4/10/2017 BasicsofTurkishGrammarVerbs

BasicsofTurkishGrammar

Start (/turkish/) Introduction (/turkish/background.html)

Words & Letters (/turkish/orthography.html) Nouns (/turkish/nouns.html)

Verbs (/turkish/verbs.html) Word Order (/turkish/word-order.html)

Reform (/turkish/language-reform.html) All Suffixes (/turkish/turkish-suffixes.html)

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Verbs SelectLanguage
If you ignore verbs, so far we have seen about all there is to Poweredby Translate(https://translate.google.com)
learning Turkish word morphology. However, there are many verb forms to learn. At least they're fairly well
ordered. We need to start by looking at how verbs can be formed from other words. Then we will see how verbs
can be modified made negative, passive, and causative. Then there are the moods and the tenses, where a lot of
the complexity happens.

Click here (turkish-verbs.pdf) for verb information summarized on one page (turkish-verbs.pdf)!

Click here (turkish-verbs.tex) for the original LATEX (turkish-verbs.tex)

Infinitive
This uses -mek, and is the form found in the dictionary:
anlamak = to understand
grmek = to see
gitmek = to go
okumak = to read

VerbFormation
Verbs can be formed from "substantives" or other non-verb words. A few, not many, are formed simply by adding
the infinitive -mek to an adjective or noun.
boya = "paint", while boyamak = "to paint".
eski = "old", while eskimek = "to wear out".
gerek = "necessary", while gerekmek = "to be necessary".
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There aren't many examples of this type of verb formation. Many more verbs are formed by starting with a
substantive word and then adding a suffix and the infinitive -mek. See G.L. Lewis' Turkish Grammar, chapter 14,
sections 20-29.

-e-
oyun = "game", while oynamak = "to play".
ya = "age", while yaamak = "to live".
-le-
su = "water", while sulamak = "to irrigate".
kilit = "lock", while kilitlemek = "to lock".
kir = "dirt", while kirlemek = "to make dirty".
temiz = "clean", while temizlemek = "to make clean".
As Lewis notes, you cannot always guess the meaning of the verb from that of the starting noun or
adjective. Kpek and kuzu mean "dog" and "lamb", respectively, while kpeklemek and kuzulamak mean
"to cringe" to "to lamb", respectively. If kuzalamak means "to give birth to lambs", then why doesn't
kpeklemek mean "to give birth to puppies"? And why does kpeklemek mean "to cringe" when few
mammals of its size are as easily frightened as a lamb?
Notice that -le- is used for the category of words describing the sounds animals make:
hav hav = the sound a dog makes, while havlamak = "to 'woof woof' like a dog"
miyav = the sound a cat makes, while miyavlamak = "to 'meow' like a cat"
-len-
The reflexive and passive of -le-, also some verbs synonymous with the -le- form, and some verbs for
which there is no -le- form.
kir = "dirt", kirlemek = "to make dirty", kirlenmek = "to be made dirty".
temiz = "clean", temizlemek = "to make clean", temizlenmek = "to be made clean".
serin = "cool", serinlemek = "to become cool", serinlenmek = "to become cool".
Note that there are causative forms of these, appending a following -dir or -t- as discussed in the following
section on verb modification. Some make the verb causitive, some just make another synonym for the -le-
form:
can = "life", canlanmak = "to come to life", canlandrmak = "to bring to life",
kirlemek = "to make dirty", kirletmek = "to make dirty"
temiz = "clean", temizlemek = "to make clean", temizletmek = "to be made clean".
-le-
Reciprocal of -le- or to form "to become ..."
karlamak = "to meet", karlamak = "to meet one another"
mektup = "letter", mektuplamak = "to correspond"
bir = "one", birlemek = "to become united"
-el- /-l-
Added usually to adjectives, infrequently to nouns, to form "to become ..."
az = "little", while azalmak = "to diminish"
ok = "much", while oalmak = "to increase"
-er-
Used with color adjectives to form "to become ...", with other words to form an active verb. Note, as
described in some detail in Lewis' book, that two-syllable color words actually have their final syllable
replaced by -er-.
az = "white", aarmak = "to become white"
gk = "blue" or "green", ger or gver = "to become blue green"
kzl = "red", kzarmak = "to become red" or "to be roasted"
ya = "moisture", yaarmak = "to become moist"

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-se-
The only surviving example of the once common "to want" is susamak for "to thirst". Otherwise, a few
verbs use this to form "to regard as ..."
benim = "mine" (or "of me"), benimsemek = "to regard as one's own"
mhim = "important", mhimsemek = "to regard as important"
-imse
Used similarly to -se- to form "to regard as ..." or "to consider to be ..."
az = "little", azmsamak = "to consider inadequate"
ok = "much", oumsamak = "to consider excessive"
-de-
Used in onomatopoeic words which end in r or l and which can be repeated to form an adverb. For
example, czr is "sizzling", the sound made by frying food; czr czr is then "sizzlingly", and czrdamak is
"to make a sizzling sound", and just czrt is the noun "sizzling". There are similar sets of words for
"creaking", "growling", "snoring", "crunching", "pattering" (as in footsteps), "glittering" (seldom a noisy
activity), and "tapping" (as in ravens at doors).

VerbModification
There are several ways of modifying verbs to produce related words. Some of these begin to show how complex
verbs, expressed as phrases in English, are made by combining suffixes. Presumably a large dictionary would cover
these other forms, but you often have to (de)construct your own...

