Tengrism revolves around the worship of nature, and its followers seek harmony with the natural world. Ancestor worship is a crucial aspect, as Tengrists believe in maintaining a deep connection with the dead ones, honoring their wisdom and guidance. Moreover, a woman’s role in the Tengrist Turkic societies was quite prominent, with a lot of female diplomats, generals and governors.

The cosmic worldview of Tengrism involves the spiritual significance of various elements, including celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and stars, as well as earthly components such as mountains, rivers, and trees. This interconnectedness underscores the very nature of Tengrism, where both the spiritual and physical realms are intertwined in a harmonious balance. Tengrism advocates for responsible use of the earth and animals, limiting it to bare necessities; for instance, hunting is permitted only until the family's needs are met. Exploitation and greed have no place in Tengrism. There is no sacred book that tells you how to live your life: you should figure it out yourself. Tengrism doesn’t exclude: its elements are seamlessly integrated into our modern religions, and even followers of other religions who have lived a good and honest life, are believed to be rewarded by Tengri.

Even though there are a lot of fantastical elements in Tengrism, the respect for the nature, animals and other people is as down-to-earth of a concept as it gets. Over time, the polytheistic nature of Tengrism lost its significance, with believers acknowledging Tengri as a supreme god and the most important entity who rules over all people. Rituals and ceremonies often center around maintaining balance, seeking blessings from Tengri, and expressing gratitude to the spirits that inhabit the natural world.

Regardless of your religious beliefs or lack thereof, do you think there are lessons that we can learn from our ancestor’s beliefs and values? Let me know in the comments.
__________________________
https://allturkic.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTufvfcRb9g&t=440s

#tt_newbie
Holidays

🎈 bəyrəm – holiday
küñelle – joyful
oçraşu – meeting, gathering
bəyrəm itü – celebration
ğöref-ğәdәt – tradition, custom
yola – rite
yumartlıq – generosity
tuğan köne – birthday
telək – wish

🎁 … bülək – a(n) … present
kirəkle – necessary
istəlekle – memorable
kötelməgən – unexpected
bülək qabul itü – to accept a present
bülək törü – to wrap a present
bülək birü / itü – to give a present
törü qәğәze – wrapping paper
tasma – ribbon

🙏🏼 Speaking of wishes, what can we wish our Tatar friend who has a birthday?
Siña … telim. – I wish you …
bəxet – happiness
isənlek-sawlıq / səlamətlek – health
mәxəbbət – love
uñış – success
mullıq / baylıq – prosperity

You can also say:
Yöz / meñ / küp yəşə – Live long
Ozın ğömerle bul – Wishing you longevity
Barlıq xıyallarıñ tormışqa / çınğa aşsın – May all your dreams come true
Çın küñeldən qotlıym – I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart

🤲🏼 Tatar (möselman) dini bəyrəmnəre – Tatar (muslim) religious holidays:
Uraza bəyrəme / ğəyete – Eid al-Fitr
Qorban bəyrəme / ğəyete – Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)

🙌🏼 Milli bəyrəmnər – National holidays:
Nəwrüz – Nowruz
Sabantuy / Saban tuyı
Cıyın
Narduğan

What other Tatar holidays do you know? Leave them in the comments!

#tt_beginner
Past Tense II

Also known as bilgesez (indefinite) ütkən zaman. The past tense II is formed by joining -ğan, -gən to stems ending in a vowel or a voiced consonant, -qan, -kən to stems ending in a voiceless consonant. This form, which is actually a past participle, is identical with the third person singular. The other persons are formed by adding the pronominal personal endings.

min eşləgənmen – I worked
sin eşləgənseñ – you worked
ul eşləgən – he/she/it worked
bez eşləgənbez – we worked
sez eşləgənsez – you (form./pl.) worked
alar eşləgənnər – they worked

ℹ️ Past Tense II expresses an action or the result of an action which the speaker has NOT personally witnessed, which he relates on the basis of information received. The action was completed or its result realized at some point in the past.

Annarı üze turında söylərgə kereşte. Rayon məğərif bülegeneñ mödire bulıp eşli ikən. Pedagogik institutın təmamlağaç, bez uqığan məktəptə tarix uqıtqan. Annan direktor itkənnər. Annan rayonğa alğannar. (Tufan Miñnullin, “Xəsən Wəğizoviç”)

Then he began to talk about himself. It turned out that he works as the director of the Education Department of the district. After graduating from the Pedagogical Institute, he taught history at the school which we attended. Later he was made its principal. After that he was transferred to the district administration.

