LingoflySomeone else's speech: the quote with deb
Another person's words drop into the sentence as a quote, unchanged: both the person and the tense stay as they were. The glue between the quote and the verb of speech is the word deb — "saying". The verb of speech closes the sentence, like every verb. For example: “«Kechikdim» deb aytdi.” — He said: "I was late". A rule from the Uzbek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Another person's words drop into the sentence as a quote, unchanged: both the person and the tense stay as they were. The glue between the quote and the verb of speech is the word deb — "saying". The verb of speech closes the sentence, like every verb.
"Kelaman" deb aytdi is literally "«I will come» — saying — said". A first-person quote does not turn into the third. The English translation pulls apart from the word order: he said that he would come.
A question in reported speech keeps its question tail -mi, and it stays inside the quote: "Choy istaysizmi?" deb soʻradi. A command travels by the same deb — as a quote of the order.
Other verbs of speech take the same slot: soʻramoq — to ask, oʻylamoq — to think, deb oʻylayman — I think that. No comma is put before the quote: deb holds the seam itself.
Table
| direct speech | reported speech | what changes |
|---|---|---|
| «Men kelaman» | «Kelaman» deb aytdi | the quote does not change |
| «Choy istaysizmi?» | «Choy istaysizmi?» deb soʻradi | the question with -mi also takes deb |
| «Kechikdim» | «Kechikdim» deb tan oldi | the first person stays |
| «Pul yoʻq» | «Pul yoʻq» deb dedi | dedi — said |
| «Bormang!» | «Bormang!» deb aytdi | the order also takes deb |
| «Qayerda yashaysiz?» | «Qayerda yashaysiz?» deb soʻradi | the question word holds |
By example
- «Kechikdim» deb aytdi.He said: "I was late"
- «Choy istaysizmi?» deb soʻradi.He asked: "would you like tea?"
- I think this is right
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
Someone else's speech: how does it work in Uzbek?
Another person's words drop into the sentence as a quote, unchanged: both the person and the tense stay as they were. The glue between the quote and the verb of speech is the word deb — "saying". The verb of speech closes the sentence, like every verb.
What does it look like in a Uzbek example sentence?
“«Kechikdim» deb aytdi.” — He said: "I was late". A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.