For Azat, the canvas was a shamanic drum, and the brush was his drumstick. Rejecting frames, he believed they confine the energy of his creations. His graphic works span from sketches to illustrations for books like Qol Ğali’s "Qıyssa-i Yosıf" and the Tatar epic "İdegəy."

Azat Minnekaev's art goes beyond boundaries, inviting viewers to explore ancient cultures, mystical landscapes, and the spiritual essence of the Turkic and other indigenous peoples.

🌷Subscribe to Learn Tatar for more Tatar content like this!

#tt_newbie
Days and months

📅 Kazan Tatar names of days of the week:

düşəmbe – Monday
sişəmbe – Tuesday
çərşəmbe – Wednesday
pənceşəmbe – Thursday
comğa – Friday
şimbə – Saturday
yəkşəmbe – Sunday


📅 Mishar Tatar names of days of the week:

başken – Monday
buşken – Tuesday
çərşəmbe – Wednesday
atnakiç / keçatna – Thursday
atnaken / yoma – Friday
atnaras – Saturday
bazar ken / ursatna / başkiç – Sunday


📅 Names of the months in Tatar are very similar to the ones in English:

ğinwar – January
fevral – February
mart – March
aprel – April
may – May
iyün – June
iyül – July
avgust – August
sentyabr – September
oktyabr – Oktober
noyabr – November
dekabr – December

Most of these are borrowed from Russian preserving its pronunciation. There are also historical Tatar names that we will talk about in the next advanced post.

#tt_intermediate
Confusing words II

You liked our post on confusing words – we’re bringing them back! Check out part I if you haven’t yet, and here are more similar words sorted out.

🟡 ğazaplanu – to suffer
ğәcәplәnü – to be surprised, amazed

Keşeneñ ozaq waqıt ğazaplanğannan soñ da keçkenә genә yaxşılıqlarğa ğәcәplәnüwe qızıq. – It is interesting how a person can suffer for so long and still be surprised by the smallest acts of kindness. 

🟡 kiçə – yesterday
kiçen – in the evening

Kiçə kiçen oçraşuğa bardıq. – Last night (lit. yesterday in the evening) we went to a meeting.

🟡 qapqaç – lid
qaplaw – to cover
qapqa – gate, goal (in sports)
qapqaçı – goalkeeper

Qapqaçı qapqa aldında tup östenə sikerep, anı banka qapqaçı kebek qapladı. – The goalkeeper leaped in front of the goal, landing on top of the ball like a lid covering a jar.

🟡 ğələm – space
ğalim – scientist
ğilem – science 

Ğalim ğələmne öyrənügə üz ğömeren bağışlap, ğilemgə zur öleş kertte. – The scientist dedicated his life to studying space, making a big contribution to science.

🟡 misal – example
məsəl – fable
məsələn – for example

Qısqa xikəyələr yəki məsəllərdən misal ezləp bula, məsələn, “Aqqoş, Çurtan həm Qısla”. – You can look for an example in short stories or fables, for example, “Swan, Pike and Crawfish”.

🟡 bülek – chapter, part
bülək – gift
bülem – department, division 
bülmə – room

Kitapnıñ berençe bülegendə qaharman kibetneñ bülək bülemendə ber serle bülməgə iltә torğan işekne taba. – In the first chapter of the book, the character finds a door leading to a secret room in the gift department of a store. 

#tt_advanced
Historical names for months and days of the week

Turkic peoples in the Volga-Ural-Siberian regions used the ancient Egyptian solar cycle, and used to calculate the years based on the periodicity relative to the movement of the sun in order to perform cattle breeding, farming and other household activities. More on that in the upcoming #tt_culture post.

