The Basic Case Without an Ending

Level 1

The plain noun is a case of its own: Kitob stolda. (The book is on the table.) Bola uxlayapti. (The child is sleeping.)

How It Works

Uzbek grammar names six cases. The bosh kelishik (basic case) answers kim? (who?) and nima? (what?) and has no ending. It is the form you find in the dictionary.

Where you use it

  • The subject: Bola uxlayapti. (The child is sleeping.)
  • A subject with a place, no verb needed: Kitob stolda. (The book is on the table.)
  • The noun that is the predicate, before a person ending: Men oʻqituvchiman. (I am a teacher.)
  • Calling someone: Aziz, bu yerga keling! (Aziz, come here!)
  • Before words like bilan (with): Doʻstim bilan boraman. (I'll go with my friend.)

A plural or possessive ending does not change the case: bolalar, doʻstim are still in the basic case when they are the subject.

Look-alikes
A general object also has no ending: Men kitob oʻqiyman (I read books). Uzbek grammar calls this an object without its ending, not the basic case. The same goes for noun pairs like maktab hovlisi (the school yard), see noun pairs without -ning. The easy test: the subject does the action or is described; the object receives the action.

Because the subject is unmarked, word order matters: subject first, verb last.

Examples (6)

  1. Kitob stolda.

    The book is on the table.

    Word by Word: book table-on

  2. Bola uxlayapti.

    The child is sleeping.

    Word by Word: child sleeping

  3. Choy tayyor.

    The tea is ready.

    Word by Word: tea ready

  4. Men oʻqituvchiman.

    I am a teacher.

    Word by Word: I teacher-am

    The noun oʻqituvchi is in the basic case, and -man adds "I am".

  5. Aziz, bu yerga keling!

    Aziz, come here!

    Word by Word: Aziz, this place-to come(polite)

    A name used to call someone takes no ending.

  6. Doʻstim bilan boraman.

    I'll go with my friend.

    Word by Word: friend-my with go-I

Common Mistakes

  • Adding the object ending -ni to the subject to mean "the".

    Bolani uxlayapti.
    Bola uxlayapti.

    The subject never takes -ni, even when it is specific. -ni only marks a specific direct object: Bolani koʻryapman (I see the child).

How It Connects

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

The Basic Case Without an EndingLevel 1

Learn This First

Builds on Basic Word Order.

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Patterns that build on this one.