Uzbek phrasebook

Writing a work email or Telegram message in Uzbek: Hurmat bilan

Write a polite work email or Telegram message in Uzbek: Hurmatli, Mavzu, biriktirdim, javob bersangiz and Hurmat bilan, with pronunciation.

A work email in Uzbek is short, formal and warm. It opens with a respectful greeting line, says in a sentence or two what it is about, asks for something politely, and closes with a fixed phrase. The one grammar idea on this page is the polite request with -sangiz (“if you would …”), which turns a bare command into a courteous ask.

This page is part of Uzbek for business in Uzbekistan, the guide for professionals and investors.

Subject line and opening

Uzbek Sounds like Meaning
Mavzu: mav-ZU Subject:
Mavzu: Shartnoma loyihasi mav-ZU: shart-no-MA lo-yi-ha-SI Subject: Draft contract
Hurmatli Rustam aka, hur-mat-LI rus-TAM a-KA Dear Rustam (an older or senior man),
Hurmatli Dilnoza opa, hur-mat-LI dil-no-ZA o-PA Dear Dilnoza (an older or senior woman),
Hurmatli janob Karimov, hur-mat-LI ja-NOB ka-ri-MOV Dear Mr Karimov,
Hurmatli hamkasblar, hur-mat-LI ham-kasb-LAR Dear colleagues,
Hurmatli hamkorlar, hur-mat-LI ham-kor-LAR Dear partners,
Assalomu alaykum! ah-sah-loh-mu ah-lay-KUM Hello! (a common first line)
Xatingiz uchun rahmat. kha-tin-GIZ u-CHUN rah-MAT Thank you for your email.
Kecha uchrashuvimiz uchun rahmat. ke-CHA uch-ra-shu-vi-MIZ u-CHUN rah-MAT Thank you for our meeting yesterday.
Sizga uchrashuv haqida yozyapman. siz-GA uch-ra-SHUV ha-qi-DA yoz-yap-MAN I am writing to you about the meeting.
Savolingiz boʻyicha yozyapman. sa-vo-lin-GIZ boʻ-yi-CHA yoz-yap-MAN I am writing about your question.

Attachments, replies, deadlines and apologies

Uzbek Sounds like Meaning
Hujjatni biriktirdim. huj-jat-NI bi-rik-tir-DIM I have attached the document.
Shartnomani ilova qilaman. shart-no-ma-NI i-lo-VA qi-la-MAN I attach the contract. (formal)
Iltimos, javob bering. il-ti-MOS, ja-VOB be-RING Please reply.
Javob bersangiz, minnatdor boʻlaman. ja-VOB ber-san-GIZ, min-nat-DOR boʻ-la-MAN I would be grateful if you replied.
Iltimos, koʻrib chiqsangiz. il-ti-MOS, koʻ-RIB chiq-san-GIZ Could you please look it over?
Iltimos, tasdiqlab bering. il-ti-MOS, tas-diq-LAB be-RING Please confirm.
Muddat: juma kunigacha. mud-DAT: ju-MA ku-ni-ga-CHA Deadline: by Friday.
Seshanbagacha javob bersangiz, minnatdor boʻlaman. se-shan-ba-ga-CHA ja-VOB ber-san-GIZ, min-nat-DOR boʻ-la-MAN I would be grateful for a reply by Tuesday.
Javobingizni kutaman. ja-vo-bin-giz-NI ku-ta-MAN I look forward to your reply.
Savollaringiz boʻlsa, yozing. sa-vol-la-rin-GIZ boʻl-SA, yo-ZING If you have questions, write to me.
Kechikib javob berganim uchun uzr soʻrayman. ke-chi-KIB ja-VOB ber-ga-NIM u-CHUN UZR soʻ-ray-MAN I apologise for replying late.
Kechikkanim uchun kechirasiz. ke-chik-ka-NIM u-CHUN ke-chi-ra-SIZ Sorry for being late.
Hamkorligingiz uchun rahmat. ham-kor-li-gin-GIZ u-CHUN rah-MAT Thank you for your cooperation.
Ma’lumot uchun rahmat. ma’-lu-MOT u-CHUN rah-MAT Thank you for the information.

