Uzbek politeness is generous. People thank, bless and welcome each other constantly, and a foreigner who uses even three of these words correctly gets a warmer reaction than they expect.
Looking for one phrase? How to say thank you in Uzbek has its own page, with the reply and what not to say. This page is step 3 of how to learn Uzbek, the whole path in order.
| Uzbek | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Rahmat | rah-MAT | Thank you |
| Katta rahmat | kat-TA rah-MAT | Thank you very much |
| Tashakkur | ta-shak-KUR | Thank you (formal) |
| Arzimaydi | ar-zi-may-DI | You’re welcome (literally “it’s nothing”) |
| Marhamat | mar-ha-MAT | Please, go ahead / here you are / you’re welcome |
| Iltimos | il-ti-MOS | Please (when asking for something) |
| Kechirasiz | ke-chi-ra-SIZ | Excuse me / sorry |
| Uzr | UZR | Sorry (an apology) |
| Hechqisi yoʻq | hech-qi-SI YOʻQ | No problem, it’s fine |
| Ha | HA | Yes |
| Yoʻq | YOʻQ | No |
| Mayli | may-LI | OK, fine, alright |
| Boʻladi | boh-la-DI | Sure, will do, that works |
Marhamat vs. arzimaydi
Both get translated as “you’re welcome”, but they do different jobs.
- Marhamat is what you say while handing something over, holding a door, or inviting someone to sit, speak or go first. It is closer to “please, go ahead” or “here you are”. A shopkeeper handing you your change says marhamat.
- Arzimaydi is the reply to rahmat: “don’t mention it”. Literally arzi-may-di, “it isn’t worth (mentioning)”.
Iltimos: where it goes
Iltimos can go at the start or the end of the sentence, and the verb it goes with takes the polite command ending -ing or -ng:
- Iltimos, sekinroq gapiring. Please speak more slowly.
- Suv bering, iltimos. Water, please. (literally “water give, please”)
That -ing ending is the polite “you” imperative. Drop it (ber, gapir) and you are talking to a child or a close friend.
Boʻladi: the most useful word you didn’t expect
Boʻladi literally means “it becomes” or “it will be”, and Uzbek uses it for “OK”, “that works”, “deal”, and “can I?” (Boʻladimi? with the question suffix). It settles bazaar prices, taxi fares and meeting times.
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