Negative -me- or infrequently -mez-

For most tenses, add -me-
grmek = "to see"
grmemek = "not to see"
For the general (or aorist) tense only, add -mez- in place of the characteristic aorist -(i)r- suffix, except
for the 1st person, where it is just -me-.
Ahmet yazar = Ahmet is a writer.
Ahmet yazmaz = Ahmet is not a writer.
Barinikov dans eder. Siz, Senatr Kuayl, siz dans etmez.
Baryshnikov is a dancer. But you, Senator Quayle, you are not a dancer.
See the aorist section below for an explanation of "aorist" and why these examples were used.

Passive -n- or -il- or -in-

For verb stems ending in vowels, add -n-
okumak = "to read",
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okunmak = "to be read"

For verb stems ending in consonants other than l, add -il-
vermek = "to give",
verilmek = "to be given"
For verb stems ending in l, add -in-
bilmek = "to know",
bilinmek = "to be known"

Causative -dir- or -t- or -it-

Most verbs add -dir-
bilmek = "to know",
bildirmek = "to inform" or "to announce"
Verbs ending in a vowel, or l, or r, add only -t-
anlamak = "to understand",
anlatmak = "to explain"
Verbs ending in or add -ir-
imek = "to drink",
iirmek = "to cause or make to drink"
A few monosyllable verb stems ending in k add -it-.
Doubly causative verbs are possible:
pimek = "to cook" (intransitive, the meat cooks)
piirmek = "to cook" (transitive, the chef cooks the meat)
piirtmek = "to have something cooked"
lmek = "to die"
ldrmek = "to kill"
ldrtmek = "to have someone killed"
Higher-order causation is grammatically possible, but stilted:
ldrttrmek = "to get someone to have someone killed", or to get someone else to hire a hitman.
ldrttrtmek = the same thing but one more step removed, "to get someone to get someone to have
someone killed", or to get someone else to contact an agency to have them hire the hitman.

Reflexive -in-
giymek = "to wear clothes"
giyinmek = "to dress oneself"
giyindirmek = "to dress someone else"
giyindirilmek = "to be dressed by someone else"
giyindirildirmek = "to be forced to be dressed by someone else"

Verbs of mutual action -i-

grmek = "to see"
grmek = "to see one another" or "to converse"
grlmek = "to be conversed about"
grtrmek = "to make to converse with one another"
grtrlmek = "to be made to converse with one another"

Order for applying modification:

1. Reflexive
2. Reciprocal
3. Causative
4. Passive
For example:
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acmak = "to feel pain" (simple)

acnmak = "to feel pain in oneself, to grieve" (reflexive)
acndrmak = "to cause to grieve" (causative)
acndrlmak = "to be made to grieve" (passive)
tanmak = "to know" (simple)
tanmak = "to know one another" (reciprocal)
tantrmak = "to introduce" (causative)
tantrlmak = "to be introduced" (passive)
Negation, -me, plus ability, -ebil, and inability, -eme (see below) are added after these.

Tableofalltensesandmoods
From G.L. Lewis' Turkish Grammar, especially page 136 (section VIII,38).

1. Drop the -mek from the infinitive to get the stem:

grmek > gr-
2. Add any modifications to the meaning of the verb, as listed above.
3. Select the tense:
Tense Append Meaning

Present -(i)yor- Actions happening now, or started in the recent past and continuing.
I am writing. The point is that I am writing even as I speak.
Note that the o does not undergo vowel harmony.

General -(i)r- Things generally true, hence timeless.

(Aorist) I am a writer. Although I am not necessarily writing anything at this very moment.
See the aorist section below for an explanation of "aorist".

Future - Actions that will happen.

(y)ecek-

mi-past -mi- A present state caused by past action,

or things the speaker is reporting without having seen.

di-past -di- Both the simple past (did) and the perfect past (have done).

Necessity -meli- Actions that must, or should, be taken.

Conditional -se- If ...

With non-simple moods, expresses unfulfilled conditions, hopeless wishes of the past, etc.

Subjunctive -e- No statement of fact, things that might happen or have happened.
With non-simple moods, this expresses unfulfillable past wishes, or quotes of those
expressions.

4. Select the mood, noting that not all tense/mood combinations exist:
Mood Append Conjugation
pattern

Simple - I (mostly)

Past -idi- II

Conditional -ise- II

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Past conditional -idi- + -isi- II

Inferential -imi- I

Inferential conditional -imi- + -ise- II

5. Apply the appropriate conjugation ending for person and number:

Type I -im -iz Type II -m -k Type III -eyim -elim

-sin -siniz -n -niz -esin -esiniz

(-dir) -(dir)ler - -ler -e -eler

6. Note that there are exceptions in the mapping from simple mood to conjugation pattern, and some
combinations of tense and mood do not exist. Really apply this pattern:
Simple Past Conditional Past Inferential Inferential
I -idi+II ise+II conditional -imi-+I conditional
-idi-+-ise-+II -imi-+-ise-+II

