Sightseeing

1. ئىد قاھ مەسچىتى قەيدە؟

   Id qah mes-chi-ti qey-de?

   Where is the Id Kah Mosque?

   Usage

   Looking for the Id Kah Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Central Asia, in central Kashgar

   Grammar Note

   "مەسچىت" is the Uyghur adaptation of Arabic "masjid" (mosque). Id Kah (عید گاه) means "festival ground" in Persian.

2. قەدىمكى شەھەر بازىرى قەيدە؟

   Qe-dim-ki sheh-er ba-zi-ri qey-de?

   Where is the old city bazaar?

   Usage

   Looking for the bazaar in Kashgar's old city (ancient town)

   Grammar Note

   "قەدىم" (ancient, from Arabic "qadīm") + "-كى" (relational adjective suffix) = "ancient/old." Kashgar has over 2,000 years of Silk Road history.

3. تۇرپاندا ئۈزۈم باغلىرىنى كۆرگۈم بار

   Tur-pan-da ü-züm bagh-li-ri-ni kör-güm bar

   I want to see the vineyards in Turpan

   Usage

   Planning a visit to the famous vineyards of Turpan

   Grammar Note

   Turpan is famous for its grapes and raisins. "ئۈزۈم" (grape) + "باغ" (garden/vineyard, from Persian "bāgh") + plural + possessive.

4. تەخت قاھارمان قەلئەسىگە قانداق بارىمەن؟

   Takht qa-har-man qel-e-si-ge qan-daq ba-ri-men?

   How do I get to the ancient fortress?

   Usage

   Asking directions to ancient fortress ruins

   Grammar Note

   "قەلئە" from Arabic "qal'a" (fortress). Xinjiang has many ancient Silk Road ruins. "قانداق + verb" asks "how to" do something.

5. رەسىم تارتساممۇ بولىدۇ؟

   Re-sim tart-sam-mu bo-li-du?

   May I take a photo?

   Usage

   Asking permission to take photos at tourist sites

   Grammar Note

   Permission request: "〜-ساممۇ بولىدۇ?" = "-سام" (conditional) + "-مۇ" (question) + "بولىدۇ" (it's okay) = "May I...?"

6. بۇ يەرنىڭ تارىخى قانداق؟

   Bu yer-ning ta-ri-khi qan-daq?

   What is the history of this place?

   Usage

   Asking a guide or local about the history of a place

   Grammar Note

   "تارىخ" from Arabic "tārīkh" (history/date). Genitive "-نىڭ" = "of." The Silk Road history is central to Uyghur cultural pride.

7. سايراملىق كۆلگە قانداق بارىمەن؟

   Say-ram-liq köl-ge qan-daq ba-ri-men?

   How do I get to Sayram Lake?

   Usage

   Asking how to reach Sayram Lake, a high-altitude lake in the Tian Shan mountains

   Grammar Note

   "كۆل" (lake) is shared across Turkic. Sayram Lake (2,073m elevation) in Tian Shan is known for its striking turquoise color.

8. بۇ ئابىدە قاچان قۇرۇلغان؟

   Bu a-bi-de qa-chan qu-rul-ghan?

   When was this monument built?

   Usage

   Asking about the construction date of a historic monument

   Grammar Note

   "قۇر" (build) + "-ۇل" (passive) + "-غان" (past participle) = "was built." Uyghur passive adds "-ىل/-ۇل" to the verb stem.

9. گىد لازىم

   Gid la-zim

   I need a guide

   Usage

   Looking for a tour guide

   Grammar Note

   "لازىم" from Arabic "lāzim" (necessary). "Subject + noun + لازىم" is a simple pattern meaning "needs" in Uyghur.

10. تەكلىماكان چۆلى قانداق؟

    Tek-li-ma-kan chöl-i qan-daq?

    What is the Taklamakan Desert like?

    Usage

    Asking locals about the Taklamakan Desert

    Grammar Note

    "تەكلىماكان" likely means "place of no return." The world's second-largest sandy desert, historically crossed by Silk Road caravans.

11. ئاپتوبۇس سائەت قانچىدە كېلىدۇ؟

    Ap-to-bus sa-et qan-chi-de ke-li-du?

    What time does the bus come?

    Usage

    Checking bus times to tourist sites

    Grammar Note

    "ئاپتوبۇس" from Russian "автобус." "سائەت قانچىدە" = "at what time (o'clock)." Common bus query.

12. قەشقەر قەيەردە؟

    Qesh-qer qey-er-de?

    Where is Kashgar?

