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Uzbek grammar is fortunately easy to learn! This Grammar Section is designed to make learning the rules as quick as possible so you can start building your own sentences. Unlike other course we want you to familiarise with the most important rules to speak Uzbek from today.

The sections below cover everything you need to know from basic sentence construction and verb conjugations to more complex topics like noun cases, gender agreements, together with practical examples to help you understand and memorise the Uzbek grammar rules. Be sure to learn the core 2000 Uzbek vocabulary first so you can follow the examples more easily.

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Uzbek Alphabet

Uzbek is a Turkic language spoken primarily in Uzbekistan and other Central Asian regions. Historically, it has used various scripts including the Arabic, Cyrillic, and Latin alphabets. Today, the official Uzbek alphabet is based on the Latin script, although Cyrillic remains in use, particularly among older generations and in informal contexts.

The Uzbek Latin alphabet consists of 29 letters. Each letter corresponds to a specific sound, making pronunciation fairly straightforward for learners. Below is an overview of the key features of the Uzbek alphabet and its pronunciation:

  1. Vowels
    Uzbek has six main vowel sounds:

    • a - pronounced like "a" in father

    • e - pronounced like "e" in set

    • i - pronounced like "ee" in see

    • o - pronounced like "o" in or (but more rounded)

    • u - pronounced like "oo" in boot

    • o‘ - a deep, rounded sound similar to the "aw" in law

  2. Consonants
    Most Uzbek consonants resemble their English equivalents, but there are a few notable exceptions:

    • ch - pronounced like "ch" in chair

    • sh - pronounced like "sh" in shoe

    • g‘ - a guttural "gh" sound, similar to the French r or Arabic غ

    • q - a deeper "k" sound, produced in the back of the throat

    • h - pronounced as a strong h, similar to "kh" in Bach

  3. Special Letters
    Uzbek also uses some letters unique to its phonetic structure:

    • ng - pronounced as "ng" in sing

    • j - pronounced like "zh" in measure

    • y - pronounced like "y" in yes

  4. Long and Short Sounds
    Uzbek pronunciation does not heavily rely on stress or tone. Each vowel and consonant generally has a short, crisp sound. There are no silent letters, and each word is pronounced as it is written.

Uzbek Nouns

In Uzbek, nouns are relatively simple when it comes to grammar because the language does not have a complex system of gender or plural formation like many Indo-European languages. This makes Uzbek easier for beginners to grasp.

Gender of Nouns

Unlike languages such as French, Russian, or German, Uzbek does not have grammatical gender. Nouns are neutral, and the same word is used regardless of whether it refers to a man, woman, or object. For example:

  • O‘qituvchiTeacher (used for both male and female teachers)

  • Do‘stFriend (gender-neutral)

  • DoktorDoctor (same for both men and women)

If there is a need to specify gender, additional words or context are used to clarify. For example:

  • Erkak o‘qituvchiMale teacher

  • Ayol do‘stFemale friend

However, in most everyday situations, context is enough to understand whether the subject is male or female.

Number of Nouns

In Uzbek, the distinction between singular and plural is very straightforward.

Singular Form

A noun in its basic form is considered singular:

  • KitobBook

  • UyHouse

  • BolaChild

Plural Form

To form the plural in Uzbek, the suffix -lar or -lar/ -ler is added to the noun. The choice of -lar or -ler depends on vowel harmony, but in many modern contexts, -lar is the more universal plural ending. Examples include:

  • KitoblarBooks

  • UylarHouses

  • BolalarChildren

If the noun ends in a vowel, the suffix -lar is simply attached without additional changes:

  • OtaFatherOtalarFathers

  • O‘quvchiStudentO‘quvchilarStudents

Exceptions and Notes on Plurals

  • In Uzbek, when a noun refers to a group of people or objects, it is often used in the singular form, even if the meaning is plural. For example:

    • Odam ko‘pThere are many people (literally: Person is many)

    • Bola keldiThe children came (literally: Child came).

  • Plural suffixes are not used when other words in the sentence, such as numbers, indicate plurality:

    • Uch kitobThree books (not Uch kitoblar)

    • O‘n bolaTen children (not O‘n bolalar).

This rule simplifies Uzbek grammar significantly.

In Uzbek, nouns and pronouns take different forms depending on their grammatical function within a sentence. These forms are called cases, and they indicate relationships such as possession, direction, location, or the object of an action. Uzbek grammar uses six primary cases, and each case is marked by a specific suffix added to the noun or pronoun.

1. Nominative Case (O‘zlik kelishigi)

The nominative case is the base or unmarked form of the noun. It is used for the subject of a sentence.

  • Example:

    • Kitob – "The book"

    • O‘quvchi kitob o‘qiyapti. – "The student is reading a book."

Here, kitob (book) is in the nominative case because it is not modified by any suffix and serves as the subject or neutral word.

2. Genitive Case (Qaratqich kelishigi)

The genitive case indicates possession and answers the question "kimning?" (whose?). It is formed by adding the suffix -ning to the noun.

  • Example:

    • O‘quvchi – "Student" → O‘quvchining – "Of the student"

    • O‘quvchining kitobi bor. – "The student has a book."

Here, o‘quvchining shows possession of the book.

3. Dative Case (Yo‘nalish kelishigi)

The dative case indicates direction or movement toward someone or something. It answers the question "kimga?" (to whom?) or "nima?" (to what?). The dative case uses the suffix -ga (or -ka after vowels).

  • Example:

    • Uy – "House" → Uyga – "To the house"

    • Men uyga ketayapman. – "I am going to the house."

Here, uyga shows the direction of movement.

4. Accusative Case (Tushum kelishigi)

The accusative case marks the direct object of a verb and answers the question "kimni?" (whom?) or "nimani?" (what?). It uses the suffix -ni.

  • Example:

    • Kitob – "Book" → Kitobni – "The book"

    • Men kitobni o‘qiyapman. – "I am reading the book."