Present - - - -(i)yorduysa+II -(i)yormu+I -(i)yormusa+II

-(i)yor- (i)yor+I (i)yordu+II (i)yorsa+II

General -(i)r+I -(i)rdi+II -(i)rse+II -(i)rdise+II -(i)rmi+I -(i)rmise+II

(aorist)
-(i)r-

Future -ecek+I -ecekti+II -ecekse+II -ecektiyse+II -ecekmi+I -ecekmise+II

-ecek-

mi-past -mi+I -miti+II -mise+II -mi idiyse+II -mi imi+I -mi imise+II
-mi-

di-past -di+II -diydi+II -diyse+II -di idiyse+II

-di-

Necessity -meli+I -meliydi+II -meliy

-meli- mi+I

Conditional -se+II -seydi+II -sey mi+I

-se-

Subjunctive -e+III -edi+II -ey mi+I

-e-

So, to discuss looking at derviler

Simple Past Conditional Past Inferential Inferential

I -idi + II ise + II conditional -imi- + I conditional
-idi- + -ise- + II -imi- + -ise- + II

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Present Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri

-(i)yor- gryorum. gryordum. gryorsam, gryorduysam, gryormuum. gryormusam, ...
I am seeing I was seeing ... ... I am said to be If, as they say, I am
Dervishes. Dervishes. If I am seeing If I was seeing seeing Dervishes. seeing Dervishes, ...
Dervishes, ... Dervishes, ... or
If I am said to be
seeing Dervishes, ...

General Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri

(aorist) grrm. grrdm. grrsem, ... grrdysem, ... grrmm. grrmsem, ...
-(i)r- I see Dervishes. I used to see If I see If I used to see I am said to see If, as they say, I see
Dervishes. Dervishes, ... Dervishes, ... Dervishes. Dervishes, ...
or
If I am said to see
Dervishes, ...

Future Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri

-ecek- greceim. grecektim. greceksem, grecektiysem, grecekmiim. grecekmisem, ...
I will see I was going to ... ... I am said to see If, as they say, I was
Dervishes. see Dervishes. If I am going If I was going to Dervishes. going to see
to see see Dervishes, Dervishes, ...
Dervishes, ... ... or
If I am said to be
about to see
Dervishes, ...

mi-past Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri grm Dervileri grm

-mi- grmm. grmtm. grmsem, ... grm mm. msem, ...
I saw I had seen If I have seen idiysem, ... I am said to have If, as they say, I have
Dervishes. (so Dervishes. (so Dervishes, ... If I had seen seen Dervishes. seen Dervishes, ...
they say) they say) Dervishes, ... or
If I am said to have
seen Dervishes, ...

di-past Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri grd

-di- grdm. grdydm. grdysem. dysem, ...
I saw I had seen If I saw If I had seen
Dervishes. Dervishes. Dervishes, ... Dervishes, ...
or or
I have seen If I have seen
Dervishes. Dervishes, ...
(II)

Necessity Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri

-meli- grmeliyim. grmeliydim. grmeliymiim.
I must see I needed to see They say I ought to
Dervishes. Dervishes. see Dervishes.

Conditional Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri

-se- grsem, ... grseydim, ... grseymiim.
If I were to see If only I had They say that if I
Dervishes, ... seen Dervishes, were to see
... Dervishes, ...
or
They say, "If only I
would see
Dervishes"!

Subjunctive Dervileri Dervileri Dervileri

-e- greyim. greydim! greymiim!
I might see Would that I They say, "Would
Dervishes, had seen that I had seen
maybe later. Dervishes! Dervishes"!

(III)

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Or going to Konya notice the d/t variation in gitmek! In a few verbs (etmek, tatmak, gitmek, etc) the final t lenites
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenition) (becomes voiced) before a vowel, but in others it doesn't:

Simple Past Conditional Past Inferential Inferential

I -idi + II ise + II conditional -imi- + I conditional
-idi- + -ise- + -imi- + -ise- + II
II

Present Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya

-(i)yor- gidiyorum. gidiyordum. gidiyorsam, ... gidiyorduysam, gidiyormuum. gidiyormusam, ...
I am going to I was going to If I am going ... I am said to be going If, as they say, I am
Konya. Konya. to Konya, ... If I was going to Konya. going to Konya, ...
to Konya, ... or
If I am said to be
going to Konya, ...

General Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya gidermiim Konya'ya

(aorist) giderim. giderdim. gidersem, ... giderdiysem, ... I am said to go to gidermisem, ...
-(i)r- I go to Konya. I used to go to If I go to If I used to go Konya. If, as they say, I go
Konya. Konya, ... to Konya, ... to Konya, ...
or
If I am said to go to
Konya, ...

Future Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya

-ecek- gideceim. gidecektim. gideceksem, gidecektiysem, gidecekmiim. gidecekmisem, ...
I will go to I was going to ... ... I am said to be going If, as they say, I am
Konya. go to Konya. If I am going If I was going to go to Konya. going to go to Konya,
to go to to go to Konya, ...
Konya, ... ... or
If I am said to be
going to go to Konya,
...

mi-past Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya gitmi Konya'ya gitmi

-mi- gitmiim. gitmitim. gitmisem, ... gitmi idiysem, imiim. imisem, ...
I went to I had gone to If I have gone ... I am said to have If, as they say, I have
Konya. (so they Konya. (so they to Konya, ... If I had gone to gone to Konya. gone to Konya, ...
say) say) Konya, ... or
If I am said to have
gone to Konya, ...

di-past Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya gitti

-di- gittim. gittiytim. gittiysem. idiysem, ...
I went to I had gone to If I went to If I had gone to
Konya. Konya. Konya, ... Konya, ...
or or
I have gone to If I have gone
Konya. to Konya, ...
(II)

Necessity Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya

-meli- gitmeliyim. gitmeliydim. gitmeliymiim.
I must go to I needed to go They say I ought to
Konya. to Konya. go to Konya.

