-ta

The Counting Suffix -ta

Level 1

ikki + -ta → ikkita: ikkita olma (two apples). The question is Nechta? (How many?).

How It Works

Adding -ta
• ikki → ikkita, uch → uchta, besh → beshta, oʻn → oʻnta
• toʻrt → toʻrtta: the t of the number and the t of -ta are both written.
• bir → bitta: the r changes, and the word is bitta (one, a single one).

Asking and answering
Nechta? asks how many: Nechta olma? — Beshta. (How many apples? — Five.)

A number on its own
Once the thing is clear, the number with -ta can stand in for it: Ikkita bering (Give me two, please).

When to leave it out
With units of measure and time, the bare number is the usual choice: ikki kilo (two kilos), besh daqiqa (five minutes). Ages use the bare number too: yigirma yosh (twenty years old).

Written attached
-ta is part of the word: ikkita, not ikki ta. After numbers written in digits, it follows a space, as in the spelling rules' example 10-15 ta.

Examples (5)

  1. Ikkita olma bering.

    Give me two apples, please.

    Word by Word: two-piece apple give-please

    ikki + -ta. The noun olma stays singular.

  2. Bitta choy, iltimos.

    One tea, please.

    Word by Word: one-piece tea please

    bir + -ta becomes bitta.

  3. Uchta kitobim bor.

    I have three books.

    Word by Word: three-piece book-my there-is

    The possessive goes on the noun; -ta stays on the number.

  4. Nechta bolangiz bor?

    How many children do you have?

    Word by Word: how-many child-your there-is

    nechta asks for a count. The answer might be Ikkita (Two).

  5. Stolda toʻrtta stakan bor.

    There are four glasses on the table.

    Word by Word: table-on four-piece glass there-is

    toʻrt + -ta → toʻrtta, with both t's written.

Common Mistakes

  • Attaching -ta to bir without the sound change.

    Birta non bering.
    Bitta non bering.

    bir + -ta is always bitta.

  • Making the noun plural after a number with -ta.

    ikkita olmalar
    ikkita olma

    The number already shows the amount, so the noun stays singular.

  • Putting -ta on the noun instead of the number.

    ikki olmata
    ikkita olma

    -ta is a counting suffix for numbers. It never attaches to the thing being counted.

How It Connects

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-taLevel 1The Counting Suffix -ta

Learn This First

Builds on Counting Numbers and How Many.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

ta