Closing, and a short Telegram message

Uzbek Sounds like Meaning
Hurmat bilan, hur-MAT bi-LAN Kind regards, (lit. with respect)
Jon Smith JON SMITH Your name, on its own line
Loyiha menejeri lo-yi-HA me-ne-je-RI Your position (here: project manager)
Assalomu alaykum, Rustam aka. ah-sah-loh-mu ah-lay-KUM, rus-TAM a-KA Hello, Rustam aka. (opening a Telegram message)
Hujjatni yubordim. huj-jat-NI yu-bor-DIM I have sent the document.
Oldingizmi? ol-din-giz-MI Did you get it?
Koʻrdingizmi? koʻr-din-giz-MI Did you see it?
Xabar uchun rahmat. kha-BAR u-CHUN rah-MAT Thank you for the message.
Mayli, rahmat. may-LI, rah-MAT OK, thanks.
Tushunarli. tu-shu-nar-LI Understood.
Kelishdik. ke-lish-DIK Agreed.
Bir soat ichida javob beraman. BIR so-AT i-chi-DA ja-VOB be-ra-MAN I will reply within an hour.
Ertaga gaplashsak boʻladimi? er-ta-GA gap-lash-SAK boʻ-la-di-MI Can we talk tomorrow? (more on business phone calls)

Hurmatli, -ingiz and -sangiz: the polite email

An Uzbek email is built from a few fixed pieces, and the endings in them repeat from line to line.

  • Hurmatli Rustam aka: hurmatli (respected, dear) comes before the name, and aka or opa goes after it for an older or senior person, as at the office. For a formal “Mr”, put janob before the surname: Hurmatli janob Karimov.
  • Xatingiz, javobingiz, savolingiz: the “your” ending on a noun is -ingiz (respectful). Xatingiz uchun rahmat is “thank you for your email”. The full form is Sizning xatingiz (siz + -ning, “of you”), but -ingiz already says “your”, so Sizning is usually left out.
  • Bersangiz, koʻrib chiqsangiz: verb stem + -sa (if) + -ngiz (you, respectful), “if you would give, if you could look it over”. A sentence such as Javob bersangiz, minnatdor boʻlaman is softer than Iltimos, javob bering, and it is what a polite writer reaches for when asking a favour.
  • Kechikkanim uchun: kechik- (be late) + -gan + -im (my) + uchun (for), “for my being late”. The same pattern gives javob berganim uchun (for my having replied).

A short email

Mavzu: Shartnoma loyihasi
Subject: Draft contract

Hurmatli Rustam aka,
Dear Rustam,

Assalomu alaykum. Kecha uchrashuvimiz uchun rahmat.
Hello. Thank you for our meeting yesterday.

Shartnoma loyihasini biriktirdim. Seshanbagacha koʻrib chiqsangiz, minnatdor boʻlaman.
I have attached the draft contract. I would be grateful if you could look it over by Tuesday.

Savollaringiz boʻlsa, yozing.
If you have questions, write to me.

Hurmat bilan,
Jon Smith
Loyiha menejeri
Kind regards, Jon Smith, Project Manager

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Questions

How do you start a formal email in Uzbek?

Write Hurmatli (dear, respected) and then the name, with aka or opa for an older colleague: Hurmatli Rustam aka, Hurmatli Dilnoza opa. For a formal "Mr" use janob: Hurmatli janob Karimov. You can add Assalomu alaykum on the next line.

How do you end an email in Uzbek?

Hurmat bilan (with respect) is the standard close. Put your name and position on the lines below it: Hurmat bilan, Jon Smith, loyiha menejeri (project manager).

How do you ask for a reply politely in Uzbek?

Use the -sangiz form: Javob bersangiz, minnatdor boʻlaman (I would be grateful if you replied). A more direct version is Iltimos, javob bering (please reply). Add a deadline with -gacha: Seshanbagacha (by Tuesday).

Part of How to learn Uzbek: the complete guide, which maps every page on this site to the stage of learning it belongs to.

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