Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| erkak | er-KAK | man | Erkaklar is “men”. |
| ayol | a-YOL | woman | Ayollar is “women”. |
| xotin | kho-TIN | woman; wife | Two senses; xotinim is “my wife”. |
| kishi | ki-SHI | person | Bir kishi is “one person”. |
| u kishi | U ki-SHI | he; she (respectful) | A respectful “he” or “she”. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
In a real exchange
- Colleague: Eshik oldida kim bor?
Who is at the door? - You: Bir ayol va ikkita erkak.
A woman and two men. - Colleague: Ular kim?
Who are they? - You: Ular mening qoʻshnilarim.
They are my neighbours.
Good to know
- Erkak and ayol take -lar for groups: erkaklar (men), ayollar (women).
- Xotin means both “woman” and “wife”, as in xotin-qizlar, “women and girls”, and xotinim, “my wife”. Ayol is the safe neutral word for “woman”.
- Kishi is “person”; u kishi is a polite “he” or “she” for someone you respect.
Common mistakes
- Calling a woman xotin to get her attention. Use opa or her name.
This phrase is part of How to address people in Uzbek: aka, opa, -jon, siz and sen in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.