kimki

Whoever (Literary)

Level 6

Kimki + verb in -sa, then the result: Kimki izlasa, topadi (Whoever seeks, finds).

How It Works

The two parts. The kimki clause comes first, and its verb ends in -sa. A comma follows, then the main clause:

  • Kimki izlasa, topadi. (Whoever seeks, finds.)
  • Kimki mehnat qilsa, u albatta natijasini koʻradi. (Whoever works hard will surely see the results.)

Pointing back. The main clause can name the person again with a pointing word. That word takes the case its own verb needs: u for the subject, uni for the object, unga for to him or her, uning for his or her. For example, Kimki qoidani buzsa, unga jarima solinadi (Whoever breaks the rules will be fined). When the pointing word would only be the subject, you can leave it out.

Kimki or kim? Everyday Uzbek uses plain kim in the same pattern: kim ... -sa, u .... Kimki sounds more solemn. You will also see har kimki. In proverbs, the verb can even come early for rhythm: Kimki boʻlsa dilozor, undan el-u yurt bezor.

Not a question. Kimki never asks who? To ask, use kim: Kim keldi? (Who came?)

Related words. Kimki contains the same ki as the linking -ki, but you learn it as one word. Kim boʻlsa ham means something different: no matter who.

Examples (6)

  1. Kimki izlasa, topadi.

    Whoever seeks, finds.

    Word by Word: Whoever seeks-if, finds.

  2. Kimki mehnat qilsa, u albatta natijasini koʻradi.

    Whoever works hard will surely see the results.

    Word by Word: Whoever work does-if, he surely result-its-(obj) sees.

  3. Kimki kitob oʻqisa, uning dunyoqarashi kengayadi.

    Whoever reads books widens their view of the world.

    Word by Word: Whoever book reads-if, his worldview-his widens.

    The pointing word takes -ning here: uning.

  4. Kimki qoidani buzsa, unga jarima solinadi.

    Whoever breaks the rules will be fined.

    Word by Word: Whoever rule-(obj) breaks-if, him-to fine is-put.

  5. Kimki vaqtida kelmasa, uni kutib oʻtirmaymiz.

    Whoever does not come on time, we will not sit and wait for them.

    Word by Word: Whoever time-its-in comes-not-if, him-(obj) waiting we-will-not-sit.

  6. Kimki boʻlsa dilozor, undan el-u yurt bezor.

    Whoever hurts people's hearts, everyone grows tired of them.

    Word by Word: Whoever is-if heart-hurting, him-from people-and-land fed-up.

    A proverb. For rhythm, boʻlsa comes before dilozor (hurtful), and undan takes -dan because bezor needs it.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out -sa.

    Kimki izlaydi, topadi.
    Kimki izlasa, topadi.

    The kimki clause needs the -sa form. It turns the statement into a rule about anyone.

  • Using kimki to ask a question.

    Kimki keldi?
    Kim keldi?

    Kimki only opens a whoever clause. The question word is kim.

  • Writing ki as a separate word.

    Kim ki izlasa, topadi.
    Kimki izlasa, topadi.

    Kimki is one word.

How It Connects

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

kimkiLevel 6Whoever (Literary)

Learn This First

Builds on Whoever Does, That Person.