Conditional Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya

-se- gitsem, ... gitseytim, ... gitseymiim.
If I were to go If only I had They say that if I
to Konya, ... gone to Konya, were to go to Konya,
... ...
or
They say, "If only I
would go to Konya"!

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Subjunctive Konya'ya Konya'ya Konya'ya

-e- gideyim. gideydim! gideymiim!
I might go to Would that I They say, "Would
Konya, maybe had gone to that I had gone to
later Konya! Konya"!

(III)

The above tables may be adequate for your needs. Below here are tables of examples, including negative,
interrogative, and negative interrogative forms. Also the forms of the verb to be, participles, ability-to ..., and
imperatives.

diPast
-di-Past Simple -di + I
I did and I have done
Things that have been finished.
-dim -dik

-din -diniz

-di -diler

Konya'da dervileri grdm. I saw dervishes in Konya.

I have seen dervishes in Konya.

Konya'ya gittim. I went to Konya.

I have gone to Konya.

-di-Past Pluperfect -di -idi + II

I had done
Action that really was completed well back in the past. So far back that you could have used the past tense
in the past. Also called pluperfect.

-diydim -diydik -or- -dimdi -dikti

-diydin -diydiniz -dindi -dinizdi

-diydi -diydiler -diydi -dilerdi

Konya'da dervileri grdydm. I had seen dervishes in Konya.

Konya'da dervileri grdmd.

Konya'ya gittiytim. I had gone to Konya.

Konya'ya gittimdi.

-di-Past Conditional -di -ise + II

If I did or If I have done

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-diysem -diysek -or- -dimse -dikse

-diysen -diyseniz -dinse -dinizse

-diyse -diyseler -diyse -dilerse

Konya'da dervileri grdysem ... If I saw dervishes in Konya ...

Konya'da dervileri grdmse ...

Konya'ya gittiysem ... If I went to Konya ...

Konya'ya gittimse ...

-di-Past Pluperfect Conditional -di -idi -ise + II

If I had done

-di idiysem -di idiysek -or- -dim idiyse -dik idiyse

-di idiysen -di idiyseniz -din idiyse -din idiyizse

-di idiyse -di idiyseler -diy idiyse -diler idiyse

Konya'da dervileri grd idiysem ... If I had seen dervishes in Konya ...
Konya'da dervileri grdm idiyse ...

Konya'ya gitti idiysem ... If I had gone to Konya ...

Konya'ya gittim idiyse ...

miPast
mi-Past Simple, or Past Indefinite -mi- + I
I have done
Events that supposedly happened in the past, but the speaker does not have adequate information to
definitively report it without question. As opposed to "He definitely went", this can render "He (apparently,
allegedly, reportedly, presumably, or ostensibly) went (but I am not sure enough of this assertion to
honestly use the past definite form)." And since the first-person singular exists, you can make unfounded
allegations about yourself!

Put another (less entertaining) way, the point is that something has happened, not the activity itself. Lewis'
example is kar yami, or snow has fallen, where the point is that there is snow on the ground, never mind
the details of how it got there.

Positive Positive Interrogative

-miim -miiz -mi miyim? -mi miyiz?

-misin -misiniz -mi misin? -mi misiniz?

-mi -miler -mi mi? -miler mi?

Negative Negative Interrogative

-memiim -memiiz -memi miyim? -memi miyiz?

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-memisin -memisiniz -memi misin? -memi misiniz?

-memi -memiler -memi mi? -memiler mi?

Konya'da masalarda dans etmiim. Supposedly I danced on the tables in Konya.

(But I can't really say definitely, I don't remember a thing!
Next time, less rak!)

Konya'da masalarda dans etmemiim. Supposedly I did not dance on the tables in Konya.

Konya'da masalarda dans etmi miyim? Did I supposedly dance on the tables in Konya?

Konya'da masalarda dans etmemi miyim? Did I supposedly not dance on the tables in Konya?

Konya'ya gitmiim. I went to Konya, so they say.

Konya'ya gitmemiim. I did not go to Konya, so they say.

Konya'ya gitmi miyim? Did I go to Konya?

Konya'ya gitmemi miyim? Did I not go to Konya?

mi-Past Past, or Pluperfect -mi- -iti- + II

I had done
Action that really was completed well back in the past. So far back that you could have used the past tense
in the past. Also called pluperfect.
Positive Positive Interrogative

-mitim -mitik -mi miydim? -mi miydik?

-mitin -mitiniz -mi miydin? -mi miydiniz?

-miti -milerdi -mi miydi? -mi miydiler?

Negative Negative Interrogative

-memitim -memitik -memi miydim? -memi miydik?

-memitin -memitiniz -memi miydin? -memi miydiniz?

-memiti -memilerdi -memi miydi? -memi miydiler?

Konya'da dervileri grmtm. I had seen dervishes in Konya.

Konya'da dervileri grmemtm. I had not seen dervishes in Konya.

Konya'da dervileri grm mydm. Had I seen dervishes in Konya?

Konya'da dervileri grmem mydm. Had I not seen dervishes in Konya?

