Since: -гандан бери

In English, we often set a reference point in the past: "Three days have passed since I arrived," "He hasn't called since we had that argument."

In Kyrgyz, this "starting gun" is expressed using the postposition бери (here / from / since), which attaches to the action.

🧠 Logic

Grammatically, this form is a close sibling of the "After" construction (-гандан кийин). It's assembled from the same pieces:

Element	Meaning
-ган	turns the verb into a result (one who has done)
-дан	ablative case ending (From where? From what point?)
бери	here (in the direction of the current moment)

Literally: "From the completed action — all the way to now"

Example: Кел- (to come) ➔ келген (one who came) ➔ келгенден (from the coming) ➔ келгенден бери (since coming / since [someone] came)

келгенден бери
кел
root
ген
participle
ден
ablative case
бери
postposition "since"
→ since [someone] came

🧮 Formula

Verb stem + suffix -ган-ген-гон-гөн-кан-кен-кон-көн + ablative case ending -дан-ден-дон-дөн + бери

Reminder: The participle suffix is chosen according to vowel harmony and sound assimilation. After voiceless consonants: -кан instead of -ган (баскандан бери, качкандан бери). The case ending is always -дан, because the participle ends in the voiced -н.

💡 Examples

Note that the main action often occurs in the present tense, because the process is still ongoing!

Verb	Example	Translation
Кел- (to come/arrive)	Мен Бишкекке келгенден бери кыргызча үйрөнүп жатам.	Since I arrived in Bishkek, I've been learning Kyrgyz.
Кет- (to leave)	Сен кеткенден бери жамгыр жаап жатат.	Since you left, it's been raining.
Уруш- (to argue)	Алар урушкандан бери сүйлөшпөйт.	Since they had that argument, they haven't spoken.

урушкандан бери
уруш
root
кан
participle
дан
ablative case
бери
postposition "since"
→ since they argued

⚠️ Important notes

Action or time / thing?

As with other temporal forms (after, before), the suffix -ган is only needed for actions.

1. Is the starting point an ACTION?

(Since seeing / arriving / eating)

Use the full formula: verb + -гандан бери

Example	Translation
Аны көргөндөн бери уктай албайм.	Since I saw him, I haven't been able to sleep.

2. Is the starting point a TIME or THING?

(Since morning / since yesterday / since Monday)

The -ган suffix is not needed. Take the word, add the ablative case (-дан/-тан) and add бери.

Example	Translation
Эртең мененден бери күтүп жатам.	I've been waiting since morning.
Кечээтен бери ооруп жатам.	I've been sick since yesterday.
Быйылдан бери кыргызча үйрөнүп жатам.	I've been learning Kyrgyz since this year.

"For the past... / Already..."

The construction [word]-дан бери often conveys the English sense of "for the past..." or "already...":

Example	Translation
Биз үч күндөн бери иштей элекпиз.	We haven't worked for the past three days (starting from three days ago).

See also:

Introduction to verbs — the concept of stems and conjugation
Participle — how -ган is formed
Ablative case — the -дан ending before бери
Vowel harmony — choosing the vowel in the suffix
Sound assimilation — -ган/-кан
When (-ганда) — other temporal connectives
After (-гандан кийин) — a similar construction
Until (-ганча) — other temporal connectives