qalay
/qalaj/
1. how, in what way — As a predicate it asks about a state: sawluğuŋ qalaydı how is your health?
- sawluğuŋ qalaydı? — how is your health?
- işiŋ qalaydı? — how are things with you?
- sen qalay körese? — how do you see it?
- alay jeŋil qalay jetdiŋ? — how did you get here so quickly?
- bıyıl bitimni ışanı qalaydı? — how are the prospects for the harvest this year?
2. how, what a — In an exclamation it marks a high degree: qalay ariw kündü what a fine day!
- qalay suwuqdu — how cold it is
- qalay ullusa! — how big you are!
- bügün qalay ariw kündü! — what a fine day it is today!
- qalay tab söleşdiŋ! — how well you spoke!
- til bilmegen qalay amandı — how bad it is not to know the language
- süymeklik degeniŋ qalay alamat zatdı! — what a wonderful thing love is!
- qalay tatlı juqlay edik! — how sweetly we were sleeping!
3. what — In a question about a course of action Karachay uses this word where English uses what: qalay eteyim what should I do?
- qalay eteyim? — what am I to do?
- qalay eteyik? — what are we to do?
- qalay eterigimi kesim bileme — I know myself what to do
- bılay etsem qalay bolur? — what will happen if I do it this way?
4. as, the way, however (introducing a clause, usually answered by alay) — qalay süyseŋ alay et do as you like.
- qalay süyseŋ, alay! — as you wish!
- qalay deseŋ, alay eterbiz — we will do as you say
- qalay süyseŋ, alay jaşa! — live as you wish!
5. how could (in rhetorical questions, meaning something cannot or should not happen)
- qalay unasın! — how could one approve of it!
- qalay keterik edim? — how could I have left?
- qalay quwanmasın aŋa adam! — how could a person not rejoice at it!
6. how come, what do you mean (expressing surprise, doubt or indignation)
- qalay barmağanma! — what do you mean I didn't go!
- qalay etmegenme! — what do you mean I didn't do it!
- qalay kelmey qalırla! — what do you mean they won't come!
7. what?, pardon? (asking someone to repeat)
- qalay? ne dediŋ? — what? what did you say?
8. somehow, for some reason — This meaning belongs to the phrase qalay ese da.
- qalay ese da adamlanı aŋılamayma — somehow I don't understand people
- qalay ese da ıçhınŋandı — somehow he got away
- qalay ese da ozub ketdi — somehow he got ahead
- ol qalay ese da bildi — he somehow found out
- qalay ese da qaytdım — somehow I came back
Expressions
- betin qalay çığarır — how dare he
- eki tirmeniŋ bla gugukga qalay aldatdıŋ — wasting your own means
- qalay qaraysa — what do you think