⚠️ NOT witnessing the action is the main indicator of the Past Tense II. Some other indicators can be:

✔️ An action or state which the speaker has done unwillingly (or unconsciously) or does not remember about (especially if you add ikən (apparently) to the verb)

Min üzem, bilgele, bu “çəyni” zamanın bötenləy diyərlek xəterləmim, bik keçkenə bulğanmın əle, – əytik, ike belən biş arasında ğına. Annarı bez çəynineñ üzendə tügel, ə kürşedəge ikençe ber yortta torğanbız. (Əmirxan Yeniki, “Soñğı kitap”)

I myself, of course, have almost no remembrance at all of the time of the teahouse. I was very little – let’s say, only between two and five years old. Then, we lived not in the teahouse itself, but in another house in the neighborhood.

Min ... 1901. yılnıñ 7. ğinwarında tuğanmın. ... Min Yañasala awılında tuğanmın. (Ğömər Bəşirov, “Tormış suqmaqları”)

I was born on January 7, 1901. ... I was born in the village of Yañasala.

✔️ Actions which took place over a period of time in the distant past (for example, in the narration of historical events and in fairy tales).

Urta ğasırlarda şəhərlər, bigrək tə başqala rolen ütəgənnəre, ğədəttə ikegə bülengənnər. Berençe öleşe qəlğə dip atalğan həm anda dəwlət başlığı, xökümət əğzaları, yuğarı dərəcəle ruxanilar urnaşqan. Bistə yəki şəhər dip yörtelgən ikençe öleşendə hönərçelər, səwdəgərlər həm şunıñ işe “qara xalıq” yəşəgən. (Səlam Alişev, “Qazannıñ 800 yıllığına – tarixtan ber səxifə”)

In the middle ages, cities, especially those functioning as capitals, were usually divided into two parts. The first part was called the fortress, where the head of state, members of the government and the high-ranking clergymen lived. In the second part, called the suburb or city, lived the craftsmen, merchants and similar “common people.”

✔️ Timelessness as, for example, in descriptions of general characteristics.

Awıl. Uramnarnı qar qaplağan, öylərneñ tübələre belən tərəzələre genə kürenə. (Xəy Waxit, “Soñğı xat”)

A village. Snow covers the streets, only the roofs and windows of the houses are visible.

How well did you do? 😉

Even though the Past Tense is one of the most basic topics, it’s not as easy as it seems. I’ve tried finding good explanations on exactly how to choose between the Past Tense I and II in many different grammar books, but they all are not very well written for a person who doesn’t know any Tatar, kind of expecting you to already have a gut feeling of which one you should use.

I’ve tried explaining these tenses the best I could in the Past Tense I and Past Tense II posts, check them out if you haven’t yet! If there are any teachers or linguists out there with more hints or suggestions, please feel free to share 🤗

#tt_intermediate
Wishes

Like all Turkic peoples, Tatars love wishes. We have so many phrases to wish you prosperity, good luck and so on.

👋🏼 When we say goodbye to someone, we say:

tağın kilegez – come again (plural)
kergəlәgez – come by (pl.)
qarap qına yör – take care
… (D) səlam əyt – say hi to…

🧳 Or if someone leaves on a trip:

xəyerle yul – bon voyage
xəyerle səfər bulsın – have a nice trip
yulıñ uñ bulsın – good luck (on a trip)

🎁 If someone buys or receives a new piece of clothing as a gift, we wish them:

qotlı bulsın – best wishes (lit. “may it be happy”)
cılı təneñdə tuzsın – may it wear out on your warm body
östeñdə kiyep tuzdırırğa yazsın – may it wear out on you
östəwle kiyem (mal) bulsın – may more clothes (wealth) come to you
rəxəten kürergə nasıyp itsen – may it bring pleasure
igelek (xəyere) belən bulsın – may it bring good
östennən östəlsen – may more be added

♥️ Tatars’ wishes are always çın küñeldən or çın yörəktən (from the bottom of our hearts)!

