On your first week at university you will queue at the dekanat, hunt for the right room on the dars jadvali and ask someone, in whatever Uzbek you have, when the imtihon is. Lectures may be in English, but the office, the library and the corridor are not. This page teaches two small ideas that cover most requests: -moqchiman for “I want to” and kerak for “I need”.
This page is part of Uzbek for medical students, the guide for international and MBBS students in Uzbekistan.
The dean’s office and your papers
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Assalomu alaykum, men xorijiy talabaman. | as-sa-LO-mu a-lay-KUM, MEN kho-ri-JIY ta-la-ba-MAN | Hello, I am an international student. |
| Men birinchi kurs talabasiman. | MEN bi-rin-CHI KURS ta-la-ba-si-MAN | I am a first-year student. |
| Dekanat qayerda? | de-ka-NAT qa-yer-DA | Where is the dean’s office? |
| Dekan soat nechada qabul qiladi? | de-KAN so-AT ne-cha-DA qa-BUL qi-la-DI | What time does the dean receive visitors? |
| Men dekan bilan gaplashmoqchiman. | MEN de-KAN bi-LAN gap-lash-moq-chi-MAN | I want to speak with the dean. |
| Menga ma’lumotnoma kerak. | men-GA ma’-lu-mot-no-MA ke-RAK | I need a certificate. |
| Men ma’lumotnoma olmoqchiman. | MEN ma’-lu-mot-no-MA ol-moq-chi-MAN | I want to get a certificate. |
| Ma’lumotnomani qachon olsam boʻladi? | ma’-lu-mot-no-ma-NI qa-CHON ol-SAM boʻ-la-DI | When can I get the certificate? |
| Hujjatlarim shu. | huj-jat-la-RIM SHU | These are my documents. |
| Pasportim shu. | pas-por-TIM SHU | This is my passport. |
| Imzo kerakmi? | im-ZO ke-rak-MI | Is a signature needed? |
| Qaysi xonaga kirishim kerak? | qay-SI kho-na-GA ki-ri-SHIM ke-RAK | Which room do I need to go into? |
| Dekanatga borishim kerak. | de-ka-nat-GA bo-ri-SHIM ke-RAK | I need to go to the dean’s office. |
Timetable, lectures and exams
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dars jadvali qayerda? | DARS jad-va-LI qa-yer-DA | Where is the timetable? |
| Bugun nechta dars bor? | bu-GUN nech-TA DARS BOR | How many classes are there today? |
| Birinchi dars soat nechada? | bi-rin-CHI DARS so-AT ne-cha-DA | What time is the first class? |
| Ma’ruza qayerda boʻladi? | ma’-ru-ZA qa-yer-DA boʻ-la-DI | Where is the lecture? |
| Amaliy mashgʻulot qaysi xonada? | a-ma-LIY mash-gʻu-LOT qay-SI kho-na-DA | Which room is the practical class in? |
| Darsga kech qoldim, uzr. | dars-GA KECH qol-DIM, UZR | I was late for class, sorry. |
| Kecha darsda boʻlmadim, kasal edim. | ke-CHA dars-DA boʻl-ma-DIM, ka-SAL e-DIM | I was not in class yesterday, I was ill. |
| Davomatim qanday? | da-vo-ma-TIM qan-DAY | What is my attendance like? |
| Imtihon qachon? | im-ti-HON qa-CHON | When is the exam? |
| Imtihon qayerda boʻladi? | im-ti-HON qa-yer-DA boʻ-la-DI | Where will the exam be? |
| Sinov qachon? | si-NOV qa-CHON | When is the test? |
| Imtihonga tayyorlanyapman. | im-ti-hon-GA tay-yor-lan-yap-MAN | I am preparing for the exam. |
| Imtihonni qayta topshirishim kerak. | im-ti-hon-NI qay-TA top-shi-ri-SHIM ke-RAK | I have to retake the exam. |
| Natija qachon chiqadi? | na-ti-JA qa-CHON chi-qa-DI | When do the results come out? |
The library, the group and your teacher