Here, kitobni indicates that the book is the object being acted upon.

5. Locative Case (Jo‘nalish kelishigi)

The locative case shows location or place where something is happening. It answers the question "qayerda?" (where?). The locative suffix is -da (or -ta after vowels).

  • Example:

    • Maktab – "School" → Maktabda – "At school"

    • Bolalar maktabda o‘qiydi. – "The children study at school."

Here, maktabda shows the location of the action.

6. Ablative Case (Chiqish kelishigi)

The ablative case indicates motion away from a place or a point of origin. It answers the question "qayerdan?" (from where?). The ablative suffix is -dan (or -tan after vowels).

  • Example:

    • Bozor – "Market" → Bozordan – "From the market"

    • Men bozordan keldim. – "I came from the market."

Here, bozordan indicates the origin of movement.

Uzbek Cases

Uzbek Articles

In the Uzbek language, there are no articles equivalent to "a," "an," or "the" in English. Uzbek grammar does not use definite or indefinite articles to clarify the specificity of a noun. Instead, context, word order, and suffixes often determine the meaning and level of specificity in a sentence.

How Uzbek Handles Definite and Indefinite Nouns

  1. Indefinite Nouns
    In English, the indefinite articles "a" or "an" are used to introduce non-specific nouns. In Uzbek, the absence of articles makes nouns inherently indefinite when they are used without additional context.

    Example:

    • Kitob o‘qiyman.I read a book.
      (Here, "kitob" means book in general, without specifying which book.)

    Similarly, the plural form also conveys an indefinite meaning when needed:

    • Kitoblar sotib oldim.I bought some books.

  1. Definite Nouns
    To indicate that a noun is definite (specific), Uzbek relies on case suffixes and sentence structure. The accusative case marker (-ni) is commonly used to mark the noun as definite.

    Example:

    • Kitobni o‘qiyman.I read the book.
      ("Kitobni" uses the accusative suffix "-ni" to show that a specific book is being referred to.)

    Without the -ni suffix, the same sentence would refer to a book in general:

    • Kitob o‘qiyman.I read a book.

How Context Determines Meaning

Uzbek speakers rely heavily on context to distinguish between definite and indefinite nouns. In most cases, the listener or reader understands whether a noun is specific based on:

  • Prior conversation

  • Adjectives or possessive pronouns used with the noun

  • The suffixes added to the noun

Examples:

  • Bu kitob yaxshi.This book is good. (Definite due to "bu," meaning this.)

  • Bir odam keldi.A man came. (The word bir, meaning one, functions like "a" to indicate indefiniteness.)

Using "Bir" for Indefinite Nouns

Although Uzbek does not have true indefinite articles, the word bir (one) can act as an article-like word to clarify that the noun is indefinite.

Examples:

  • Bir o‘quvchi keldi.A student came.

  • Bir uy sotib oldi.He/She bought a house.

Here, "bir" does not literally mean one but instead serves as a general marker of indefiniteness.

Adjectives play a significant role in the Uzbek language, as they do in most languages, by describing or modifying nouns. In Uzbek, adjectives are straightforward and easy to use because they do not change for gender or case, making them relatively simple for learners to grasp.

Adjective Placement

In Uzbek, adjectives always come before the noun they describe, much like in English. For example:

  • Yaxshi odamA good person

  • Katta uyA big house

  • Yangi kitobA new book

If the adjective appears after the noun, it typically becomes part of a clause or is separated by the copula bu (is), transforming it into a sentence.

  • Odam yaxshiThe person is good.

  • Kitob yangiThe book is new.

Adjectives as Predicates

Adjectives can also function as predicates in a sentence without requiring a verb like “to be” in English. In Uzbek, the adjective itself conveys the meaning of “is/are.”

  • O‘qituvchi aqlli.The teacher is smart.

  • Mashina katta.The car is big.

In past or future tenses, auxiliary verbs like edi (was/were) or bo‘ladi (will be) are added to clarify the time:

  • Uy katta edi.The house was big.

  • Uy katta bo‘ladi.The house will be big.

Comparison of Adjectives

Uzbek uses specific constructions to compare adjectives. There are three main forms: the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees.

  1. Positive Degree
    This is the basic form of the adjective.

    • KattaBig

    • YaxshiGood

  2. Comparative Degree
    To compare two things, the word -roq is added as a suffix to the adjective, which means “more”.

    • YaxshiroqBetter

    • KattaroqBigger

    Alternatively, the word ko‘ra (than) is used to clarify the comparison:

    • Bu uy o‘sha uydan kattaroq.This house is bigger than that house.

    • Bu mashina eski mashinadan yaxshiroq.This car is better than the old car.

  3. Superlative Degree
    The superlative degree is formed by adding eng (most) before the adjective.

    • Eng yaxshiThe best

    • Eng kattaThe biggest

    Examples:

    • Bu dunyodagi eng katta shahar.This is the biggest city in the world.

    • U eng aqlli talaba.He/She is the smartest student.

Adjective Agreement

In Uzbek, adjectives do not change based on gender, number, or case. Whether the noun is singular or plural, the form of the adjective remains the same:

  • Yaxshi bolaA good child

  • Yaxshi bolalarGood children

This makes Uzbek adjectives much easier to handle compared to languages that require adjective-noun agreement.

