Start here: Sounds, alphabet, and confidence
Azerbaijani (Azeri) uses a Latin script with a few special letters: ç, ğ, ı (dotless i), ö, ü, and ş. That’s great news for beginners, because you can learn to read quickly and map sounds to letters. Focus on three helpful pronunciation anchors: x (like a throaty kh), q (a hard, back g), and ı (a relaxed, central vowel).
Stress usually falls near the end of the word, and spelling is fairly consistent. Spend your first minutes mastering the alphabet and common letter pairs. Record yourself repeating words and compare. Even at A1 level, this fast feedback loop builds accent confidence and saves time later.
- x = kh (as in Bach)
- q = hard g (back of mouth)
- ı = dotless i (uh/ï sound)
- ş = sh, ç = ch
A 30‑minute beginner plan you can stick to
Short, consistent sessions beat long, rare marathons. Use this 30‑minute routine five days a week. Keep a tiny notebook or a notes app. Aim for clear wins each day: 10 new words, 2 phrases you can say out loud, and one tiny grammar idea. Track your streak and celebrate small steps.
Rotate topics to stay fresh: greetings, numbers, food, transport, and time. If you’re busy, switch to a 15‑minute version by halving the middle steps. The key for beginners is repetition in meaningful chunks you can actually use today.
- 5m: Sounds + quick read-aloud
- 8m: Core phrases (listen, repeat)
- 7m: App drills or flashcards
- 5m: Micro-grammar (one pattern)
- 3m: Speak a mini-dialogue
- 2m: Plan tomorrow’s 3 goals
Free online resources and PDF guides
You can learn Azerbaijani free with a smart mix of apps, videos, and printable PDFs. Combine a daily app habit with a structured PDF course and short YouTube listening. This gives you vocabulary, grammar context, and real speech in parallel—perfect for a beginner.
Note on Duolingo: Duolingo doesn’t currently offer Azerbaijani for English speakers. Use it for habit cues if you like, but rely on other online tools below for actual Azerbaijani content.
- FSI Azerbaijani Basic Course (free PDF + audio): a thorough, old-school course great for structure.
- Wikibooks: Azerbaijani: community-built lessons you can read online or save as PDF.
- Memrise and Clozemaster: spaced repetition decks for beginner words and sentences.
- YouTube: search “Azerbaijani for beginners” for playlists on alphabet, phrases, and dialogues.
- Online dictionaries (AzerDict, Glosbe): fast lookups with examples; save tricky words.
- Tatoeba and Phrasebooks (PDF): real example sentences to read aloud daily.
Core phrases and small grammar wins
Memorize a few high-frequency phrases you can say today. Speak them out loud and shadow audio for 2–3 minutes. Build from greetings to requests and simple questions. Don’t worry about perfection—clarity and confidence matter most at beginner level.
For grammar, focus on tiny wins: the plural -lar/-lər, the accusative -ı/-i/-u/-ü after specific objects, and common postpositions like üçün (for) and ilə (with). Learn them inside phrases, not in isolation, so they stick.
- Salam! (Hello!)
- Necəsən? / Necəsiniz? (How are you? informal/formal)
- Mən başlanğıc səviyyədəyəm. (I’m a beginner.)
- Zəhmət olmasa. (Please.)
- Çox sağ ol / sağ olun. (Thank you.)
- Bu nədir? (What is this?)
- Neçədir? (How much is it?)
- Mən Azərbaycan dilini öyrənirəm. (I learn Azerbaijani.)
FAQ
- How long does it take a beginner to reach A1 in Azerbaijani?
- With 20–30 minutes a day, most motivated beginners can reach basic A1 conversation in 6–10 weeks. Keep sessions short, focus on phrases you’ll use, and recycle vocabulary daily with spaced repetition.
- Is Azerbaijani hard for English speakers?
- It’s approachable: a Latin alphabet, consistent spelling, and lots of loanwords. New bits include vowel harmony and word order, but small, daily practice makes them manageable for beginners.
- Where can I find free Azerbaijani PDFs?
- Try the FSI Azerbaijani Basic Course (PDF + audio), Wikibooks Azerbaijani (export or print pages), and university course handouts or open syllabi. Save phrase lists as your own offline PDF for quick review.
- Can I learn Azerbaijani fully online?
- Yes—combine a structured PDF course, app drills, and YouTube listening. Add short speaking moments by reading aloud or using language exchanges. Online alone works if you speak out loud daily.
- Does Duolingo have Azerbaijani?
- As of now, Duolingo doesn’t offer Azerbaijani for English speakers. Use Memrise, Clozemaster, FSI PDFs, and YouTube instead. If you like Duolingo’s routine, mirror that habit with these resources.