You understand what your grandmother says, and you want to answer in her language, but the words will not come. The good news is that most of what you need to say to a grandparent is short and polite, and it follows one pattern. The one grammar idea on this page is siz: the “you” ending on greetings and questions, and the extra -lar that shows respect when you ask about an elder.
This page is part of Uzbek for heritage learners, the guide for the Uzbek diaspora and families abroad.
Greeting an elder and asking after them
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Assalomu alaykum, buvijon. | as-sa-LO-mu a-lay-KUM, bu-vi-JON | Hello, grandma. |
| Assalomu alaykum, bobojon. | as-sa-LO-mu a-lay-KUM, bo-bo-JON | Hello, grandpa. |
| Qalaysiz, buvijon? | qa-lay-SIZ, bu-vi-JON | How are you, grandma? |
| Yaxshimisiz, bobojon? | yakh-shi-mi-SIZ, bo-bo-JON | Are you well, grandpa? |
| Sogʻligʻingiz qalay? | sogʻ-li-gʻin-GIZ qa-LAY | How is your health? |
| Yaxshi uxladingizmi? | yakh-SHI ukh-la-din-giz-MI | Did you sleep well? |
| Charchamadingizmi? | char-cha-ma-din-giz-MI | Aren’t you tired? (a caring question) |
| Ovqat yedingizmi? | ov-QAT ye-din-giz-MI | Have you eaten? |
| Dori ichdingizmi? | do-RI ich-din-giz-MI | Did you take your medicine? |
| Uyda hamma yaxshimi? | uy-DA ham-MA yakh-shi-MI | Is everyone at home well? |
| Buvim qalaylar? | bu-VIM qa-lay-LAR | How is my grandmother? (asking a relative) |
| Bobom nima qilyaptilar? | bo-BOM ni-MA qil-yap-ti-LAR | What is my grandfather doing? (asking a relative) |
Understanding, speaking slowly, asking for words
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tushunaman. | tu-shu-na-MAN | I understand. |
| Tushunaman, lekin gapirishga qiynalaman. | tu-shu-na-MAN, le-KIN ga-pi-rish-GA qiy-na-la-MAN | I understand, but speaking is hard for me. |
| Tushunaman, lekin yaxshi gapira olmayman. | tu-shu-na-MAN, le-KIN yakh-SHI ga-pi-ra ol-may-MAN | I understand, but I can’t speak well. |
| Sekinroq gapiring, iltimos. | se-kin-ROQ ga-pi-RING, il-ti-MOS | Please speak more slowly. |
| Yana bir marta ayting, iltimos. | ya-NA bir mar-TA ay-TING, il-ti-MOS | Please say it once more. |
| Tushunmadim. | tu-shun-ma-DIM | I didn’t understand. |
| Bu nima degani? | BU ni-MA de-ga-NI | What does this mean? |
| Oʻzbekchasi nima? | oʻz-bek-cha-SI ni-MA | What is it in Uzbek? |
| Buni oʻzbekcha qanday aytaman? | bu-NI oʻz-bek-CHA qan-DAY ay-ta-MAN | How do I say this in Uzbek? |
| Menga bir soʻz oʻrgating. | men-GA bir SOʻZ oʻr-ga-TING | Please teach me a word. |
| Xato qilsam, toʻgʻrilang. | kha-TO qil-SAM, toʻgʻ-ri-LANG | If I make a mistake, please correct me. |
The past, thanks, blessings and love
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yoshligingiz haqida gapirib bering. | yosh-li-gin-GIZ ha-qi-DA ga-pi-RIB be-RING | Please tell me about when you were young. |
| Yoshligingizda hayot qanday edi? | yosh-li-gin-giz-DA ha-YOT qan-DAY e-DI | What was life like when you were young? |
| Bu rasmda kim bor? | bu rasm-DA kim BOR | Who is in this photo? |
| Rahmat, buvijon. | rah-MAT, bu-vi-JON | Thank you, grandma. |
| Katta rahmat. | kat-TA rah-MAT | Thank you very much. |
| Duolaringiz uchun rahmat. | du-o-la-rin-giz u-CHUN rah-MAT | Thank you for your blessings. |
| Baxtli boʻl, bolam. | bakht-LI BOʻL, bo-LAM | May you be happy, my child. (what a grandparent may say to you) |
| Sogʻ boʻl, bolam. | SOGʻ BOʻL, bo-LAM | Be healthy, my child. (what a grandparent may say to you) |
| Omin. | o-MIN | Amen. (said after a wish or blessing, to agree with it; the reply to the two lines above) |
| Sizni yaxshi koʻraman. | siz-NI yakh-SHI koʻ-ra-MAN | I love you. |
| Yana kelaman. | ya-NA ke-la-MAN | I’ll come again. |
| Xayr, sogʻ boʻling. | KHAYR, SOGʻ boʻ-LING | Goodbye, take care. |
More blessings, and when people say each one, are on blessings you hear at home. For the plain greetings, see how are you in Uzbek.
Siz, and respect with -lar
With a grandparent the “you” is always siz, and the whole sentence follows it. Compare the endings in the tables:
- Qalaysiz? Yaxshimisiz?: -siz is the respectful “you” on the question word.
- Sogʻligʻingiz, yoshligingiz: -ingiz means “your” (-ngiz after a vowel, as in buvingiz). In a past-tense question it appears as -ngiz: uxladingizmi, yedingizmi, ichdingizmi.
- Buvim qalaylar? Bobom nima qilyaptilar?: when you ask someone else about a grandparent, -lar is added at the end to show respect. It is the same ending as the plural, here used for one person.
- gapiring, ayting, oʻrgating, toʻgʻrilang: the polite request ending -ing (-ng after a vowel) turns the verb into “please …” to someone you call siz.
Your grandparents may say sen to you (Qalaysan?), because you are younger. That is normal. You still use siz back.
A call with grandma
Nodir: Assalomu alaykum, buvijon. Qalaysiz?
Hello, grandma. How are you?
Buvi: Va alaykum assalom, bolam. Yaxshiman, rahmat. Sen qalaysan?
Hello, my child. I’m well, thank you. How are you?
Nodir: Yaxshiman. Tushunaman, lekin gapirishga qiynalaman.
I’m well. I understand, but speaking is hard for me.
Buvi: Mayli, bolam. Oʻzbekcha gapir.
That’s all right, my child. Speak Uzbek.
Nodir: Sizni yaxshi koʻraman, buvijon.
I love you, grandma.
Buvi: Baxtli boʻl, bolam.
May you be happy, my child.
Nodir: Omin.
Amen.
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