Complete: -ып бүттү

Now that we know how to start actions and keep them going, it's time to put a period at the end. In English we say: "I finished reading", "We finished eating", "He finished writing".

In Kyrgyz, the auxiliary verb бүтүү (to finish / to end) is used to complete any process. It attaches to your main action through a gerund.

🧠 The Logic

We take the main action, turn it into a completed fact (the gerund), and add the verb бүт- (to finish).

Literal translation: "Having done — finished."

For example: Having eaten, finished = I finished eating.

This construction often translates into English with phrases like "finished -ing" or "got through doing".

🧮 The Formula

Pattern: Stem + -ып-ип-уп-үп-п + бүт + personal ending

The gerund suffix — by vowel harmony:

after a vowel: -п (иште → иштеп)
after a consonant:
- -ып for а, я, ы (жаз → жазып)
- -ип for и, е, э (кел → келип)
- -уп for о, ё, у, ю (кой → коюп)
- -үп for ө, ү (көр → көрүп)

💡 Spelling note: й + у = ю: кой + уп = коюп (not ~~койуп~~).

⚠️ If a short root ends in «п» — double the vowel: тап → таап.

The verb бүт- changes for person and tense:

Form	Example	Translation
мен (past)	жеп бүттүм	I finished eating
сен (past)	жазып бүттүң	you finished writing
ал (past)	окуп бүттү	he finished reading
биз (past)	иштеп бүттүк	we finished working
биз (present)	иштеп бүтөбүз	we'll finish working

жеп бүттүм
же
stem (to eat)
п
gerund
бүт
to finish
тү
past tense
м
I
→ I finished eating

Negative Form

Negation goes on the auxiliary verb бүт-:

Affirmative	Negative	Translation
жеп бүттүм	жеп бүткөн жокмун	I didn't finish eating
иштеп бүтөт	иштеп бүтпөйт	he won't finish working

Question Form

Affirmative	Question	Translation
жазып бүттүң	жазып бүттүңбү?	did you finish writing?
окуп бүтөт	окуп бүтөтпү?	will he finish reading?

💡 Examples

Kyrgyz	Translation
Мен жеп бүттүм.	I've finished eating.
Жазып бүттүңбү?	Have you finished writing?
Китепти окуп бүттү.	He finished reading the book.
Биз иштеп бүтөбүз.	We'll be done working soon.
Алар курулушту бүтүштү.	They finished the construction.

— Тамагыңды жеп бүттүңбү? — Have you finished eating? — Ооба, жеп бүттүм. — Yes, I'm done.

— Качан иштеп бүтөсүң? — When will you finish working? — Бир саатта бүтөм. — In an hour.

⚠️ Important Notes

1. FINISHED the action vs FINISHED the object vs IT FINISHED on its own

In Kyrgyz, one verb — бүтүү — covers all three meanings:

Finishing an action → two verbs:

Мен иштеп бүттүм. — I finished working
Ал тамагын жеп бүттү. — He finished eating his food

Finishing an object → one verb + accusative case:

Мен жумушту бүттүм. — I finished the work
Сен тапшырманы бүттүңбү? — Did you finish the assignment?

An event finished on its own → one verb:

Жумуш бүттү. — Work is over
Кино бүттү. — The film ended
Сабак бүттү. — Class is over

2. -ып бүттү vs -ып чыкты

Don't mix these up! More in the article -ып чык:

Form	Meaning
-ып бүттү	The process came to an end (stopping)
-ып чыкты	The entire volume was covered (start to finish)

See also:

Introduction to verbs — the basics of how verbs work
Gerund (-ып/-п) — the foundation of aspectual constructions
Start (-а башта) — launching a process
Continue (-а бер) — keeping it going
Complete a volume (-ып чык) — from cover to cover
Vowel harmony — choosing the vowel in a suffix