Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| amaki | a-ma-KI | uncle (father's brother) | In speech some families say the Russian dyadya. |
| togʻa | to-GʻA | uncle (mother's brother) | Has gʻ, not g. |
| amma | am-MA | aunt (father's sister) | Double m. |
| xola | kho-LA | aunt (mother's sister) | In speech some families say the Russian tyotya. |
| amakim / xolam | a-ma-KIM / kho-LAM | my uncle / my aunt | Add -m after a vowel for “my”. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
In a real exchange
- You: Bu kim?
Who is this? - Friend: Bu mening xolam, onamning opasi.
This is my aunt, my mother's older sister. - You: U qayerda yashaydi?
Where does she live? - Friend: Xolam Toshkentda yashaydi, amakim esa Samarqandda.
My aunt lives in Tashkent, and my uncle in Samarkand.
Good to know
- The four words come in two pairs by side: amaki and amma are the father's side, togʻa and xola the mother's side. A memory aid: amaki and amma both start with am-.
- Their children are amakivachcha, togʻavachcha, ammavachcha and xolavachcha: the relative plus -vachcha.
- For an older man or woman you do not know, aka and opa are the safe polite words; amaki and xola are also heard for someone of your parents' age.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the sides: amaki is the father's brother and togʻa is the mother's brother.
- Writing toga without ʻ. It is togʻa, with gʻ.
This phrase is part of Uzbek family words: grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles and cousins in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.