Kazakh grammar for beginners · Experienced past actions in {{-ған / -ген}} and conversational negation with {{жоқ}}
In the Simple Past lesson, you studied the witnessed past tense in -dy / -dı / -ty / -tı (-ды / -ді / -ты / -ті), which marks actions witnessed directly by the speaker. To express actions completed in the more distant past, lifelong experiences ("I have been", "I have read"), or actions whose outcome matters now, Kazakh uses the Distant Past Tense (Būrynğy ötken şaq (Бұрынғы өткен шақ)).
This tense is built on the fundamental past participle suffix -ğan / -gen / -qan / -ken (-ған / -ген / -қан / -кен), followed by standard predicate personal endings.
This suffix is also one of the most versatile in Kazakh: besides forming a full past tense, it creates the universal spoken past negative with joq (жоқ) and functions as an adjective-like participle modifying nouns.
To a Turkish speaker, Kazakh -ğan / -gen (-ған / -ген) is remarkable because its historical root exists in Turkish, but its grammatical functions were divided among three separate Turkish structures:
1. Direct Historical Cognate & Participles: Phonetically, -ğan / -gen (-ған / -ген) is the exact Common Turkic cognate of Turkish -an / -en (where intervocalic "g" dropped). Kazakh kelgen kısı (келген кісі) matches Turkish gelen kişi, while object modifiers like jazğan hat (жазған хат) match Turkish yazdığı mektup.
2. Finite Experienced Past: In complete sentences with personal endings, Kazakh uses -ğan (-ған) for completed life experiences (Men Almatyda bolğanmyn (Мен Алматыда болғанмын) = Ben Almatı'da bulundum). When expressing familiarity with an experience, it directly matches Turkish -mişliği var (Ony körgenmın (Оны көргенмін) = Onu görmüşlüğüm var / Onu gördüm).
3. Spoken Past Negation: While Turkish attaches -ma / -me directly to the verb stem (yazmadım), spoken Kazakh universally pairs the participle with joq (жоқ) (jazğan joqpyn (жазған жоқпын)), matching the Turkish structure yazmışlığım yok / yazmış değilim.
| The verb stem ends in | Back vowel (a, o, ū, y (а, о, ұ, ы)) | Front vowel (ä, e, ö, ü, ı (ә, е, ө, ү, і)) |
|---|---|---|
| a vowel, i, u (й, у), or a voiced consonant (j, z, l, m, n, ñ, r (ж, з, л, м, н, ң, р)) | -ğan (-ған) | -gen (-ген) |
| a voiceless consonant (k, q, p, s, t, f, h, ş (к, қ, п, с, т, ф, х, ш)), or b, v, g, d (б, в, г, д) | -qan (-қан) | -ken (-кен) |
The suffix attaches directly to the verb stem, obeying back-and-front vowel harmony and consonant voicing rules.
Attaching the suffix directly to the stem forms the third-person past statement ("he has said", "she has come"), as well as the base participle used in descriptions.
aitqan айтқан
said / has said · Turkish: söyledi
Voiceless stem ait- (айт-) ending in t (т) takes -qan (-қан).
kelgen келген
came / has come · Turkish: geldi
Front sonorant stem kel- (кел-) ending in l (л) takes -gen (-ген).
jazğan жазған
wrote / has written · Turkish: yazdı
Voiced consonant stem jaz- (жаз-) ending in z (з) takes -ğan (-ған).
alğan алған
took / bought / has taken · Turkish: aldı
Sonorant stem al- (ал-) ending in l (л) takes -ğan (-ған).
körgen көрген
saw / has seen · Turkish: gördü
Front sonorant stem kör- (көр-) ending in r (р) takes -gen (-ген).