🗓 Ay isemnəre:

Yañarış ayı – March (21.3-21.4)
Saban ayı – April (21.4-21.5)
Çereşmə ayı – May (21.5-21.6)
Peçən ayı – June (21.6-21.7)
Uraq ayı – July (21.7-21.8)
Indır ayı – August (21.8-21.9)
Bilek ayı – September (21.9-21.10)
Qaraköz ayı – October (21.10-21.11)
Kerəw ayı – November (21.11-21.12)
Qırlaç – December (21.12-21.1)
Aqman – January (21.1-21.2)
Buşay – February (21.2-21.3)

🗓 Atna könnəre:

Tuğan – Monday
Atlağan – Tuesday
Qankön – Wednesday
Atnakiç – Thursday
Comğa – Friday
Atnartı – Saturday
Bazar – Sunday

#tt_culture
The significance behind the Tatar month names

As already discussed in the previous post, the old Tatar month names hold cultural significance. Let’s go through a year of a Tatar villager together:

🌱 21.3-21.4
Yañarış (Renewal):
Marking the New Year, it involved the "Qarğa botqası" ritual, aiming to ease the yearning felt after the Turko-Bulgarian state's collapse, when the sons of Kubrat Khan dispersed to different regions. People went to fields, greeting birds and awaiting news from separated relatives.

🌱 21.4-21.5
Saban (Plough):
In Tatar, Saban signals the start of spring field work. From April 21, Tatars and Bashkorts in the Volga-Ural-Siberian regions celebrated the Saban tuyı, marking the start of spring field work. In the 1930s, the Bolsheviks merged this tradition with the holiday of Cıyın in the month of Peçən.

🌱 21.5-21.6
Çereşmə (striving, aspiration):
A month representing spring and vegetation growth, when the meat of domestic cattle and wild deer is inedible due to its leanness. In this period, cattle rejuvenate by grazing on fresh grass. The youth of the Volga-Ural-Siberian Turkic peoples engaged in evening meadow activities, including games, dances, and singing.

☀️ 21.6-21.7
Peçən (Hay):
In early Peçən, the Volga-Ural-Siberian Turks traditionally celebrated the Cıyın holiday, marking the voluntary and official conversion to Islam in Bilər-Bolğar. In the 1930s, Bolsheviks banned this holiday, citing "religious content," replacing it with the Saban tuyı that used to be celebrated in April.
Since 1989, there have been efforts to revive the Oluğ Cıyın ceremony. On the 22nd day of the Peçən month (today’s July 12), women held a flower festival, coinciding with cattle fattening and abstaining from consuming meat in that period.

☀️ 21.7-21.8
Uraq (Harvest):
Harvesting of ripe crops began in the Volga-Ural-Siberian regions in this month. Summer was a good time to start eating the meat of cattle fattened by grazing.

☀️ 21.8-21.9
Indır (Threshing):
The period of processing grains in the “ındır ​​tabağı” (threshing floor) by Turkic peoples of the region.

🍂 21.9-21.10
Bilek (expresses being wealthy like a “bi”):
The Turkic peoples of the Volga-Ural-Siberian region celebrated that year's yield this month.

🍂 21.10-21.11
Qaraköz (Dark Autumn):
indicates the middle of autumn.

🍂 21.11-21.12
Kerəw (denotes entering into winter):
In the Volga-Ural-Siberian regions, this term indicates the transition from autumn to winter. In this month, cattle are usually slaughtered to create a winter meat supply.

❄️ 21.12-21.01
Qırlaç (Hunting):
Considered the coldest month of winter. People go hunting wild ungulates during this month.

❄️ 21.01-21.02
Aqman:
It's the middle of winter, and the whole land is covered in white snow.

❄️ 21.02-21.03
Buşay (Free month):
It is the season of livestock breeding, representing free time before spring field work.
These terms reflect cultural practices, seasonal activities, and historical events in the Volga-Ural-Siberian region.

☝🏼 A quick reminder that on Instagram I post the culture texts from this channel as well as (sometimes) pictures like these based on the Telegram posts! Give me a follow over there and share with your friends 💚

#tt_beginner
Never have I ever

The past participles ending in -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən, when used with bar or yuq, refer to an unspecified time in the past. These forms indicate that the subject had (or did not have) the opportunity to perform the action described by the participle. Additionally, they suggest that the action was observed and occurred either once or multiple times.

