-di-yu
As Soon as: -di-yu
Verb + -di + -yu, then the next verb = no sooner ... than: Keldi-yu ketdi (He had barely come when he left).
How It Works
1. Building it
Put the first verb in the -di past and add the particle with a hyphen. It follows the rule of -u / -yu: -yu after a vowel, -u after a consonant.
- keldi-yu (he came and ...), ochdi-yu (she opened and ...)
- koʻrdim-u (I saw and ...), keldik-u (we came and ...)
When two full clauses are joined, a comma follows: Eshikni ochdi-yu, qotib qoldi. A short set pair can go without one: Keldi-yu ketdi.
2. Right after, all of a sudden
The main use: the second event comes straight after the first. English often says the moment, as soon as, or no sooner ... than: Onasini koʻrdi-yu, yigʻlab yubordi (The moment she saw her mother, she burst into tears). Qoʻngʻiroq chalindi-yu, bolalar hovliga yugurib chiqdi (No sooner had the bell rung than the children ran out into the yard).
3. And then
Sometimes it simply joins two events in order, more tightly than va: Yomgʻir yogʻdi-yu, chang bosildi (It rained, and the dust settled).
4. But
When the second event goes against the first, -di-yu means but, often with a negative verb: Vaʼda berdi-yu, bajarmadi (He promised, but he didn't keep his word). Adding lekin makes the contrast even clearer.
5. Compare
-ishi bilan also means as soon as, in a plainer way: Uyga kelishi bilan uxlab qoldi (He fell asleep as soon as he got home). The -(i)b form links actions in order without the sense of suddenness: Eshikni ochib, ichkariga kirdi (She opened the door and went in).
Examples (6)
- Keldi-yu ketdi.
He had barely come when he left.
Word by Word: Came-and left.
- Eshikni ochdi-yu, qotib qoldi.
She opened the door and froze.
Word by Word: Door-(object) opened-and, frozen stayed.
- Onasini koʻrdi-yu, yigʻlab yubordi.
The moment she saw her mother, she burst into tears.
Word by Word: Mother-her-(object) saw-and, crying sent-off.
- Qoʻngʻiroq chalindi-yu, bolalar hovliga yugurib chiqdi.
No sooner had the bell rung than the children ran out into the yard.
Word by Word: Bell was-rung-and, children yard-to running came-out.
- Vaʼda berdi-yu, bajarmadi.
He promised, but he didn't keep his word.
Word by Word: Promise gave-and, did-not-fulfil.
Here the second event goes against the first, so -yu means but.
- Uni koʻrdim-u, darrov tanidim.
I saw him and recognized him at once.
Word by Word: Him I-saw-and, at-once I-recognized.
Koʻrdim ends in a consonant, so the particle is -u.
Common Mistakes
Writing the particle joined to the verb.
Eshikni ochdiyu, qotib qoldi.Eshikni ochdi-yu, qotib qoldi.The particle -yu always takes a hyphen: ochdi-yu, keldi-yu.
Using -u after the vowel of -di.
Onasini koʻrdi-u, yigʻlab yubordi.Onasini koʻrdi-yu, yigʻlab yubordi.The third-person form koʻrdi ends in a vowel, so it takes -yu. Use -u only after a consonant, as in koʻrdim-u.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on And: -u and Simple Past -di.
Related Patterns
- -ishi bilanAs Soon as
Another way to say as soon as, plainer and not limited to storytelling.
Level 4 - -(i)bLinking Actions with -(i)b
Links actions in sequence without the sense of suddenness.
Level 3 - -gachAfter Doing: -gach
After doing: a calmer way to put one event after another.
Level 3 - lekin / ammoBut
The plain words for but; -di-yu can carry the same contrast.
Level 2
Practice -di-yu in Bubblegum
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