Ask a grandparent for advice and a maqol may arrive: one short line that sums it all up. If you have heard these at home without being told what they meant, this page gives you the line, a word-for-word version and what it is about. The one grammar idea is in the verbs: proverbs keep the older -ur and -ar forms, and use -sa for “if”.
This page is part of Uzbek for heritage learners, the guide for the Uzbek diaspora and families abroad.
14 maqollar and what they mean
Proverbs have several versions. Some families say soʻz instead of gap, or boʻlar instead of boʻlur. The versions below are widely known, and the Literally column stays close to the words so you can see how the Uzbek is built.
| Uzbek | Literally | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bilagi zoʻr birni yiqar, bilimi zoʻr mingni yiqar. | Whose arm is strong throws one; whose knowledge is strong throws a thousand. | Knowledge counts for more than strength. |
| Tomchi-tomchi koʻl boʻlur. | Drop by drop, it becomes a lake. | Small things add up. |
| Yetti oʻlchab, bir kes. | Measure seven times, cut once. | Think carefully before you act. |
| Sabrning tagi sariq oltin. | The bottom of patience is yellow gold. | Patience pays off in the end. |
| Nima eksang, shuni oʻrasan. | Whatever you sow, that you reap. | You get back what you put in. |
| Koʻrpangga qarab oyoq uzat. | Looking at your blanket, stretch your legs. | Live within your means. |
| Yaxshi gap bilan ilon inidan chiqar. | With a good word, a snake comes out of its hole. | Kind words win people over. |
| Birlashgan oʻzar, birlashmagan toʻzar. | The united get ahead; the not united fall apart. | Together we manage more than alone. |
| Bir qoʻldan ovoz chiqmas. | No sound comes from one hand. | It takes more than one person (a clap needs two hands). |
| Qush uyasida koʻrganini qiladi. | A bird does what it has seen in its nest. | Children copy what they see at home. |
| Qarisi bor uyning parisi bor. | The home that has an elder has a fairy. | A home with an elder in it is a lucky home. |
| Mehmon otangdan ulugʻ. | A guest is greater than your father. | Treat a guest with the greatest respect. |
| Ona yurting omon boʻlsa, rangi roʻying somon boʻlmas. | If your motherland is safe, the colour of your face will not turn to straw. | While your homeland is well, you have little to fear. |
| Oʻzga yurtda shoh boʻlguncha, oʻz yurtingda gado boʻl. | Rather than be a king in another land, be a beggar in your own. | Better to be humble at home than great abroad. |
How three of them sound
| Uzbek | Sounds like |
|---|---|
| Tomchi-tomchi koʻl boʻlur. | tom-CHI tom-CHI KOʻL boʻ-LUR |
| Yetti oʻlchab, bir kes. | yet-TI oʻl-CHAB, bir KES |
| Koʻrpangga qarab oyoq uzat. | koʻr-pang-GA qa-RAB o-YOQ u-ZAT |
Old verb forms and -sa in proverbs
Proverbs are old, and their grammar shows it. The meaning is easy once you see the pattern:
- boʻlur, chiqar, oʻzar, toʻzar: the older -ur and -ar present-future. Today’s everyday forms are boʻladi, chiqadi, oʻzadi, toʻzadi, but proverbs keep the old shape because it is short and rhymes.
- chiqmas, boʻlmas: the old negative -mas (“does not”, “will not”). Everyday Uzbek says chiqmaydi and boʻlmaydi. Learn to recognise -mas and you will understand the rest.
- omon boʻlsa, eksang: -sa means “if”. Ona yurting omon boʻlsa is “if your motherland is safe”, and eksang is ek- (sow) + -sa + -ng (you): “if you sow”. The -ng is the familiar “you”, which is why proverbs say eksang and uzat, not the polite eksangiz and uzating.
- boʻlguncha: boʻl- (be) + -guncha, which usually means “until”. In this proverb it means “rather than”: Shoh boʻlguncha is “rather than be a king”.
A grandmother and a grandson
Buvi: Nodir, uy vazifangni qildingmi?
Nodir, did you do your homework?
Nodir: Hali yoʻq, buvijon. Juda qiyin.
Not yet, grandma. It’s very hard.
Buvi: Sabr qil, bolam. Sabrning tagi sariq oltin.
Be patient, my child. The bottom of patience is yellow gold.
Nodir: Toʻgʻri aytasiz, buvijon. Tomchi-tomchi koʻl boʻlur.
You’re right, grandma. Drop by drop, it becomes a lake.
Buvi: Barakalla! Qani, boshla.
Well done! Come on, start.
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