✅ The word denoting the agent (if mentioned) appears in the genitive case; the participle takes the respective possessive suffix.

Sezneñ məktəptə minem bik küp mərtəbələr bulganım bar. (Kərim Əmiri, “Tañ waqıtı”)
I have been to your school many times.

Alarnıñ yıldan artıq küreşkənnəre yuq ide inde. (Barlas Kamalov, “Ömeteñ özelməsen”)
It was now already more than a year since they had seen each other.

✅ The agent is in the nominative; the participle takes the respective possessive suffix.

Min añar az-maz burıç birgələp torğanım bar. (Şərif Kamal, “Nıqlı adımnar”)
I have given him small loans now and then.

✅ The agent is in the genitive case; the participle appears in its basic form (no possessive suffix).

Bügen bezneñ aşağan yuq əle. (Səğit Sünçələy, “Sənğətçelər”)
We haven't eaten today yet.

✅ The agent is in the nominative; the participle appears in its basic form (no possessive suffix).

Dönyada ləzzət bula, di, min anı kürgən də yuq. Xəsrət belən ütte ğömerem, uynağan, kölgən də yuq. (Məcit Ğafuri, “Yuq”)
There is bliss in the world, they say. I haven't seen it at all. My life has passed with sorrow. I have not played, nor laughed at all.

✅ The agent is not expressed; the participle does not take a possessive suffix. Always refers to the acting person, who is known from the context.

Awıl qızı min, eşne kürgən bar! – dide. (Ənəs Ğaliev, “Awıldaşlar”)
“I am a country girl, I have seen work!” she said.

Uqu həm məğərif – Studying and Education

#tt_newbie
Studying and Education

A new school year has begun, and this and the next posts’ topics will be dedicated to studying, education, and science!

📚 Let’s start with the basics:

öyrənü – to learn
öyrətü – to teach
uqu – to study
uqıtu – to teach
uquçı – pupil, student
uqıtuçı – teacher
yattan öyrənü – to learn by heart
belem – knowledge
məğərif, belem birü – education
tərbiyə – upbringing

Uqıtuçınıñ burıçı belem həm məğərf birü genə tügel, balalarnı tərbiyələw də. – A teacher’s task is not only giving knowledge and education but also the upbringing of children.

🏫 The stages of education people usually go through have the following names in Tatar:

balalar baqçası – kindergarten
başlanğıç məktəp – primary school
urta məktəp – secondary school
texnikum – technical school
institut – institute
universitet – university

🎒 Typical school-related words:

sıynıf – form, grade, classroom
dəres – lesson
taqta – blackboard
aqbur – chalk
dəreslek – textbook
qələm – pen

Uqıtuçı dərestə taqtağa aqbur belən yaza, ə balalar dəftərlərenə qələm belən yazalar. – The teacher writes on the blackboard with chalk during the lesson, and the students write in their notebooks with pens.

karandaş – pencil
sızğıç – ruler
betergeç – rubber
xarita – map
tənəfes – break
bilge quyu – to give a mark
bilge alu – to get a mark
birem – task
künegü – exercise
öy eşe – homework
yallar – vacation

Dərestə uquçılarğa künegülər birelə, annarı öydə öy eşen də eşlərgə kirək. – During the lesson, the students are given exercises, and after that, they also have to do their homework at home.

If these are too easy, don’t worry: in the next couple of posts we will get more into higher education and science vocabulary.

🧪 For now, some easy science-related vocabulary:

fən, ğilem – science
fənni, ğilmi – scientific
fən – subject
ğalim – scientist (m)
ğalimə – scientist (f)

Stay curious and stay tuned for our next posts!

