Politeness Strategies
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Kazakh uses 'sen' for friends and 'siz' for respect; always match your verb endings to the pronoun you choose.
- Use 'sen' for friends, family, and children: 'Sen keldiñ' (You came).
- Use 'siz' for elders, strangers, and professional settings: 'Siz keldiñiz' (You came).
- Plural 'sender' or 'sizder' is used for groups; 'sizder' is the polite plural.
Pronoun and Verb Agreement
| Pronoun | Meaning | Verb Suffix (Example) | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Men
|
I
|
-min
|
Neutral
|
|
Sen
|
You (sg)
|
-sın
|
Informal
|
|
Ol
|
He/She
|
-
|
Neutral
|
|
Biz
|
We
|
-miz
|
Neutral
|
|
Sender
|
You (pl)
|
-sıñdar
|
Informal
|
|
Siz
|
You (formal)
|
-sız
|
Formal
|
|
Sizder
|
You (pl formal)
|
-sızdar
|
Formal
|
Meanings
The system of using specific pronouns and verb suffixes to indicate social distance, respect, and age hierarchy.
Informal (Sen)
Used for peers, close friends, and children.
“Sen qayda barasın?”
“Sen keldin be?”
Formal (Siz)
Used for elders, superiors, and strangers to show respect.
“Siz qayda barasız?”
“Siz keldiniz be?”
Plural Respect (Sizder)
Used to address a group or a single person with extreme deference.
“Sizder qalay tūrasızdar?”
“Sizderge kömek kerek pe?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Inf)
|
Sen + Verb-sın
|
Sen kelesin
|
|
Affirmative (Form)
|
Siz + Verb-sız
|
Siz kelesiz
|
|
Negative (Inf)
|
Sen + Verb-ma-ysın
|
Sen kelmeysin
|
|
Negative (Form)
|
Siz + Verb-ma-ysız
|
Siz kelmeysiz
|
|
Question (Inf)
|
Sen + Verb-sın ba?
|
Sen kelesin be?
|
|
Question (Form)
|
Siz + Verb-sız ba?
|
Siz kelesiz be?
|
|
Plural (Inf)
|
Sender + Verb-sıñdar
|
Sender kelesiñder
|
|
Plural (Form)
|
Sizder + Verb-sızdar
|
Sizder kelesizder
|
طيف الرسمية
Siz qalay sız? (Greeting)
Qalay sız? (Greeting)
Qalay? (Greeting)
Qalay, dostym? (Greeting)
The Honorific Hierarchy
Informal
- Sen You (sg)
- Sender You (pl)
Formal
- Siz You (formal)
- Sizder You (pl formal)
أمثلة حسب المستوى
Sen kimsın?
Who are you? (informal)
Siz kimsiz?
Who are you? (formal)
Sen barasın.
You go.
Siz barasız.
You go.
Siz qalay sız?
How are you?
Senin atyn kim?
What is your name?
Sizdin atynyz kim?
What is your name?
Sizderge kömek kerek pe?
Do you (plural) need help?
Siz mağan kömektese alasız ba?
Can you help me?
Senin aytqanyn durys.
What you said is correct.
Sizderdiñ pikirleriñiz qanday?
What are your opinions?
Siz kelgeninizge quanyshtymyn.
I am glad you came.
Sizge osy masele boyynsha suraq qoysam bolady ma?
May I ask you a question regarding this issue?
Senin osy jerde boluyn manyzdy.
Your presence here is important.
Sizderdi osy jerde körgenime quanyshtymyn.
I am glad to see you all here.
Siz özinizdi qalay sezinesiz?
How do you feel yourself?
Sizdin osy iske qosqan ülesiniz zor.
Your contribution to this work is great.
Senin bul qylyğyn meni tañ qaldyrdy.
This behavior of yours surprised me.
Sizderdiñ kelisimderinizsiz biz bastay almaymyz.
Without your agreement, we cannot start.
Sizge degen qurmetim sheksiz.
My respect for you is infinite.
Sizderdiñ osy bastamany qoldap jatqandaryңызğa alğıs bildiremin.
I express my gratitude for your support of this initiative.
Senin bul jerdegi rölin erekshe.
Your role here is unique.
Sizge degen izgi tilegimdi jetkizgim keledi.
