ha / xoʻp / mayli

Yes, OK and All Right

Level 1

Ha = yes. Xoʻp = OK, I will do it. Mayli = all right, fine.

How It Works

English uses yes and OK for many jobs. Uzbek has a separate word for each job.

  • Ha (yes) confirms that something is true. It often answers a -mi question: — Siz talabamisiz? — Ha, talabaman. (— Are you a student? — Yes, I am.) Its opposite is yoʻq (no).
  • Xoʻp (OK, will do) agrees to a request or instruction: — Eshikni yoping. — Xoʻp. (— Please close the door. — OK.) It promises an action, so it answers a request, not a question about facts.
  • Mayli (all right, fine) accepts a plan or allows something: — Bugun vaqtim yoʻq. — Mayli, ertaga. (— I have no time today. — All right, tomorrow then.) Mayli, kiring. (All right, come in.)

Requests are often polite commands with -(i)ng, like yoping (close) or kiring (come in), so xoʻp and mayli are the usual answers to them.

Spelling: ha is written with h, not x, and xoʻp has the letter oʻ. Xa and xop are spelling mistakes.

You will also hear albatta (of course) and, in casual speech, boʻpti (OK, deal).

Examples (6)

  1. — Siz talabamisiz? — Ha, talabaman.

    — Are you a student? — Yes, I am.

    Word by Word: — You student-Q-you-are? — Yes, student-I-am.

    Ha confirms a fact.

  2. — Eshikni yoping. — Xoʻp.

    — Please close the door. — OK.

    Word by Word: — Door-the close. — OK.

    Xoʻp agrees to do what was asked.

  3. Xoʻp, hozir.

    OK, right away.

    Word by Word: OK, now.

  4. — Bugun vaqtim yoʻq. — Mayli, ertaga.

    — I have no time today. — All right, tomorrow then.

    Word by Word: — Today my-time there-is-not. — All right, tomorrow.

    Mayli accepts the change of plan.

  5. Mayli, kiring.

    All right, come in.

    Word by Word: All right, enter.

    Mayli gives permission.

  6. — Choy ichasizmi? — Ha, rahmat.

    — Would you like some tea? — Yes, thank you.

    Word by Word: — Tea will-you-drink-Q? — Yes, thanks.

Common Mistakes

  • Answering a question about a fact with xoʻp.

    — Siz oʻqituvchimisiz? — Xoʻp, oʻqituvchiman.
    — Siz oʻqituvchimisiz? — Ha, oʻqituvchiman.

    Siz oʻqituvchimisiz? (Are you a teacher?) asks about a fact, so the answer is ha. Xoʻp means you agree to do something.

  • Writing ha with x.

    Xa, men talabaman.
    Ha, men talabaman.

    The word for yes is spelled with h. Xa is a common spelling mistake.

How It Connects

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

ha / xoʻp / mayliLevel 1Yes, OK and All Right

Learn This First

Builds on Yes-No Questions With -mi and Polite Commands: -(i)ng.

Words in This Pattern

haha