What language do they speak in Kyrgyzstan?
Short answer: the state language of Kyrgyzstan is Kyrgyz, and Russian has official status. Kyrgyz is the native language of 5.5 million people, and three in four residents aged 7 and over speak it fluently; only 0.55% named English as their second language. Below are the 2022 census figures and what they mean for your trip.
State language and official language: the Constitution
The status of languages is set by Article 13 of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic. Kyrgyz is the state language, and a separate constitutional law regulates how it is used. Russian is used as an official language. These are two different statuses, not two equal state languages.
What the state language means in practice for foreigners is covered in Kyrgyzstan residence permit: Kyrgyz language and A1; the requirements for civil servants, teachers and doctors are in Kyrgyz for civil servants, teachers and doctors.
1. Кыргызский язык - государственный язык Кыргызской Республики. Порядок применения государственного языка определяется конституционным законом. 2. В Кыргызской Республике в качестве официального используется русский язык.
Constitution of the KR, Art. 13 parts 1–2, Russian text (Ministry of Justice database)1. Кыргыз тили - Кыргыз Республикасынын мамлекеттик тили. Мамлекеттик тилди колдонуу тартиби конституциялык мыйзам менен аныкталат. 2. Кыргыз Республикасында расмий тил катары орус тили колдонулат.
Constitution of the KR, Art. 13 parts 1–2, Kyrgyz text (Ministry of Justice database)Native language: what the census shows
The 2022 census asked about people's native language and, for the first time, how well they speak Kyrgyz and Russian. By native language, Kyrgyz is the mother tongue of four residents in five.
The table adds up two census columns: people for whom this is the language of their own ethnic group, and people of other ethnic groups who named it as their native language. Kyrgyz, for example, was named by 5,360,056 ethnic Kyrgyz and by 167,112 people of other ethnic groups.
Впервые в переписи населения 2022 года задавались вопросы о степени владения кыргызским (государственным) и русским (официальным) языками.
National Statistical Committee of the KR, 2022 census, Book II (part one), section on ethnicity and languages (in Russian)Кыргызская Республика 6 936 156 6 700 250 167 112 39 170 16 100 13 524 … кыргызы 5 379 020 5 360 056 - 9 332 5 002 4 630
2022 census, table 3.8 “native language”: total / language of own ethnic group / Kyrgyz / Russian / Uzbek / other (in Russian)| Native language | People | Share of residents |
|---|---|---|
| Kyrgyz | 5,527,168 | 79.7% |
| Uzbek | 884,830 | 12.8% |
| Russian | 304,630 | 4.4% |
How well people speak Kyrgyz and Russian
For residents aged 7 and over, the census recorded a scale from “fluently” to “not at all”. 75.7% speak Kyrgyz fluently and 37.9% speak Russian fluently; another 24.9% speak Russian well.
As a second language, 3,049,226 people named Russian, 482,466 named Kyrgyz and 38,166 named English.
Кыргызская Республика 5 807 488 4 393 470 637 685 300 387 222 020 253 926
2022 census, table 3.11, population aged 7+, Kyrgyz: total / fluently / well / adequately / poorly / not at all (in Russian)Кыргызская Республика 5 807 488 2 202 455 1 448 956 1 112 431 526 169 517 477
2022 census, table 3.12, population aged 7+, Russian: total / fluently / well / adequately / poorly / not at all (in Russian)Кыргызская Республика 3 920 816 56 535 482 466 3 049 226 224 490 38 166 12 045 57 888
2022 census, table 3.9 “second language”: speakers of a second language / own group's language / Kyrgyz / Russian / Uzbek / English / German / other (in Russian)| Speak the language | Kyrgyz | Russian |
|---|---|---|
| fluently | 75.7% | 37.9% |
| well | 11.0% | 24.9% |
| adequately | 5.2% | 19.2% |
| poorly | 3.8% | 9.1% |
| not at all | 4.4% | 8.9% |
Where you will hear which language
For a traveller, geography matters most. In Bishkek, 81.8% of residents aged 7 and over speak Russian fluently, and 58.7% in the Chuy Region. In the Naryn, Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad regions the figure is 14.1–19.3%, while 67.1–95.3% there speak Kyrgyz fluently.