Konya'ya gitmitim. I had gone to Konya, so they say.

Konya'ya gitmemitim. I had not gone to Konya, so they say.

Konya'ya gitmi miydim? Had I gone to Konya?

Konya'ya gitmemi miydim? Had I not gone to Konya?

mi-Past Narrative -mi- + I + suffixed with -dir

Used by the media to report He has ..., in situations where normal spoken Turkish would simply use di-

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past
Positive Negative

-miimdir -miizdir -memiimdir -memiizdir

-misindir -misenizdir -memisindir -memisenizdir

-midir -milerdir -memidir -memilerdir

Derviler Konya'ya gitmilerdir In tonight's news, dervishes went to Konya.

Derviler Konya'ya gitmemilerdir In tonight's news, dervishes did not go to Konya.

mi-Past Conditional -mi- -ise- + II

If I have done
Positive Negative

-misem -misek -memisem -memisek

-misen -miseniz -memisen -memiseniz

-mise -miseler -memise -memiseler

Konya'da dervileri grmsam, .... If I had seen dervishes in Konya, ...

Konya'ya gitmisem ... If I had gone to Konya ...

Konya'ya gitmemisem ... If I had not gone to Konya ...

mi-Past Inferential -mi- -mi- + I

I am said to have done...
-mimiim -mimiiz -mi imiim -mi imiiz

-mimiin -mimiiniz -mi imiin -mi imiiniz

-mimi -mimiler -mi imi -mi imiler

Konya'da dervileri grmmm. I am said to have seen dervishes in Konya.

Konya'da dervileri grm imiim.

Konya'ya gitmimiim. I am said to have gone to Konya.

Konya'ya gitmi imiim.

mi-Past Inferential conditional -mi- -mi- + I

If I am said to have done...
-mi imisem -mi imisek

-mi imisen -mi imisiniz

-mi imise -mi imiseler

Konya'da dervileri grm msem, ... If I am said to have seen dervishes in Konya, ...

Konya'ya gitmi imisem, ... If I am said to have gone to Konya, ...

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Present
Used for actions in progress, or generally done, or anticipated.

Note that the o in the suffix -yor does not vary under vowel
agreement, and so the vowels in the suffixes added onto that are
always back vowels.

Also note that the suffixed -yor is added to a verb stem ending in
e or a, then that e or a "narrows" to i or , respectively. So, I
understand would be:
anlamak > anla - yor - um > anlyorum.
The negative is indicated by -me, also subject to this rule, so I do
not understand would be:
anlamak > anla -me - yor - um > anlamiyorum.

In the verbs demek ("to say" or "to name") and yemek ("to eat") just the stem e narrows before y:
denemek -> deneyecek
yenemek -> yeneyecek
but:
demek -> diyecek
yemek -> yiyecek

Present Simple -(i)yor- + I

I am doing
Positive Negative

-(i)yorum -(i)yoruz -miyorum -miyoruz

-(i)yorsun -(i)yorsunuz -miroysun -miyorsunuz

-(i)yor -(i)yorlar -miyor -miyorlar

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryorum. I see dervishes in Konya every day.

Konya'ya gidiyorum. I am going to Konya. (note t->d change)

Konya'ya gitmiyorum. I am not going to Konya.

Present Past -(i)yor- -idi- + II

I was doing
Positive Negative

-(i)yordum -(i)yorduk -miyordum -miyorduk

-(i)yordun -(i)yordunuz -miroydun -miyordunuz

-(i)yordu -(i)yorlard -miyordu -miyorlard

-(i)yordular -miyordular

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryordum. I saw dervishes in Konya every day.

Derviler Konya'ya gidiyorlard. Dervishes were going to Konya.

Derviler Konya'ya gidiyordular.

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Present Conditional -(i)yor- -ise- + II

If I am doing ...
Positive Negative

-(i)yorsam -(i)yorsak -miyorsam -miyorsak

-(i)yorsan -(i)yorsanz -miyorsan -miyorsanz

-(i)yorsa -(i)yorlarsa -miyorsa -miyorlarsa

-(i)yorsalar -miyorsalar

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryorsam ... If I see dervishes in Konya every day ...

Konya'ya derviler gidiyorlarsa ... If Dervishes are going to Konya ...

Konya'ya derviler gidiyorsalar ...

Present Past Conditional -(i)yor- -idi- -ise- + II

If I was doing ...
Positive Negative

-(i)yorduysam -(i)yorduysak -miyorduysam -miyorduysak

-(i)yor idiysem -(i)yor idiysek -miyor idiysem -miyor idiysek

-(i)yorduysan -(i)yorduysanz -miyorduysan -miyorduysanz

-(i)yor idiysen -(i)yor idiyseniz -miyor idiysen -miyor idiyseniz

-(i)yorduysa -(i)yorduylarsa -miyorduysa -miyorduylarsa

-(i)yor idiyse -(i)yorduysalar -miyor idiyse -miyorduysalar
-(i)yor idiylerse -miyor idiylerse
-(i)yor idiyseler -miyor idiyseler

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryorduysam ... If I saw dervishes in Konya every day ...
Konya'da dervileri her gn gryor idiysem ...

Konya'ya derviler gidiyorduylarsa ... If Dervishes were going to Konya ...

Konya'ya derviler gidiyorduysalar ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyor idiylerse ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyor idiyseler ...