#tt_intermediate

Today let’s listen to Zulya Kamalova’s song Yükələr and appreciate the beautiful voice and creativity put by her into every song, and the huge contribution she made into our Tatar culture 💔 

I’ve chosen this song because firstly, it’s just one of the most beautiful compositions I’ve ever heard, and secondly, it’s based on her father’s poems, which makes it a magical family project, full of love, care and wisdom passed down through generations.

I also want to share with you the backstory of Yükələr told by Zulya Kamalova on her instagram page. The song is about her father’s difficult childhood and the unique things made from linden bark: they didn’t just make shoes and baskets from it, but also flour. When Zulya was little, her father used to constantly talk about how to survive in wild conditions. Not only berries, mushrooms, and nuts, but also different herbs, young pine shoots, old roots, and even ant acid could be food!

Listen on Youtube, Spotify or Apple Music.

ZULYA – YÜKƏLƏR

Urman urtasında
Yəş yükələr, şəwləp üsələr.
Zifa buylı yükələrgə
Süz quşmıyça kitsəñ, üpkələr.

Söyləgez, dim, barısı turında,
Rəncetmime sezne keşelər?
Ber qart yükə söylim dide
Ütkəndəge awır yazmışın.
...Bu əkiyət tügel, bu — bulğan xəl.

“Elek zaman bez də kürdek şaqtıy awırlıqnı,
Tormış açısın:
Çabatalar yasaw öçen bezne küp qırdılar,
Yözləp – meñərləp.
Keşe bezneñ çikmənnərne telep,
Alıp kitte maqtap, biştərləp.
Yəşlər qızlar awlaq öygə yörde,
Ürgən nəfis “tuflya” – ayaqta.
Əbilərgə uñay qata idek –
Bez küp xözmət ittek ul çaqta.
Awır taşı tegermənneñ
Tunnarıbız buldı sarı on.
Peşerdelər bezne köldə,
Terək buldıq yəşəw öçen.”

Urman urtasında
Yəş yükələr, şəwləp üsələr.
Zifa buylı yükələrgə
Süz quşmıyça kitsəñ, üpkələr.
________________

ZULYA – LINDENS

In the middle of the forest  
Young lindens grow in the shade.  
If you pass by these slender lindens  
Without saying a word, they’ll be offended.  

"Tell me," I say, "about everything,  
Don’t people hurt you?"  
An old linden said, "Let me tell you  
About the hardships of the past.  
...This is no fairy tale, this is real."  

"Back in the day, we faced many difficulties,  
The bitterness of life:  
They cut us down in large numbers  
To make bast shoes, hundreds to thousands.  
People tore off our bark,  
Praising it and carrying it away in sacks.  
Young women went to gatherings,  
Wearing delicate shoes made from us.  
We served grandmothers well as sturdy shoes —  
We worked hard back then.  
Our bark was the heavy stone of the mill,  
It turned into yellow flour.  
They baked us in the ashes,  
We were a support for survival."

In the middle of the forest  
Young lindens grow in the shade.  
If you pass by these slender lindens  
Without saying a word, they’ll be offended.

#tt_beginner
Let’s do this!

✏️ The most common forms of the Optative are:

✅ Verb stems ending in a consonant or -i, -u take:

-ıym, -(y)im in the singular
-ıyq, -(y)ik in the plural
çıq! (go out) – çığıym! (let me go out) – çığıyq! (let’s go out)
kil! (come) – kilim! (let me come) – kilik! (let’s come)
ki! (put on) – kiyim! (let me put on) – kiyik! (let’s put on)

✅ Verb stems ending in -a, -ə, or -e drop the vowel and take the same endings.

başla! (begin) – başlıym! (let me begin) – başlıyq! (let’s begin)
eşlə! (work!) – eşlim! (let me work or let me do it) – eşlik! (let’s work or let us do it)

✅ Verb stems ending in ı add -ym and -yq.

uqı! (read) – uqıym! (let me read) – uqıyq! (let’s read)

Verb stems ending in -ya, -yə drop the vowel and take -ıym, -ıyq, -im, -ik.
buya! (paint) – buyıym! (let me paint) – buyıyq! (let’s paint)

✅ Negative verb stems follow the same pattern as affirmative stems ending in -a or -ə.


