Abkhaz (Аҧсуа бызшәа) is a Caucasian language spoken primilarily in Abkhazia . It is an extremely difficult language to read, which requires a lot of palatalization.
[edit ] Pronounciation Guide In the alphabet, whilst coming across a 'ә' letter, you need to palatalized it. To do this, round your lips as if you are trying to whistle, and utter the letter you are trying to say. There are many occassions where you are going to encounter this, and below is the alphabet from where it is present. Like Russian, when a reader comes across a 'ь', you need to prounounce the word heavily.
А а 'a' as in "air"
Б б 'b' as in "bar"
В в 'v' as in "vent"
Г г 'g' as in "game"
Гь гь Hard 'g'
Гә гә Palatalized 'g'
Ӷ ӷ 'gh' as in "gamble"
Ӷь ӷь Hard 'gh'
Ӷә ӷә Palatalized 'gh'
Ӷә ӷә Palatalized 'gh'
Д д 'd' as in 'dangle'
Дә дә Palatalized 'd'
Е е 'e' as in 'everybody'
Ж ж 'zh' like 'leis ure'
Жь жь Hard 'zh'
Жә жә Palatalized 'zh'
З з 'z' as in 'zebra'
Ӡ ӡ 'dz' like 'pizz a'
Ӡә ӡә Palatalized 'dz'
И и 'ee' as in 'eel'
К к 'k' as in 'cancer'
Кь кь Hard 'k'
Кә кә Palatilized 'k'
Қ қ 'q' as in 'qatar'
Қь қь Hard 'q'
Қә қә Palatalized 'q'
Ҟ ҟ 'q' as in 'qatar'
Ҟьҟь Hard 'q'
Ҟә ҟә Palatalized 'q'
Л л 'l' as in 'leg'
М м 'm' as in 'meet'
Н н 'n' as in 'nod'
О о 'o' as in 'orange'
П п 'p' as in 'peel'
Ҧ ҧ Hard 'p'
Р р 'r' as in 'ring'
С с 's' as in 'sea'
Т т 't' as in 'tea'
Тә тә Hard 't'
Ҭҭ 'th' as in 'thanks'
Ҭә ҭә Palatalized 'th'
У у 'u' like 'poo l'
ф Ф 'f' as in 'find'
Х х 'kh' like c age
Хь хь Hard 'kh'
Хә хә Palatalized 'kh'
Ҳ ҳ 'h' as in 'hello'
Ҳә ҳә Palatalized 'h'
Ц ц 'ts' as in lets
Цә цә Palatalized 'ts'
[edit ] Phrase list Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase .
[edit ] Basics
Common signs
OPEN
CLOSED
ENTRANCE
EXIT
PUSH
PULL
TOILET
MEN
WOMEN
FORBIDDEN
Hello. Бзиа збаша. (Bzia zbaşa )
Hello. (informal ) . ( )
How are you? Ушҧаҟоу? (Uşpakou ? )
Fine, thank you. . ( )
What is your name? ? ( ? )
My name is ______ . ______ . ( _____ . )
Nice to meet you. . ( )
Please. . ( )
Thank you. . ( )
You're welcome. . ( )
Yes Ayey, ayow
No Mamo, map
Excuse me. (getting attention ) . ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon ) . ( )
I'm sorry. . ( )
Goodbye . ( )
Goodbye (informal ) . ( )
I can't speak name of language [well]. [ ]. ( [ ] )
Do you speak English? ? ( ? )
Is there someone here who speaks English? ? ( ? )
Help! ! ( ! )
Look out! ! ( ! )
Good morning Şıjıbzia
Good evening! Xuılıbzia
Good night Tsaxıbzia
Good night (to sleep ) . ( )
I don't understand. . ( )
Where is the toilet? ? ( ? )
[edit ] Problems Leave me alone. . ( . )
Don't touch me! ! ( ! )
I'll call the police. . ( . )
Police! ! ( ! )
Stop! Thief! ! ! ( ! ! )
I need your help. . ( . )
It's an emergency. . ( . )
I'm lost. . ( . )
I lost my bag. . ( . )
I lost my wallet. . ( . )
I'm sick. . ( . )
I've been injured. . ( . )
I need a doctor. . ( . )
Can I use your phone? ? ( ? )
[edit ] Numbers 1 - ak'ı
2 - üba
3 - xpa
4 - pşba
5 - xuba
6 - fba
7 - bıĵba
8 - aaba
9 - juba
10 - juaba
20 - üajua
30 - üajuijuaba
40 - üınüajua
50 - üınüajui juaba
60 - xınüajua
70 - xınüajui juaaba
80 - pşınüajua
90 - pşınüajui juwaba
100 - şuk'ı
200 - üışu
300 - xışu
400 - pşışu
500 - xuışu
600 - fışu
700 - bıjşuı
800 - aaşuı
900 - juşuı
1000 - zkîı
now ( )
later ( )
before ( )
morning ( )
afternoon ( )
evening ( )
night ( )
[edit ] Clock time one o'clock AM ( )
two o'clock AM ( )
noon ( )
one o'clock PM ( )
two o'clock PM ( )
midnight ( )
[edit ] Duration _____ minute(s) ( )
_____ hour(s) ( )
_____ day(s) ( )
_____ week(s) ( )
_____ month(s) ( )
_____ year(s) ( )
today ( )
yesterday ( )
tomorrow ( )
this week ( )
last week ( )
next week ( )
Sunday ( )
Monday ( )
Tuesday ( )
Wednesday ( )
Thursday ( )
Friday ( )
Saturday ( )
[edit ] Months January Ajırnıhua
February Juabran
March Xuajuk'ıra
April Mş'apımza
May Lats'ara
June Raşuara
July Pxınguı
August Nanhua
September Çuıbbra
October Jtaara
November Abts'ara
December Pxınç'k'uın
[edit ] Writing time and date [edit ] Colors black
white
gray
red
blue
yellow
green
orange
purple
pink
brown
[edit ] Transportation [edit ] Bus and train How much is a ticket to _____? ( )
One ticket to _____, please. ( )
Where does this train/bus go? ( )
Where is the train/bus to _____? ( )
Does this train/bus stop in _____? ( )
When does the train/bus for _____ leave? ( )
When will this train/bus arrive in _____? ( )
[edit ] Directions How do I get to _____ ? ( )
...the train station? ( )
...the bus station? ( )
...the airport? ( )
