Demonstrative Pronouns: бул, ал, ошол

In English we split the world into two: what's close (this) and what's far (that).

Kyrgyz has a real built-in GPS! The word you choose to point at something depends not only on distance, but also on whether you can currently see the object with your own eyes or whether it exists only in your memory or in conversation.

Let's work through the 5 main pointing words, moving from nearest to farthest.

🧠 The Distance Scale: From Here to the Horizon

1. БУЛ (This) — Right in front of you

Used for objects that are as close as possible to you (in your hands, on the table in front of you, or right next to you).

• Бул китеп меники. — This book (which I'm holding) is mine.
• Бул ким? — Who is this (standing right here)?

2. УШУЛ (This very one) — Emphasis on the nearby

This is an intensified version of Бул. You use it when choosing a specific thing from several nearby options, or when you want to stress: "this specific one right here".

• Мага ушул көйнөк жагат. — I like this dress in particular (from the ones in front of me).
• Ушул жерде күтө тур. — Wait right here.

3. ТИГИ / ТИГИЛ (That / That one over there) — Far, but VISIBLE

Used for objects that are at a distance from you but you can point to them. The object is within your line of sight.

• Тиги тоону карачы! — Look at that mountain over there!
• Тигил кыз ким? — Who is that girl (standing over there)?

4. ОШОЛ (That very one) — Far and NOT VISIBLE (Context)

Ошол is used when the object is not nearby and you can't point to it. You use it to refer to something you've just been talking about, or an object from the past.

• Сен кечээ бир кино көрдүң го. Ошол кино кандай экен? — You watched a film yesterday. What was that film like? (We can't see it; it's in the conversation.)
• Мен ошол күнү үйдө болчумун. — On that day I was at home.

5. АЛ (That / He/She) — Neutral

You already know Ал as the personal pronoun "He/She/It". It also works as a weak demonstrative pronoun for objects that are far away (similar to English that).

• Ал китеп кызыктуу. — That book is interesting.

🧮 Summary Table

🧮 More Than One? (Plural)

Demonstrative pronouns easily form the plural with the familiar suffix -лар (and its variants). But watch the phonetics — some words change their form slightly:

Example:

• Булар кимдики? — Whose things are these?
• Ошолор меники. — Those very ones are mine.

💡 SUCH: Pointing to a Quality

Incredibly useful adjectives are formed from our demonstrative words. To say "such (like this)" or "such (like that)", add the suffixes -ндай / -ндой to the root:

МЫНДАЙ / МИНДАЙ — Like this (referring to something nearby)

• Мага мындай чай жагат. — I like tea like this (like the one I'm drinking).
• Мындай кылба! — Don't do it like this (like you're doing now).

УШУНДАЙ — Exactly like this

• Ал ушундай адам. — He's exactly that kind of person.

ТИГИНДЕЙ — Like that (over there, visible)

• Мага тигиндей унаа керек. — I need a car like that one (that just drove past).

ОШОНДОЙ — Like that (from context / the very same)

• Ооба, мен ошондой дедим. — Yes, I said exactly that (the very same thing).

⚠️ Important Details

1. The Key Difference from English

English doesn't distinguish by visibility. We use "that" for both a visible distant object and an object from the conversation. In Kyrgyz this distinction is critical:

• You can see the object → тиги
• You can't see it (talking about it) → ошол

2. Declining Through Cases

All demonstrative pronouns decline through cases:

3. Place Adverbs

Place adverbs are formed from demonstrative pronouns:

---

See also:

• Personal Pronouns — Мен, Сен, Ал...
• Question Words — Ким, Эмне, Кандай
• Plural Formation — suffixes -лар/-лер
• Overview of Cases — the declension system