-ganda

When: -ganda

Level 3

Verb + -gan + possessive + -da means when: Uyga kelganimda, hech kim yoʻq edi (When I came home, nobody was there).

How It Works

1. Building the form
The endings follow the usual order: -gan, then the possessive, then -da:

  • kel- + -gan + -im + -da → kelganimda (when I came)
  • kel- + -gan + -ing + -da → kelganingda (when you came, familiar)
  • kel- + -gan + -i + -da → kelganida, or simply kelganda (when he or she came)
  • kel- + -gan + -imiz + -da → kelganimizda (when we came)
  • kel- + -gan + -ingiz + -da → kelganingizda (when you came, polite)

This is the ordinary possessive plus case order. After k and q, -gan becomes -kan and -qan: chiq- → chiqqanimda (when I went out).

2. Third person and general statements
With a named subject, both -ganda and -ganida are used: Mehmonlar kelganda, biz ovqatlanayotgan edik (When the guests came, we were eating). For something that happens in general, plain -ganda is normal: Havo sovuq boʻlganda, uyda oʻtiramiz (When the weather is cold, we stay at home).

3. The time comes from the last verb

  • Past: Uyga kelganimda, hech kim yoʻq edi (When I came home, nobody was there).
  • Future: Toshkentga borganimda, sizga qoʻngʻiroq qilaman (When I go to Tashkent, I'll call you).

4. While something is going on
Use -(a)yotgan instead of -gan for an action in progress: Ovqat qilayotganimda, telefon jiringladi (While I was cooking, the phone rang).

5. Not a qachon sentence
Qachon asks "when?". To say "when I came home" inside a statement, Uzbek uses -ganda, not qachon with a past verb.

Examples (6)

  1. Uyga kelganimda, hech kim yoʻq edi.

    When I came home, nobody was there.

    Word by Word: Home-to coming-my-at, nobody not-there was.

    kel- + -gan + -im + -da. The -im says I.

  2. Boʻsh boʻlganingizda qoʻngʻiroq qiling.

    Call when you're free.

    Word by Word: Free being-your-at call do-please.

    The -ingiz ending is for polite you.

  3. Toshkentga borganimda, sizga qoʻngʻiroq qilaman.

    When I go to Tashkent, I'll call you.

    Word by Word: Tashkent-to going-my-at, you-to call do-will-I.

    The same form in a future sentence.

  4. Mehmonlar kelganda, biz ovqatlanayotgan edik.

    When the guests arrived, we were eating.

    Word by Word: Guests coming-at, we eating were-we.

    A named subject with plain -ganda.

  5. Havo sovuq boʻlganda, uyda oʻtiramiz.

    When the weather is cold, we stay at home.

    Word by Word: Weather cold being-at, home-at sit-we.

    A general statement.

  6. Ovqat qilayotganimda, telefon jiringladi.

    While I was cooking, the phone rang.

    Word by Word: Food doing-my-at, telephone rang.

    -(a)yotgan in place of -gan for an action in progress.

Common Mistakes

  • Using qachon to make a when-clause, as in English.

    Qachon uyga keldim, hech kim yoʻq edi.
    Uyga kelganimda, hech kim yoʻq edi.

    Qachon asks a question. The when-clause of a statement is made with -gan + possessive + -da.

  • Using the familiar ending with siz.

    Siz boʻsh boʻlganingda qoʻngʻiroq qiling.
    Siz boʻsh boʻlganingizda qoʻngʻiroq qiling.

    The possessive must match the person: -ing is for sen, and -ingiz is for siz.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-gandaLevel 3When: -ganda

Learn This First

Builds on Participles as Nouns and When.

Words in This Pattern

da