If your meetings run in English or Russian, the greeting and the way a person is named are still worth getting right in Uzbek. The one grammar idea on this page is respect made visible: the plural ending -lar on titles and on “you” (Siz, Sizlar, domla, hurmatli), and the formal greeting round that follows Assalomu alaykum.
This page is part of Uzbek for business in Uzbekistan, the guide for professionals and investors.
For aka, opa, siz and sen in full, see How to address people in Uzbek. For introductions, agreeing and next steps in the meeting itself, see Uzbek for business meetings.
Greeting, the well-being round and titles
A university resource on Uzbek culture says people greet each other in Uzbekistan even without knowing the person, usually with Assalomu alaykum, and that it is also expected to ask about well-being, family and work. The US Country Commercial Guide says that only close friends or relations use first names alone, and that it is important to learn the titles of the people you plan to meet. In Uzbek, a first name sounds polite with a respectful word after it: aka for an older man, opa for an older woman.
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Assalomu alaykum! | ah-sah-loh-mu ah-lay-KUM | Hello (to everyone) |
| Va alaykum assalom. | va ah-lay-kum ah-sah-LOM | Hello (the reply) |
| Yaxshimisiz? | yakh-shi-mi-SIZ | Are you well? |
| Ishlaringiz yaxshimi? | ish-la-rin-giz yakh-shi-MI | Is your work going well? |
| Oilangiz yaxshimi? | o-i-lan-giz yakh-shi-MI | Is your family well? |
| Rahmat, yaxshi. Oʻzingiz-chi? | rah-MAT, yakh-SHI. oʻ-zin-giz-CHI | Fine, thank you. And you? |
| Rustam aka | rus-TAM a-KA | Mr Rustam (an older man, polite) |
| Dilnoza opa | dil-no-ZA o-PA | Ms Dilnoza (an older woman, polite) |
| Hurmatli Rustam aka | hur-mat-LI rus-TAM a-KA | Dear Rustam aka (written or formal) |
| Hurmatli domla | hur-mat-LI dom-LA | Dear teacher / dear professor |
| Hurmatli janob Karimov | hur-mat-LI ja-NOB ka-ri-MOV | Dear Mr Karimov (formal, with the surname) |
| Sizni koʻrganimdan xursandman. | siz-NI koʻr-ga-nim-DAN khur-sand-MAN | I am glad to see you. |
| Sizlarni koʻrganimdan xursandman. | siz-lar-NI koʻr-ga-nim-DAN khur-sand-MAN | I am glad to see you all. |
Appointments, business cards and dress
The same guide says that obtaining an appointment with government officials can be difficult and that persistence and patience are essential. It advises printing business cards and company literature in Uzbek or Russian if possible. For dress it advises business attire for official meetings and business casual for most social situations.
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Qabulga yozilmoqchiman. | qa-bul-GA yo-zil-moq-chi-MAN | I would like to make an appointment (to be received). |
| Uchrashuv uchun vaqt topsak boʻladimi? | uch-ra-SHUV u-CHUN vaqt top-SAK boʻ-la-di-MI | Could we find a time to meet? |
| Kutishga tayyorman. | ku-tish-GA tay-yor-MAN | I am ready to wait. |
| Direktor hozir yigʻilishdalar. | di-REK-tor ho-ZIR yi-gʻi-lish-da-LAR | The director is in a meeting right now. (-lar for respect) |
| Vaqt ajratganingiz uchun rahmat. | vaqt aj-rat-ga-nin-giz u-CHUN rah-MAT | Thank you for making time. |
| Mana mening vizitkam. | MA-na me-NING vi-zit-KAM | Here is my business card. |
| Vizitkamiz oʻzbek va rus tillarida. | vi-zit-ka-MIZ oʻz-BEK va RUS til-la-ri-DA | Our card is in Uzbek and Russian. |
| Qaysi lavozimda ishlaysiz? | qay-SI la-vo-zim-DA ish-lay-SIZ | What is your position? (lit. in which position do you work?) |
| Sizning vizitkangizni olsam boʻladimi? | siz-NING vi-zit-kan-giz-NI ol-SAM boʻ-la-di-MI | May I take your business card? |
Gifts, flowers and tea
The guide says Uzbeks take pleasure in giving and receiving gifts, that inexpensive gifts need not be wrapped but expensive ones should be, and that when giving flowers you should give an odd number, since even numbers are only for funerals. A university resource adds that it is common to bring a small gift to the host to show respect and appreciation, and that any meal starts and ends with tea. It says a very small amount of tea is poured, and the more honoured the guest, the less tea is in the cup; asking the host for more tea is a sign of respect to the house. The same resource says the most honoured guests are seated away from the entrance. A separate newspaper report says bread (non) should not be placed upside down and is meant to be torn by hand, never cut with a knife, and shared with others.