| Person | Pronoun | Back vowel (-ğan / -qan (-ған / -қан)) | Front vowel (-gen / -ken (-ген / -кен)) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular ("I") | Men (Мен) | -myn (-мын) | -mın (-мін) |
| 2nd singular informal ("you") | Sen (Сен) | -syñ (-сың) | -sıñ (-сің) |
| 2nd singular polite ("you") | Sız (Сіз) | -syz (-сыз) | -sız (-сіз) |
| 3rd singular ("he / she / it") | Ol (Ол) | — | — |
| 1st plural ("we") | Bız (Біз) | -byz (-быз) | -bız (-біз) |
| 2nd plural informal ("you all") | Sender (Сендер) | -syñdar (-сыңдар) | -sıñder (-сіңдер) |
| 2nd plural polite ("you all") | Sızder (Сіздер) | -syzdar (-сыздар) | -sızder (-сіздер) |
| 3rd plural ("they") | Olar (Олар) | — | — |
Because all past participle variants (-ğan, -qan, -gen, -ken (-ған, -қан, -ген, -кен)) end in the nasal sonorant n (н), the 1st person plural ending is always voiced -byz / -bız (-быз / -біз) (e.g. aitqanbyz (айтқанбыз), kelgenbız (келгенбіз)). The voiceless variant -pyz / -pız (-пыз / -піз) occurs when attaching to words ending in voiceless consonants, such as negative joq (жоқ) (jazğan joqpyz (жазған жоқпыз)).
Attaching -qan- (-қан-) and personal endings to the stem ait- (айт-) ("to say"). All eight persons appear in full sequence with their explicit subject pronouns.
Men aitqanmyn Мен айтқанмын
I have said / I said · Turkish: Ben söyledim
1st person singular: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan- (-қан-) + -myn (-мын).
Sen aitqansyñ Сен айтқансың
you have said · Turkish: Sen söyledin
2nd person singular informal: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan- (-қан-) + -syñ (-сың).
Sız aitqansyz Сіз айтқансыз
you have said · Turkish: Siz söylediniz
2nd person singular polite: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan- (-қан-) + -syz (-сыз).
Ol aitqan Ол айтқан
he has said, she has said · Turkish: O söyledi
3rd person singular: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan (-қан) (no personal ending).
Bız aitqanbyz Біз айтқанбыз
we have said · Turkish: Biz söyledik
1st person plural: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan- (-қан-) + -byz (-быз).
Sender aitqansyñdar Сендер айтқансыңдар
you all have said · Turkish: Siz söylediniz
2nd person plural informal: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan- (-қан-) + -syñdar (-сыңдар).
Sızder aitqansyzdar Сіздер айтқансыздар
you all have said · Turkish: Siz söylediniz
2nd person polite plural: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan- (-қан-) + -syzdar (-сыздар).
Olar aitqan Олар айтқан
they have said · Turkish: Onlar söylediler
3rd person plural: stem ait- (айт-) + -qan (-қан).
Attaching -gen- (-ген-) and front-vowel personal endings to the stem kel- (кел-) ("to come").
Men kelgenmın Мен келгенмін
I have come / I came · Turkish: Ben geldim
1st person singular: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen- (-ген-) + -mın (-мін).
Sen kelgensıñ Сен келгенсің
you have come · Turkish: Sen geldin
2nd person singular informal: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen- (-ген-) + -sıñ (-сің).
Sız kelgensız Сіз келгенсіз
you have come · Turkish: Siz geldiniz
2nd person singular polite: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen- (-ген-) + -sız (-сіз).
Ol kelgen Ол келген
he has come, she has come · Turkish: O geldi
3rd person singular: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen (-ген).
Bız kelgenbız Біз келгенбіз
we have come · Turkish: Biz geldik
1st person plural: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen- (-ген-) + -bız (-біз).
Sender kelgensıñder Сендер келгенсіңдер
you all have come · Turkish: Siz geldiniz
2nd person plural informal: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen- (-ген-) + -sıñder (-сіңдер).
Sızder kelgensızder Сіздер келгенсіздер
you all have come · Turkish: Siz geldiniz
2nd person plural polite: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen- (-ген-) + -sızder (-сіздер).
Olar kelgen Олар келген
they have come · Turkish: Onlar geldiler
3rd person plural: stem kel- (кел-) + -gen (-ген).
While simple past verbs can attach negative suffixes directly to the stem (barmadym (бармадым)), the single most common and natural way to negate past actions in everyday spoken Kazakh is using the past participle followed by joq (жоқ) ("there is not / none").
