In Kyrgyz, if you want to say that something is done not alone but together as a group, or that people do it to each other, you don't need to add separate words like "together" or "each other."
You simply embed a special suffix -ыш / -ш into the verb, and it turns a solo act into a team effort! In Kyrgyz this is called Кош мамиле (the cooperative/reciprocal voice).
🔄 Comparison with English: In English we often add "each other" or use a form like "talk → talk to each other." In Kyrgyz one suffix does the job: көр → көрүш (to see each other).
🧠 The Logic
The suffix -ыш/-ш shows that the action is performed by multiple people together or directed toward each other. It plays three roles:
- Reciprocal action — toward each other (көрүшүү — to see each other)
- Collective action — together, jointly (күлүшүү — to laugh together)
- Plural marker — in «алар» (they) forms
When to use:
- Action directed at each other: Биз көрүштүк — We met (saw each other)
- Action performed by a group: Балдар күлүштү — The children laughed (together)
- The pronoun «алар»: Алар барышты — They went
🧮 The Formula
The suffix is attached to the verb stem before tense and personal endings are added.
After vowels — add -ш:
| Stem | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| сүйлө- (to speak) | сүйлөш- | to talk to each other |
| иште- (to work) | иштеш- | to work together |
After consonants — add -ыш-иш-уш-үш according to vowel harmony:
| Vowel group | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| а, я, ы | -ыш | бар- → барыш- (to go together) |
| э, е, и | -иш | көр- → көрүш- (to see each other), кет- → кетиш- |
| о, ё, у, ю | -уш | түш- → түшүш- |
| ө, ү | -үш | күй- → күйүш- |
⚠️ Important: Voicing! Voiceless п and к become voiced before the suffix vowel:
- тап → табыш (to find each other)
- жап → жабыш (to close together)
💡 Examples
Reciprocal action (toward each other)
The action goes both ways — you do it to someone, and they do it back to you:
| Base verb | Reciprocal form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| көрүү (to see) | көрүшүү | to see each other / to meet |
| сүйлөө (to speak) | сүйлөшүү | to talk / to communicate |
| уруу (to hit) | урушуу | to fight / to quarrel |
| өбүү (to kiss) | өбүшүү | to kiss each other |
| таануу (to recognize) | таанышуу | to get acquainted |
| Kyrgyz | Translation |
|---|---|
| Эртең көрүшөлү! | Let's meet tomorrow! |
| Биз телефон менен сүйлөштүк. | We talked on the phone. |
| Алар урушуп кетишти. | They had a fight. |
сүйлөштүксүйлөroot (to speak)шcooperative voiceтүpast tenseкwe→ we talked
Collective action (together / jointly)
When the action can't really go "toward each other" — the suffix means people are doing it together as a group:
| Base verb | Collective form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| күлүү (to laugh) | күлүшүү | to laugh together |
| жазуу (to write) | жазышуу | to correspond with each other |
| иштөө (to work) | иштешүү | to cooperate |
| Kyrgyz | Translation |
|---|---|
| Балдар күлүштү. | The children laughed (all together). |
| Биз кат жазыштык. | We corresponded. |
— Сен аны тааныйсыңбы? — Do you know him? — Ооба, кечээ тааныштык. — Yes, we met yesterday.
— Эртең көрүшөлү! — Let's meet tomorrow! — Макул, көрүшкөнчө! — Sure, see you later!
⚠️ Important details
1. The suffix -ыш and the pronoun «алар»
The suffix -ыш marks a group action. This is why historically it became part of the conjugation for алар (they) — even when the action is not reciprocal:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| Ал барды (He went) | Алар барышты (They went) |
| Ал келет (He'll come) | Алар келишет (They'll come) |
💡 This is exactly why the letter «ш» keeps appearing in every tense for the pronoun Алар. It is always the same cooperative voice suffix!
2. Көрүшкөнчө! — The most popular Kyrgyz farewell
The most popular Kyrgyz goodbye is «Көрүшкөнчө!» (See you / Bye). Let's break it down:
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| көр- | root (to see) |
| -үш- | cooperative voice (each other) |
| -көнчө | limit suffix (until) |
көрүшкөнчөкөрroot (to see)үшcooperative voiceкөнчөuntil→ see you (lit. until we see each other again)
💡 Literally: "Until we see each other again!" — a very warm way to say goodbye.
See also:
- Introduction to verbs — the foundation for understanding voices
- Passive voice (-ыл) — action by an unknown agent
- Reflexive voice (-ын) — action on oneself
- Present-future tense — how «алар» conjugates
- Optative: Let's meet (көрүшөлү) — inviting a joint action
- Limit suffix: -ганча — «көрүшкөнчө»
- Vowel harmony — choosing the right vowel in the suffix
- Sound assimilation — voicing п→б, к→г