Greetings
Assalomu alaykum
as-sa-LOM-u a-lay-KOOM
Hello — the standard greeting, used constantly and across religions. 'Salom' is the casual short form.
Rahmat
rah-MAT
Thank you. 'Katta rahmat' is 'many thanks'. Russian 'spasibo' works equally well in Tashkent.
Daily life
Qancha turadi?
KAN-cha too-RA-di
How much does it cost? Indispensable at Chorsu Bazaar, where the first number is an invitation to talk.
Ha / Yo'q
ha / yok
Yes / No. Uzbek is Turkic and now written in Latin script, though Cyrillic signage survives everywhere and Russian remains widely spoken.
ATTO
AT-to
The transport card for the metro and buses. Tapping with ATTO costs UZS 1,700 a ride against UZS 3,000 for a paper QR ticket — get one immediately.
Food
Osh / Palov
osh / pa-LOV
The national rice dish, cooked in vast kazan cauldrons and traditionally eaten at lunch. There is a dedicated Plov Centre in the city that sells out by early afternoon.
Non
non
The round stamped bread baked in a tandir. Never place it upside down — it is treated with real reverence.
Social
Choyxona
choy-KHO-na
Teahouse — the traditional social institution, with raised platforms for sitting and green tea by the pot.
Work
PINFL
pin-FL
Personal Identification Number of a Physical Person. The Uzbek identity and tax number obtained through my.gov.uz — you need it for payroll, banking and most services.
Ro'yxatdan o'tish
roy-khat-dan o-TISH
Registration — of your place of stay, compulsory within three working days of arrival. Hotels do it silently; landlords often do not.
Emergency
Yordam bering!
yor-DAM beh-RING
Help! The unified 112 service has been operational nationwide since 2025; 101 fire, 102 police and 103 ambulance also still work.
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