LingoflyBu, u, shu: this, that and this very one
Uzbek has three demonstratives. bu — this, close by. u — that, further away, and also "he" and "she". shu — this very one, with a light point of the finger. None of the three changes for gender — there is no gender here at all, and that is a load off the mind. For example: “Bu telefon yangi, u telefon eski.” — This phone is new, that phone is old. A rule from the Uzbek course: worked out on examples, not memorized…
How it works
Uzbek has three demonstratives. bu — this, close by. u — that, further away, and also "he" and "she". shu — this very one, with a light point of the finger. None of the three changes for gender — there is no gender here at all, and that is a load off the mind.
The plural tail sticks not to the demonstrative but to the noun: bu kitob — this book, bu kitoblar — these books. The demonstrative stays as it stands; the word next to it does all the work.
About place they turn into adverbs: bu yerda — here, u yerda — there, and you already know both. The third is built the same way: shu yerda — right here.
In speech the difference between bu and shu is a matter of closeness, and to the question "which one?" an Uzbek says qaysi — a word worth keeping next to them: qaysi telefon? — which phone?
Table
| bu — this | u — that | shu — this very one | |
|---|---|---|---|
| near | bu telefon | u telefon | shu telefon |
| many | bu telefonlar | u telefonlar | shu telefonlar |
| place | bu yerda | u yerda | shu yerda |
| about a person | bu bola | u katta odam | shu bola |
| the question "which" | qaysi telefon? | — | — |
By example
- Shu yerda oʻtiring, iltimos.Sit right here, please
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
How to say this in Uzbek?
In speech the difference between bu and shu is a matter of closeness, and to the question "which one?" an Uzbek says qaysi — a word worth keeping next to them: qaysi telefon? — which phone?
Difference between bu and u?
In speech the difference between bu and shu is a matter of closeness, and to the question "which one?" an Uzbek says qaysi — a word worth keeping next to them: qaysi telefon? — which phone?
How to say this one right here in Uzbek?
In speech the difference between bu and shu is a matter of closeness, and to the question "which one?" an Uzbek says qaysi — a word worth keeping next to them: qaysi telefon? — which phone?
Does bu change for gender?
Uzbek has three demonstratives. bu — this, close by. u — that, further away, and also "he" and "she". shu — this very one, with a light point of the finger. None of the three changes for gender — there is no gender here at all, and that is a load off the mind.
What does it look like in a Uzbek example sentence?
“Bu telefon yangi, u telefon eski.” — This phone is new, that phone is old. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.