Before / after

For today’s lesson I’ve tried to compile all the ways of saying before and after, first and then in Tatar.

Before

⏮️ To say first in Tatar, the most common word used is başta. Other, more formal, ways of saying that are iñ elek or iñ əwwəl.

Xəlim anı başta poçmaqqa xətle, annarı məçetkə qədər, şunnan soñ hiçber sıltawsız öylərenə tikle ozattı. (İbrahim Ğəzi, “Onıtılmas yıllar”) 

Xəlim accompanied her first to the corner, then to the mosque, and after that, without any pretext, up to their house.

⏪️ -ğa qədər / çaqlı / xətle / tikle – before, until (prep.)

Torataw tübəsendə cəy urtasına qədər qar erep betməgən yıllar yış qına bula. (Mirsəy Əmir, “Bez bələkəy çaqlarda”) 

Years in which the snow on top of Torataw (mountain) does not melt completely before the middle of summer occur rather frequently.

⏪️ aldınnan – before (prep.)

Tañ aldınnan yoqlap kitte, tik yoqısı tınıç bulmadı. (Barlas Kamalov, “Ömeteñ özelməsen”) 

He fell asleep before dawn, but his sleep was not quiet.

Kiçləren, yoqlarğa yatar aldınnan, qayçağında basqıçqa çığıp utırabız, kitap uqıybız. (Nurixan Fəttax, “Mödir Səcidə”) 

In the evenings, before going to bed, we sometimes go outside and sit on the staircase (and) read a book.

⏪️ -ğançı / -gənçe / -qançı / -kənçe – before / until + verb

The main meaning of this form is to determine the boundary of the action expressed by the second verb in terms of time.

Küzlərem talğançı kürsəm, miña bit şul da citə. (Xəsən Tufan, “Qayınnar sarı ide”)

If I see you until my eyes are tired, that is enough for me.

⏪️ -dan / -dən / -tan / -tən / -nan / -nən elek – before (prep.)

Kerüweñnən elek çığuwıñnı uyla. (Proverb.) 

Before you enter, think of your way out.

⏪️ elek – before, in the past (adv.)

Elek aniñ tömsə yöze oşamıy ide bit, ... xəzer menə sağınam üzen. (Marsel Galiev, “Nigez”)

Before, I didn't like his somber face ... but now I miss him.

💡 Elek is also used as ... ago:

öç kön elek – three days ago

After

⏭️ Mentioned in the very first example, şunnan (soñ), annan (soñ) or just annarı is a very common way to say after that. Berazdan (soñ) means after a little while. More literary soñınnan is also used to express after that.

⏩️ -dan / -dən / -tan / -tən / -nan / -nən soñ – after (prep.)

Aşap-eçkənnən soñ bar da tamaşa zalına kitte. (Batulla, “Alıp batır macaraları”) 

After eating and drinking, everyone went into the auditorium.

💡 Same construction is also used as ... later:

öç atnadan (soñ) – three weeks later

⏩️ -ğaç / -gəç / -qaç / -kəç

The main meaning of this form is to express an action that has just been completed before the process expressed by the main verb. 

Su alğançı, yulğa ber qarıysıñ, çiləkləreñ tulğaç, tağın ber. (Sibğat Xəkim, “Ənkəy”)

Before you get water, take a look at the road. After your buckets are full, do it once again.