Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iltimos | il-ti-MOS | Please (asking) | Goes at the end or the start: Choy, iltimos. |
| Marhamat | mar-ha-MAT | Please, go ahead / here you are | Offering, inviting someone in, handing something over. |
| Iltimos qilaman | il-ti-MOS qi-la-MAN | I beg you / I kindly ask | Stronger and more formal. |
| Bering | be-RING | Give (polite) | The polite -ing verb ending already softens a request: Suv bering. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
Iltimos means “a request”. Marhamat means “kindness, favour”.
In a real exchange
- You: Bitta choy, iltimos.
One tea, please. - Waiter: Marhamat.
Here you are. - You: Rahmat.
Thank you.
Good to know
- English uses one word for two jobs. Uzbek splits them: iltimos asks, marhamat gives.
- A polite verb ending does much of the work of “please”: kuting (please wait), keling (please come), oʻtiring (please sit).
- Marhamat is also a reply to thanks, and what you say holding a door open.
Common mistakes
- Saying iltimos when handing someone something. That is marhamat.
- Dropping the polite ending and saying ber instead of bering to an adult: it turns a request into an order.
This phrase is part of Thank you, please and sorry in Uzbek in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.