Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bu nima? | BU ni-MA | What is this? | |
| U nima? | U ni-MA | What is that? | |
| Bu oʻzbekchada nima deyiladi? | bu oʻz-bek-cha-DA ni-MA de-yi-la-DI | What is this called in Uzbek? | The learner's best friend. |
| Bu kim? | BU KIM | Who is this? |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
This what?
In a real exchange
- You: Bu nima?
What is this? - Seller: Bu behi. Mazali, oling.
This is quince. It's tasty, take some. - You: Oʻzbekchada “behi”. Rahmat!
“Behi” in Uzbek. Thank you!
Good to know
- There is no word for “is”: Bu nima? is literally “this what?”. The answer is just as short: Bu non. This (is) bread.
- Question words stay where the answer would go; the word order does not flip as in English.
Common mistakes
- Looking for a verb. In the present tense, Uzbek has no “is”.
This phrase is part of Uzbek phrases for the bazaar in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.