Culture & Etiquette

1. Габдулла Тукай

   Gabdulla Tukay

   Gabdulla Tukay (national poet of the Tatars)

   Usage

   (1886-1913) The leading Tatar poet; squares and the airport carry his name

   Grammar Note

   A personal name, spelled the same in Tatar and Russian.

2. Муса Җәлил

   Musa Jälil

   Musa Jalil (Tatar poet)

   Usage

   (1906-1944) A widely read poet; his name is also given to a Kazan theatre

   Grammar Note

   Write Җәлил with җ and ә; Russian spells it Джалиль.

3. Татар теле

   Tatar tele

   Tatar language

   Usage

   One of the official languages of Tatarstan, also used on street signs

   Grammar Note

   The language name is lower-case mid-sentence (татар теле).

4. Татар халык җырлары

   Tatar khalyk jyrlary

   Tatar folk songs

   Usage

   Traditional songs, sung at feasts and festivals

   Grammar Note

   The plural of халык җыры (folk song): plural plus possessive.

5. Түбәтәй

   Tübätäy

   Tübätäy (embroidered round skullcap)

   Usage

   A light, shallow, round decorated men's cap; a common souvenir

   Grammar Note

   Contains ү and two ә. Not the Russian Тюбетейка.

6. Калфак

   Kalfak

   Kalfak (traditional women's headdress)

   Usage

   A velvet women's national cap decorated with embroidery or beads

   Grammar Note

   A national costume item; spelled with back vowels only.

7. Читек

   Chitek

   Chitek (traditional soft-leather boot)

   Usage

   Soft boots made from leather; also a decorated folk craft

   Grammar Note

   The plural is читекләр.

8. Гармун

   Garmun

   Garmun (Tatar button accordion)

   Usage

   Played at festivals and weddings; the player is called гармунчы

   Grammar Note

   гармунчы is a гармун player; -чы marks a person by occupation.

9. Кубыз

   Kubyz

   Kubyz (mouth-plucked small instrument)

   Usage

   A small instrument with a thin tongue on a curved frame, plucked at the mouth

   Grammar Note

   Кубыз is the name of a folk instrument.

10. Бу татар милли бизәге.

    Bu tatar milli bizäge.

    This is a Tatar national ornament.

    Usage

    To describe a pattern on souvenirs or costume

    Grammar Note

    Бизәк means ornament or pattern and takes -е.

11. Бу татар милли киеменең бер төре.

    Bu tatar milli kiyemeneñ ber töre.

    This is one kind of Tatar national dress.

    Usage

    To describe a costume piece at a museum or shop

    Grammar Note

    'A kind of …' is genitive + бер төре.

12. Габдулла Тукай әкиятләре бик кызык.

    Gabdulla Tukay äkiyatläre bik kyzyk.

    Gabdulla Tukay's fairy tales are very interesting.

    Usage

    To talk about the poet's work

    Grammar Note

    The noun after a person's name takes a possessive suffix.

13. Мин татар мәдәниятен яратам

    Min tatar mädäniyaten yaratam

    I love Tatar culture

    Usage

    To show respect and start a conversation with locals

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular grammar.

14. Мин татар җырларын тыңларга яратам

    Min tatar jyrlaryn tyñlarga yaratam

    I like listening to Tatar songs

    Usage

    To talk about musical taste

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular grammar. Infinitive + яратам means 'I like to …'.

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