qachon
When
Qachon means when: Qachon kelasiz? (When will you come?).
How It Works
Qachon asks about the time of an event. Like every question word, it takes the place the answer will fill:
- Qachon kelasiz? When will you come? → Ertaga kelaman. I will come tomorrow.
- Dars qachon boshlanadi? When does the lesson start? → Dars soat oʻnda boshlanadi.
Answers often use bugun / ertaga / kecha or a clock time with -da: soat beshda (at five). For an exact clock time you can also ask Soat nechada? (At what time?); see nechta / necha.
Endings. Qachon can take endings too: qachongacha (until when), and later qachondan beri (since when).
Not a joining word. English also uses when to join two clauses: When I come home, I eat. Uzbek does not use qachon for that. It puts an ending on the verb instead: Uyga kelganimda, ovqat yeyman; see -ganda. With the -sa form, qachon means whenever: Qachon xohlasangiz, keling (Come whenever you like); see -sa (shart mayli).
A question with qachon never takes -mi. To say never, use hech qachon.
Examples (5)
- Qachon kelasiz?
When will you come?
Word by Word: When come-you?
The present-future verb covers the future here.
- Dars qachon boshlanadi?
When does the lesson start?
Word by Word: Lesson when starts?
qachon stands right before the verb, where the time answer goes.
- Avtobus qachon keladi?
When does the bus come?
Word by Word: Bus when comes?
Answer: Oʻn daqiqada keladi (It comes in ten minutes).
- Tugʻilgan kuningiz qachon?
When is your birthday?
Word by Word: Born day-your when?
A noun sentence: no verb for "is" is needed.
- Qachongacha ishlaysiz?
Until when do you work?
Word by Word: When-until work-you?
qachon + -gacha asks for the end point: until what time.
Common Mistakes
Adding -mi to a question with qachon.
Qachon kelasizmi?Qachon kelasiz?Qachon already makes the sentence a question. -mi is only for yes-no questions.
Using qachon to join two clauses.
Men uyga qachon kelaman, ovqat yeyman.Uyga kelganimda, ovqat yeyman.Qachon does not join two clauses the way English when does. For "when I come home", Uzbek puts an ending on the verb: kelganimda.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on What.
Related Patterns
- bugun / ertaga / kechaToday, Tomorrow, Yesterday
Common answers to a qachon question.
Level 1 - nechta / nechaHow Many
Soat nechada? asks for an exact clock time.
Level 1 - -gandaWhen: -ganda
How Uzbek says "when" inside a statement.
Level 3 - hech kim / hech narsa / hech qachonNobody, Nothing, Never
Hech qachon means never.
Level 2 - -gachaUntil, As Far as: -gacha
Gives qachongacha, until when.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice qachon in Bubblegum
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