-gich / -qich

Tools with -gich

Level 5

-gich turns a verb into a tool: isit- (heat) → isitgich (heater), och- (open) → ochqich (opener), chiz- (draw a line) → chizgʻich (ruler).

How It Works

1. Verb stem + -gich
Take the verb without -moq and add the ending. The result is a noun for a tool, a device or a part:

  • isit- (heat) → isitgich (heater)
  • suz- (swim, float) → suzgich (float, fin)
  • oʻlcha- (measure) → oʻlchagich (measuring device)
  • oʻtkaz- (pass through) → oʻtkazgich (conductor, wire)

Many technical words join a noun to the verb first: chang (dust) + yut- (swallow) → changyutgich (vacuum cleaner).

2. Four shapes
Some words take -qich, -kich or -gʻich instead:

  • -qich: och- → ochqich (opener), tut- (hold) → tutqich (handle), qis- (squeeze) → qisqich (clamp, pliers)
  • -kich: koʻrsat- (show) → koʻrsatkich (pointer, indicator), muzlat- (freeze) → muzlatkich (fridge)
  • -gʻich: chiz- → chizgʻich (ruler), qir- (scrape) → qirgʻich (grater), oʻchir- (rub out) → oʻchirgʻich (eraser)

The shape does not follow one simple rule, and a few words are written two ways: dictionaries give both oʻchirgʻich and oʻchirgich, and both isitgich and isitkich. Use the spelling your dictionary gives. This is different from endings like -ga and -gan, which change only after k and q.

3. Using the words
These are ordinary nouns, so they take plural and case endings: chizgʻichni (the ruler, as an object), ochqichlar (openers). To say what the part belongs to, put that noun first and add -i or -si to the tool, as in noun pairs without -ning: eshik tutqichi (the door handle), deraza tutqichi (the window handle).

4. Tools, not people
-gich names things. For a person who does the action, use -(u)vchi: yozuvchi (writer), haydovchi (driver). For people named by their work, see -chi.

Examples (6)

  1. Chizgʻichingizni berib turasizmi?

    Could you lend me your ruler?

    Word by Word: Ruler-your giving stand-you-?

    chiz- (draw a line) + -gʻich → chizgʻich.

  2. Ochqichsiz bu shishani ochib boʻlmaydi.

    You can't open this bottle without an opener.

    Word by Word: Opener-without this bottle-(object) opening is-not-possible.

  3. Qishda xonani elektr isitgich bilan isitamiz.

    In winter we heat the room with an electric heater.

    Word by Word: Winter-in room-(object) electric heater with heat-we.

    The verb isit- (heat) and the tool isitgich (heater) appear side by side.

  4. Eshik tutqichi sinib qoldi.

    The door handle has broken.

    Word by Word: Door handle-its breaking stayed.

  5. Sutni muzlatkichga qoʻying.

    Please put the milk in the fridge.

    Word by Word: Milk-(object) fridge-to put-(polite).

  6. Bola xatosini oʻchirgʻich bilan oʻchirdi.

    The child rubbed out his mistake with an eraser.

    Word by Word: Child mistake-his-(object) eraser with rubbed-out.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -gich for a person (meant: Who is the writer of this book?).

    Bu kitobning yozgichi kim?
    Bu kitobning yozuvchisi kim?

    -gich names tools and devices. A person who does something takes -(u)vchi: yozuvchi (writer), oʻquvchi (pupil).

  • Leaving out -i when the tool belongs to something.

    Eshik tutqich sinib qoldi.
    Eshik tutqichi sinib qoldi.

    When the first noun says what the part belongs to, the second noun takes -i or -si: eshik tutqichi (the door handle).

How It Connects

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

-gich / -qichLevel 5Tools with -gich

Learn This First

Builds on The One Who Does: -(u)vchi.