Objects Without -ni

Level 1

Men kitob oʻqiyman. (I read books.) Choy ichasizmi? (Will you have some tea?) No -ni: any book, any tea.

How It Works

Uzbek grammar calls this the belgisiz tushum, "the unmarked object". The object is the same noun, just without -ni.

When to leave out -ni

  • An activity rather than a particular thing: Men xat yozyapman. (I'm writing a letter.)
  • Offers and everyday habits: Choy ichasizmi? (Will you have some tea?)
  • Things in general: Men kitob oʻqiyman. (I read books.)

The noun stays singular even when English uses a plural ("books").

Keep it next to the verb
In the usual subject – object – verb order, the unmarked object comes right before the verb: Onam non yopyapti. (My mother is baking bread.) An object moved away from the verb is normally a specific one and takes -ni.

When you cannot leave it out
Names, pronouns, and nouns with bu or a possessive ending are always specific, so they take -ni: Kitobimni oʻqiyman (I'll read my book), never kitobim oʻqiyman.

Same verb, two meanings

  • Bugun kino koʻramiz. We'll watch a movie today (any movie).
  • Bugun bu kinoni koʻramiz. We'll watch this movie today.

Examples (5)

  1. Men kitob oʻqiyman.

    I read books. / I do some reading.

    Word by Word: I book read-I

  2. Choy ichasizmi?

    Will you have some tea?

    Word by Word: tea drink-you-QUESTION

  3. Onam non yopyapti.

    My mother is baking bread.

    Word by Word: mother-my bread baking

    non yopmoq is baking flatbread in a tandir oven. No particular loaf is meant.

  4. Men xat yozyapman.

    I'm writing a letter.

    Word by Word: I letter writing-I

  5. Bugun kino koʻramiz.

    We'll watch a movie today.

    Word by Word: today movie watch-we

Common Mistakes

  • Separating the unmarked object from its verb.

    Kitob men oʻqiyman.
    Men kitob oʻqiyman.

    An object without -ni must stand right before the verb. At the start of the sentence, kitob reads as the subject.

  • Leaving -ni off an object with a possessive ending.

    Kitobim oʻqiyman.
    Kitobimni oʻqiyman.

    A noun with a possessive ending is always a particular thing, so as an object it needs -ni.

  • Using -ni when you mean the activity in general.

    Men ertalab choyni ichaman.
    Men ertalab choy ichaman.

    To say "I drink tea in the morning", leave choy without -ni. Choyni would point to one particular tea.

How It Connects

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Objects Without -niLevel 1

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Builds on The Definite Object Ending -ni.

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Words in This Pattern

ni