-ishi mumkin

Might: -ishi Mumkin

Level 3

-(i)sh + possessive ending + mumkin = might, may: kechikishim mumkin (I might be late), yogʻishi mumkin (it might fall).

How It Works

Here mumkin (possible) is the predicate, and the verb noun with a possessive ending is its subject: literally my being late is possible.

1. Building the form
Make the verb noun and add a possessive ending, then mumkin:

  • kechikishim mumkin (I might be late)
  • kechikishing mumkin (you might be late, familiar)
  • kechikishi mumkin (he, she or it might be late)
  • kechikishimiz mumkin (we might be late)
  • kechikishingiz mumkin (you might be late, polite)
  • kechikishlari mumkin (they might be late)

After a vowel the verb noun is -sh: oʻqishi mumkin, ishlashi mumkin. For they, -ishi is also common: Ular kechikishi mumkin.

2. Might not
Use the negative verb noun -maslik: U kelmasligi mumkin (He might not come).

3. Can’t possibly, not allowed
Mumkin emas denies the possibility or the permission: Bu toʻgʻri boʻlishi mumkin emas (This can’t be true). Compare kelmasligi mumkin (he might not come) with kelishi mumkin emas (he can’t possibly come, or he isn’t allowed to come).

4. Permission
Kirishim mumkinmi? (May I come in?) is a slightly more formal version of Kirsam boʻladimi?; see -sa boʻladi.

5. Related ways to guess
balki / ehtimol (maybe, probably) can join this pattern: Balki u kechikishi mumkin. For something that may already have happened, use -gan boʻlishi mumkin.

Examples (6)

  1. Ertaga yomgʻir yogʻishi mumkin.

    It might rain tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow rain its-falling possible.

  2. Kechikishim mumkin.

    I might be late.

    Word by Word: My-being-late possible.

  3. U kelmasligi mumkin.

    He might not come.

    Word by Word: He his-not-coming possible.

    Negative: -maslik + -i, with k written g before the vowel.

  4. Kirishim mumkinmi?

    May I come in?

    Word by Word: My-entering possible-?

    Here the frame asks for permission.

  5. Bu toʻgʻri boʻlishi mumkin emas.

    This can’t be true.

    Word by Word: This true its-being possible not.

  6. Yoʻllar tirband boʻlishi mumkin, erta chiqing.

    The roads might be jammed, so leave early.

    Word by Word: Roads jammed their-being possible, early go-out.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the possessive ending.

    Ertaga yomgʻir yogʻish mumkin.
    Ertaga yomgʻir yogʻishi mumkin.

    When a specific subject might act, the verb noun takes that subject’s possessive ending. Yomgʻir is it, so the ending is -i.

  • Using mumkin emas to mean might not (intended meaning: He might not come).

    U kelishi mumkin emas.
    U kelmasligi mumkin.

    Kelishi mumkin emas means he can’t possibly come or isn’t allowed to. For might not, make the verb noun negative: kelmasligi mumkin.

  • Putting mumkin after a finite verb.

    Men kechikaman mumkin.
    Kechikishim mumkin.

    Mumkin follows a verb noun with a possessive ending, not a verb with a tense ending.

How It Connects

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

-ishi mumkinLevel 3Might: -ishi Mumkin

Learn This First

Builds on May, Can, Possible and The Verb Noun -(i)sh.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

mumkin