-gan (oʻtgan zamon)
Past with -gan
-gan plus a personal ending says something has happened or has been done: Men Samarqandda boʻlganman (I have been to Samarkand).
How It Works
Uzbek has two everyday past forms. -di reports an event at a specific time, like he came yesterday. -gan presents a past fact, an experience or a result, like English has come or have been.
Building it. Add -gan to the stem, then the same personal endings used in noun sentences:
- men boʻlganman (I have been), sen boʻlgansan, u boʻlgan
- biz boʻlganmiz, siz boʻlgansiz, ular boʻlgan or boʻlganlar
These are -man, -san, -miz, -siz, not the -m, -ng, -k endings of -di.
Spelling after k and q. After a final k the ending is written -kan, and after q it is -qan: ek- → ekkan (has planted), chiq- → chiqqan (has gone out). See g- qoʻshimchalarining k/q shakli.
Negative. Put -ma- before -gan: kelmagan (has not come). With hali it means not yet: U hali kelmagan. -gani yoʻq is another common way to say not yet.
Questions. -mi goes after -gan and before the personal ending: Borganmisiz? (Have you been there?), Palov yeganmisiz? (Have you ever eaten plov?). For he or she, it simply ends the word: Kelganmi? (Has he come?). In everyday speech you will also hear -mi at the very end, as in Borgansizmi?, but Borganmisiz? is the usual textbook order.
Typical uses. Experiences (Men bu kitobni oʻqiganman, I have read this book), results that still matter (U hali kelmagan), and facts about the past, such as birthplaces: Qayerda tugʻilgansiz? (Where were you born?).
The same -gan also describes nouns, as in kelgan odam (the person who came); see -gan (sifatdosh). The finer difference from -di is explained in -di va -gan farqi.
Examples (6)
- Men Samarqandda boʻlganman.
I have been to Samarkand.
Word by Word: I Samarkand-in been-GAN-am.
An experience, with no specific time.
- U hali kelmagan.
He hasn't come yet.
Word by Word: He still come-NOT-GAN.
-ma- comes before -gan; he or she takes no personal ending.
- Siz palov yeganmisiz?
Have you ever eaten plov?
Word by Word: You plov eaten-GAN-Q-are?
-mi sits between -gan and -siz.
- Qayerda tugʻilgansiz?
Where were you born?
Word by Word: Where born-GAN-are?
- Men bu kitobni oʻqiganman.
I have read this book.
Word by Word: I this book-ACC read-GAN-am.
- Alisher Navoiy Hirotda tugʻilgan.
Alisher Navoi was born in Herat.
Word by Word: Alisher Navoi Herat-in born-GAN.
-gan is typical for facts from long ago.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the personal ending for I or you.
Men bu kitobni oʻqigan.Men bu kitobni oʻqiganman.Only he, she and they can end in bare -gan. With men the verb needs -man, and with siz it needs -siz: oʻqiganman, oʻqigansiz.
Writing -gan after k or q.
U tashqariga chiqgan.U tashqariga chiqqan.After q the ending is written -qan, and after k it is -kan: chiqqan, ekkan.
Using a possessive ending instead of -man.
Men Samarqandda boʻlganim.Men Samarqandda boʻlganman.The past tense uses -man, -san, -miz, -siz. Boʻlganim is a possessive form, meaning my having been, and does not finish the sentence.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on Simple Past -di.
Related Patterns
- -di / -ganSeen Past vs. Result Past
Explains in detail when to choose -di or -gan.
Level 3 - -miYes-No Questions with -mi
Usually sits between -gan and the personal ending in questions.
Level 1 - -gani yoʻqNot Yet: -gani Yoʻq
Another common way to say has not done yet.
Level 3 - -gan (sifatdosh)The Past Participle -gan
The same -gan used to describe a noun: kelgan odam.
Level 3 - G-Initial Endings After K and Q
The spelling rule behind ekkan and chiqqan.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice -gan (oʻtgan zamon) in Bubblegum
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