erur / ermas
Classical Is and Is Not
erur = is, ermas = is not, in classical style: Doʻstlik — ulugʻ neʼmat erur (Friendship is a great blessing). You read them in poems and sayings; you do not use them in everyday talk.
How It Works
Where they come from. Old Uzbek had a verb er- meaning to be. Erur is its present form and ermas is its negative. Classical poets such as Navoiy used them. Several modern words grew out of the same verb: erdi became edi, erkan became ekan, ermish became emish, and ermas became emas.
How to read them. Put today's word in place of the old one:
- Ilm — tuganmas xazina erur. = Ilm — tuganmas xazinadir. (Knowledge is an endless treasure.)
- Bu dunyo abadiy ermas. = Bu dunyo abadiy emas. (This world is not eternal.)
Where they go. Like -dir and emas, they come after the noun or adjective at the end of the sentence. A dash often stands between the subject and a noun: Doʻstlik — ulugʻ neʼmat erur. Modern everyday Uzbek needs no word at all here: Doʻstlik ulugʻ neʼmat, as in third-person sentences.
Present, not past. Erur states something that is true now or always. For the past, classical texts use erdi and modern Uzbek uses edi.
When you meet them. You see them in classical poems, proverbs, quotations on walls and speeches that want a solemn tone. In your own everyday sentences, use -dir, no ending, or emas.
Examples (6)
- Doʻstlik — ulugʻ neʼmat erur.
Friendship is a great blessing.
Word by Word: Friendship — great blessing is.
- Ilm — tuganmas xazina erur.
Knowledge is an endless treasure.
Word by Word: Knowledge — endless treasure is.
- Bu dunyo abadiy ermas.
This world is not eternal.
Word by Word: This world eternal is-not.
- Yolgʻonchi kishi doʻst ermas.
A liar is no friend.
Word by Word: Lying person friend is-not.
- Vatan — onadek aziz erur.
The homeland is as dear as a mother.
Word by Word: Homeland — mother-like dear is.
- Doʻstlik — ulugʻ neʼmatdir.
Friendship is a great blessing.
Word by Word: Friendship — great blessing-is.
The same idea in modern formal Uzbek, with -dir in place of erur.
Common Mistakes
Using erur for a past state (meant: Yesterday the weather was cold).
Kecha havo sovuq erur.Kecha havo sovuq edi.Erur states something true now or always. For the past, use edi.
Using ermas to negate an ordinary verb.
Men u yerga boraman ermas.Men u yerga bormayman.Ermas, like emas, negates a noun or adjective sentence. A verb such as bormoq takes -ma- instead.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on Saying Something Is Not and Probably: -dir.
Related Patterns
- ediWas and Were: Edi
Grew out of erdi, the past form of the same old verb er-.
Level 2 - ekanIt Turns Out: Ekan
Grew out of erkan, another form of the old verb er-.
Level 3 - emishThey Say: Emish
Grew out of ermish, the hearsay form of the old verb er-.
Level 5 - -gay / -gʻay / -kay / -qayThe Poetic Wish Form -gay
Another classical form you meet in the same poems and sayings.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice erur / ermas in Bubblegum
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