Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| ish | ISH | work, job | Also “a thing to do”. |
| ishxona | ish-kho-NA | office, workplace | Literally “work-room”. |
| Ishdaman | ish-da-MAN | I'm at work | Tells where you are. |
| Qayerda ishlaysiz? | qa-yer-DA ish-lay-SIZ | Where do you work? | Polite. |
| Men …da ishlayman | men …-da ish-lay-MAN | I work at … | Put the company after men. |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
Work. Ish is “work, job”; ishlamoq is “to work”.
In a real exchange
- You: Qayerda ishlaysiz?
Where do you work? - Colleague: Bankda ishlayman. Siz-chi?
I work at a bank. And you? - You: Men dasturchiman.
I'm a programmer. - Colleague: Zoʻr kasb!
A great profession!
Good to know
- Ishla- is the verb stem: ishlayman (I work), ishlaysiz (you work), ishlayapman (I'm working now).
- The plural ishlar also means “things, affairs”: Ishlar qalay?, “how are things?”.
- Ishxona: ish + xona (room); the same xona is in mehmonxona (guest room, hotel).
Common mistakes
- Saying Qayerda ishlaysan? to a colleague you don't know well. Use ishlaysiz.
This phrase is part of Uzbek phrases for the office: colleagues, meetings and help in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.