jtmʃ)
Eightyسەكسەن (sksn)
Ninetyتوقسان (tqsn)
Hundredيۈز (jz)
Thousandمىڭ (mŋ)

Uyghur Verbs

To be
To haveئىگە بولۇش (g blʃ)
To want
To need
To helpياردەم قىلىش (jrdm qlʃ)
To go
To come
To eatيېيىش (jjʃ)
To drinkئىچىش (tʃʃ)
To speakسۆزلەش (szlʃ)

Building Simple Sentences

More Complex Uyghur Sentences

Andۋە (w)
Orياكى (jk)
Butئەمما (mm)
Becauseچۈنكى (tʃnk)
With
Alsoشۇنداقلا (ʃndql)
Howeverقانداقلا بولمىسۇن (qndql blmsn)
Neitherھەم ئەمەس (hm ms)
Norياكى ئەمەس (jk ms)
If
Thenئاندىن (ndn)

Useful Uyghur Vocabulary

Uyghur Questions

Whoكىم (km)
Whatنېمە (nm)
Whenقاچان (qtʃn)
Where
Whyنېمىشقا (nmʃq)
Howقانداق (qndq)
How manyقانچە (qntʃ)
How muchقانچىلىك (qntʃlk)

Days of the Week in Uyghur

Mondayدۈشەنبە (dʃnb)
Tuesdayسەيشەنبە (sjʃnb)
Wednesdayچارشەنبە (tʃrʃnb)
Thursdayپەيشەنبە (pjʃnb)
Fridayجۈمە (dʒm)
Saturdayشەنبە (ʃnb)
Sundayيەكشەنبە (jkʃnb)
Yesterdayتۈنۈگۈن (tngn)
Todayبۈگۈن (bgn)
Tomorrowئەتە (t)

Months in Uyghur

Januaryيانۋار (jnwr)
Februaryفېۋرال (fwrl)
Marchمارت (mrt)
Aprilئاپرېل (prl)
Mayماي (mj)
Juneئىيۇن (jn)
July
Augustئاۋغۇست (wʁst)
Septemberسېنتەبىر (sntbr)
Octoberئۆكتەبىر (ktbr)
Novemberنويابىر (njbr)
Decemberدېكابىر (dkbr)

Seasons in Uyghur

Winterقىش (qʃ)
Springباھار (bhr)
Summerياز (jz)
Autumnكۈز (kz)

Telling Time in Uyghur

What time is itقايسى سائەت؟ (qjs st)
Hoursسائەت (st)
Minutesمىنۇت (mnt)
Secondsسېكۇنت (sknt)
O clockسائەت (st)
Halfيېرىمى (jrm)
Quarter pastچارەك (tʃrk)
Beforeئىلگىرى (lgr)
After