How are the sounds previously represented by the Cyrillic letters я, ё, ю, е written in Uzbek Latin script? In this lesson, we’ll study the letters u, y and the combinations ya, yo, yu, ye, with example words like uy, boyqush, yaxta, oyoq, yuqoriga. We’ll practice pronouncing, writing, and distinguishing them by ear. As always, the lesson includes audio by native Uzbek speakers.
In the old Uzbek alphabet based on Cyrillic, there were four “iotated” letters — е, ё, ю, я. Today, in the Latin alphabet, they are written as the following combinations:
й + э = е (ye)
й + о = ё (yo)
й + у = ю (yu)
й + а = я (ya)
We’ll cover the letters е (ye) and э (e) later.
Letters of the Uzbek alphabet: u, y (Latin); я, ё, ю (Cyrillic)
Today we’ll study the letters and letter combinations u, y, ya, yo, yu, as well as words and sentences using them. Some of these words are: uy, boyqush, yaxta, oyoq, yuqoriga.
Exercise 1. Listen and repeat the words and letters.
| Картинки и слова/ Pictures and words | Буквы (латиница)/ Letters (Latin) | Буквы (кириллица)/ Letters (Cyrillic) | Примеры/ Examples |
 uy | U u | У у | Ukraina, janubiy, Turkiya, dushanba |
 boyqush | Y y | Й й | qayerda, voybo'y, Xitoy, yetti |
 yaxta | Ya ya | Я я | Yaponiya, Germaniya, Koreya |
 oyoq | Yo yo | Ё ё | yoqimli, sayyoh |
uy — house
boyqush — owl
yaxta — yacht
oyoq — leg, legs, foot, feet
yuqoriga — upward
sayyoh — traveler, tourist
Exercise 2. Listen and repeat the sentences.
U Ukrainadanmi?
Bilmayman.
U yoqimli shahar.
U Yaponiyadan.
Buyuk Britaniyadanmisiz?
Exercise 3. Circle the word with the different highlighted letter. Listen.
ayt — say
yulduz — star, celebrity
| Картинки и слова/ Letters and words | Буквы (латиница)/ Letters (Latin) | Буквы (кириллица)/ Letters (Cyrillic) | Примеры/ Examples |
| uy | U u | У у | juma O'zbekiston juda |
| boyqush | Y y | Й й | qayerdan qaysi Ukraina |
| yaxta | Ya ya | Я я | yaxshi yakshanba xayr |
| oyoq | Yo yo | Ё ё | yo'q yoqimli sayyoh |
 yuqoriga | Yu yu | Ю ю | ayt buyuk yulduz |
Exercise 4. Listen to the words again and repeat aloud.
Now you know how the sounds [ja], [jo], [ju], [je] are written and pronounced in Uzbek Latin script — using the combinations ya, yo, yu, ye, which were formerly single letters in Cyrillic. You also got to know words with u and y, and practiced using them.
Did you enjoy the lesson? Which words with the letters u, y, ya, yo, yu, ye do you remember best? Write in the comments!
- Previous lesson: Lesson 11. Where is he/she/it from in Uzbek — end of the topic
- Next lesson: Lesson 13. Listening and speaking in Uzbek
- All lessons
Exercise answers
See answers
Exercise 3. u — O’zbekiston, y — Ukraina, ya — xayr, yo — yo’q, yu — ayt