Possessive + bor

Having with Bor

Level 1

Akam bor. (I have an older brother.) Literally: "my older brother exists". Mashinangiz bormi? (Do you have a car?) Vaqtim yoʻq. (I have no time.)

How It Works

English says "I have a car". Uzbek says "my car exists": mashina + -m → mashinam, then bor.

The pattern: thing + possessive ending + bor / yoʻq

  • my: Akam bor. (I have an older brother.)
  • your (familiar): Akang bormi? (Do you have an older brother?)
  • his or her: Akasi bor. (He or she has an older brother.)
  • our: Bugun darsimiz bor. (We have a class today.)
  • your (polite): Mashinangiz bormi? (Do you have a car?)

After a vowel the ending is short (aka → akam), after a consonant it has an i (vaqt → vaqtim).

Not having
Swap bor for yoʻq: Vaqtim yoʻq. (I have no time.) Mushugim yoʻq. (I don't have a cat.)

Changes at the seam
Many longer words ending in k or q change to g or gʻ before the ending: kuchuk → kuchugim (my puppy), mushuk → mushugim (my cat).

Naming the owner
You can leave out the owner, because the ending already shows it. To stress it or to name someone, the owner takes -ning: Mening akam bor (I have an older brother), Anvarning mashinasi bor (Anvar has a car).

"I have" or "I have on me"?
Possessive + bor is for things and people that are yours: family, a car, a question, time. For something you are carrying right now, Uzbek uses menda ... bor: Menda qalam bor (I have a pen on me).

Examples (6)

  1. Akam bor.

    I have an older brother.

    Word by Word: older-brother-my there-is

  2. Mashinangiz bormi?

    Do you have a car?

    Word by Word: car-your there-is-QUESTION

  3. Ikkita singlim bor.

    I have two younger sisters.

    Word by Word: two younger-sister-my there-is

    After a number the noun stays singular: singlim, not singillarim. singil drops its second i before the ending: singil → singlim.

  4. Bugun vaqtingiz bormi?

    Do you have time today?

    Word by Word: today time-your there-is-QUESTION

  5. Kuchugim bor.

    I have a puppy.

    Word by Word: puppy-my there-is

    kuchuk changes k to g before the ending: kuchuk → kuchugim.

  6. Mushugim yoʻq.

    I don't have a cat.

    Word by Word: cat-my there-is-not

Common Mistakes

  • Translating "I have" word for word with a pronoun and no possessive ending.

    Men mashina bor.
    Mashinam bor.

    The thing must carry the possessive ending: mashina + -m → mashinam. If you want to name the owner, use mening: Mening mashinam bor.

  • Adding a person ending to bor.

    Mashinangiz bormisiz?
    Mashinangiz bormi?

    The owner is already shown by -ngiz on mashina. bor takes only the question particle -mi, never -siz or -man in this pattern.

How It Connects

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

Possessive + borLevel 1Having with Bor

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Builds on There Is Not, and No.

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Words in This Pattern

boryoʻq