I want to convey my best wishes to you.
Sizderdiñ aralaryñyzda kim bar?
Who is among you?
سهل الخلط
Learners mix up the singular and plural informal.
Learners use 'siz' for groups.
Mixing 'senin' with formal suffixes.
أخطاء شائعة
Sen kelesiz
Sen kelesin
Siz kelesin
Siz kelesiz
Siz keldi
Siz keldiniz
Senler
Sender
Sizder barasız
Sizder barasızdar
Sen barasız ba?
Sen barasın ba?
Siz barasın ba?
Siz barasız ba?
Siz barasızlar
Sizder barasızdar
Senin atynyz kim?
Senin atyn kim?
Sizdin atyn kim?
Sizdin atynyz kim?
Sizder keldi
Sizder keldinizder
Sen keldiniz
Sen keldin
Siz keldin
Siz keldiniz
أنماط الجُمل
Siz ___ barasız ba?
Sen ___ isteysin?
Sizder ___ kelesizder?
Siz ___ dep oylaysız?
Real World Usage
Siz qanday tajiribege iesiz?
Sen qaydasın?
Siz mağan kofe bere alasız ba?
Senin suretin keremet!
Siz qalay tūrasız, ata?
Sizderdiñ nazarlaryñyzğa rahmet.
Default to Siz
Don't mix registers
Use titles
Plural respect
Smart Tips
Always start with 'Siz' and add 'ağa' or 'apke'.
Use 'siz' for everyone, even if you know them.
Use 'sizder' to be safe.
Always use 'siz' and formal endings.
النطق
Siz vs Sen
The 'z' in 'Siz' is voiced, while 'n' in 'Sen' is nasal.
Formal Question
Siz keldiniz be? ↑
Rising intonation at the end shows politeness.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Sen is for a friend, Siz is for a wise elder.
ربط بصري
Imagine a 'S' for 'Siz' standing tall like a respectful elder, and a 'S' for 'Sen' being small and friendly like a peer.
Rhyme
Sen is for a friend you know, Siz is for the one you show respect to as you go.
Story
A young student meets a professor. He says 'Sen' by mistake, and the professor looks surprised. He quickly corrects himself to 'Siz', and the professor smiles, accepting the respect.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Write 5 sentences: 3 using 'sen' for imaginary friends and 2 using 'siz' for imaginary elders.
ملاحظات ثقافية
Respect for elders is paramount. Always use 'siz' until invited otherwise.
The 'siz' form is a historical plural used for respect, similar to the French 'vous'.
بدايات محادثة
Siz qaysy qalada tūrasız?
Senin bos uaqytynda ne istegendi unatasın?
Sizderdiñ otbasylaryñyz qalay?
Siz osy maselege qalay qaraysız?
مواضيع للكتابة اليومية
أخطاء شائعة
Test Yourself
___ keldiniz be? (formal)
Siz barasız ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
Sen kelesiz.
Sen qayda barasın?
You can use 'sen' with your boss.
A: Siz qalay sız? B: ___.
Siz / keldiniz / ba / ?
Which is formal?
Score: /8
تمارين تطبيقية
8 exercises___ keldiniz be? (formal)
Siz barasız ___?
Find and fix the mistake:
Sen kelesiz.
Sen qayda barasın?
You can use 'sen' with your boss.
A: Siz qalay sız? B: ___.
Siz / keldiniz / ba / ?
Which is formal?
Score: /8
الأسئلة الشائعة (8)
No, always use 'siz' with teachers to show respect.
Use 'siz' until you know for sure.
Yes, it is the formal plural.
Kazakh grammar requires agreement between the subject and the verb.
Only if they are children.
If you use 'sen' with an elder, it is rude.
The 'sen/siz' system is standard across all Kazakh regions.
Apologize and switch to 'siz'.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Tú vs Usted
Spanish also has gendered adjectives, while Kazakh does not.
Tu vs Vous
French 'vous' is also the plural 'you', whereas Kazakh has 'sizder' for plural formal.
Du vs Sie
German 'Sie' is always capitalized in writing, unlike 'siz'.
Keigo
Japanese changes the verb itself, not just the suffix.
Anta vs Antum
Arabic has gendered pronouns for both singular and plural.
Ni vs Nin
Chinese does not have verb conjugation for person.