In practice: in the capital you can get by in Russian, while in the Naryn, Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad regions only one person in five to seven speaks it fluently — there, Kyrgyz is what helps. A greeting, “thank you” and a couple of questions in Kyrgyz go a long way in the regions — both as courtesy and as real help in a conversation.
| Where | Fluent in Kyrgyz | Fluent in Russian |
|---|---|---|
| Bishkek (city) | 83.3% | 81.8% |
| Chuy Region | 70.5% | 58.7% |
| Issyk-Kul Region | 87.2% | 41.6% |
| Osh (city) | 65.4% | 36.9% |
| Talas Region | 87.1% | 22.5% |
| Jalal-Abad Region | 73.4% | 19.3% |
| Batken Region | 74.5% | 19.2% |
| Naryn Region | 95.3% | 17.2% |
| Osh Region | 67.1% | 14.1% |
What about English?
38,166 people named English as their second language — 0.55% of residents. A fair caveat: the census recorded one second language per person, and for 78% of those who named one it was Russian, so how many speak English as a third language the census does not show.
If you speak Turkish, Kyrgyz will feel familiar, though not instantly understandable — see Kyrgyz vs Kazakh vs Turkish.
Where to start before your trip
Twenty phrases are enough to begin: hello, thank you, yes, no, “I didn’t understand”. You will find them all, with native-speaker audio, in the English–Kyrgyz phrasebook, and a travel selection in Kyrgyz phrases for travel.
If you want more, start with the Kyrgyz alphabet and greetings: the alphabet has 36 letters, and only three of them — ң, ө and ү — are special.
Frequently asked questions
What is the official language of Kyrgyzstan?
Under Article 13 of the Constitution, Kyrgyz is the state language of Kyrgyzstan, and Russian is used as an official language.
Do people speak English in Kyrgyzstan?
In the 2022 census, 38,166 people named English as their second language — 0.55% of residents; how many speak it as a third language, the census does not show.
Do people speak Russian in Kyrgyzstan?
Yes, unevenly. According to the 2022 census, 37.9% of residents aged 7 and over speak Russian fluently: 81.8% in Bishkek, but 17.2% in the Naryn Region and 14.1% in the Osh Region.
Is Kyrgyz the same as Kirghiz?
Yes, it is one language. “Kyrgyz” follows the native name and is the official form; “Kirghiz” and “Kirgiz” are older spellings that came into English via Russian.
References
- Кыргызская Республика (2021). Конституция Кыргызской Республики. Централизованный банк данных правовой информации, Министерство юстиции КР. cbd.minjust.gov.kg/112213/edition/1242843/ru
- Национальный статистический комитет Кыргызской Республики (2023). Перепись населения и жилищного фонда Кыргызской Республики 2022 года. Книга II (часть первая): Население Кыргызстана, табл. 3.8, 3.9, 3.11, 3.12. stat.gov.kg. www.stat.gov.kg/media/publicationarchive/0f717d2d-5078-4e18-8b56-fb2a530462a2.pdf
Related reading
Kyrgyz phrases for travel: from hello to the bazaar
40 essential Kyrgyz phrases for your trip: greetings, introductions, transport, the bazaar, cafés and hospitality — each with native-speaker audio.
Kyrgyz vs Kazakh vs Turkish: mutually intelligible?
Are Kazakh and Kyrgyz mutually intelligible, and can Kyrgyz speakers understand Turkish? Word pairs, parallel grammar and an honest intelligibility scale.
Kyrgyz or Kirghiz: which spelling is correct?
Kyrgyz, Kirghiz and Kirgiz all name the same Turkic language. Where the spellings come from, which one is official, and which you should use — a short history.