Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oq yoʻl! | OQ YOʻL | Have a safe trip | Literally “white road”; the everyday wish for anyone setting off. |
| Yaxshi borib keling | yakh-SHI bo-RIB ke-LING | Go well and come back well | Polite; for a trip the person will return from. |
| Yaxshi boring | yakh-SHI bo-RING | Have a good journey | Polite and short, “go well”. |
| Yaxshi yetib boring | yakh-SHI ye-TIB bo-RING | Arrive well | A wish for a safe arrival. |
| Yaxshi borib kel | yakh-SHI bo-RIB KEL | Go well and come back well | Informal, to a friend, a sibling or a child. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
White road. Yaxshi borib keling is “well, having gone, come”.
What people say back
Rahmat (rah-MAT): “Thank you”. Add Xayr or Koʻrishguncha as you part.
In a real exchange
- Friend: Ertaga Samarqandga ketyapman.
I'm going to Samarkand tomorrow. - You: Oq yoʻl! Yaxshi borib keling.
Have a safe trip! Go well and come back well. - Friend: Rahmat! Yetib borib qoʻngʻiroq qilaman.
Thanks! I'll call when I arrive. - You: Xoʻp. Koʻrishguncha!
Okay. See you!
Good to know
- Oq yoʻl suits anyone setting off: a friend, a colleague, a guest leaving for the airport.
- Borib keling is borib (having gone) + keling (come, polite): the wish covers the whole round trip. Yetib boring is yetib (having reached) + boring (go): “arrive well”.
- Destinations take -ga as usual: Samarqandga ketyapman, “I'm going to Samarkand”.
Common mistakes
- Writing oq yol without ʻ. The word is yoʻl, with oʻ.
- Using Omad instead of Oq yoʻl at a departure. Omad is luck, for exams and tasks; Oq yoʻl is for journeys.
This phrase is part of Blessings you hear at home in Uzbek: Xudo xohlasa, Omin and more in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.