🍽️ To someone who’s eating, we wish:

təmle bulsın – bon appetit
aşlarığız/çəyləregez təmle bulsın – enjoy your (pl.) meal/tea

💪🏼 To someone who’s working, we wish:

Allah qüwət birsen – may Allah give you strength
Allah yərdəm birsen – may Allah help you
qüwətegez küp bulsın – lots of strength to you (pl.)
eşləregez uñsın – wishing you (pl.) success in your work

If they are just starting their work, you can also say:

qulıñ ciñel bulsın – may your hand be light

Or you may help them! Before you start working, you can say:

Allahqa tapşırdıq – handing over to Allah

💡 Bear in mind, these expressions are not reserved solely for deeply religious individuals; they are commonly used by Tatars regardless of their religious beliefs or degree thereof.
_________________________
Based on N. Gabdreyeva, G. Zinnatullina “Speech Etiquette in the System of Genetically Different Languages”

#tt_advanced
Compound Tenses: Past Tense II + bulu

1. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bulğan.

This form indicates that an action had been completed by the time another action occurred, and the narrator did not witness it. It expresses the result of an action or the fact that it took place. It could be termed as the "unwitnessed past perfect" when compared to the past perfect in -ğan ide.

İşetüwemə qarağanda, qayçandır Dəwləkənnən Stərletamaqqa yul salırğa uylağannar həm bu dambanı şunıñ öçen kütərgən bulğannar. (Əmirxan Yeniki, “Soñğı kitap”)
According to what I heard, they once had decided to build a road from Dawlakan to Sterlitamak and, therefore, had raised this dam.

2. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bulır.

This form indicates either a future action resulting from specific conditions or a habitual action with a present result. In the latter case, it's synonymous with -ğan bula.

Irtəgə kiçkə klub bötene belən bezneñ tuy öçen xəzerləngən bulır. (Fətxi Burnaş, “Kamali qart”.)
By tomorrow night the whole club will have been prepared for the wedding.

3. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bulaçaq.

This form indicates that the action expressed by the basic verb will definitely have taken place as the result of conditions mentioned in a given context. It is synonymous with that in -ğan bulır, except that it is explicitly categorical.

Xəzer bez ezlərenə töştek. Berniçə səğəttən alar qamalğan bulaçaq. (Fətxi Burnaş, “Xösəyen mirza”)
We have come upon their track. In a couple of hours they will have been surrounded.

4. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bula(lar).

This form is used in narratives to emphasize that an action has been completed and has produced a result before the time of speaking. It's often used alongside present tense verbs for vivid storytelling.

Almış xan Bolğar ilendə islam dine taratu həm məçet saldıru öçen belgeç sorıy… Bolğar xanınıñ İslam dine qabul itüwe xaqında işetkən bulalar. (Rawil Fəxretdinov, “Bolğar tarixına yaña istəleklər”)
Almış khan asked for a specialist to spread Islam and to get a mosque built in Bolghar… They had heard about the Bolghar khan’s acceptance of the Islamic religion.

It can denote actions that will definitely have taken place at a certain point in future time.

Ul anı inde sin qaytışqa onıtqan bula.
He will already have forgotten about it when you return.

One of the variations of the flag of Lipka Tatars

almost resembling the flag of Golden Horde but with smaller and reversed logo located on the upper hoist side

#tt_culture
Lipka Tatars

The Polish-Lithuanian Tatars, numbering over 26 thousand in 1993, have a rich history deeply intertwined with the region's politics. From the very beginning of their settlement in Lithuania they were known as the Lipka (the old Crimean Tatar name of Lithuania) Tatars, a distinct group with their own unique history and cultural identity.

The Lipka Tatar origins can be traced back to the descendant states of the Golden Horde, the Crimean Khanate and Kazan Khanate. By the end of the 14th century, Vytautas the Great invited Tatars to settle in the Grand Duchy.
Initially, their service was military in nature, evident in their participation in key battles like the Battle of Grünwald against the Teutonic Order. They served various Polish kings and left their mark on history through their bravery and loyalty. Over time, many Tatars migrated to Poland and Turkey, often receiving land in exchange for military service to Lithuanian princes or Polish kings.