    Usage

    Asking about Kashgar, the ancient Silk Road crossroads city

    Grammar Note

    "قەشقەر" is Kashgar in Chinese "喀什." An ancient Silk Road hub where Eastern and Western civilizations met. The heart of Uyghur culture.

13. قەشقەر قەدىمكى شەھىرى قەيەردە؟

    Qesh-qer qe-dim-ki sheh-ri qey-er-de?

    Where is the Kashgar Old City?

    Usage

    Asking directions to Kashgar's historic old city with its iconic earthen architecture

    Grammar Note

    "شەھىر" (city) is from Persian "شهر." "قەدىمكى" (ancient) = "قەدىم" (antiquity) + "-كى" (adjectival suffix).

14. ئىد كاھ مەسچىتى قەيەردە؟

    Id kah mes-chi-ti qey-er-de?

    Where is the Id Kah Mosque?

    Usage

    Asking directions to the Id Kah Mosque, China's largest mosque in central Kashgar

    Grammar Note

    "مەسچىت" (mosque) derives from Arabic "مسجد." Id Kah Mosque has over 500 years of history and is China's largest mosque.

15. تۇرپان شەھىرى قانچىلىق يىراق؟

    Tur-pan sheh-ri qan-chi-liq yi-raq?

    How far is Turpan city?

    Usage

    Asking about the distance to Turpan, famous for its vineyards and ancient ruins

    Grammar Note

    Turpan is about 1,500km from Kashgar. At -154m it's the world's second-lowest depression, famous for summer heat and delicious grapes.

16. خوتەن بازىرى قەيەردە؟

    Kho-ten ba-zi-ri qey-er-de?

    Where is the Hotan bazaar?

    Usage

    Looking for Hotan's famous bazaar, known for jade and silk

    Grammar Note

    "بازار/بازىر" (bazaar) spread via Persian along the Silk Road. Hotan has been famous for jade and silk production since ancient times.

17. ئۈرۈمچى شەھىرى قەيەردە؟

    Ü-rüm-chi sheh-ri qey-er-de?

    Where is Urumqi city?

    Usage

    Asking about Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang

    Grammar Note

    "ئۈرۈمچى" means "beautiful pasture" in Mongolian. Known as the world's most inland major city, farthest from any ocean.

18. تارىم دەرياسى قەيەردە؟

    Ta-rim der-ya-si qey-er-de?

    Where is the Tarim River?

    Usage

    Asking about the Tarim River that flows through the Taklamakan Desert

    Grammar Note

    "دەريا" (river/sea) is from Persian "دریا." The Tarim River flows along the Taklamakan's southern edge, historically the Silk Road's water source.

19. تەكلىماكان چۆلى قانچىلىق يىراق؟

    Tek-li-ma-kan chö-li qan-chi-liq yi-raq?

    How far is the Taklamakan Desert?

    Usage

    Asking about the distance to the Taklamakan Desert

    Grammar Note

    "تەكلىماكان" is often said to mean "you go in and don't come out." It is one of the world's largest shifting sand deserts.

20. تىياڭشان تاغلىرى قەيەردە؟

    Ti-yang-shan tagh-li-ri qey-er-de?

    Where are the Tian Shan mountains?

    Usage

    Asking about the Tian Shan mountain range

    Grammar Note

    "تاغ" (mountain) + plural "-لار" + genitive "-ى." The Tian Shan (Heaven's Mountains) is Central Asia's major mountain range.

21. يەكشەنبە بازىرىغا قانداق باراي؟

    Yek-shen-be ba-zi-ri-gha qan-daq ba-ray?

    How do I get to the Sunday Bazaar?

    Usage

    Asking how to get to Kashgar's famous Sunday Bazaar (weekly market)

    Grammar Note

    Kashgar's Sunday Bazaar (ئەھەد بازار) has Silk Road roots and is one of Central Asia's largest markets, drawing traders from the region weekly.

22. كاناس كۆلى ئەتراپىدىكى بالىقچى يېزىلىرى قەيەردە؟

    Ka-nas kö-li et-ra-pi-di-ki ba-liq-chi ye-zi-li-ri qey-er-de?

    Where are the fishing villages near Kanas Lake?

    Usage

    Looking for traditional fishing villages around Kanas Lake

    Grammar Note

    Tuvan (Turkic minority) fishing villages exist near Kanas Lake. "بالىقچى" (fisherman) = "بالىق" (fish) + "-چى" (occupation suffix). "Village" is يېزا; with the plural "-lar" and possessive "-i" it becomes يېزىلىرى. Note ئايلىق means "monthly / monthly salary" and cannot mean "village".

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