Adjective Formation

Adjectives in Uzbek can be derived from nouns, verbs, or other adjectives by adding specific suffixes. Here are some common patterns:

  1. From Nouns

    • -li (having/with):

      • Pul (money) → Pulli (wealthy, with money)

    • -siz (without):

      • Uy (home) → Uysiz (homeless)

  2. From Verbs

    • -uvchi or -adigan:

      • Yozmoq (to write) → Yozuvchi (writing, writer)

      • Sevmoq (to love) → Sevadigan (loving)

Intensifying Adjectives

To emphasize or intensify an adjective in Uzbek, you can repeat the first syllable of the adjective or use certain words:

  • Juda kattaVery big

  • Yaxshi-yaxshiVery good (repetition for emphasis)

  • Zo‘rExcellent or amazing

Common Uzbek Adjectives

Here are a few common adjectives to get you started:

  • KichikSmall

  • KattaBig

  • YaxshiGood

  • YomonBad

  • ChiroyliBeautiful

  • TezFast

  • SekinSlow

  • EskiOld (object)

  • YangiNew

  • IssiqHot

  • SovuqCold

Uzbek Adjectives

Uzbek Pronouns

Pronouns are an essential part of Uzbek grammar, just as in any language. They replace nouns to avoid repetition and make sentences clearer. Uzbek pronouns are straightforward, and their forms change depending on their function in the sentence. Let’s explore personal pronouns, their possessive forms, and other pronoun types used in the Uzbek language.

Personal Pronouns

Uzbek personal pronouns indicate the speaker (first person), the listener (second person), or someone/something being talked about (third person). The singular and plural forms differ, but they follow consistent patterns.

  • MenI

  • SenYou (informal, singular)

  • SizYou (formal or plural)

  • UHe/She/It

  • BizWe

  • SizlarYou all (informal plural)

  • UlarThey

  • Note on Sen and Siz:
    Sen is used for informal or close relationships, while Siz is formal and shows respect. Siz can also refer to more than one person.

Possessive Pronouns

To show possession in Uzbek, suffixes are added to pronouns or nouns. For example:

  • MeningMy

  • SeningYour (informal)

  • SizningYour (formal)

  • UningHis/Her/Its

  • BizningOur

  • SizlarningYour (plural)

  • UlarningTheir

These possessive pronouns are often combined with nouns to indicate ownership:

  • Mening kitobimMy book

  • Sening uyingYour house

  • Uning mashinasiHis/Her car

When speaking informally, -ning (the genitive marker) can be dropped:

  • Mening kitobimMen kitobim (still understood as My book).

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Uzbek indicate proximity, similar to this and that in English.

  • BuThis

  • ShuThis/That (neutral or closer)

  • O‘shaThat (farther away)

  • UlarThese/Those

Examples:

  • Bu kitobThis book

  • O‘sha odamThat person

Reflexive Pronouns

Uzbek uses reflexive pronouns when the subject and object of the sentence are the same. The reflexive pronoun is:

  • O‘zimMyself

  • O‘zingYourself (informal)

  • O‘zingizYourself (formal)

  • O‘ziHimself/Herself/Itself

  • O‘zimizOurselves

  • O‘zingizlarYourselves (plural)

  • O‘zlariThemselves

Example:

  • Men o‘zim buni qildimI did this myself.

Interrogative Pronouns

To ask questions about people, things, or places, Uzbek uses interrogative pronouns.

  • KimWho

  • NimaWhat

  • QayerWhere

  • QachonWhen

  • QandayHow

  • NechaHow many/How much

Examples:

  • Bu kim?Who is this?

  • Nima bu?What is this?

  • Qayerga ketayapsiz?Where are you going?

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are used to refer to non-specific people or things.

  • KimdirSomeone

  • NimadirSomething

  • HammaEveryone/All

  • Hech kimNo one

  • Hech narsaNothing

  • Ba’ziSome

Examples:

  • Kimdir eshikni taqillatdiSomeone knocked on the door.

  • Hech kim kelmadiNo one came.

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns like who, which, and that in English are implied in Uzbek sentences rather than explicitly stated.

Example:

  • Men o‘qigan kitob yaxshiThe book (that) I read is good.

Uzbek relies heavily on postpositions and specific case endings to express relationships between words in a sentence. Postpositions follow the noun they modify, unlike prepositions in English, which come before the noun.

Postpositions in Uzbek

Uzbek uses postpositions to indicate location, direction, time, and other relationships. They are placed after the noun they govern and are often paired with nouns in specific grammatical cases (genitive, accusative, or dative).

Here are a few common postpositions in Uzbek:

  1. uchunfor

    • Example: Men kitob uchun keldim.I came for the book.

  2. bilanwith

    • Example: U do‘sti bilan ketdi.He left with his friend.

  3. oldidain front of

    • Example: Mashina maktab oldida turibdi.The car is in front of the school.

  4. ostidaunder

    • Example: Mushuk stol ostida yotibdi.The cat is lying under the table.

  5. ustidaon, on top of

    • Example: Kitob stol ustida turibdi.The book is on the table.

  6. orqasidabehind

    • Example: Uy daraxt orqasida.The house is behind the tree.

  7. yonidanext to, beside

    • Example: Do‘kon bozordan yonida.The shop is next to the market.

  8. ichidainside

    • Example: Telefon sumka ichida.The phone is inside the bag.

  9. tashqaridaoutside

    • Example: Bolalar uy tashqarida o‘ynashmoqda.The children are playing outside the house.

  10. qarshiopposite, against

    • Example: Do‘kon maktabga qarshi joylashgan.The shop is located opposite the school.

Case Endings Instead of Prepositions

In Uzbek, relationships like to, in, from, and at are expressed through noun case endings rather than prepositions. These endings attach to the noun to indicate its grammatical role.

  1. Dative Case (-ga / -ka / -qa) – indicates direction or purpose (to).

    • Example: Maktabga boraman.I am going to school.

  2. Locative Case (-da) – indicates location (in, at).

    • Example: Maktabda o‘qiyman.I study at school.

  3. Ablative Case (-dan) – indicates origin or separation (from).

    • Example: Maktabdan keldim.I came from school.

These endings can work with postpositions to give additional meaning. For example:

  • Do‘kon yonidaNext to the shop

  • Maktab oldidanFrom in front of the school

The Role of Context

Uzbek relies on context to clarify meaning. Where English might use multiple prepositions, Uzbek often combines postpositions with case endings. For example:

  • Uyga keldim.I came to the house.

  • Uyda keldim.I came while at home.

