-gani
Going to Do: -gani
Verb stem + -gani + a verb of going or coming = go or come to do something: koʻrgani keldim (I came to see), non olgani chiqdi (he went out to buy bread).
How It Works
Use -gani when someone moves somewhere in order to do something. The purpose comes first, and the verb of motion closes the sentence.
1. Building the form
Take the verb stem (the dictionary form without -moq) and add -gani:
- koʻr- → koʻrgani (to see)
- ol- → olgani (to get, to buy)
- oʻqi- → oʻqigani (to study)
- ishla- → ishlagani (to work)
The form stays the same for every person: Men non olgani chiqdim (I went out to buy bread), Biz non olgani chiqdik (we went out to buy bread).
2. Spelling after k and q
Like other endings that start with g, -gani becomes -kani after k and -qani after q: ek- → ekkani (to plant), yoq- → yoqqani (to light). See g-initial endings after k and q.
3. Which verbs come after it
The main verb is a verb of motion: kelmoq (come), bormoq (go), ketmoq (leave), chiqmoq (go out), kirmoq (come in), tushmoq (go down). It works in any tense and in commands: Choy ichgani kiring! (Come in for some tea!). For a purpose with any other verb, use -ish uchun instead: Oʻzbek tilini oʻrganish uchun kitob oldim (I bought a book to learn Uzbek).
4. A look-alike
The same letters appear in -gan + -i (his or her doing), as in -gani uchun (because he did) and -gani yoʻq (he hasn’t done it yet). Purpose -gani is followed by a verb of motion, often with only a place word in between (non olgani doʻkonga chiqdi), while the look-alikes are followed by uchun or yoʻq. That tells you which one you are reading.
Examples (6)
- Doʻstimni koʻrgani keldim.
I came to see my friend.
Word by Word: Friend-my-(obj.) to-see came-I.
koʻr- + -gani, then the motion verb keldim carries the person.
- Onam non olgani doʻkonga chiqdi.
My mother went out to the shop to buy bread.
Word by Word: Mother-my bread to-buy shop-to went-out.
- Ertaga buvimni yoʻqlagani boramiz.
Tomorrow we will go to visit my grandmother.
Word by Word: Tomorrow grandmother-my-(obj.) to-visit we-will-go.
yoʻqlamoq means to visit and look in on someone, often an older or sick relative.
- Choy ichgani kiring!
Come in for some tea!
Word by Word: Tea to-drink come-in!
The motion verb can also be a command.
- Bolalar suzgani daryoga ketdi.
The children went to the river to swim.
Word by Word: Children to-swim river-to left.
- Otam gul ekkani bogʻga chiqdi.
My father went out to the garden to plant flowers.
Word by Word: Father-my flower to-plant garden-to went-out.
ek- ends in k, so the ending is written -kani: ekkani.
Common Mistakes
Using -gani for a purpose with a verb that is not a verb of motion.
Oʻzbek tilini oʻrgangani kitob sotib oldim.Oʻzbek tilini oʻrganish uchun kitob sotib oldim.Purpose -gani goes with verbs of going and coming. Buying is not moving somewhere, so the purpose needs -ish uchun.
Adding a person ending to purpose -gani.
Doʻstimni koʻrganim keldim.Doʻstimni koʻrgani keldim.Purpose -gani never changes for person. Koʻrganim means my seeing or that I saw. The person goes on the motion verb: keldim.
Keeping g after a stem that ends in k.
Otam gul ekgani bogʻga chiqdi.Otam gul ekkani bogʻga chiqdi.The spelling rules turn the g of -gani into k after k and into q after q: ekkani, yoqqani.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on Intending To Do Something.
Related Patterns
- -ish uchunIn Order to: -ish Uchun
The general way to say in order to, with any main verb; -gani is limited to verbs of motion.
Level 3 - -gani uchunBecause: -gani Uchun
Looks similar but gives a reason: -gan with a possessive ending plus uchun means because.
Level 3 - G-Initial Endings After K and Q
Explains why -gani is written -kani after k and -qani after q.
Level 3 - -(i)bLinking Actions with -(i)b
Another verb form that links a first action to a following verb.
Level 3