-dan beri
Since, For
Add -dan to a time and then beri: ertalabdan beri (since morning), uch yildan beri (for three years). The verb is usually present, because the action is still going on.
How It Works
Beri follows a time word with -dan, the ending for from. Together they mean from then until now.
- A point in time → since: ertalabdan beri (since morning), avgustdan beri (since August), kechadan beri (since yesterday), 2020-yildan beri (since 2020).
- A length of time → for: ikki kundan beri (for two days), uch yildan beri (for three years).
Use the present. English uses have here, but Uzbek sees the action as still happening. So it uses the present-future -a/-y, the continuous -yap, or a present sentence with a personal ending:
- Uch yildan beri shu yerda yashayman. (I have lived here for three years.)
- Ertalabdan beri kutyapman. (I have been waiting since morning.)
- Ikki kundan beri kasalman. (I have been ill for two days.)
Events inside that time. To say what has or has not happened during that stretch, use the past: Ertalabdan beri hech narsa yemadim. (I haven't eaten anything since morning.)
Asking how long. Qachon + -dan beri gives Qachondan beri? (Since when? How long?): Qachondan beri oʻzbek tilini oʻrganyapsiz? (How long have you been learning Uzbek?)
Do not confuse it with keyin. -dan keyin also follows -dan, but it means after or in. Ikki soatdan keyin (in two hours) points forward; ikki soatdan beri (for two hours) looks back from now.
A finished stretch of time needs no beri: Toshkentda uch yil yashadim (I lived in Tashkent for three years, and that is over). Buyon means the same as beri but is less common: uch yildan buyon.
Examples (6)
- Ertalabdan beri kutyapman.
I've been waiting since morning.
Word by Word: Morning-from since am-waiting-I.
A point in time with -dan beri means since.
- Uch yildan beri shu yerda yashayman.
I've lived here for three years.
Word by Word: Three year-from since this place-at live-I.
A length of time means for; the verb is present.
- Ikki kundan beri kasalman.
I've been ill for two days.
Word by Word: Two day-from since ill-am-I.
A sentence with no verb stays present too.
- Qachondan beri oʻzbek tilini oʻrganyapsiz?
How long have you been learning Uzbek?
Word by Word: When-from since Uzbek language-ACC are-learning-you?
qachon + -dan beri asks how long.
- Avgustdan beri maktabga boryapti.
He has been going to school since August.
Word by Word: August-from since school-to is-going.
-yap for something still going on.
- Kechadan beri yomgʻir yogʻyapti.
It has been raining since yesterday.
Word by Word: Yesterday-from since rain is-raining.
kecha + -dan beri.
Common Mistakes
Using the past tense for something still going on.
Uch yildan beri shu yerda yashadim.Uch yildan beri shu yerda yashayman.If you still live here, use the present. Yashadim presents the living as finished, but beri describes a state that goes on up to now. The past fits beri only for events inside that time, as in Ertalabdan beri hech narsa yemadim (I haven't eaten anything since morning).
Leaving out -dan.
Uch yil beri shu yerda yashayman.Uch yildan beri shu yerda yashayman.Beri needs -dan on the time word: uch yildan beri.
Using keyin to mean for.
Ikki soatdan keyin kutyapman.Ikki soatdan beri kutyapman.-dan keyin means after or in, so the first sentence does not say how long you have waited. For a length of time up to now, use -dan beri.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Builds on From: -dan and Present Continuous -yap.
Related Patterns
- -dan keyinAfter
Also uses -dan, but means after or in, not since.
Level 2 - -gachaUntil, As Far as: -gacha
The other end of a time span: ertalabdan kechgacha (from morning till evening).
Level 2 - -a/-yPresent-Future Tense
The present-future also goes with -dan beri: yashayman.
Level 1 - qachonWhen
Qachondan beri? asks how long.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice -dan beri in Bubblegum
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