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bu sizga kichik sovgʻa. | BU siz-GA ki-CHIK sov-GʻA | This is a small gift for you. |
| Bu sizga gullar. | BU siz-GA gul-LAR | These are flowers for you. |
| Taklifingiz uchun rahmat. | tak-li-fin-GIZ u-CHUN rah-MAT | Thank you for your invitation. |
| Mehmondoʻstligingiz uchun katta rahmat. | meh-mon-doʻst-li-gin-GIZ u-CHUN kat-TA rah-MAT | Thank you very much for your hospitality. |
| Marhamat, oʻtiring. | mar-ha-MAT, oʻ-ti-RING | Please, take a seat. |
| Choy, marhamat. | CHOY, mar-ha-MAT | Tea, please (help yourself). |
| Yana bir piyola choy? | ya-NA BIR pi-yo-LA CHOY | Another bowl of tea? |
| Choy juda mazali. | CHOY ju-DA ma-za-LI | The tea is delicious. |
| Non, marhamat. | NON, mar-ha-MAT | Bread, please (help yourself). |
| Hammasi juda mazali, rahmat. | ham-ma-SI ju-DA ma-za-LI, rah-MAT | Everything is delicious, thank you. |
The respectful -lar and the greeting round
The ending -lar makes a plural, and Uzbek also uses it to show respect. Four things to notice on this page:
- To a group, -lar is the plural: Hurmatli hamkorlar! (dear partners), Hurmatli mehmonlar! (dear guests), domlalar (teachers, professors). Siz is the respectful “you” to one person and can also mean “you all”; to make the plural clear, add -lar: Sizlarni koʻrganimdan xursandman. (I am glad to see you all). The -ni marks the people you see.
- About one respected person, -lar can go on the end of the sentence although there is only one: Direktor hozir yigʻilishdalar (the director is in a meeting). Direktor hozir yigʻilishda is also correct, just plainer.
- hurmatli (respected, dear) goes before the name or title in a polite address, above all in writing and speeches: Hurmatli Rustam aka, Hurmatli domla. The word is built from hurmat (respect) plus -li (having).
- The greeting round is a repeated pattern: a noun with the “your” ending -ingiz, then yaxshimi?. Ishlaringiz yaxshimi? (your work) and Oilangiz yaxshimi? (your family) both use it, after Yaxshimisiz?. Stay in the siz set for the whole round, as on the addressing-people page.
Arriving at the director’s office
A: Assalomu alaykum, Rustam aka.
Hello, Rustam aka.
B: Va alaykum assalom! Xush kelibsiz. Yaxshimisiz? Ishlaringiz yaxshimi?
Hello! Welcome. Are you well? Is your work going well?
A: Rahmat, yaxshi. Oilangiz yaxshimi?
Thank you, fine. Is your family well?
B: Rahmat. Marhamat, oʻtiring. Choy ichasizmi?
Thank you. Please, take a seat. Will you have some tea?
A: Rahmat. Bu sizga kichik sovgʻa. Mana mening vizitkam.
Thank you. This is a small gift for you. Here is my business card.
B: Katta rahmat! Hozir choy keltirishadi.
Thank you very much! They will bring the tea in a moment.
Uzbekcha is being built to teach the polite forms of Uzbek, titles and the greeting round included, with audio on every word. At launch, lessons are in English and compare Uzbek with your first language. Join the waitlist.