Present Inferential -(i)yor- -imi- + I

I am said to be doing ...
Positive Negative

-(i)yormuum -(i)yormuuz -miyormuum -miyormuuz

-(i)yormusun -(i)yormussunuz -miyormusun -miyormussunuz

-(i)yormu -(i)yormular -miyormu -miyormular

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryormuum. I am said to see dervishes in Konya every day.

Konya'ya derviler gidiyormular. Dervishes are said to go to Konya.

Present Inferential Conditional -(i)yor- -imi- -ise- + II

If I am, as they say, doing ... or
I gather that if I was doing ...

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Positive Negative

-(i)yormusam -(i)yormusak -miyormusam -miyormusak

-(i)yor imisem -(i)yor imisek -(i)yor imisem -(i)yor imisek

-(i)yormusan -(i)yormusunaz -miyormusan -miyormusunaz

-(i)yor imisen -(i)yor imiseniz -miyor imisen -miyor imisen

-(i)yormusa -(i)yormusalar -miyormusa -miyormusalar

-(i)yor mise -(i)yor imiseler -miyor mise -miyor imiseler

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryormusam, ... If I am, as they say, seeing dervishes in Konya every day, ...
Konya'da dervileri her gn gryor imisem, ...

Konya'ya derviler gidiyormusalar, ... If dervishes, as they say, are going to Konya, ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyor imiseler, ...

General/Aorist
About things always true and hence timeless, denoting continuing activity:
I am painting would use the Present Simple.
I am a painter or I paint would be Aorist.

It is discussed in Turkish Grammar by G.L. Lewis as follows, in chapter 8, section 24:

This term, borrowed from Greek grammar, means 'unbounded' and well describes what the Turks call geni
zaman 'the broad sense', which denotes continuing activity.

And then in chapter 8, section 25:

The aorist denotes continuing activity, but to equate, for example, yapar-m with 'I do' and yapyor-um with 'I am
doing' is a misleading oversimplification. Fundamentally, yaparm means 'I am a doer' and according to context it
may represent
'I habitually do';
'by and large I am the sort of person who does';
'I am ready, willing, and able to do';
'I shall do'.
yapyorum means
'I have undertaken, and am now engaged in, the job of doing';
'I am doing now';
'I am doing in the future';
i.e., 'I have the job in hand'. yazarm and yazyorum may both be translated 'I write'. But more specifically:
yazarm 'I am a writer; in principle I write (although I may not yet have put pen to paper)'. yazyorum 'I am
writing now'; 'as a matter of fact I do write'; 'I write, for example, for four hours every morning' her sabah drt
saat yazyorum where the broad yazarm would be incongruous with the precise expression of time. For 'I love
you' the Turk says seni seviyorum; if he said seni severim that would sound far too vague and without immediacy,
corresponding rather to 'I like you'. '

So, my silly examples were:

Ahmet yazar = Ahmet is a writer.
Ahmet yazmaz = Ahmet is not a writer.
Ahmet is or is not the sort of person who habitually writes.

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Barinikov dans eder. = Baryshnikov is a dancer.

He isn't necessarily dancing right now, but generally speaking, he dances.
Senatr Ku ayl dans etmezsiniz. = Senator Quayle is not a dancer.
He is not ready, willing, or able to dance.

The aorist is used for:

Requests: Oturur musunuz? Will you sit down?

Promises: Yarn gelirim. Tomorrow I shall come.

With olmak, Olur mu?. Is it all right?.

(to become or happen), Literally, Does it happen?
to ask permission: Answer: olur (all right) or olmaz (no)

In proverbs: It rr, kervan geer. The dogs howl, the caravan moves on.

What to add? It depends on the verb stem:

-r+I Verb stem ends with a vowel.

anlamak = to understand anlar = he understands

-ar+I Verb stem ends with a consonant, single syllable.

etmek = to do eder = he does

-ir+I 14 exceptions to the above rule add i///u:

almek = to take alr = he takes

bilmek = to do bilir = he does

bulmak = to find bulur = he finds

durmak = to stand durur = he stands

gelmek = to come gelir = he comes

grmek = to see grr = he sees

kalmak = to remain kalr = he remains

olmak = to become / be / happen olur = it becomes / is / happens

lmek = to die lr = he dies

sanmak = to think sanr = he thinks

varmak = to reach varr = he reaches

vermek = to give verir = he gives

vurmak = to strike vurur = he strikes

yenmek = to be eaten yenir = it is eaten

However, yenmek "to win" forms "he wins" as the expected yener

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-ir+I Polysyllabic verb stems, and extensions of monosyllabic verb stems

konumak = to speak konuur = he speaks

demek = to say der = he says

de-n-mek = to be said denir = it is said

Some compound verbs with etmek take -er, in which case there is also lenition, as in "to transport":
nakletmek -> nakleder

The negative is formed unusually: -mez is used where the -(i)r is used in the positive (and just -em is used in the
first person. See the below tables for examples.

Aorist Simple -(i)r- + I or -(a)r- + I

Positive Negative

-(i)rim -(i)riz -mem -meyiz

-(i)rsin -(i)rsiniz -mezsin -mezsiniz

-(i)r -(i)rler -mez -mezler

Konya'da dervileri grrm. I see dervishes in Konya.

Indiyana'da dervileri grmem. I do not see dervishes in Indiana.