In 1672, the Lipka Tatar subjects rebelled against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, known as the Lipka Rebellion. King Jan III Sobieski of Poland, highly respected by Tatar soldiers, managed to persuade many Lipkas to return to his command and granted them noble titles in recognition of their service. Notably, during the Napoleonic wars, some Tatars fought for Poland's liberation from Russian rule.

Initially serving as a noble military caste, later they became urban dwellers known for their crafts, horses and gardening skills. While they remained very attached to their religion, over time they lost their original Tatar language. From the late 18th to the 19th century, the Lipka Tatars increasingly adopted the Polish language and customs, especially among the upper and middle classes. The lower ranks became more influenced by Ruthenian culture.

In the 20th century, particularly around the time of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Tatar communities in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine formed the Voluntary Committee with the aim of self-determination. However, the Tatar communities faced challenges, including pressure to assimilate and a changing political landscape, leading to migrations. Despite these challenges, efforts have been made to preserve the Tatar culture and heritage. In 2010, a monument honouring Tatar soldiers was unveiled in Gdańsk, Poland, with the country's president, Bronisław Komorowski, participating in the ceremony. His mother, Jadwiga Komorowska, has Tatar ancestry, which adds a personal connection to the community.

Today, the Lipka Tatars’ total population is 10-15,000 individuals, mostly residing in Belarus, Poland and Lithuania. Despite historical migrations and cultural adaptations, these Tatar communities have maintained their distinct cultural and religious identity and remain an integral part of the region's diversity.

#tt_newbie
Infinitive and hobbies

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə, etc. (neg. -masqa, -məskə) modifies nouns, adjectives or modal words used attributively or predicatively.

... mondıy waq-töyəklər turında ozaq söyləşep torırğa waqıtı yuq ide. (Fatix Xösni, “Malay, çilək, əbi”)
... he had no time to talk for long about such small details.

Siña xat yazmağanmın. Menə anısı öçen meñ tapqır ğafu ütenergə əzer. (Ğamir Nasrıy, “Yəşel eşləpə”)
I haven't written you a letter. I'm ready to apologize a thousand times for that.

Sin borçılma, Şəmsiyə apa. Xafizğa beraz xəl cıyarğa, yoqlap alırğa kirək. (Riza Işmorat, “Gölzadə”)
Don't worry, Şəmsiyə. Xafiz must rest a little and sleep for a while.

You can use this infinitive to describe your hobbies in Tatar:

Min … yaratam. – I like … .

uqırğa – to read/study
yal itergə – to relax
rəsem yasarğa – to draw
duslar belən oçraşırğa – to meet up with friends
gitarada uynarğa – to play guitar
sport belən şöğellənergə – to do sports
kinoğa/teatrğa/konsertlarğa barırğa – to go to the movies/theater/concerts
muzıka tıñlarğa – to listen to music
biyergə – to dance
cırlarğa – to sing
küñel açarğa – to have a good time / amuse myself
səyəxət itərgə – to travel
peşerergə – to cook
futbol / kompüterda uynarğa – to play football / video games

Please note that the infinitive cannot be used with postpositions! (e.g. “uqır öçen”, NOT “uqırğa öçen”)

This is all the basic information that you need about the infinitive. If you want to go further in your learning, here are more ways of using the infinitive in your speech that we will talk about in the next post.

#tt_beginner
More uses of Infinitive

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə followed by ide expresses a strong wish or desire, a suggestion, an advice with a tinge of regret, a duty, obligation, necessity, need, or irony. If indicated, the subject (the agent) is in the dative.

Qıçqırmasqa, tawışlanmasqa ide miña, ə milisiyəgə xəbər itərgə ide. (Afzal Şamov, “Yaqtaşım”)
I should not have screamed and made a scene, I should have notified the police. (The speaker wishes that he had not acted the way he did and regrets it)

We had a list of phrasal verbs that are used to express a decision to do something, but did you know there was a simple construction that expresses the same thing?

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə, followed by bulu (typically in the indicative past tense I) expresses the agent's decision or intention regarding carrying out or refraining from the action denoted by the infinitive.

Ul bik əybət keşe, əni, qarşı kilmə, min añarğa kiyəwgə çığarğa buldım. (Fatix Xösni, “Ğilmenisa”)
He is a very nice man, Mother, don't oppose it, I have decided to marry him.