✏️ The use of the Optative:

✅ The first person singular conveys a wish, desire, intention, voluntary decision, or a request for permission to perform or not perform an action. 

Qara əle, min bügen ənilərgə barıp qaytmaqçı idem, barıymmı? (Ğaliəsğər Kamal, “Qayniş”) 
Look, I wanted to go to mother’s today, may I go? 

✅ The first person plural expresses a suggestion, encouragement, or invitation for others to join in or refrain from a collective action.
Monda tuqtap beraz yal itik. (Tatar xalıq əkiyətləre, “Turay batır”)
Let’s stop here and rest a little.

✅ In interrogative sentences, both the singular and plural forms of the optative are used to express:  

• a direct request for advice or permission.  
Cibərimme? – Should I send it?

• the situation being the opposite.  
Qayan belim? – How would I know? (meaning "I don’t know")

#tt_advanced
Fən

Fən — tikşerenü həm təcribələr ütkərü yərdəmendə dönyanı öyrəngən həm anıñ qanunnarı turında belem birgən sistema. Fänneñ töp maqsatı — belem tuplaw, anı tərtipkə salu həm keşeler tormışın yaxşırtu öçen qullanu.

tikşerenü – research
təcribə – experiment, experience
qanun – law

Fən ğədəttə berniçə töp tarmaqqa bülenə: ximiyə həm biologiyə kebek tabiği fənnər fizik dönyanı öyrənə. Matematika həm informatika kebek tögəl fənnər tögəl prinsiplarğa həm qağidələrgə nigezləngən abstrakt sistemalarğa yünəlgən. Psixologiyə belən sosiologiyə kebek ictimaği fənnər cəmğiyət həm anıñ üseşen öyrənə.

Süzlek:

➗ tögəl fənnər – exact sciences
matematika – mathematics
fizika – physics
astronomiyə – astronomy

🧪 tabiği fənnər – natural sciences
biologiyə – biology
ximiyə – chemistry
medisina fəne – medical science
cəğrafiyə, geografiyə – geography

📐 texnik fənnər – technical sciences
möhəndislek, injeneriyə – engineering
miğmariyət, arxitektura – architecture

👥 ictimaği fənnər – social sciences
psixologiyə – psychology
sosiologiyə – sociology
iqtisad – economics
tarix – history
xoquq beleme – science of law

🎨 humanitar fənnər – humanitarian sciences
səñğət – arts
ədəbiyət – literature
fəlsəfə – philosophy
tel beleme – linguistics

Fən tarixı keşe sivilizasiyəse tarixı, Misır həm Mesopotamiyə mədəniyətləre kebek ük borınğı. İñ berençe ğalimnar matematika, astronomiyə həm medisina fənen üstergən. Bu belemnər Yunanstan fəlsəfəsenə zur yoğıntı yasağan. Ğasırlar dəwamında fən tarixında küp üseş həm torğınlıq çorları bulğan, həm bolar axır çiktə fənneñ 16-17 ğasırlardağı töp üzgəreşenə, Ğilem inqilabına kitergən. Bügenge köndə fənni tikşerenülər bik tığız xeməttəşlektə alıp barıla həm ğədəttə akademik institutlarda həm dəwlət şirkətlərendə başqarəla.

🔬Bu temağa kübrək faydalı leksika:

ısul – method
çığanaq – source
yuğarı uqu yortı – higher education institution
yünəleş – course, specialty
belgeç – specialist
kerü – to enter
yarış – competition
imtixan – examination
imtixan tapşıru – to pass an exam
imtixan birü – to take an exam
imtixannı tapşıra almaw – to fail an exam
fənni eş – research paper
ğilmi dərəcə – academic degree
tanıqlıq – certificate
təmamlaw – to graduate