Konya'da derviler dans ederler. Dervishes dance in Konya.

Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezler. Dervishes do not dance in Indiana.

Aorist Past -(i)r- -idi- + II

I used to do or I used to be a doer
Positive Negative

-(i)rdim -(i)rdik -medim -medik

-(i)rdin -(i)rdiniz -mezdin -mezdiniz

-(i)rdi -(i)rdiler -mezdi -mezdiler

Konya'da dervileri grrdm. I used to see dervishes in Konya.

Indiyana'da dervileri grmedim. I was not a seer of dervishes in Indiana.

Konya'da derviler dans ederdiler. Dervishes were dancing in Konya.

Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezdiler. Dervishes were not dancing in Indiana.

Aorist Conditional -(i)r- -ise- + II

If I do ...
Positive Negative

-(i)rsem -(i)rsek -mesem -mesek

-(i)rsen -(i)rseniz -mezsen -mezseniz

-(i)rse -(i)rseler -mezse -mezseler

-(i)rlerse

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Konya'da dervileri grrsem ... If I see dervishes in Konya ...

Indiyana'da dervileri grmesem ... If I do not see dervishes in Indiana ...

Konya'da derviler dans ederseler. If dervishes dance in Konya ...

Konya'da derviler dans ederlerse.

Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezseler ... If dervishes do not dance in Indiana ...

Aorist Past Conditional -(i)r- -idi- -ise- + II

If I do ...
Positive Negative

-(i)rdiysem -(i)rdiysek -mediysem -mediysek

-(i)r idiysem -(i)r idiysek

-(i)rdiysen -(i)rdiyseniz -mezdiysen -mezdiyseniz

-(i)r idiysen -(i)r idiyseniz

-(i)rdiyse -(i)rdiyseler -mezdiyse -mezdiyseler

-(i)r idiyse -(i)r idiyseler

Konya'da dervileri grrdysem ... If I saw dervishes in Konya ...

Konya'da dervileri grr idiysem ...

Indiyana'da dervileri grmediysem ... If I did not see dervishes in Indiana ...

Konya'da derviler dans ederdiyseler. If dervishes danced in Konya ...

Konya'da derviler dans ederi idiyseler.

Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezdiyseler ... If dervishes did not dance in Indiana ...

Aorist Inferential -(i)r- -imi- + I

I am said to do or I am said to be a doer
Positive Negative

-(i)rmiim -(i)rmiiz -memiim -memiiz

-(i)rmisin -(i)rmisiniz -mezmisin -mezmisiniz

-(i)rmi -(i)rmiler -mezmi -mezmiler

Konya'da dervileri grrmim. I am said to see dervishes in Konya.

Indiyana'da dervileri grmemiim. I am said not to see dervishes in Indiana.

Konya'da derviler dans edermiler. Dervishes are said to dance in Konya.

Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezmiler. Dervishes are said not to dance in Indiana.

Aorist Inferential Conditional -(i)r- -imi- -ise- + II

If I am said to do ... or If, as they say, I do ...
Positive Negative

-(i)rmisem -(i)rmisek -memisem -memisek

-(i)ir imisem -(i)ir imisek

-(i)rmisen -(i)rmiseniz -mezmisen -mezmiseniz

-(i)r imisen -(i)r imiseniz

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-(i)rmise -(i)rmiseler -mezmise -mezmiseler

-(i)r imise -(i)r imiseler

Konya'da dervileri grrmsem ... If, as they say, I see dervishes in Konya ...
Konya'da dervileri grr imisem ...

Indiyana'da dervileri grmemisem ... If, as they say, I do not see dervishes in Indiana ...

Konya'da derviler dans edermiseler ... If, as they say, dervishes dance in Konya ...
Konya'da derviler dans eder imiseler ...

Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezmiseler ... If, as they say, dervishes do not dance in Indiana ...

Future
Future Simple, or Future General
Future Positive General Future Positive General Interrogative

-(y)eceim -(y)eceiz -ecek miyim? -ecek miyiz?

-(y)eceksin -(y)eceksiniz -ecek misin? -ecek misiniz?

-(y)ecektir -(y)ecekler(dir) -ecek mi? -ecekler mi?

Future Negative General Future Negative General Interrogative

-meyeceim -meyeceiz -meyecek miyim? -meyecek miyiz?

-meyeceksin -meyeceksiniz -meyecek misin? -meyecek misiniz?

-meyecektir -meyecekler(dir) -meyecek mi? -meyecekler mi?

Konya'da dervileri greceim. I will see dervishes in Konya.

Konya'da dervileri grmeyeceim. I will not see dervishes in Konya.

Konya'da dervileri grecek miyim? Will I see dervishes in Konya?

Konya'da dervileri grmeyecek miyim? Will I not see dervishes in Konya?

Future Past (G.L. Lewis pg 113 sec 22b) Things that were in the future in the past.
I was going to ... (but since I do not say that it happened, then probably it did not work out)
-(y)ecektim -(y)ecektik

-(y)ecektin -(y)ecektiniz

-(y)ecekti -(y)eceklerdi

Konya'da Dervileri grecektim. I was going to see dervishes in Konya.

Filimi dervileri grecektim, A film having-dervishes I-was-going-to-see,

ama saati yetmidi. but time I did-not-have.

