There are about 480,000 Sakha speakers. People who live in Sakha will usually speak pure Sakha. Many of the new generation of Sakha living abroad will speak a mixture of Russian and Sakha. This can make communication with them quite challenging. It’s not enough to learn just Russian, but Sakha too.
The Yakut culture is a fascinating and unique culture. In the last 500 or so year, there were many nomadic or semi-nomadic cultures around the world particularly in the americas and Australia, and of which they are genetically quite similar. Native Americans originally arrived in America via the bearing straights. Unfortunately many of these cultures have been radically changed or integrated with the arrival of settlers and colonisers within those communities. The Yakut language seems to be one the best preserved cultures of its kind and part of the reason for this is because of the extreme cold, distance and size in Yakutsk.
Here are some basic words and notes for learning Sakha that I’ve learnt so far
Utyea sarcedenen – good morning
Jhama dacerhEn barja ra renduo – Do you want to go for a walk?
Tapteben – i love you
Kofee ejer jheden barja ra ran duo – do you want coffee?
Haida etyehe serbu – how do you say?
Ostuol – table
Cerbu luben- I love
Min ostuolum – my table
En ostuolum – your table
Aha – yes
Soj – No
Dorooba – hello
Min taptaben – My love
Min sakha jonoron tapteben – I love the sakha people
Min anglichanineren tapteben – I love the English people
Sanga jinelen- happy new year
Sanga jinelen, Sanga jolonan – happy new year happy health
Min Sakhalu sanga raban – I can speak Sakha
Min Sakhalu olus oochugeydik sanga raban – I can speak Sakha fluently
Bilegen – now
Min baharaban – I want
Min ostuolbum baharaban – I want your table
Telepeun – phone
Min telepeun baharaban bilegen- I want your table
Olihin – Because
Min bararen keyen eh pepen – I can’t say bararen
Anglicha nimen – I’m English
Samaluet – aeroplane
Min utchutelem – My teacher
Begen muorarha barahutduo – are you going to the beach today
Begen – today
Muorarha – beach
Haschaaska – When?
Toho – Why?
Toho dieteha – Because
Haida -How?
Toh – What?
Masinanen – car
Min tolkoldo olorobun – I’m thinking
Min en toskonan tolkoy doobun – I’m thinking about you
Bahalusta Sahalu sanga – Speak to me in sakha
Mahtal – Thank you
