Skip Google Translate for a moment. These are the phrases that actually matter.
Let’s be honest: Nobody was packing a phrasebook in 2025, and nobody will in 2026 (or ever). If you’re traveling, you’re using Google Translate, Apple Translate, or live captions off your phone. And those are great! They’ll tell you what “tomato” is in Azerbaijani and butcher your pronunciation beautifully.
But here’s the secret: apps can translate your words… but not your intentions.
They can’t help you with hospitality culture, respectful tone, social rules, or the unspoken magic of Azerbaijan.
That’s where these five phrase sets come in.
They unlock better service, warmer interactions, fewer misunderstandings, and faster connections, the things technology can’t always smooth over.
And don’t worry: this isn’t a repeat of my Common Azerbaijani Phrases for Everyday Conversations blog. That one covers everyday life.
This one covers travel-specific, real-life situations you’ll actually run into in Azerbaijan.
Let’s get you fluent enough to order food, negotiate a price, and find your way without accidentally ending up in someone’s wedding.
1. Finding Places
For when you know what you want, just not where it is.
- Haradadır? | [Ha-ra-da-dır] | Where is it?
- Çox uzaqdadır? | [Çox u-zaq-da-dır] | Is it very far?
- Yaxındadır? | [Ya-xın-da-dır?] | Is it close?
- Bilmirəm | [Bil-mi-rəm] | I don’t know
- Buradadır? | [Bu-ra-da-dır] | Is it here?
- Oradadır? | [O-ra-da-dır] | It’s over there?
Perfect for asking about the metro, Old City, supermarkets, malls, bathrooms, or simply not trusting Google Maps (valid).
2. Prices (Simple Version)
You see something you like. Now you need to know if you can buy it without crying.
- Bu neçəyədir? | [Bu ne-çə-yə-dir] | How much is this?
- Ən son neçəyədir? | [Ən son ne-çə-yə-dir] | What’s your best price?
- Kartla ödəniş olar? | [Kart-la ö-də-niş o-lar] | Can I pay with card?
- Xırda var? | [Xır-da var] | Do you have a change?
- Çox bahadır | [Çox ba-ha-dır] | It’s very expensive.
Stop here. These five alone will carry you through every shop and market.
3. Directions You’ll Actually Use
When someone gives you directions in Azerbaijani and your brain starts buffering.
- Sola dönün | [So-la dö-nün] (formally) | OR Sola dön | [So-la dön] (informally) | Turn left
- Sağa dönün | [Sa-ğa dö-nün] (formally) | OR Sağa dön | [Sa-ğa dön] (informally) | Turn right
- Düz gedin | [Düz ge-din] (formally) | OR Düz get | [Düz get] (informally) | Go straight
- Dayanın | [Da-ya-nın] | (formally) | OR Dayan | [Da-yan] (informally) | Stop
- Buradan keçin | [Bu-ra-dan ke-çin] (formally) | OR Buradan keç | [Bu-ra-dan keç] (informally) | Go through here
These help you understand what locals are saying, especially taxi drivers who think you magically know every shortcut in Baku.
4. Food & Essentials
For restaurants, cafés, bakeries, markets, and anywhere you’re trying not to guess things wrong.
- Bu nədir? [Bu nə-dir?] | What is this?
- Mən bunu istəyirəm [Mən bu-nu is-tə-yi-rəm] | I want this one
- Bu şirindir? [Bu şi-rin-dir] | Is this sweet?
- Bu desertdir? | [Bu de-sert-dir] | Is this a dessert? The actual word for dessert is şirniyyat [şir-niy-yat] but you may not hear it much.
- Bu sulu yeməkdir? | [Bu su-lu ye-mək-dir?] | Is this a soup? | The actual word for soup is şorba [şor-ba] but you may not hear it much either.
- Bunun içində ət var? | [Bu-nun i-çin-də ət var] | Does it have meat in it?
- Bunun içində süd var? | [Bu-nun i-çin-də süd var] | Does it have milk in it?
- Çox dadlıdır | [Çox dad-lı-dır] | (This is) very tasty
- Mənə su / qəhvə / çörək lazımdır | [Mə-nə su / qəh-və / çö-rək la-zım-dır] | I need water / coffee / bread
Great for travelers with dietary limits, picky eaters, or people who don’t want accidental surprises in their meals.
5. Negotiation & Shopping Survival
You don’t have to bargain, but it’s culturally normal, and sometimes necessary.
- Bahadır | [Ba-ha-dır] | It’s expensive
- Endirim var? | [En-di-rim var] | Is there a discount?
- Bir az endirim edin | [Bir az en-di-rim e-din] | Give me a little discount
- Biraz baxım | [Bi-raz ba-xım] | Let me think / I’ll look a bit
- Paket verə bilərsiniz? | [Pa-ket ve-rə bi-lər-si-niz] | Can I get a bag?
Even if you never bargain in your home country, using these politely in Azerbaijan is totally normal. The worst they’ll say is “yox,” and the best-case scenario is you save money and get treated like a local.
Quick Side Helpers (Mini Survival Pack)
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Bir | [Bir] | one
-
İki | [İ-ki] | two
-
Üç | [Üç] | three
-
Dörd | [Dörd] | four
-
Beş | [Beş] | five
-
On | [On] | ten
-
Yüz | [Yüz] | hundred
-
Bəli | [Bə-li] (formal) | Hə | [Hə] (informal) | yes
-
Xeyr | [Xeyr] (formal) | Yox | [Yox] (informal) | no
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Kömək edin | [Kö-mək e-din] | Help me
-
Başa düşmürəm | [Ba-şa düş-mü-rəm] | I don’t understand
These are the ones you keep in your mind’s back pocket.
Final Thought
Traveling in Azerbaijan gets 10 times easier, and 100 times warmer when you use even a little Azerbaijani. These phrase sets cover everything tourists actually face: finding places, buying things, getting around, understanding menus, and not paying “tourist prices.”
If you want more everyday, non-travel phrases, check out Common Azerbaijani Phrases for Everyday Conversations. They pair perfectly with this post without repeating anything.