The Order of Endings
Always stack endings as plural → possessive → case: doʻst + -lar + -im + -dan → doʻstlarimdan (from my friends).
How It Works
English spreads these meanings over separate words (in my books). Uzbek packs them into one word, in a fixed order:
stem → plural → possessive → case → person and question endings
1. Building words step by step
- kitob → kitoblar → kitoblarim → kitoblarimda (books → my books → in my books)
- uy → uylar → uylarimiz → uylarimizga (to our houses)
- doʻst → doʻstlar → doʻstlarim → doʻstlarimdan (from my friends)
Each part keeps its normal shape: -lar, the possessive endings such as -(i)m, and the case endings. See case endings after a possessive for how the last two join.
2. After -lar, the vowel-initial possessive
-lar ends in a consonant, so it takes -im, -ing, -i, -imiz, -ingiz: kitoblarim, kitoblaringiz. The third person is -lari, never -larsi.
3. The sentence endings come last
When the word itself is the predicate, the person ending and the question particle go after the case: Toshkent + -da + -miz → Toshkentdamiz (we are in Tashkent). With you, -mi usually comes before the person ending: uy + -da + -mi + -siz → uydamisiz? (are you at home?). With I and we, it comes after: Toshkentdamizmi? (are we in Tashkent?). See -mi.
4. A look-alike exception
With family members, colloquial Uzbek can put -lar after the possessive to show respect: dadamlar (my father, said with respect). It does not make anything plural. For ordinary plurals keep -lar first: kitoblarim, never kitobimlar. See the plural of respect.
Examples (5)
- Kitoblarimda koʻp rasm bor.
There are lots of pictures in my books.
Word by Word: Book-s-my-in many picture there-is.
kitob + -lar + -im + -da: plural, possessive, case.
- Doʻstlarimdan xat keldi.
A letter came from my friends.
Word by Word: Friend-s-my-from letter came.
doʻst + -lar + -im + -dan.
- Bolalarimizga sovgʻa oldik.
We bought presents for our children.
Word by Word: Child-ren-our-to present took-we.
bola + -lar + -imiz + -ga.
- Hozir biz Toshkentdamiz.
We are in Tashkent now.
Word by Word: Now we Tashkent-in-are-we.
The person ending -miz comes after the case ending.
- Doʻstlaringiz uydami?
Are your friends at home?
Word by Word: Friend-s-your house-at-?
doʻst + -lar + -ingiz, and uy + -da + -mi.
Common Mistakes
Putting the possessive before the plural.
Kitobimlarda koʻp rasm bor.Kitoblarimda koʻp rasm bor.For a plural of things, -lar sits right after the stem: kitob + -lar + -im + -da.
Putting the case ending before the possessive.
Doʻstlardanim xat keldi.Doʻstlarimdan xat keldi.The case ending always comes after the possessive: doʻst + -lar + -im + -dan.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on Their: -lari and Case Endings After a Possessive.
Related Patterns
- -lar (koʻplik)The Plural Suffix -lar
The plural ending, which always sits next to the stem.
Level 1 - -(i)mMy: -(i)m
A possessive ending, which comes after the plural and before the case.
Level 1 - -lar (hurmat)The Plural of Respect
The respectful -lar after a possessive (dadamlar) is the one exception to the order.
Level 3 - -miYes-No Questions with -mi
On a noun sentence -mi comes after the case, before -siz or -san (uydamisiz?) but after -man or -miz.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.