  • Uydan keldim.I came from the house.

These subtle changes in case endings replace the need for prepositions.

Uzbek Postpositions

Uzbek Adverbs

Adverbs in Uzbek, as in many languages, describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing additional information about how, when, where, or to what extent an action occurs. Understanding adverbs is essential for forming clear, natural sentences in Uzbek. Fortunately, Uzbek grammar is logical and straightforward, which makes learning adverbs manageable for language learners.

Formation of Adverbs

  1. From Adjectives
    In Uzbek, many adverbs are derived from adjectives by adding the suffix -cha or -larcha to the adjective. This transformation creates adverbs that describe the manner of an action.

    • tez (fast) → tezcha (quickly)

    • yaxshi (good) → yaxshicha (well)

    In some cases, the suffix -ona is added to adjectives to form adverbs with a sense of "in a certain way":

    • do‘st (friend) → do‘stona (in a friendly way)

    • bolalik (childhood) → bolalarcha (like a child)

Types of Adverbs in Uzbek

Adverbs can be classified into several categories based on their function:

  1. Adverbs of Manner (How?)
    These adverbs describe how an action is performed.

    • yaxshi (well)

    • sekin (slowly)

    • tez (quickly)

    • jimjit (quietly)

    Example:

    • U kitobni sekin o‘qiydi. (He/She reads the book slowly.)

  2. Adverbs of Time (When?)
    Time adverbs indicate when an action takes place.

    • bugun (today)

    • kecha (yesterday)

    • ertalab (in the morning)

    • hozir (now)

    Example:

    • Men bugun ishlamayman. (I am not working today.)

  3. Adverbs of Place (Where?)
    These adverbs express the location or direction of an action.

    • bu yerda (here)

    • u yerda (there)

    • oldinda (ahead)

    • orqada (behind)

    Example:

    • Mashina u yerda turibdi. (The car is parked there.)

  4. Adverbs of Frequency (How often?)
    Frequency adverbs describe how often an action occurs.

    • har doim (always)

    • ba’zan (sometimes)

    • kamdan-kam (rarely)

    • hech qachon (never)

    Example:

    • U har doim kechikadi. (He/She always comes late.)

  5. Adverbs of Degree (To what extent?)
    These adverbs indicate the intensity or degree of an action or quality.

    • juda (very)

    • sal (a little)

    • butunlay (completely)

    • anchagina (quite a lot)

    Example:

    • Havo juda sovuq. (The weather is very cold.)

Word Order of Adverbs in Uzbek

In Uzbek sentences, adverbs typically appear before the verb they modify. However, depending on emphasis or style, they can also appear at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Examples:

  • U kitobni tez o‘qiydi. (He/She reads the book quickly.)

  • Men kecha kinoga bordim. (I went to the cinema yesterday.)

Common Uzbek Adverbs to Get Started

Here are a few essential adverbs that will help you form everyday sentences in Uzbek:

  • tez (quickly)

  • yaxshi (well)

  • hozir (now)

  • bugun (today)

  • kecha (yesterday)

  • ertaga (tomorrow)

  • kamdan-kam (rarely)

  • juda (very)

The present tense in Uzbek is used to describe actions happening right now or actions that occur on a regular basis (habitual actions). Uzbek grammar is relatively straightforward, and the present tense conjugation follows clear rules.

Forming the Present Tense

To form the present tense in Uzbek, you need to add the appropriate endings to the verb root. The verb root is obtained by removing the infinitive suffix -moq from the base verb. For example:

  • Kelmoq (to come) → kel (root)

  • Yozmoq (to write) → yoz (root)

The endings for the present tense depend on the personal pronoun.

Personal Pronouns and Present Tense Endings

Here is how the Uzbek present tense conjugates for each pronoun:

  1. Men (I) → -man
    Example: Men kelamanI come

  2. Sen (You, singular informal) → -san
    Example: Sen kelasanYou come

  3. U (He/She/It) → -adi
    Example: U keladiHe/She/It comes

  4. Biz (We) → -miz
    Example: Biz kelamizWe come

  5. Siz (You, singular formal/plural) → -siz
    Example: Siz kelasizYou (formal/plural) come

  6. Ular (They) → -adi
    Example: Ular keladiThey come

Key Notes on Conjugation

  1. The endings are consistent across all verbs, regardless of the verb root.

  2. Third-person singular (u) and plural (ular) use the same ending: -adi.

  3. The pronoun siz can mean both formal "you" (singular) and "you" (plural), depending on the context.

Examples with Other Verbs

Here are a few common verbs conjugated in the present tense:

  • Yozmoq (to write)

    • Men yozamanI write

    • Sen yozasanYou write

    • U yozadiHe/She/It writes

    • Biz yozamizWe write

    • Siz yozasizYou write

    • Ular yozadiThey write

  • O‘qimoq (to read)

    • Men o‘qiymanI read

    • Sen o‘qiysanYou read

    • U o‘qiydiHe/She/It reads

    • Biz o‘qiymizWe read

    • Siz o‘qiysizYou read

    • Ular o‘qiydiThey read

Negative Form in the Present Tense

To make a verb negative in the present tense, add the particle -ma after the verb root before the personal ending.
Example with the verb kelmoq (to come):

  • Men kelmaymanI do not come

  • Sen kelmaysanYou do not come

  • U kelmaydiHe/She/It does not come

Question Form in the Present Tense

To form a question in the present tense, add the question particle -mi after the verb:

  • Men kelamanmi? – Do I come?

  • Sen kelasanmi? – Do you come?

  • U keladimi? – Does he/she/it come?

The question particle -mi comes after the conjugated verb and agrees with the sentence structure.

Present Tense in Uzbek

Past Tense in Uzbek

In Uzbek, the past tense is used to describe actions that have already occurred. The past tense is formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb root. Uzbek verbs are straightforward to conjugate, as they follow consistent patterns. Below is a complete overview of how the past tense works in Uzbek, including conjugation for personal pronouns.

