-mi

Yes-No Questions with -mi

Level 1

-mi makes a yes-no question: Choy ichasiz. (You drink tea.) → Choy ichasizmi? (Will you have some tea?) Siz talabamisiz? (Are you a student?)

How It Works

Uzbek has no word order change and no helper like English "do" for questions. You add -mi and raise your voice at the end.

On a verb: at the very end

  • ichasiz + -mi → ichasizmi: Choy ichasizmi? (Will you have some tea?)
  • kelasan + -mi → kelasanmi: Ertaga kelasanmi? (Are you coming tomorrow?)
  • A negative verb invites: Kelmaysizmi? (Won't you come?)

On a noun or adjective: usually before -san and -siz

  • talaba + -mi + -siz → talabamisiz: Siz talabamisiz? (Are you a student?)
  • talaba + -mi + -san → talabamisan: Sen talabamisan? (Are you a student?, familiar)
  • You will also often hear and read -mi at the very end, as on a verb: Siz talabasizmi? Both orders are used; this course uses talabamisiz.
  • With I and we, -mi comes after the ending: Men haqmanmi? (Am I right?)
  • With he, she, it and they, there is no ending, so -mi goes straight on the word: Bu kitobingizmi? (Is this your book?)

On bor, yoʻq and emas
Uyda non bormi? (Is there bread at home?) Siz oʻzbek emasmisiz? (Aren't you Uzbek?)

Asking about one word
Put -mi on the word you are unsure about: Ertagami? (Tomorrow?) Two -mi words make a choice: Choymi, qahvami? (Tea or coffee?)

Answering
Answer with ha or yoʻq, often followed by the verb again: Ha, ichaman. / Yoʻq, ichmayman.

Spelling
The 1995 spelling rules write -mi joined to the word before it: ichasizmi, bormi. Particles such as -chi and -ku take a hyphen instead, but -mi never does.

Examples (6)

  1. Choy ichasizmi?

    Will you have some tea?

    Word by Word: tea drink-you-QUESTION

  2. Siz talabamisiz?

    Are you a student?

    Word by Word: you student-QUESTION-are(you)

    On a noun, -mi usually comes before the ending -siz.

  3. Ertaga kelasanmi?

    Are you coming tomorrow?

    Word by Word: tomorrow come-you(familiar)-QUESTION

  4. Bu kitobingizmi?

    Is this your book?

    Word by Word: this book-your-QUESTION

  5. Uyda non bormi?

    Is there any bread at home?

    Word by Word: home-at bread there-is-QUESTION

  6. Men haqmanmi?

    Am I right?

    Word by Word: I right-am-QUESTION

    With the endings for I and we, -mi comes at the very end.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing -mi as a separate word.

    Choy ichasiz mi?
    Choy ichasizmi?

    The official spelling joins -mi to the word before it. Only particles such as -chi and -ku are written with a hyphen.

  • Using -mi twice in one question.

    Siz talabamisizmi?
    Siz talabamisiz?

    Put -mi on the word only once: before -siz (talabamisiz) or, as many people also do, at the very end (talabasizmi), but never in both places.

  • Adding -mi to a question that already has a question word.

    Nima ichasizmi?
    Nima ichasiz?

    Questions with nima, kim, qayerda and other question words are already questions. -mi is only for yes-no questions.

How It Connects

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

-miLevel 1Yes-No Questions with -mi

Learn This First

Builds on You Are (Polite or Plural): -siz and Third Person Takes No Ending.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.