Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bu yoqqa keling | BU yoq-QA ke-LING | Come here | Polite siz form. |
| Bu yerga keling | BU yer-GA ke-LING | Come here | Also polite; yerga is “to this place”. |
| Keling | ke-LING | Come | Polite, one word; also “come on” as an invitation. |
| Kiring | ki-RING | Come in | At a door, to a guest. |
| Kel / Bu yoqqa kel | KEL / BU yoq-QA KEL | Come / Come here | Sen form, for friends, family and children. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
This-to-the-side come. Bu yoqqa is “to this side”; keling is the siz form of kelmoq, “to come”.
In a real exchange
- Host: Assalomu alaykum! Kiring, kiring.
Hello! Come in, come in. - You: Rahmat. Uzr, kech qoldim.
Thanks. Sorry, I'm late. - Host: Hechqisi yoʻq. Bu yoqqa keling, oʻtiring.
No problem. Come here, sit down. - You: Rahmat!
Thank you!
Good to know
- Keling is kel- (come) + -ing, the polite imperative. With sen the bare stem Kel is the command.
- Bu yoqqa and Bu yerga both mean “here”; yoqqa is more about direction, yerga about the place.
- For a group or a stranger, siz is safe. Kel to a stranger sounds rude.
Common mistakes
- Saying Kel to an older person or a stranger. Use Keling.
This phrase is part of Being a guest in an Uzbek home: tea, bread and what to say in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.