The affirmative infinitive in -rğa, -rgə, etc. followed by bulu in the third person singular (bula / bula ide / bulır / bulır ide), expresses the possibility to perform the action denoted by the infinitive. The construction can be impersonal-indefinite, or it can refer to a specific agent. If indicated, the latter is in the dative case.

Kürəm, başqortlar. Dimək, tatarça söyləşergə bula. (Mirsəy Əmir, “Bez bələkəy çaqlarda”)
I see, they are Bashkorts. That means, one can speak Tatar to them.

The negative infinitive in -masqa, -məskə, followed by bulu in the third person singular indicates that the action need not be carried out. If indicated, the acting person or thing is in the dative case

Xəyer, aña bügen eşkə barmasqa da bula. (Mösəğit Xəbibullin, “Sular örgə aqsa da”)
Okay, there is no need for her to go to work today.

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə etc. may be followed by different verbs to convey different meanings:

🌷Infinitive + qalu (to stay, remain in 3rd person sing) = the subject has no choice but to carry out the action. If indicated, the agent appears in the dative case.

kötərgə genə qala – all that remains for us to do is to wait

🌷Infinitive + itü (to do, make) = the subject intends or attempts to carry out the action

Yegetlərneñ berse anı quyıp totarğa itte, ləkin Qotbıy anı tuqtattı. (Mösəğit Xəbibullin, “Sular örgə aqsa da”)
One of the young men wanted to chase after her and catch her, but Qotbıy stopped him.

🌷Infinitive + toru (to stand, live, dwell) or yörü (to walk) = the subject is about to or intends to carry out the action

yañğır yawarğa tora – it is about to rain

🌷Infinitive + totınu (to hold to, to set about) = the beginning of an action.

xalıq qul çabarğa totındı – people began clapping their hands

🌷Infinitive + dip = purpose

Yuq, bügen ul alar yanına bötenləy başqa nərsələr turında söyləşergə dip kilgən ide bit. (Ləbibə İxsanova, “Yul keşese”)
No, today she had come to them to talk about completely different things.

🌷Infinitive + ikən(lek) = necessity, duty

nişlərgə ikənen (or ikәnlegen) əytermen – I'll tell you what to do

🌷Infinitive + bar, yuq, tügel
Expresses possession of, or lack of, things needed or commonly used to carry out the action denoted by the infinitive

östemə kiyərgə yuq – I have nothing to wear

#tt_intermediate
Positive energy!

🤗 Do you feel like nowadays you need some empathy and support more than ever? Or do you know someone who needs a pick-me-up? We’ll teach you some nice phrases to give you or your loved ones that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Sin yalğız tügel. – You’re not alone.
Xisləreñne añlıym. – I understand how you feel.
Xəyerlegə bulsın. – Hopefully it’s for the better.
Barısı da yaxşı bulır. – Everything will be okay.
Min siña ışanam. – I believe in you.
Yarıy əle sin bar. – It’s good to have you. (lit. At least there is you.)

Qurıqma! – Don’t be afraid!
Borçılma! – Don’t worry!
Bireşmə! – Don’t give up!
Sin buldırasıñ! – You can do it!
Aşıqma! Aşığudan fayda yuq. – Take your time! There's no rush.
Afərin, şəp kilep çıqqan! – Bravo, you did an amazing job!
Bigrək uñğansıñ! – You’re so talented/skillful!
Sin mine ilhamlandırasıñ. – You inspire me.

Do you know any other phrases of support and positivity in Tatar? Share them in the comments!

#tt_advanced
Comparison of 3 tenses + a test

Past Perfect (Küptən ütkən zaman)
An action performed at some point in past time or the result of a past action or the state resulting from a past action.
🕔 Past tense II stem (past participle) of the verb with idem, ideñ, ide, etc.:
eşləgən ide

Imperfect (Təmamlanmağan ütkən zaman)
An action started in the past and is taking place when another action occurs. Reflects the process.
🕔 Present tense stem + idem, ideñ, etc.:
eşli ide

The habitual past (Qabatlawlı ütkən zaman)
Expresses an action that repeatedly took place in the past. The English equivalent is “used to do sth.”
🕔 Past participle of the verb toru followed by idem, ideñ, ide, etc.:
eşli torğan ide

Do you know when to use each of these tenses? Check your knowledge with this test 👇🏼