kimdir / nimadir

Someone and Something

Level 3

Question word + -dir: kimdir (someone), nimadir (something), qayerdadir (somewhere), qachondir (sometime).

How It Works

1. The family

  • kimdir: someone
  • nimadir: something
  • qayerdadir: somewhere (at a place)
  • qayergadir: to somewhere
  • qachondir: sometime, someday, once
  • qandaydir: some kind of
  • qaysidir: some (one of them)
  • negadir: for some reason

2. Endings go before -dir
Add the case ending to the question word first, then -dir: kimgadir (to someone), kimnidir (someone, as the object), kimningdir (someone's), nimanidir (something, as the object).

3. Not for nobody or nothing
These words are positive. In a negative sentence meaning nobody or nothing, use Nobody, Nothing, Never: Hech kim kelmadi. (Nobody came.) Kimdir kelmadi means someone did not come.

4. Narsa does not take this -dir
Say nimadir or bir narsa for something, not narsadir. Bir kishi and birov can also mean someone: Sizni bir kishi soʻrayapti. (Someone is asking for you.)

5. A different -dir
After a verb or a predicate, -dir means probably: Charchagandir. (He is probably tired.) See Probably: -dir. Bookish Uzbek also uses alla- before a question word: allakim (someone). The common word Already (already) comes from the same prefix.

Examples (6)

  1. Kimdir eshikni taqillatdi.

    Someone knocked on the door.

  2. Nimadir boʻldi.

    Something happened.

  3. Kalitimni qayerdadir qoldirdim.

    I left my key somewhere.

    Qayer + da + dir: the case ending -da comes before -dir.

  4. Qachondir Buxoroga boraman.

    Someday I will go to Bukhara.

  5. U kimgadir qoʻngʻiroq qilyapti.

    He is calling someone.

    Qoʻngʻiroq qilmoq (to call) takes -ga, so the word is kimgadir.

  6. Negadir u bugun kelmadi.

    For some reason he didn't come today.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the case ending after -dir.

    Kimdirga qoʻngʻiroq qildim.
    Kimgadir qoʻngʻiroq qildim.

    Case endings go on the question word before -dir: kim + ga + dir.

  • Adding -dir to narsa to mean something.

    Narsadir tushib ketdi.
    Nimadir tushib ketdi.

    Narsa is not a question word, so -dir cannot turn it into something. Use nimadir or bir narsa.

  • Using kimdir to mean nobody.

    Kimdir kelmadi.
    Hech kim kelmadi.

    The speaker means nobody came. Kimdir kelmadi means someone did not come. For nobody, use hech kim with a negative verb.

How It Connects

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kimdir / nimadirLevel 3Someone and Something

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Builds on Who and Where, Where To, Where From.

Words in This Pattern

kimnima