Formation of the Past Tense

To form the past tense in Uzbek, the suffix "-di" is added to the verb root. The verb root is the base form of the verb, obtained by removing the infinitive ending "-moq".

For example:

  • kelmoq (to come) → kel- (root)

  • yozmoq (to write) → yoz- (root)

Once you have the root, you add the past tense suffix -di and conjugate it according to personal pronouns.

Conjugation of the Past Tense

The past tense conjugation for Uzbek verbs is straightforward and consistent. The suffix "-di" remains the same for most personal pronouns, with slight changes to reflect the speaker or subject. Below are conjugations using the verb kelmoq (to come):

  • Men keldimI came

  • Sen keldingYou came (informal)

  • Siz keldingizYou came (formal or plural)

  • U keldiHe/She/It came

  • Biz keldikWe came

  • Sizlar keldingizlarYou all came (plural, formal)

  • Ular keldilarThey came

Rules to Remember

  1. Root Consistency:
    The root of the verb remains unchanged regardless of the subject. For example:

    • yozmoq (to write): Men yozdim, Biz yozdik

  2. Personal Pronoun Endings:

    • -dim for "I" (men)

    • -ding for "you" (sen)

    • -ingiz for formal "you" (siz)

    • -di for "he/she/it" (u)

    • -dik for "we" (biz)

    • -ingizlar for plural "you" (sizlar)

    • -dilar for "they" (ular)

  3. Formal vs. Informal:
    Uzbek distinguishes between formal and informal speech. Use siz for respect or formality and sen for close friends, family, or younger individuals.

  4. Negative Form:
    To make the past tense negative, add "-magan" to the verb root. For example:

    • kelmagandid not come

    • yozmagandid not write

Examples in Context

  • Men maktabga bordim.I went to school.

  • Sen kitob o‘qiding.You read a book.

  • U uydan chiqdi.He/She left the house.

  • Biz kinoga bordik.We went to the cinema.

  • Siz yaxshi ishladingiz.You worked well.

  • Ular kecha keldilar.They came yesterday.

Negative Examples:

  • Men uyni topmadim.I did not find the house.

  • Sen kitob o‘qimading.You did not read the book.

In the Uzbek language, the future tense is used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. Uzbek grammar is agglutinative, meaning words are formed by adding suffixes to a root word. To express the future tense, a specific suffix "-moqchi" or "-adi" is added to the verb root, depending on the context.

Future Tense with "-moqchi"

The suffix "-moqchi" is used when the speaker expresses intention or desire to do something in the future. It can be translated as "going to" or "intend to" in English.

For example:

  • Kelmoq (to come) → Kelmoqchi (going to come)

Conjugation with Personal Pronouns

  1. Men (I)Kelmoqchiman (I am going to come)

  2. Sen (You, informal)Kelmoqchisan (You are going to come)

  3. U (He/She/It)Kelmoqchi (He/She/It is going to come)

  4. Biz (We)Kelmoqchimiz (We are going to come)

  5. Siz (You, formal/plural)Kelmoqchisiz (You are going to come)

  6. Ular (They)Kelmoqchi (They are going to come)

Future Tense with "-adi"

The suffix "-adi" is the simple future tense marker and indicates a straightforward future action without any emphasis on intention or desire. It is equivalent to "will" or "shall" in English.

For example:

  • Yozmoq (to write) → Yozadi (will write)

Conjugation with Personal Pronouns

  1. Men (I)Yozaman (I will write)

  2. Sen (You, informal)Yozasan (You will write)

  3. U (He/She/It)Yozadi (He/She/It will write)

  4. Biz (We)Yozamiz (We will write)

  5. Siz (You, formal/plural)Yozasiz (You will write)

  6. Ular (They)Yozadi (They will write)

When to Use "-moqchi" vs "-adi"

  • Use "-moqchi" when talking about plans, intentions, or desires.
    Example:

    • Men sayohat qilmoqchiman. (I am going to travel.)

    • Sen kitob o‘qimoqchisan. (You are going to read a book.)

  • Use "-adi" when talking about a definite action or general statement about the future.
    Example:

    • Men ertaga ishga boraman. (I will go to work tomorrow.)

    • U film tomosha qiladi. (He/She will watch a movie.)

Negative Future Tense

To form the negative future tense, the particle "emas" or "ma/mas" is added.

  1. With -moqchi:

    • Kelmoqchi emasman (I am not going to come)

    • O‘qimoqchi emassan (You are not going to study)

  2. With -adi:

    • Kelmayman (I will not come)

    • O‘qimaysan (You will not study)

Future Tense in Questions

To form questions in the future tense, the particle "mi?" is added:

  • Sen kelasanmi? (Will you come?)

  • U yozmoqchimi? (Is he/she going to write?)

Future Tense in Uzbek

Imperative in Uzbek

The imperative mood in Uzbek is used to express commands, requests, suggestions, or advice. Like many Turkic languages, Uzbek forms the imperative by adding specific suffixes to the verb root. The suffix changes depending on the level of politeness, formality, and who the command is directed toward.

In Uzbek, the imperative form is simple for second person pronouns (you) and does not require auxiliary verbs like "do" in English. For other persons (first person plural and third person), Uzbek uses optative forms to convey suggestions or indirect commands.

Imperative for Second Person Pronouns

  1. Informal Singular: "Sen" (You)

    • To give an informal command to one person, use the verb root alone:

      • Kel! (Come!)

      • O‘qi! (Read!)

      • Yoz! (Write!)

      • Bor! (Go!)

  2. Formal or Plural: "Siz" (You)

    • To show politeness or address multiple people, add the suffix "-ing" to the verb root:

      • Keling! (Please come!)

      • O‘qing! (Please read!)

      • Yozing! (Please write!)

      • Boring! (Please go!)

Imperative for First Person Plural: "Biz" (We)

To make a suggestion or propose an action involving "us" (we), the suffix "-aylik" or "-elik" is added to the verb root. This translates to "Let’s..." in English.

