Learning Uzbek: we continue studying how sentences without verbs are formed in the present tense. This lesson includes exercises on statements, negation, and questions, as well as revision of personal predicate affixes (here suffixes) and the particle emas. This will help you speak freely about who you are, where you are from, and where you are — even without verbs.
Grammar rules before the exercises
In Uzbek, sentences can be formed without a verb, especially in the present tense. Such sentences can be:
- affirmative (to say who you are, where you are from, where you are),
- negative (to say who you are not),
- interrogative (to ask others about this).
1. Affirmative sentences
In sentences without a verb, the subject is followed by a nominal predicate, to which personal suffixes indicating the grammatical person are attached.
| Person | Example |
|---|---|
| 1st person singular | Men o‘zbekman. — I am Uzbek. |
| 2nd person singular | Sen shifokorsan. — You are a doctor. |
| 3rd person singular | U talaba. — He/she is a student. (no suffix) |
| 1st person plural | Biz Moskvadamiz. — We are in Moscow. |
| 2nd person plural | Siz o‘qituvchisiz. — You are a teacher. |
| 3rd person plural | Ular rus. — They are Russians. (no suffix) |
In the 3rd person, suffixes are often omitted. The word Ular already indicates the plural.
2. Negative sentences
For negation, the particle emas is used, and then the required suffix is added.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| Men shifokor emasman. | I am not a doctor. |
| Sen talaba emassan. | You are not a student. |
| Biz turistlar emasmiz. | We are not tourists. |
| Siz o‘zbek emassiz. | You are not Uzbek. |
| Ular yapon emas. (without suffix) | They are not Japanese. |
3. Interrogative sentences
To form a question, the particle –mi is used. It is placed after the main part of the predicate. Personal affixes may be added either after it or before it (pay attention to the first person).
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| Siz o‘zbekmisiz? | Are you Uzbek? |
| Sen shifokormisan? | Are you a doctor? |
| Ular amerikalikmi? | Are they Americans? |
| Biz Fransiyadanmizmi? | Are we from France? |
Exercises on Uzbek sentences without verbs
Exercise 1. a) Insert the missing suffixes where necessary.
1 Biz Abu Dabidamiz.
2 Ular turkmi_____? Yo’q, ular arab______.
3 Sizlar xitoymisizlar? Yo’q, biz xitoy emas______. Biz amerikalik______.
4 Ular ta’tildami______? Yo’q, ular ta’tilda ______. Ular komandirovkada.
5 Ular fransuzmi______? Yo’q, ular nemis_______.
6 Biz to’qqizinchi xonada______mi? Yo’q, sizlar to’qqizinchi xonada _______. Sizlar o’ninchi xonada_____.
7 Ular o’zbekmi______? Yo’q, ular o’zbek ______. Ular qoraqalpoq____.
8 Kechirasiz, biz yomon______mi? Yo’q, sizlar yomon ________. Sizlar yaxshi________.
yomon — bad
b) Look again at the sentences in a). Write affirmative or negative answers. If the answer is negative, write the correct sentence.
1 Ular Saudiya Arabistonidami? Yo’q ular Saudiya Arabistonida emas. Ular Birlashgan Arab Amirliklarida.
2 Ular arabmi? Ha, ular arab.
3 Ayollar xitoymi?
4 Ular komandirovkadami?
5 Ular Fransiyadanmi?
6 Ular o’ninchi xonadami?
7 Ular Qoraqalpog’istondanmi?
8 Ular yomonmilar?
d) Work in pairs. Ask the questions from b) orally and answer them.
Exercise 2. Write affirmative and negative sentences, adding everything that is necessary.
1 sizlar/ talaba + o’qituvchi —
Sizlar talabasizlar. Sizlar o’qituvchi emassizlar.
2 biz/ Misrdan + Xitoydan —
3 ular/ yapon + xitoy —
4 sizlar/ uchinchi sinfda + to’rtinchi sinfda —
5 biz/ Janubiy Koreyadan + AQShdan —
6 ular/ BAAdan + Saudiya Arabistonidan —
7 men/ ukrain + rus —
8 u/ beshinchi xonada + ikkinchi xonada —
Exercise 3. Write sentences with personal pronouns.
1 Sardor va men O’zbekistondanmiz.
(Biz) O’zbekistondanmiz.
2 Leon va Linda ta’tilda.
3 Lola oltinchi sinfda.
4 Anvar Hindistondan.
5 Luce va men komandirovkadamiz.
6 Kiyev Ukrainada.
In this lesson, you learned how to use verbless sentences in affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms. You practiced adding personal suffixes and the particle emas in order to confidently talk about yourself, other people, and places.
- Previous lesson: Lesson 22. Uzbek personal pronouns and predicate affixes, a dialogue when meeting at a hotel restaurant
- Next lesson: Lesson 24. Small talk at a restaurant table in Uzbek, with audio
- All lessons
Answers to exercises
Show answers
Exercise 1.
a) 2 (lar), (lar) 3 miz, miz 4 (lar), emas(lar) 5 (lar), (lar) 6 miz, emassizlar, sizlar 7 (lar), emas(lar), (lar) 8 miz, emassizlar, sizlar
b) 3 Yo’q, ular xitoy emas(lar). Ular amerikalik(lar). 4 Ha, ular komandirovkada(lar). 5 Yo’q, ular Fransiyadan emas(lar). Ular Germaniyadan(lar). 6 Ha, ular o’ninchi xonada(lar). 7 Ha, ular Qoraqalpog’istondan(lar). 8 Yo’q, ular yomon emas(lar). Ular yaxshi(lar).
Exercise 2.
2 Biz Misrdanmiz. Biz Xitoydan emasmiz. 3 Ular yapon(lar). Ular xitoy emas(lar). 4 Sizlar uchinchi sinfdasizlar. Sizlar to’rtinchi sinfda emassizlar. 5 Biz Janubiy Koreyadanmiz. Biz AQShdan emasmiz.
6 Ular BAAdan. Ular Saudiya Arabistonidan emas. 7 Men ukrainman. Men rus emasman. 8 U beshinchi xonada. U ikkinchi xonada emas.
Exercise 3. 2 Ular ta’tilda. 3 U oltinchi sinfda. 4 U Hindistondan. 5 (Biz) komandirovkadamiz. 6 U Ukrainada.