The personal endings attach directly to joq (жоқ). Because joq (жоқ) ends in voiceless q (қ), the first-person endings take -pyn / -pyz (-пын / -пыз).
Men jazğan joqpyn Мен жазған жоқпын
I did not write / I have not written · Turkish: Ben yazmadım
1st person singular: jazğan (жазған) + joq- (жоқ-) + -pyn (-пын).
Sen jazğan joqsyñ Сен жазған жоқсың
you did not write · Turkish: Sen yazmadın
2nd person singular informal: jazğan (жазған) + joq- (жоқ-) + -syñ (-сың).
Sız jazğan joqsyz Сіз жазған жоқсыз
you did not write · Turkish: Siz yazmadınız
2nd person singular polite: jazğan (жазған) + joq- (жоқ-) + -syz (-сыз).
Ol jazğan joq Ол жазған жоқ
he did not write, she did not write · Turkish: O yazmadı
3rd person singular: jazğan (жазған) + joq (жоқ) (no personal ending).
Bız jazğan joqpyz Біз жазған жоқпыз
we did not write · Turkish: Biz yazmadık
1st person plural: jazğan (жазған) + joq- (жоқ-) + -pyz (-пыз).
Sender jazğan joqsyñdar Сендер жазған жоқсыңдар
you all did not write · Turkish: Siz yazmadınız
2nd person plural informal: jazğan (жазған) + joq- (жоқ-) + -syñdar (-сыңдар).
Sızder jazğan joqsyzdar Сіздер жазған жоқсыздар
you all did not write · Turkish: Siz yazmadınız
2nd person plural polite: jazğan (жазған) + joq- (жоқ-) + -syzdar (-сыздар).
Olar jazğan joq Олар жазған жоқ
they did not write · Turkish: Onlar yazmadılar
3rd person plural: jazğan (жазған) + joq (жоқ).
Alternatively, the participle can be negated with the copular negative word emes (емес) ("is not"). This expresses an emphatic denial of identity or experience ("I have never done", "I am not one who wrote").
Men jazğan emespın Мен жазған емеспін
I have never written / I did not write · Turkish: Ben yazmış değilim (asla yazmadım)
1st person singular: jazğan (жазған) + emes- (емес-) + -pın (-пін).
Sen jazğan emessıñ Сен жазған емессің
you have never written · Turkish: Sen yazmış değilsin
2nd person singular informal: jazğan (жазған) + emes- (емес-) + -sıñ (-сің).
Sız jazğan emessız Сіз жазған емессіз
you have never written · Turkish: Siz yazmış değilsiniz
2nd person singular polite: jazğan (жазған) + emes- (емес-) + -sız (-сіз).
Ol jazğan emes Ол жазған емес
he has never written · Turkish: O yazmış değil
3rd person singular: jazğan (жазған) + emes (емес).
Bız jazğan emespız Біз жазған емеспіз
we have never written · Turkish: Biz yazmış değiliz
1st person plural: jazğan (жазған) + emes- (емес-) + -pız (-піз).
Sızder jazğan emessızder Сіздер жазған емессіздер
you all have never written · Turkish: Siz yazmış değilsiniz
2nd person plural polite: jazğan (жазған) + emes- (емес-) + -sızder (-сіздер).
When placed directly before a noun, the form in -ğan / -gen / -qan / -ken (-ған / -ген / -қан / -кен) functions as a relative clause modifier ("who did", "which was done").
This corresponds directly to Turkish -an / -en and -dık / -dığı participles.
kelgen kısı келген кісі
the person who came / arrived · Turkish: gelen kişi
Participle kelgen (келген) directly modifies the noun kısı (кісі) ("person").
alğan kıtap алған кітап
the book that was taken / bought · Turkish: alınan kitap (aldığı kitap)
Participle alğan (алған) modifies the noun kıtap (кітап) ("book").
oqyğan adam оқыған адам
the person who studied / educated person · Turkish: okuyan kişi (okumuş insan)
Participle oqyğan (оқыған) modifies adam (адам) ("person").
jazğan hat жазған хат
the written letter / letter that was written · Turkish: yazılan mektup (yazdığı mektup)
Participle jazğan (жазған) modifies the noun hat (хат) ("letter", Arabic *khaṭṭ*).