Examples:

  • Kelaylik! (Let’s come!)

  • O‘qiylik! (Let’s read!)

  • Yozaylik! (Let’s write!)

  • Boraylik! (Let’s go!)

Imperative for Third Person: "U" (He/She/It) and "Ular" (They)

To give an indirect command or express a wish for someone else to do something, add "-sin" (singular) or "-sinlar" (plural) to the verb root. This form translates as "Let him/her/it..." or "Let them..."

Examples:

  • Kelsin! (Let him/her come!)

  • O‘qisin! (Let him/her read!)

  • Yozsin! (Let him/her write!)

  • Borsin! (Let him/her go!)

For plural:

  • Kelsinlar! (Let them come!)

  • O‘qisinlar! (Let them read!)

  • Yozsinlar! (Let them write!)

  • Borsinlar! (Let them go!)

Negative Imperative

To form a negative command, the suffix "-ma" or "-mang" (polite/formal) is used after the verb root:

  1. Informal (Sen):

    • Kelma! (Don’t come!)

    • O‘qima! (Don’t read!)

    • Yozma! (Don’t write!)

  2. Formal/Plural (Siz):

    • Kelmaying! (Please don’t come!)

    • O‘qimang! (Please don’t read!)

    • Yozmang! (Please don’t write!)

  3. First Person Plural (Biz):

    • Kelmaylik! (Let’s not come!)

    • O‘qimaylik! (Let’s not read!)

  4. Third Person (U/Ular):

    • Kelmasin! (Let him/her not come!)

    • O‘qimasin! (Let him/her not read!)

    • Kelmasinlar! (Let them not come!)

Imperative in Polite Requests

In polite or formal situations, Uzbek speakers often add words like "iltimos" (please) or "marhamat" (kindly) to soften commands:

  • Iltimos, keling! (Please come!)

  • Marhamat, o‘qing! (Kindly read!)

In the Uzbek language, the passive voice is used to indicate that the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, rather than performing the action. The passive form is primarily created by adding specific suffixes to the verb root, typically "-il" or "-in". Passive voice is common in both spoken and written Uzbek, especially in formal contexts, and can be conjugated with personal pronouns.

Formation of the Passive Voice

To form the passive voice, the following suffixes are added to the verb root:

  1. -il: Used with most verbs to form the passive.
    Example:

    • O‘qimoq (to read) → O‘qilmoq (to be read).

    • Yozmoq (to write) → Yozilmoq (to be written).

  2. -in: Used for some verbs ending in vowels or specific consonants.
    Example:

    • Yuvmoq (to wash) → Yuvinmoq (to be washed).

The passive form of the verb is then conjugated like any other verb in Uzbek.

Conjugation of Passive Verbs

Here is how a passive verb like "o‘qilmoq" (to be read) is conjugated with personal pronouns in the present tense:

  1. Men (I)O‘qilaman (I am being read)

  2. Sen (You, informal)O‘qilasan (You are being read)

  3. U (He/She/It)O‘qiladi (He/She/It is being read)

  4. Biz (We)O‘qilamiz (We are being read)

  5. Siz (You, formal/plural)O‘qilasiz (You are being read)

  6. Ular (They)O‘qiladi (They are being read)

Usage of the Passive Voice

The passive voice is used in Uzbek when:

  1. The focus is on the action rather than the doer (agent).
    Example:

    • Kitob o‘qiladi. (The book is being read.)

    • Maktub yoziladi. (The letter is being written.)

  2. The doer (agent) of the action is unknown or unimportant.
    Example:

    • Uy tozalanadi. (The house is cleaned.)

    • Suv ichiladi. (The water is drunk.)

  3. To emphasize the action’s result rather than who performed it.
    Example:

    • Yo‘l quriladi. (The road is being built.)

Negative Form of the Passive Voice

To make the passive form negative, the suffix "-ma" or "-mas" is added before the conjugation:

  1. MenO‘qilmayman (I am not being read)

  2. SenO‘qilmaysan (You are not being read)

  3. UO‘qilmaydi (He/She/It is not being read)

  4. BizO‘qilmaymiz (We are not being read)

  5. SizO‘qilmaysiz (You are not being read)

  6. UlarO‘qilmaydi (They are not being read)

Passive Voice in Other Tenses

The passive voice can also be used in other tenses. For example:

  • Past Tense:

    • Kitob o‘qildi. (The book was read.)

  • Future Tense:

    • Kitob o‘qiladi. (The book will be read.)

Examples of Passive Voice in Sentences

  1. Uy tozalandi. (The house was cleaned.)

  2. Maktub yozilmoqda. (The letter is being written.)

  3. Ish bajariladi. (The work will be done.)

  4. Suv ichilmadi. (The water was not drunk.)

Passive in Uzbek

Negation in Uzbek

In Uzbek, negation is straightforward and is typically formed by adding the suffix "-ma/-mas" to the verb root or by using specific negative words like emas (not). Negation can be applied to verbs, nouns, and adjectives, depending on the context of the sentence.

Here, we will explore how negation works in Uzbek grammar and how it is conjugated with personal pronouns.

Negation of Verbs

To negate a verb in Uzbek, the suffix "-ma" is added directly to the verb root before any other endings or conjugations. This applies to the present, future, and imperative tenses.

