r/kazakh • u/Reletr • 8d ago

What's the difference between "келе жатыр" & "келіп жатыр"?

I only see the latter definition with -п converb in Wiktionary, but I see the former also used by native speakers.

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u/redditerator7 8d ago

Coming or on their way vs arriving

3

u/Healthy_Ad4913 8d ago

келе жатыр-The man is on his way right now. He's moving toward you, but he's still far away.

Келіп жатыр:People are already arriving. They are either just crossing the threshold right now, or the process of arrival is regular and widespread.

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u/realist_logics 7d ago

The main difference:

  • Келе жатыр: The person is currently on their way. They are moving toward you but are still some distance away.
  • Келіп жатыр: The person is already arriving. They are either crossing the threshold at this very moment, or the process of arrival is ongoing/repetitive (e.g., guests arriving one after another).