The past participle suffix -ğan / -gen (-ған / -ген) is one of the most frequent grammatical elements in Kazakh lyrical poetry, forming poignant relative clauses, evocative images, and temporal clauses:
Qalamağan ömırdı syiladyñ mağan Қаламаған өмірді сыйладың маған
You gave me an unwanted life. · Turkish: İstenmeyen ömrü hediye ettin bana.
From Ūmytsam da: negative past participle qalamağan (қаламаған) (from qalama- (қалама-) "not desire") modifies ömırdı (өмірді) ("life").
Süigen adam keide sağan bäle boldym Сүйген адам кейде саған бәле болдым
Beloved, sometimes I became a trouble to you · Turkish: Seven adam, bazen sana bela oldum
From Aua-rai: participle süigen (сүйген) (from süi- (сүй-) "to love") acts as a subject participle modifying adam (адам) ("person"), matching Turkish seven insan / adam.
Sebep boldym tamğan közıñnıñ jasyna Себеп болдым тамған көзіңнің жасына
I became the cause of the tear dripping from your eye · Turkish: Sebep oldum damlayan gözünün yaşına
From Sagynysh: participle tamğan (тамған) (from tam- (там-) "to drip", cognate with Turkish damlamak) modifies közıñnıñ jasyna (көзіңнің жасына) ("to the tear of your eye").
Tağdyr jelı tuğan jerden auğan talai Тағдыр желі туған жерден ауған талай
Fate's wind, from (my) birthplace, has drifted many times. · Turkish: Kader (takdir) yeli doğduğu yerden savurmuş nice.
From Arman Joldar: tuğan jer (туған жер) is the classic Kazakh compound for "birthplace / homeland" (from tu- (ту-) "to be born" + -ğan (-ған)).
Syilyğyñdy alğanda, erkelep qalamyn Сыйлығыңды алғанда, еркелеп қаламын
When I receive your gift, I become pampered · Turkish: Armağanını alınca, şımarırım.
From ANDA-SANDA: temporal participle in locative -ğanda (-ғанда) (alğanda (алғанда) = Turkish alınca / aldığımda).
Öz közımızben körgenbız. Өз көзімізбен көргенбіз.
We have seen with our own eyes. · Turkish: Kendi gözlerimizle gördük.
Demonstrates experienced past 1st person plural -genbız (-генбіз) with the instrumental case közımızben (көзімізбен) ("with our eyes").
Men ony körgenmın. Мен оны көргенмін.
I have seen it / I saw him. · Turkish: Ben onu gördüm (onu görmüşlüğüm var).
Experiential past 1st person singular -genmın (-генмін) with the accusative object ony (оны).
Būl üidı körgen joqpyn. Бұл үйді көрген жоқпын.
I have not seen this house. · Turkish: Bu evi görmedim.
Spoken negative past using participle körgen (көрген) + joqpyn (жоқпын) with the accusative object üidı (үйді).
Dūrys audarğan joq. Дұрыс аударған жоқ.
he did not translate correctly. · Turkish: Doğru çevirmedi (düzgün tercüme etmedi).
Adverb dūrys (дұрыс) ("correctly", cognate with Turkish dürüst / doğru) with negative verb audarğan joq (аударған жоқ).
Men Almatyda bolğanmyn. Мен Алматыда болғанмын.
I have been in Almaty. · Turkish: Ben Almatı'da bulundum.
Subject Men (Мен), locative Almatyda (Алматыда), and past verb bolğanmyn (болғанмын).
Remember that Kazakh separates past functions that Turkish sometimes merges under -mış / -miş:
1. Completed past experience and general past fact use -ğan / -gen (-ған / -ген) (kelgen (келген), answering to Turkish geldi).
2. Pure hearsay, rumors, or surprise realizations are reserved for -ypty / -ıptı (-ыпты / -іпті) (kelıptı (келіпті), answering to Turkish meğer gelmiş!).
3. For negative past sentences, remember that spoken Kazakh overwhelmingly favors the participle plus joq (жоқ) (kelgen joqpyn (келген жоқпын) = gelmedim).
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