Present and Future Tenses

In the present-future tense, the negative suffix "-ma" is added before the personal ending:

  • Kelmoq (to come) → Kelmayman (I do not come/will not come)

Conjugation for Personal Pronouns:

  1. Men (I)Kelmayman (I don’t come)

  2. Sen (You, informal)Kelmayasan (You don’t come)

  3. U (He/She/It)Kelmaydi (He/She/It doesn’t come)

  4. Biz (We)Kelmaymiz (We don’t come)

  5. Siz (You, formal/plural)Kelmaysiz (You don’t come)

  6. Ular (They)Kelmaydi (They don’t come)

Past Tense Negation

To negate a verb in the past tense, the suffix "-magan" or "-madi" is used:

  • Kelmaganman (I did not come)

  • Kelmagansiz (You did not come)

  • Kelmagan (He/She/It did not come)

Examples:

  • Men yozmadim (I did not write)

  • Sen o‘qimading (You did not read)

  • U bormadi (He/She did not go)

Imperative Negation

In the imperative mood, negation is formed using the suffix "-ma" or its polite form "-mang":

  1. Informal (Sen):

    • Kelma! (Don’t come!)

    • Yozma! (Don’t write!)

  2. Polite/Formal (Siz):

    • Kelmaying! (Please don’t come!)

    • O‘qimang! (Please don’t read!)

Negation with "Emas"

The word "emas" is used to negate nouns, adjectives, and sometimes verbs in nominal sentences. It works similarly to the English word "not".

Examples:

  • Men o‘qituvchi emasman. (I am not a teacher.)

  • Sen yaxshi emassan. (You are not good.)

  • U bu yerda emas. (He/She is not here.)

Conjugation with Personal Pronouns:

  1. Men (I)emasman (I am not)

  2. Sen (You, informal)emassan (You are not)

  3. U (He/She/It)emas (He/She/It is not)

  4. Biz (We)emasimiz (We are not)

  5. Siz (You, formal/plural)emassiz (You are not)

  6. Ular (They)emas (They are not)

Negation with "Yo‘q"

The word "yo‘q" means "no" or "there is not/are not". It is often used to negate existence or availability.

Examples:

  • Kitob yo‘q. (There is no book.)

  • Menda pul yo‘q. (I don’t have money.)

  • Mashina yo‘q. (There is no car.)

Double Negation

In Uzbek, double negation can sometimes occur for emphasis, but it does not change the overall meaning of the sentence.

Examples:

  • Hech kim kelmadi. (Nobody came.)

  • Hech narsa yo‘q. (There is nothing.)

Here, "hech" (nothing/nobody) reinforces the negation.

Uzbek is a Turkic language that primarily follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order. This means that the subject comes first, followed by the object, and finally the verb. While Uzbek word order is relatively flexible, the SOV structure is the standard and most natural way to construct sentences.

Basic Sentence Structure

In Uzbek, a simple sentence follows this pattern:

Subject + Object + Verb

  • Men kitob o‘qiyman. (I read a book.)

    • Men (I) → Subject

    • kitob (book) → Object

    • o‘qiyman (I read) → Verb

In this example, "Men" (I) is the subject, "kitob" (book) is the object, and "o‘qiyman" (read) is the verb

Flexibility in Word Order

While Uzbek follows the SOV word order, it allows for some flexibility to emphasize different parts of a sentence. The key is that the verb generally remains at the end of the sentence, while the subject and object can shift positions.

Examples:

  1. Standard SOV:

    • Men kitob o‘qiyman. (I read a book.)

  2. Emphasis on the Object:

    • Kitobni men o‘qiyman. (It is the book that I read.)

  3. Emphasis on the Subject:

    • Men o‘qiyman kitobni. (It is I who reads the book.)

Despite this flexibility, it is important to remember that the verb usually stays at the end of the sentence.

Modifiers in a Sentence

  1. Adjectives: In Uzbek, adjectives come before the noun they describe:

    • Yangi kitob (new book)

    • Katta uy (big house)

  2. Adverbs: Adverbs are placed before the verb to modify the action:

    • Men tez yuguraman. (I run quickly.)

      • tez (quickly) → adverb

      • yuguraman (I run) → verb

  3. Postpositions: Unlike English prepositions (before, after, on), Uzbek uses postpositions that come after the noun:

    • Maktabdan keyin (After school)

    • Daryoning yonida (Next to the river)

Complex Sentences

In complex sentences with subordinate clauses, the subordinate clause comes before the main clause, and the verb of the subordinate clause precedes the main verb:

  • Men seni ko‘rsam, baxtli bo‘laman. (If I see you, I will be happy.)

    • Men seni ko‘rsam (If I see you) → subordinate clause

    • baxtli bo‘laman (I will be happy) → main clause

Questions and Word Order

To form questions, Uzbek adds the particle "mi" after the word being questioned. The word order remains the same:

  1. Yes/No Question:

    • Sen kitob o‘qiysanmi? (Do you read a book?)

  2. Open-ended Question:
    Uzbek uses question words (such as kim - who, qachon - when, nima - what) at the beginning of a sentence:

    • Sen nima o‘qiysan? (What do you read?)

    • Kim keladi? (Who is coming?)

    • Qachon boramiz? (When will we go?)

Negative Sentences

To form negative sentences, add "-ma" before the verb ending:

  • Men kitob o‘qimayman. (I do not read a book.)

  • U yozmaydi. (He/She does not write.)

Word Order in Uzbek

Questions in Uzbek

Yes/No Questions

To form yes/no questions, the particle "-mi" is added to the verb or the word being questioned. This particle is often placed after the verb or main predicate of the sentence. Intonation is also important, as it rises at the end of the question.

Examples:

  • Bu kitobmi? (Is this a book?)

  • Siz talabasizmi? (Are you a student?)

  • U keladimi? (Will he/she come?)

  • Bu qiyinmi? (Is it difficult?)

In informal speech, "-mi" can sometimes attach directly to the verb:

  • Keladimi? (Is he/she coming?)

  • Borasanmi? (Are you going?)

Information Questions

For questions that require detailed answers, Uzbek uses interrogative words placed at the beginning of the sentence. These words determine the type of information being asked for.

Common Interrogative Words:

  1. Kim? (Who?)

    • Bu kim? (Who is this?)

    • Kim keldi? (Who came?)

  2. Nima? (What?)

    • Bu nima? (What is this?)

    • Nima qilyapsiz? (What are you doing?)

