☰ Contents · Uzbek language

Personal, reflexive and interrogative pronouns

Lessons 14–16 · 3 lessons · N. Mahmudov, A. Nurmonov, A. Sobirov, D. Nabiyeva, A. Mirzaahmedov. Ona tili (Uzbek language), Grade 7, revised and expanded 4th edition. Ma’naviyat, Tashkent, 2017
14

Personal pronouns

Textbook: pp. 23–25
GoalKnow personal pronouns, their person and number, and understand the figurative use of biz, siz, ular.
New words
personal pronoun · kishilik olmoshiperson · shaxssingular · birlikplural · ko‘plik
Explanation

Personal pronouns show the three persons of speech: the one speaking, the one listening, and the one spoken about. The speaker is the 1st person (men, biz), the listener the 2nd person (sen, siz), and anyone or anything not taking part in the talk is the 3rd person (u, ular). Men, sen, u are singular forms; biz, siz (sizlar), ular are plural. Sometimes a plural form is used for one person: so as not to show off, one says “Biz musobaqada yutdik” (We won the contest), and out of respect one addresses someone as “Siz” or refers to them as “Ular”. To tell real plural from respectful “siz”, “sizlar” is used. When -ning, -ni, -niki are added to men and sen, one n drops: mening, seni, meniki.

Worked examples
Men o‘qiyman, sen yozasan, u chizadi. Biz, siz, ular are the plural forms.
“Opa, siz kecha qayerda edingiz?” (Sister, where were you yesterday?) — “siz” is said to one person with respect.
Class activity

Table: draw a table with 1st, 2nd, 3rd person and singular / plural columns and place the personal pronouns.

Practice
1
Name the personal pronouns by person and number.
2
Add -ning, -ni, -niki to “men”.
3
When is “siz” said to one person?
4
Why is “biz” used to show modesty?