Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonim | jo-NIM | My dear, my darling | Partners, children, close friends and family. |
| Azizim | a-zi-ZIM | My dear | Warm, a little literary; aziz means “dear, precious”. Partners and close friends, often in messages. |
| Sevgilim | sev-gi-LIM | My beloved, my darling | Romantic, for a partner only. Not for family. |
| Bolam | bo-LAM | My child, my dear | Parents and elders to children and young people. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
My soul. Jon is “soul, life” and -im is “my”.
In a real exchange
- Mother: Jonim, uyga kel, ovqat tayyor.
Dear, come home, the food is ready. - Child: Hozir, onajon!
Coming now, mum! - Mother: Bolam, qoʻllaringni yuv.
Sweetheart, wash your hands. - Child: Xoʻp, onajon.
Okay, mum.
Good to know
- Jon is added to names and family words to make them warm: Nodirjon, onajon, buvijon. The ending -im turns a word into “my”: jon → jonim, aziz → azizim, sevgili → sevgilim.
- Sevgilim is also the word for a boyfriend or girlfriend, so keep it for a partner.
- With colleagues, shopkeepers and strangers, endearments are out of place. Use the name, or aka or opa, and siz.
Common mistakes
- Using Sevgilim for a child, a parent or a friend.
- Calling a colleague or a stranger Jonim.
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.