  3. Qachon? (When?)

    • U qachon keladi? (When will he/she come?)

    • Qachon boshlaymiz? (When will we start?)

  4. Qayerda? / Qaerda? (Where?)

    • Kitob qayerda? (Where is the book?)

    • U qayerda yashaydi? (Where does he/she live?)

  5. Qanday? (How?)

    • Bu qanday ishlaydi? (How does this work?)

    • Qanday ahvoldasiz? (How are you?)

  6. Necha? / Qancha? (How many? / How much?)

    • Bu nechta? (How many are there?)

    • Bu qancha turadi? (How much does this cost?)

  7. Nega? (Why?)

    • Nega kelding? (Why did you come?)

    • Nega u ketdi? (Why did he/she leave?)

  8. Qaysi? (Which?)

    • Qaysi biri sizniki? (Which one is yours?)

    • Qaysi yo‘l to‘g‘ri? (Which path is correct?)

Question Formation with Verbs

The structure of a question in Uzbek usually follows this order:
[Interrogative word] + [Subject] + [Verb] + "-mi" (if needed)

Examples:

  • Kim keladi? (Who will come?)

  • Siz qayerga borasiz? (Where are you going?)

  • U nimani o‘qiyapti? (What is he/she reading?)

  • Qachon boshlaymiz? (When will we start?)

For polite or formal questions, you can add "iltimos" (please) to soften the tone:

  • Iltimos, bu nima? (Please, what is this?)

  • Iltimos, kim keldi? (Please, who came?)

Negative Questions

To ask negative questions, you simply use the negative form of the verb along with the question particle "-mi" or an interrogative word:

  • U kelmaydimi? (Isn’t he/she coming?)

  • Siz bormaysizmi? (Aren’t you going?)

  • Nega u kelmadi? (Why didn’t he/she come?)

Questions with Intonation

In spoken Uzbek, intonation can sometimes turn a statement into a question, especially in informal settings. No particle or interrogative word is needed, and the rising tone at the end signals a question.

Examples:

  • Siz talabasiz? (You are a student?)

  • U keladi? (He/She is coming?)

  • Bu yangi? (Is this new?)

This method is less formal but commonly used in casual conversations.

Tag Questions

Tag questions in Uzbek are formed by adding "to‘g‘rimi?" (Is it correct?) or "shundaymi?" (Is it so?) at the end of a statement. These are used to confirm information:

  • Sen ertaga kelasan, to‘g‘rimi? (You will come tomorrow, right?)

  • Bu kitob yangi, shundaymi? (This book is new, isn’t it?)

Relative Clauses in Uzbek Grammar

Relative clauses in Uzbek are used to provide additional information about a noun, similar to English phrases like "the book that I read" or "the person who is speaking." These clauses are formed using specific verb suffixes and word order that indicate the relationship between the noun and the additional information.

How Relative Clauses Work in Uzbek

In Uzbek, relative clauses are embedded into the sentence and precede the noun they describe. The relative clause is often marked by suffixes attached to the verb, and there is no separate relative pronoun (like "who," "that," or "which" in English).

For example:

  • Men o‘qigan kitob (The book that I read)

    • Men (I)

    • o‘qigan (read)

    • kitob (book)

In this sentence, the clause "Men o‘qigan" describes the noun "kitob".

Key Suffixes for Relative Clauses

The verb in a relative clause takes a past, present, or future participle suffix, depending on the time frame of the action:

  1. Past Tense Relative Clauses

    • Add the suffix "-gan/-kan" to the verb.

    • Example:

      • Yozgan odam (The person who wrote)

      • Men ko‘rgan film (The movie that I saw)

  2. Present Tense Relative Clauses

    • Add the suffix "-yotgan/-ayotgan" to the verb to indicate ongoing action.

    • Example:

      • Yozayotgan bola (The child who is writing)

      • Kelayotgan odam (The person who is coming)

  3. Future Tense Relative Clauses

    • Add the suffix "-moqchi bo‘lgan" or "-adigan/-ydigan" to the verb.

    • Example:

      • Boradigan joy (The place where I will go)

      • O‘qiydigan kitob (The book that I will read)

Word Order in Relative Clauses

In Uzbek, the relative clause always precedes the noun it modifies. This differs from English, where the relative clause typically follows the noun.

Examples:

  • Men sevgan qiz (The girl I loved)

    • sevgan (loved) comes before qiz (girl).

  • Siz yoqtirgan film (The film you liked)

    • yoqtirgan (liked) comes before film.

Relative Clauses with Pronouns

Relative clauses in Uzbek often include pronouns that act as subjects or objects of the clause.

Examples:

  1. The person who is speaking:

    • Gapirayotgan odam

    • gapirayotgan (speaking) modifies odam (person).

  2. The place I visited:

    • Borib ko‘rgan joy

    • borib ko‘rgan (visited) modifies joy (place).

Negative Relative Clauses

To form a negative relative clause, add the negative marker "emas" or "-ma/-mas" to the verb.

Examples:

  • The movie I did not watch:

    • Men ko‘rmagan film

    • ko‘rmagan (did not watch) modifies film.

  • The person who is not coming:

    • Kelmayotgan odam

    • kelmayotgan (not coming) modifies odam.

Complex Relative Clauses

Uzbek can form more complex relative clauses by adding multiple verbs or phrases. These clauses still precede the noun they modify.

Examples:

  1. The book that I borrowed from the library:

    • Men kutubxonadan olgan kitob

    • olgan (borrowed) modifies kitob (book).

  2. The person who helped me yesterday:

    • Kecha menga yordam bergan odam

    • yordam bergan (helped) modifies odam (person).

Common Expressions Using Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are frequently used in everyday Uzbek speech and writing to describe people, places, or things:

  • Men yashaydigan uy (The house where I live)

  • Biz kutayotgan avtobus (The bus we are waiting for)

  • U boradigan shahar (The city he/she will go to)

Relative Clauses in Uzbek

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