Fractions and Percentages

Level 4

For a fraction, put the whole in the -dan case and the part after it: uchdan bir (one third, literally one from three). Percent is foiz: yigirma foiz (twenty percent).

How It Works

1. Whole first, then the part
Put the bottom number in the -dan case and the top number after it in its plain form:

  • ikkidan bir (one half, though yarim is more usual)
  • uchdan bir (one third)
  • uchdan ikki (two thirds)
  • toʻrtdan uch (three quarters)
  • oʻndan bir (one tenth)

Word for word, uchdan ikki is two from three. The numbers are the ordinary counting numbers.

2. A fraction of something
When you say what the fraction is taken from, that noun takes -ning and the fraction takes the possessive -i, or is followed by qismi (its part):

  • pitsaning uchdan biri (a third of the pizza)
  • talabalarning toʻrtdan uch qismi (three quarters of the students)

3. Half and quarter
Yarim means half. Before a noun it needs no ending: yarim soat (half an hour), yarim kilo (half a kilo). After a whole number it adds a half: bir yarim (one and a half), ikki yarim soat (two and a half hours). With the possessive ending, its second vowel drops: yarim + -i → yarmi (half of it), a change explained in the dropped vowel.
Chorak means a quarter: chorak soat (a quarter of an hour), soat uchdan chorak oʻtdi (it is a quarter past three).

4. Percent
Foiz means percent. The number comes first and the noun after it stays singular: yigirma foiz chegirma (a twenty percent discount). To say by how much something changed, add -ga: oʻn foizga oshdi (it went up by ten percent). The sign % is read foiz.

5. Decimals
Uzbek writes a comma in decimals and reads them with butun (whole) and a tenths fraction: 2,5 is ikki butun oʻndan besh (two point five).

Examples (6)

  1. Pitsaning uchdan biri qoldi.

    A third of the pizza is left.

    Word by Word: Pizza-of three-from one-its remained.

  2. Talabalarning toʻrtdan uch qismi imtihondan oʻtdi.

    Three quarters of the students passed the exam.

    Word by Word: Students-of four-from three part-its exam-from passed.

  3. Men bir yarim soat kutdim.

    I waited an hour and a half.

    Word by Word: I one half hour waited-I.

  4. Nonning yarmini yedim.

    I ate half of the bread.

    Word by Word: Bread-of half-its-(object) ate-I.

    yarim + -i + -ni → yarmini: the second vowel of yarim drops.

  5. Bu doʻkonda hamma narsaga yigirma foiz chegirma bor.

    Everything in this shop is twenty percent off.

    Word by Word: This shop-in all thing-to twenty percent discount there-is.

  6. Narxlar oʻn foizga oshdi.

    Prices went up by ten percent.

    Word by Word: Prices ten percent-to rose.

    The -ga ending says by how much.

Common Mistakes

  • Saying the part first, in English order (meant: a third of the pizza is left).

    Pitsaning bir uchdan qoldi.
    Pitsaning uchdan biri qoldi.

    The whole comes first and takes -dan: uchdan bir. Here the fraction is of the pizza, so it also takes the possessive -i: uchdan biri.

  • Keeping the second vowel of yarim before a possessive ending.

    Nonning yarimini yedim.
    Nonning yarmini yedim.

    Yarim loses its i before a vowel ending: yarmi, yarmini. Before a noun it stays whole: yarim non (half a loaf).

How It Connects

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

Fractions and PercentagesLevel 4

Learn This First

Builds on Counting Numbers and From: -dan.

Words in This Pattern

yarimchorakfoiz