...downtown? ( )
...the youth hostel? ( )
...the _____ hotel? ( )
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? ( )
Where are there a lot of... ( )
...hotels? ( )
...restaurants? ( )
...bars? ( )
...sites to see? ( )
Can you show me on the map? ( )
street ( )
Turn left. ( )
Turn right. ( )
left ( )
right ( )
straight ahead ( )
towards the _____ ( )
past the _____ ( )
before the _____ ( )
Watch for the _____. ( )
intersection ( )
north ( )
south ( )
east ( )
west ( )
uphill ( )
downhill ( )
Taxi! ( )
Take me to _____, please. ( )
How much does it cost to get to _____? ( )
Take me there, please. ( )
[edit ] Lodging Do you have any rooms available? ( )
How much is a room for one person/two people? ( )
Does the room come with... ( )
...bedsheets? ( )
...a bathroom? ( )
...a telephone? ( )
...a TV? ( )
May I see the room first? ( )
Do you have anything quieter? ( )
...bigger? ( )
...cleaner? ( )
...cheaper? ( )
OK, I'll take it. ( )
I will stay for _____ night(s). ( )
Can you suggest another hotel? ( )
Do you have a safe? ( )
...lockers? ( )
Is breakfast/supper included? ( )
What time is breakfast/supper? ( )
Please clean my room. ( )
Can you wake me at _____? ( )
I want to check out. ( )
Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? ( )
Do you accept British pounds? ( )
Do you accept Euros? ( )
Do you accept credit cards? ( )
Can you change money for me? ( )
Where can I get money changed? ( )
Can you change a traveler's check for me? ( )
Where can I get a traveler's check changed? ( )
What is the exchange rate? ( )
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? ( )
[edit ] Eating A table for one person/two people, please. ( )
Can I look at the menu, please? ( )
Can I look in the kitchen? ( )
Is there a house specialty? ( )
Is there a local specialty? ( )
I'm a vegetarian. ( )
I don't eat pork. ( )
I don't eat beef. ( )
I only eat kosher food. ( )
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard ) ( )
fixed-price meal ( )
a la carte ( )
breakfast ( )
lunch ( )
tea (meal ) ( )
supper ( )
I want _____. ( )
I want a dish containing _____. ( )
chicken ( )
beef ( )
fish ( )
ham ( )
sausage ( )
cheese ( )
eggs ( )
salad ( )
(fresh) vegetables ( )
(fresh) fruit ( )
bread ( )
toast ( )
noodles ( )
rice ( )
beans ( )
May I have a glass of _____? ( )
May I have a cup of _____? ( )
May I have a bottle of _____? ( )
coffee ( )
tea (drink ) ( )
juice ( )
(bubbly) water ( )
(still) water ( )
beer ( )
red/white wine ( )
May I have some _____? ( )
salt ( )
black pepper ( )
butter ( )
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server ) ( )
I'm finished. ( )
It was delicious. ( )
Please clear the plates. ( )
The check, please. ( )
Do you serve alcohol? ( )
Is there table service? ( )
A beer/two beers, please. ( )
A glass of red/white wine, please. ( )
A pint, please. ( )
A bottle, please. ( )
_____ (hard liquor ) and _____ (mixer ), please. ( )
whiskey ( )
vodka ( )
rum ( )
water ( )
club soda ( )
tonic water ( )
orange juice ( )
Coke (soda ) ( )
Do you have any bar snacks? ( )
One more, please. ( )
Another round, please. ( )
When is closing time? ( )
Cheers! ( )
[edit ] Shopping Do you have this in my size? ( )
How much is this? ( )
That's too expensive. ( )
Would you take _____? ( )
expensive ( )
cheap ( )
I can't afford it. ( )
I don't want it. ( )
You're cheating me. ( )
I'm not interested. (..)
OK, I'll take it. ( )
Can I have a bag? ( )
Do you ship (overseas)? ( )
I need... ( )
...toothpaste. ( )
...a toothbrush. ( )
...tampons. . ( )
...soap. ( )
...shampoo. ( )
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen ) ( )
...cold medicine. ( )
...stomach medicine. ... ( )
...a razor. ( )
...an umbrella. ( )
...sunblock lotion. ( )
...a postcard. ( )
...postage stamps. ( )
...batteries. ( )
...writing paper. ( )
...a pen. ( )
...English-language books. ( )
...English-language magazines. ( )
...an English-language newspaper. ( )
...an English-English dictionary. ( )
[edit ] Driving I want to rent a car. ( )
Can I get insurance? ( )
stop (on a street sign ) ( )
one way ( )
yield ( )
no parking ( )
speed limit ( )
gas (petrol ) station ( )
petrol ( )
diesel ( )
[edit ] Authority I haven't done anything wrong. ( )
It was a misunderstanding. ( )
Where are you taking me? ( )
Am I under arrest? ( )
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. ( )
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. ( )
I want to talk to a lawyer. ( )
Can I just pay a fine now? ( )
