Counting Words

Level 4

Uzbek can put a counting word between a number and a noun: besh nafar talaba (five students), oʻn dona tuxum (ten eggs), ikki tup daraxt (two trees).

How It Works

In everyday speech you can count most things with -ta: beshta talaba (five students). Uzbek also has counting words (hisob soʻzlari) that sit between the number and the noun. The noun stays singular, just as it does after any number.

Counting one by one

  • nafar: people, in formal or official language: oʻn besh nafar talaba (fifteen students), uch nafar xodim (three employees)
  • dona: separate pieces or items: oʻn dona tuxum (ten eggs), ikki dona non (two loaves of bread)
  • tup: trees and plants: uch tup oʻrik (three apricot trees)
  • bosh: head of livestock, and heads of cabbage or bunches of grapes: yigirma bosh qoʻy (twenty sheep), bir bosh uzum (a bunch of grapes)
  • nusxa: copies of a book or document: uch nusxa (three copies)

Pairs and handfuls
juft counts pairs: bir juft poyabzal (a pair of shoes). bogʻ (bunch), dasta (bundle) and hovuch (handful) count things taken together: bir bogʻ koʻkat (a bunch of herbs).

Measures and containers
Units and containers work the same way: ikki kilo olma (two kilos of apples), bir litr sut (a litre of milk), bir piyola choy (a cup of tea). For how many times something happens, the counting word is marta.

No -ta on the number
With a counting word, the number stays bare: besh nafar, not beshta nafar. To ask, use necha: Necha nafar? (How many people?)

Nafar or -ta?
Nafar sounds formal. You will hear and read it in the news, at school and at work. In conversation beshta talaba is just as correct.

Examples (6)

  1. Guruhimizda oʻn besh nafar talaba bor.

    There are fifteen students in our group.

    Word by Word: Group-our-in ten five person student there-is.

  2. Bozordan oʻn dona tuxum oldim.

    I bought ten eggs at the bazaar.

    Word by Word: Bazaar-from ten piece egg bought-I.

  3. Hovlimizda uch tup oʻrik bor.

    There are three apricot trees in our yard.

    Word by Word: Yard-our-in three plant apricot there-is.

  4. Otam yigirma bosh qoʻy boqadi.

    My father keeps twenty sheep.

    Word by Word: Father-my twenty head sheep keeps.

  5. Menga bir juft paypoq kerak.

    I need a pair of socks.

    Word by Word: Me-to one pair sock needed.

  6. Hujjatni uch nusxada tayyorlang.

    Please prepare the document in three copies.

    Word by Word: Document-(object) three copy-in prepare-(polite).

Common Mistakes

  • Adding -ta to the number before a counting word.

    Guruhimizda oʻn beshta nafar talaba bor.
    Guruhimizda oʻn besh nafar talaba bor.

    The counting word already does the job of -ta, so the number stays bare. Use either oʻn beshta talaba or oʻn besh nafar talaba.

  • Using nafar for animals.

    Otam yigirma nafar qoʻy boqadi.
    Otam yigirma bosh qoʻy boqadi.

    Nafar counts only people. Livestock such as sheep, cows and horses are counted with bosh.

How It Connects

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

Counting WordsLevel 4

Learn This First

Builds on The Counting Suffix -ta.

Words in This Pattern

nafardonaboshjuft