-(a)r / -mas
Probable Future -(a)r and -mas
Verb + -(a)r says will probably: Ertaga kelarman (I'll probably come tomorrow). The negative is -mas: U buni bilmas (He probably doesn't know this).
How It Works
1. Building the form
- After a consonant, add -ar: kel- → kelar, bil- → bilar, bor- → borar.
- After a vowel, add -r: oʻqi- → oʻqir, ishla- → ishlar.
- Negative: add -mas to any stem: kelmas, bilmas, oʻqimas.
Then add the long person endings: kelarman, kelarsan, kelar, kelarmiz, kelarsiz. The negative works the same way: kelmasman, kelmas, kelmasmiz.
2. What it means
- A likely future: Ertaga kelarman (I'll probably come tomorrow). Words such as balki (maybe) often go with it: Balki kechqurun yomgʻir yogʻar (Maybe it will rain this evening).
- A guess: U buni bilmas (He probably doesn't know this).
- Set phrases: Koʻrarmiz (We'll see).
3. -a or -ar?
The present-future boraman is a firm statement or plan. Borarman leaves room for doubt. In daily speech, -ar is less common than -a, and many people say kelsam kerak or balki kelaman instead.
4. More uses of the same form
The -ar form can also stand before a noun as a describing word: oqar suv (running water). With edi, it means used to or would: borar edim (I used to go, I would go).
Examples (6)
- Ertaga kelarman.
I'll probably come tomorrow.
Word by Word: Tomorrow come-probably-I.
kel- + -ar + -man: a softer promise than kelaman.
- U buni bilmas.
He probably doesn't know this.
Word by Word: He this-the know-probably-not.
bil- + -mas: a negative guess.
- Balki kechqurun yomgʻir yogʻar.
Maybe it will rain this evening.
Word by Word: Maybe evening rain rain-will.
Balki and -ar both show that the speaker is not sure.
- Xavotir olmang, u tez orada qaytar.
Don't worry, he'll probably be back soon.
Word by Word: Worry take-don't, he soon return-will.
qayt- + -ar.
- Bu yerda hech kim bizni tanimas.
Nobody here will know us, probably.
Word by Word: This place-in nobody us know-will-not.
After a vowel stem, the negative is still -mas: tani- + -mas.
- Koʻrarmiz.
We'll see.
Word by Word: See-will-we.
A set phrase: koʻr- + -ar + -miz.
Common Mistakes
Building the negative with -ma- plus -r.
U buni bilmar.U buni bilmas.The negative of -(a)r is a separate ending, -mas: bil- + -mas → bilmas.
Using -ar or a buffer y after a vowel stem.
Ertaga oʻqiyarman.Ertaga oʻqirman.After a vowel, only -r is added: oʻqi- + -r + -man → oʻqirman.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on Present-Future Tense.
Related Patterns
- balki / ehtimolMaybe, Probably
Maybe and probably often go with the uncertain -(a)r future.
Level 3 - -ar ediUsed to: -ar Edi
Adds edi to -ar for used to and would.
Level 3 - -sa kerakMust Be: -sa Kerak
Another common way to say probably: kelsam kerak.
Level 4 - -(a)digan (kelasi zamon)Going to and Usually with -(a)digan
A future of plans and arrangements, more definite than -(a)r.
Level 3 - -ar ekanWhile, As: -ar Ekan
The same -ar form with ekan links two actions: while, as.
Level 5
Practice -(a)r / -mas in Bubblegum
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