In English we often use a relative clause with "who" or "that/which" to describe something through an action: "the person who lives here" or "the letter that I wrote". We also use participial adjectives: living, written, flying.
In Kyrgyz, a single form handles all of this — the participle (атоочтук). It turns any verb into a descriptive modifier using the suffix -ган.
🔄 Comparison: The Kyrgyz participle in -ган replaces both English participial adjectives (reading, written) and relative clauses with "who/that/which". One form instead of several!
🧠 Logic
A participle is needed to describe something through an action. Instead of the wordy "the person who came", Kyrgyz simply says «келген адам» — the person who came.
| Task | English | Kyrgyz |
|---|---|---|
| Describe through a past action | the person who came | келген адам |
| Describe through a current action | the person who is going | бара жаткан адам |
| Describe through a future action | the person who will come | келе турган адам |
The participle is one of the most productive forms in Kyrgyz. It's used in tense formation, modal constructions, and complex sentences.
🧮 Formula
Formula: Stem + -ган-ген-гон-гөн or -кан-кен-кон-көн
Following the rules of vowel harmony and sound assimilation, the suffix has 8 variants:
| Last letter of stem | Suffix | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vowel or voiced | -ган/-ген/-гон/-гөн | жаша → жашаган | who lived / living |
| Voiceless consonant | -кан/-кен/-кон/-көн | ук → уккан | who heard |
Negative form
The negative participle is formed by adding -ба-бе-бо-бө or -па-пе-по-пө before -ган:
| Affirmative | Negative | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| келген | келбеген | who didn't come |
| барган | барбаган | who didn't go |
| окуган | окубаган | who didn't read |
| уккан | укпаган | who didn't hear |
Examples in context:
- Келбеген адам — The person who didn't come
- Окулбаган китеп — An unread book
- Жазылбаган кат — An unwritten letter
Three tenses of the participle
A participle can describe an action in the past, present, or future:
1. Past / Result (-ган)
| Kyrgyz | Translation |
|---|---|
| Бул үйдө жашаган адамдын аты ким? | What is the name of the person living in this house? |
| Мектепте окуган балдар | Children who studied at school |
2. Present / Process (-п жаткан)
For an action happening right now, use verbal adverb + жаткан:
| Kyrgyz | Translation |
|---|---|
| Көчөдө бара жаткан адам | The person walking along the street |
| Китеп окуп жаткан бала | The child reading a book |
3. Future / Intention (-а турган)
| Kyrgyz | Translation |
|---|---|
| Эртең келе турган коноктор | The guests arriving tomorrow |
| Уча турган учак | The plane about to take off |
Passive participle
To get a passive meaning, first form the passive stem with the suffix -ыл/-ил/-ул/-үл, then add -ган:
| Active | Passive | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| окуган бала | окулган китеп | a book that has been read |
| жазган кыз | жазылган кат | a written letter |
💡 Note: If the stem ends in «л» (ал-, сал-), -ын is used instead of -ыл: сатып алынган (bought).
More detail: Passive voice
⚠️ Important notes
1. Participle as a noun
A participle can function not only as an adjective, but also as a noun (substantivation):
- Келген ким? — Who is the one who came? (= Who came?)
- Айтканды түшүндүм — I understood what was said
2. Connection with the past indefinite tense
The -ган form is also used to form the past indefinite tense. Essentially, it's the same participle with personal endings:
- Мен барганмын — I went (lit. "I am one who went")
- Ал келген — He came
💡 Examples
Describing people and things
| Kyrgyz | Translation |
|---|---|
| Мени тааныган адам | The person who knows me |
| Ата-энем берген китеп | The book my parents gave me |
| Бышырылган тамак | Cooked food |
| Сатылбаган товар | Unsold goods |
Mini-dialogues
— Бул жазылган кат кимдики? — Whose written letter is this?
— Бул менин жазган катым. — It's the letter I wrote.
— Келген адамдар ким? — Who are these people who arrived?
— Алар менин досторум. — They are my friends.
See also:
- Verbal adverb (-ып/-ип) — a related form
- Past indefinite tense — participle with personal endings
- Present continuous (-п жат) — a related construction
- Passive voice — for passive participles
- Vowel harmony — choosing vowels
- Sound assimilation — choosing -ган/-кан