I can say where I'm going and whom I give or tell something to, choosing -ga, -ka, or -qa and one of three verbs: bormoq, kelmoq, ketmoq.
Qayerga? Kimga? The dative
Qayerga? Kimga? The dative
The questions qayerga? (“where to?”) and kimga? (“to whom?”) are answered by the dative case (also called the directional case). English “to” before the word becomes an ending after it: Toshkentga “to Tashkent”, Annaga “to Anna”.
The last letter of the word picks the ending:
• usually -ga: uyga, bozorga, doʻkonga
• after k, -ka: bankka
• after q, -qa: qishloqqa
• after gʻ, write -ga: bogʻga — by the rule, not by ear
After the “my” and “his” endings the case follows directly: ishimga, ishiga. Pronouns: menga, senga, sizga, unga (with an n), bizga, sizlarga, ularga. The pointing words take the same n: bu — bunga (“to this”), shu — shunga (“to this one we're talking about”). “Here” as a direction is bu yerga, “there” is u yerga.
Three verbs give the direction: bormoq — there, kelmoq — here, toward the speaker, ketmoq — away. On foot or by vehicle, the verb is the same. But yurmoq is about walking itself, with no “where to”: piyoda yuraman.
“Where” is still -da: yashayman — Toshkentda, but boraman — Toshkentga.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Toshkentda boraman” → Toshkentga boraman
• NOT “bankga” → bankka
• NOT “Uy boraman” → Uyga boraman
Where to? To whom? The ending by the last letter
After gʻ, write -ga — by the rule, not by ear.
| Last letter of the word | Ending | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| a vowel and most consonants | -ga | uyga, bozorga, doʻkonga |
| k | -ka | bankka, mushukka |
| q | -qa | qishloqqa |
| gʻ | write -ga | bogʻga |
To whom: pronouns
The word u gets an n before the ending: unga.
| Who | To whom | In English |
|---|---|---|
| men | menga | to me |
| sen | senga | to you (informal) |
| siz | sizga | to you (formal, to one person) |
| u | unga | to him, to her |
| biz | bizga | to us |
| sizlar | sizlarga | to you (to several people) |
| ular | ularga | to them |
| bu yer | bu yerga | here (to this place) |
| u yer | u yerga | there (to that place) |
Three verbs of motion
On foot or by transportation, the verb is the same: “go on foot” and “go by vehicle” aren't told apart.
| Verb | Direction | In English |
|---|---|---|
| bormoq | there, away from the speaker | to go (on foot or by vehicle) |
| kelmoq | here, toward the speaker | to come |
| ketmoq | away, from here | to leave, to go away |
Lesson notes
Qayerga? Kimga? The dative
The questions qayerga? (“where to?”) and kimga? (“to whom?”) are answered by the dative case (also called the directional case). English “to” before the word becomes an ending after it: Toshkentga “to Tashkent”, Annaga “to Anna”.
The last letter of the word picks the ending:
• usually -ga: uyga, bozorga, doʻkonga
• after k, -ka: bankka
• after q, -qa: qishloqqa
• after gʻ, write -ga: bogʻga — by the rule, not by ear
After the “my” and “his” endings the case follows directly: ishimga, ishiga. Pronouns: menga, senga, sizga, unga (with an n), bizga, sizlarga, ularga. The pointing words take the same n: bu — bunga (“to this”), shu — shunga (“to this one we're talking about”). “Here” as a direction is bu yerga, “there” is u yerga.
Three verbs give the direction: bormoq — there, kelmoq — here, toward the speaker, ketmoq — away. On foot or by vehicle, the verb is the same. But yurmoq is about walking itself, with no “where to”: piyoda yuraman.
“Where” is still -da: yashayman — Toshkentda, but boraman — Toshkentga.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Toshkentda boraman” → Toshkentga boraman
• NOT “bankga” → bankka
• NOT “Uy boraman” → Uyga boraman