-chi (kasb)
People Who Do Something: -chi
Add -chi to a noun to make a word for a person who does that job or activity: ish (work) → ishchi (worker), ov (hunt) → ovchi (hunter).
How It Works
Many Uzbek words for people end in -chi. The ending means a person who works with, does or deals with this thing, much like English -er or -ist.
- ish (work) → ishchi (worker)
- ov (hunt) → ovchi (hunter)
- baliq (fish) → baliqchi (fisherman)
- sport → sportchi (athlete)
- futbol → futbolchi (footballer)
- xizmat (service) → xizmatchi (employee, office worker)
- yoʻl (road) → yoʻlchi (traveller)
One shape. The ending is always -chi, whatever vowels the word has (no vowel harmony). A final k or q stays as it is, because the ending starts with a consonant: baliqchi, not baligʻchi. The change in k > g, q > gʻ happens only before a vowel. Write the word as one piece.
It is a normal noun. Add the plural -lar: ishchilar (workers). Add a personal ending to say what someone is: Men ishchiman (I am a worker). In the third person there is no ending: U futbolchi (He is a footballer).
Nouns only. -chi goes on nouns. To name a person from a verb, Uzbek uses -(u)vchi: oʻqimoq (to study) → oʻquvchi (pupil), haydamoq (to drive) → haydovchi (driver), yozmoq (to write) → yozuvchi (writer).
Learn the words, do not invent them. Each -chi word is fixed vocabulary. Many jobs use other endings or none at all: shifokor (doctor) and savdogar (merchant) use -kor and -gar, and oshpaz (cook) has its own form. Adding -lik to a -chi word names the trade itself: baliqchilik (fishing as a trade).
Not the question -chi. The -chi in Senchi? (What about you?) is a different ending that only looks the same.
Examples (6)
- Otam bankda xizmatchi.
My father is an employee at a bank.
Word by Word: Father-my bank-at employee.
xizmat (service) + -chi. No ending is needed for he or she.
- Ovchi oʻrmonga ketdi.
The hunter went into the forest.
Word by Word: Hunter forest-to went.
ov (hunt) + -chi = ovchi.
- Bu futbolchi juda tez yuguradi.
This footballer runs very fast.
Word by Word: This footballer very fast runs.
futbol + -chi: the ending works on borrowed words too.
- Singlim sportchi boʻlmoqchi.
My younger sister wants to become an athlete.
Word by Word: Younger-sister-my athlete become-wants.
A -chi word is an ordinary noun in the sentence.
- Baliqchi daryodan katta baliq tutdi.
The fisherman caught a big fish in the river.
Word by Word: Fisherman river-from big fish caught.
baliq keeps its q before -chi: baliqchi.
- Ishchilar tushlikka ketishdi.
The workers went to lunch.
Word by Word: Workers lunch-to went.
The plural -lar comes after -chi: ishchilar.
Common Mistakes
Adding -chi to a verb.
Men yaxshi yozchi boʻlmoqchiman.Men yaxshi yozuvchi boʻlmoqchiman.-chi goes on nouns. From a verb such as yozmoq (to write), the word for the person uses -(u)vchi: yozuvchi (writer).
Adding -chi to a word that already names a person.
Opam shifokorchi.Opam shifokor.Shifokor already means doctor, so it needs no extra ending. Learn each job word as it is.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on Abstract Nouns With -lik.
Related Patterns
- -(u)vchiThe One Who Does: -(u)vchi
The matching ending for verbs: oʻquvchi (pupil), haydovchi (driver).
Level 4 - -kor / -dor / -garDoers and Owners: -kor, -dor, -gar
Other endings for people with a trade: shifokor, savdogar.
Level 5 - -doshFellow: -dosh
Another ending for people: someone who shares something, as in sinfdosh (classmate).
Level 3 - -chi (soʻroq yuklamasi)What About...? with -chi
A different -chi that asks what about: Senchi? (What about you?).
Level 2 - -lar (koʻplik)The Plural Suffix -lar
A -chi word takes the plural like any noun: ishchilar.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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