Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barakalla | ba-ra-kal-LA | Well done; bless you | Warm praise for a good deed or good work; often said to a child. |
| Ofarin | o-fa-RIN | Bravo, well done | The same praise in another word; understood everywhere. |
| Zoʻr! | ZOʻR | Great! Awesome! | Colloquial praise for a result or an idea. |
| Juda yaxshi! | ju-DA yakh-SHI | Very good! | Plain, polite praise for work or effort; fine with anyone. |
| Juda yaxshi gapiryapsiz! | ju-DA yakh-SHI ga-pir-yap-SIZ | You speak very well! | How to praise someone's speech, including a learner's. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
Well done, with a blessing: “bless you for that”. Ofarin means “bravo”.
What people say back
Rahmat (rah-MAT): “Thank you”. For a stronger thanks, Katta rahmat.
In a real exchange
- Teacher: Bugun hamma topshiriqni toʻgʻri bajardingiz. Barakalla!
You did every task correctly today. Well done! - You: Rahmat, ustoz!
Thank you, teacher! - Teacher: Ofarin! Keyingi darsda ham shunday boʻlsin.
Bravo! May it be the same in the next lesson. - You: Harakat qilaman.
I'll try.
Good to know
- Barakalla praises the deed and wishes the person well, so it fits a child who learned a poem, a cook, or a colleague who finished a hard job.
- Zoʻr is the everyday word for something excellent: Zoʻr ish! (great job), Zoʻr fikr! (great idea). It sounds casual, so keep it for friends and colleagues.
- To praise someone's Uzbek, say Juda yaxshi gapiryapsiz, “you speak very well”.
Common mistakes
- Putting the stress at the start. Barakalla is ba-ra-kal-LA.
- Using Zoʻr in a formal speech or letter. It is colloquial; Juda yaxshi is the safer choice.
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.