-(a)y / -ar

Verbs of Change: -(a)y and -ar

Level 5

-ay and -ar turn a quality into a change: koʻp (many) → koʻpaymoq (to increase), kam (few) → kamaymoq (to decrease), oq (white) → oqarmoq (to turn white).

How It Works

1. -ay after a consonant, -y after a vowel

  • koʻp (many) → koʻpaymoq (to increase, to multiply)
  • kam (few, little) → kamaymoq (to decrease)
  • keng (wide) → kengaymoq (to widen)
  • tor (narrow) → toraymoq (to narrow)
  • kuch (strength) → kuchaymoq (to get stronger)
  • qora (black) → qoraymoq (to darken)

2. -ar after a consonant, -r after a vowel

  • oq (white) → oqarmoq (to turn white)
  • koʻk (blue, green) → koʻkarmoq (to turn green, to turn blue)
  • qisqa (short) → qisqarmoq (to get shorter)
  • eski (old) → eskirmoq (to wear out, to go out of date)

3. Words that change shape
A few common verbs lose or change sounds, so learn them as whole words: qizil (red) → qizarmoq (to turn red, to blush), sariq (yellow) → sargʻaymoq (to turn yellow), past (low) → pasaymoq (to go down), kichik (small) → kichraymoq (to shrink).

4. Making something change
These verbs describe a change that happens by itself. When someone causes it, add -tir: koʻpaytirmoq (to increase something), kamaytirmoq (to reduce), kengaytirmoq (to widen), qisqartirmoq (to shorten).

  • Aholi soni koʻpaydi. (The population grew.)
  • Hukumat soliqlarni kamaytirdi. (The government cut taxes.)

5. Change over time
These verbs often come with -(i)b bormoq for a step-by-step change, Kunlar qisqarib bormoqda (The days are getting shorter and shorter), or with -(i)b ketmoq for a complete one, Sochlari oqarib ketdi (His hair turned white). Other verbs of change are made with -lan and -lash: kattalashmoq (to get bigger).

Examples (6)

  1. Shaharda mashinalar yildan yilga koʻpaymoqda.

    The number of cars in the city is growing every year.

    Word by Word: City-in cars year-from year-to many-becoming-are.

  2. Kuzda kunlar qisqaradi.

    In autumn the days get shorter.

    Word by Word: Autumn-in days short-become.

    qisqa (short) + -r → qisqar-, then -a + -di.

  3. Bobomning sochlari oqarib ketdi.

    My grandfather's hair has turned white.

    Word by Word: Grandfather-my-of hairs-his white-becoming went.

  4. Bahorda daraxtlar koʻkaradi.

    In spring the trees turn green.

    Word by Word: Spring-in trees green-become.

  5. Qizaloq uyalganidan qizarib ketdi.

    The little girl blushed with embarrassment.

    Word by Word: Little-girl being-embarrassed-from red-becoming went.

  6. Doʻkon narxlarni kamaytirdi.

    The shop lowered its prices.

    Word by Word: Shop prices-(object) few-made.

    kamay- (decrease) + -tir → kamaytir- (reduce something).

Common Mistakes

  • Giving the verb of change an object.

    Doʻkon narxlarni kamaydi.
    Doʻkon narxlarni kamaytirdi.

    Kamaymoq means to go down by itself and takes no object. When someone lowers something, add -tir: kamaytirmoq.

  • Using the adjective itself as a verb (meant: His hair turned white).

    Uning sochlari oqdi.
    Uning sochlari oqardi.

    Oqmoq is a different verb that means to flow. To turn white is oqarmoq, with -ar.

How It Connects

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

-(a)y / -arLevel 5Verbs of Change: -(a)y and -ar

Learn This First

Builds on Making Verbs With -la.