ancha / biroz / sal

A Lot and a Little

Level 2

Ancha says quite a lot; biroz and sal say a little. Like juda, they go right before the word they measure.

How It Works

These three words answer how much? for a quality or an action. They take no ending and stand right before what they measure.

  • ancha: quite, considerably. It is weaker than juda (very) but still a real amount: Bu yoʻl ancha uzoq (This road is quite long). Before a noun of time or money it means quite a lot of: ancha vaqt (quite a while), ancha pul (a fair amount of money).
  • biroz: a little, a bit. It works before adjectives, verbs and nouns: biroz sovuq (a bit cold), Biroz dam oling (Rest a little), biroz non (a little bread).
  • sal: a little, slightly. It is more casual and very common in quick requests: Sal kuting (Wait a moment), Sal chapga (A little to the left).

With -roq. To say much cheaper or a little bigger, add -roq to the adjective and put the degree word first: ancha arzonroq (much cheaper), sal sekinroq (a little more slowly), biroz kattaroq (a bit bigger).

Related words. ozgina (a little) is oz (few, little) plus -gina, and it works much like biroz: Ozgina suv bering (Give me a little water). koʻp means many or a lot of with nouns: koʻp odam (a lot of people).

Examples (6)

  1. Bugun havo ancha iliq.

    The weather is quite warm today.

    Word by Word: Today weather quite warm.

  2. Bu kitob ancha arzonroq.

    This book is much cheaper.

    Word by Word: This book quite cheaper.

    ancha plus an adjective with -roq means much more.

  3. Biroz charchadim.

    I got a little tired.

    Word by Word: A-little I-got-tired.

    charchadim is the past of charchamoq (to get tired).

  4. Sal kuting, hozir kelaman.

    Wait a moment, I'll be right there.

    Word by Word: A-little wait, now I-come.

  5. Iltimos, sal sekinroq gapiring.

    Please speak a little more slowly.

    Word by Word: Please, a-little slower speak.

  6. Ancha vaqt kutdim.

    I waited for quite a while.

    Word by Word: Quite time I-waited.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the degree word after the word it measures.

    Havo iliq ancha.
    Havo ancha iliq.

    Like juda, the words ancha, biroz and sal come before the adjective or verb they measure.

  • Using kichik for "a little".

    Kichik kuting.
    Sal kuting.

    kichik means small in size, as in kichik uy (a small house). For a little bit of time or amount, use sal, biroz or ozgina.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ancha / biroz / salLevel 2A Lot and a Little

Learn This First

Builds on Comparing With -roq.

Words in This Pattern

anchabirozsal