Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| mushuk | mu-SHUK | cat | The common word. |
| it | IT | dog | The common word for a dog. |
| kuchuk | ku-CHUK | puppy, small dog | Not the general word for a big dog. |
| mushukcha | mu-shuk-CHA | kitten | -cha makes a small version. |
| Bu mushuk, bu it | BU mu-SHUK, BU IT | This is a cat, this is a dog | A first sentence pattern. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
Cat and dog. Mushuk is “cat”, it is “dog”, va is “and”.
In a real exchange
- Child: Bu nima?
What is this? - Mother: Bu mushuk.
This is a cat. - Child: Bu-chi?
And this? - Mother: Bu it. Kichkina it — kuchuk.
This is a dog. A small dog — a puppy.
Good to know
- Bu + noun needs no word for “is”: Bu it is “this is a dog”.
- After a number the noun stays singular: ikkita mushuk, “two cats”.
- -cha makes things small or dear: mushuk → mushukcha.
Common mistakes
- Adding -lar after a number: ikkita mushuklar is wrong; say ikkita mushuk.
This phrase is part of Animals in Uzbek: pets, farm and wild animals in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.