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kutubxona qayerda? | ku-tub-kho-NA qa-yer-DA | Where is the library? |
| Kutubxona soat nechagacha ishlaydi? | ku-tub-kho-NA so-AT ne-cha-ga-CHA ish-lay-DI | Until what time is the library open? |
| Men kutubxonaga bormoqchiman. | MEN ku-tub-kho-na-GA bor-moq-chi-MAN | I want to go to the library. |
| Oʻqituvchi | oʻ-qi-tuv-CHI | Teacher |
| Guruh sardori kim? | gu-RUH sar-do-RI KIM | Who is the group leader? |
| Guruh sardori menga xabar beradi. | gu-RUH sar-do-RI men-GA kha-BAR be-ra-DI | The group leader will let me know. |
| Domla, kirsam boʻladimi? | dom-LA, kir-SAM boʻ-la-di-MI | Teacher, may I come in? |
| Domla, savolim bor. | dom-LA, sa-vo-LIM BOR | Teacher, I have a question. |
| Iltimos, takrorlang. | il-ti-MOS, tak-ror-LANG | Please repeat that. |
| Sekinroq gapirsangiz boʻladimi? | se-kin-ROQ ga-pir-san-GIZ boʻ-la-di-MI | Could you speak more slowly? |
| Ingliz tilida tushuntirib bera olasizmi? | in-GLIZ ti-li-DA tu-shun-ti-RIB be-RA o-la-siz-MI | Could you explain in English? |
| Menga yordam kerak. | men-GA yor-DAM ke-RAK | I need help. |
| Yordam bera olasizmi? | yor-DAM be-RA o-la-siz-MI | Could you help me? |
| Rahmat, domla! | rah-MAT, dom-LA | Thank you, teacher! |
I want to, I need: -moqchiman and kerak
Two patterns do most of the work in the tables above.
-moqchiman means “I want to”. Dictionary forms of Uzbek verbs end in -moq; cut that off to get the stem, then add -moqchiman:
- Men ma’lumotnoma olmoqchiman. I want to get a certificate. (olmoq, to take or get: ol- + -moqchiman)
- Men dekan bilan gaplashmoqchiman. I want to speak with the dean. (gaplashmoq: gaplash- + -moqchiman)
- Men kutubxonaga bormoqchiman. I want to go to the library. (bormoq: bor- + -moqchiman)
For “I do not want to”, drop the final -man and add emasman: Bormoqchi emasman. (I do not want to go.) For “you”, respectful, the last part becomes -moqchisiz: Gaplashmoqchimisiz? (Do you want to talk?)
Kerak means “needed” and works in two ways. After a noun, the person who needs it takes -ga: Menga ma’lumotnoma kerak. (to me a certificate is needed: I need a certificate), Menga yordam kerak. After a verb, the verb takes -ish and the “my” ending, then kerak: borishim kerak (I need to go), topshirishim kerak (I have to hand in). Use -moqchiman for what you choose, kerak for what you must do or lack.
At the dean’s office
A: Assalomu alaykum. Kechirasiz, men xorijiy talabaman. Menga ma’lumotnoma kerak.
Hello. Excuse me, I am an international student. I need a certificate.
B: Va alaykum assalom. Qaysi guruhdansiz?
Hello. Which group are you in?
A: Men beshinchi guruhdanman. Hujjatlarim mana.
I am from the fifth group. Here are my documents.
B: Yaxshi. Ertaga soat ikkida keling.
Good. Come tomorrow at two.
A: Rahmat! Ertagacha.
Thank you! See you tomorrow.
This dialogue shows the words, not the procedure: what an office asks for, and when, is for that office to say.
Uzbekcha is being built to help students handle everyday university talk, from the dean’s office to the library desk. At launch, lessons are in English and compare Uzbek with your first language. Join the waitlist.