Uzbek alphabet changed: four letters will now be written differently

A law has been signed in Uzbekistan on improving the Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script. According to the new regulations, the spelling of four letters will change. This was announced by the Head of the Presidential Administration Saida Mirziyoyeva

Which letters are changing?

The updated alphabet provides for the following changes:

• O‘ o‘ → Ö ö

• G‘ g‘ → Ğ ğ

• Sh sh → Ş ş

• Ch ch → Ç ç

Additionally, the letter combination "ng" will no longer remain as an independent unit in the alphabet. As a result, the new alphabet will consist of 28 letters and one apostrophe sign.

What will happen to documents and textbooks?

The Head of the Presidential Administration emphasized that the changes in the alphabet should not cause excessive expenses for the population and the state. Therefore, previously issued documents, the national currency, and securities will remain valid.

Textbooks, street signs, and road markers will be updated step-by-step as their service life expires.

The law will enter into force six months after its official publication. Thus, the transition to the new alphabet will not happen immediately, but on the basis of established deadlines and stages.