QWERTY-AZ (Azerbaijani) — Ə, Ğ, İ, Ş, Ü on the Azerbaijani Keyboard
QWERTY-AZ is the Azerbaijani Latin keyboard. It's similar to Turkish QWERTY-TR (both Turkic languages) but with one critical addition: Ə ə (schwa), a letter unique to Azerbaijani among Turkic languages. Plus the standard Turkish-style characters: ğ, ş, ı, İ, ö, ü.
Azerbaijani's unique characters
The Azerbaijani Latin alphabet (post-1991) has 32 letters. Special characters:
- Ə ə (schwa — unique to Azerbaijani; sound between e and a)
- Ğ ğ (g with breve)
- İ i (dotted i)
- I ı (dotless I)
- Ö ö (o with diaeresis)
- Ş ş (s with cedilla)
- Ü ü (u with diaeresis)
- Ç ç (c with cedilla)
The schwa (ə) is the distinctive feature — no other major language uses it as a primary letter.
Where each character lives on QWERTY-AZ
Similar to QWERTY-TR but with ə added:
- ə: dedicated key (typically right of L home)
- ğ: dedicated key (top right area)
- ı: dedicated key (replaces standard i position in some layouts)
- İ: Shift + dedicated key
- ö, ü: right side direct keys
- ş, ç: right side direct keys
Practice the Azerbaijani layout at /az/qwerty_az/.
The schwa (ə)
Ə represents a mid-central unrounded vowel sound — similar to the "uh" sound in English "the" (unstressed). Common in Azerbaijani words:
- mən (I/me)
- sən (you)
- və (and)
- ölkə (country)
- gözəl (beautiful)
Drilling ə specifically is essential — it appears multiple times per sentence.
Common Azerbaijani typing patterns
- mən, sən, və, bu, o — common pronouns/short words
- salam, sağ olun, xoş gəldiniz — greetings/politeness
- Azərbaycan, Bakı, Gəncə — proper nouns
- gözəl, böyük, kiçik — common adjectives
- gəlmək, getmək, görmək — common verbs
Many Azerbaijani words use 2-3 special characters per word — heavy right-pinky workload.
Azerbaijani vs Turkish typing
| Feature | Azerbaijani | Turkish |
|---|---|---|
| ç ş ö ü | ✓ | ✓ |
| ğ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ı / İ distinction | ✓ | ✓ |
| ə (schwa) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Layout style | QWERTY-AZ | QWERTY-TR (Q or F) |
The schwa is the main typing difference between Azerbaijani and Turkish. Otherwise the layouts share much.
The dotted/dotless i (shared with Turkish)
Like Turkish, Azerbaijani distinguishes:
- i (dotted): regular i sound
- ı (dotless): back unrounded i sound
- Shift+i = İ (capital with dot)
- Shift+ı = I (capital without dot)
Common in words like:
- isti (hot)
- ışıq (light)
- İstanbul (Istanbul)
Touch typing tips for Azerbaijani
- Drill ə specifically — most distinctive Azerbaijani character
- Master ı/i/I/İ — Turkish-style dotted/dotless distinction
- Right pinky workload — many specials on right side
- Don't confuse with Turkish — ə is unique; layouts differ in some positions
After 30 days of QWERTY-AZ practice: 40-50 WPM in real Azerbaijani.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Azerbaijani use Latin script?
Azerbaijan adopted Latin script in 1991 (after independence from USSR). Previously used Cyrillic (1939-1991) and Arabic before that. Multiple alphabet changes in one century.
Is Azerbaijani Cyrillic still used?
Limited — primarily in Iran (where ~30+ million Azeris live, using Arabic script). In Azerbaijan itself, Latin is standard since 1991.
Can I type Azerbaijani on Turkish QWERTY-TR?
Mostly yes, except ə (schwa) is missing. Most Azerbaijani speakers maintain QWERTY-AZ for proper Azerbaijani.
Is the schwa hard to pronounce for non-speakers?
For English speakers: relatively easy (similar to the unstressed "the"). For Russian speakers: requires practice.
Why does Iran's Azeri community use Arabic script?
Historical and religious tradition — Iranian Azerbaijani has been written in Arabic-derived script for centuries. Different from Azerbaijan Republic's Latin standard.
Are there alternative Azerbaijani layouts?
A few variants exist (some include ŋ for specific dialects). QWERTY-AZ is the universal Latin standard.
Try it
Practice QWERTY-AZ on Typing Hero App — 19 lessons including ə (schwa) and Turkish-style characters.
For more: How to type in Azerbaijani, QWERTY-TR Turkish, How to type special characters.