Future Conditional
If I am about to ...
-(y)eceksem -(y)eceksek

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-(y)eceksen -(y)ecekseniz

-(y)ecekse -(y)eceklerse
-(y)ecekseler

Konya'da dervileri greceksem, ... If I will see dervishes in Konya, ...

Future Past Conditional

If I was about to ...
-(y)ecek idiysem -(y)ecek idiysek
-(y)ecektiysem -(y)ecektiysek
-(y)ecektimse -(y)ecektikse

-(y)ecek idiysen -(y)ecek idiyniz

-(y)ecektiysen -(y)ecektiyseniz
-(y)ecektinse -(y)ecektinizse

-(y)ecek idiyse -(y)ecek idiyseler

-(y)ecektiyse -(y)ecektiyseler
-(y)ecektise -(y)eceklerdiyse

Konya'da dervileri grecek idiysem, ... If I was going to have seen dervishes in Konya, ...
Konya'da dervileri grecektiysem ...
Konya'da dervileri grecektimse ...

Future Inferential
I am/was said to be about to ...
-(y)ecek imiim -(y)ecek imisiz
-(y)ecekmiim -(y)ecekmisiz

-(y)ecek imisin -(y)ecek imisiniz

-(y)ecekmisin -(y)ecekmisiniz

-(y)ecek imi -(y)ecek imiler

-(y)ecekmi -(y)ecekmiler

Konya'da dervileri grecek imiim. It is said that I will see dervishes in Konya.
Konya'da dervileri grecekmiim.

Future Inferential Conditional

If, as they say/said, I am/was about to ...
-(y)ecek imisem -(y)ecek imisek
-(y)ecekmisem -(y)ecekmisek

-(y)ecek imisen -(y)ecek imiseniz

-(y)ecekmisen -(y)ecekmiseniz

-(y)ecek imise -(y)ecek imiseler

-(y)ecekmise -(y)ecekmiseler

Konya'da dervileri grecek imisem, ... If, as they say, I will see dervishes in Konya, ...
Konya'da dervileri grecekmisem, ...

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Future II or Ancient Future (G.L. Lewis pg 115 sec 23)

According to G.L. Lewis, this verb appears only in the third-person singular form, suffixed with -as, and is
used only for cursing.
Evin yklas! May your house be demolished!

Dervilarin bakaldras! May your dervishes stage a revolution!

ToBe
Some forms are suffixes added to nouns or adjectives only, some forms are independent words following the noun
or adjective, sometimes (as in the past tense) you have a choice.

Past
Past Positive Past Negative

Enclitic form Independent form Enclitic form Independent form

-(y)dim -(y)dik idim idik deildim deildik deil idim deil idik

-(y)din -(y)diniz idin idiniz deildin deildiniz deil idin deil idiniz

-(y)di -(y)diler idi idiler deildi deildiler deil idi deil idiler

Past Positive Interrogative Past Negative Interrogative

Enclitic form Independent form Enclitic form Independent form

miydim? miydik? miidim? miidik? deilmiydim? deilmiydik? deilmiidim? deilmiidik?

miydin? miydiniz? miidin? miidiniz? deilmiydin? deilmiydiniz? deilmiidin? deilmiidiniz?

miydi? miydiler? miidi? miidiler? deilmiydi? deilmiydiler? deilmiidi? deilmiidiler?

Atatrk Trk idi. Atatrk was a Turk.

Atatrk Trkdu.

Dervitim. I was a dervish

Dervi idim.

Dervi miydim? Was I a dervish?

Dervi miyim?

Dervi deildim. I was not a dervish

Dervi deil idim.

Dervi deil miydim? Was I not a dervish?

Dervi deil mi idin?

Past Conditional
Positive

Suffixed Suffixed Independent

-(y)diysem -(y)diysek -(y)dimse -(y)dikse idiysem idiysek

-(y)diysen -(y)diyseniz -(y)dinse -(y)dinizse idiysen idiysek

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-(y)diyse -(y)diyseler -(y)diyse -(y)diyseler idiyse idiyseler

Negative

Suffixed Suffixed Independent

deildiysem deildiysek deildimse deildikse deilidiysem deilidiysek

deildiysen deildiyseniz deildinse deildinizse deilidiysen deilidiyseniz

deildiyse deildiyseler deildiyse deildilerse deilidiyse deilidiyseler

Dervi idiysem, ... If I had been a dervish, ...

Dervi deil idiysem, ... If I had not been a dervish, ...

Evde idiysem ... If I had been at home ...

Evdeydiysem ...
Evdeydimse ...

Past Inferential is said to be or was said to be

Positive

Suffixed Independent

-(y)miim -(y)miiz imiim imiiz

-(y)miin -(y)misiniz imiin imisiniz

-(y)mi -(y)miler imi imiler

Negative

Enclitic Independent

deilmiim deilmiiz deilimiim deilimiiz

deilmisin deilmisiniz deilimisin deilimisiniz

deilmi deilmiler deilimi deilimiler

Dervi imi. He was said to be a dervish.

Dervi deil imi. He was said not to be a dervish.

(He was said to be a non-dervish, it was not that he
was a dervish and people failed to comment upon it)

Past Inferential Conditional

Positive

Suffixed Independent

-(y)misem -(y)misek imisem imisek

-(y)misen -(y)miseniz imisen imiseniz

-(y)mise -(y)miseler imise imiseler

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Negative

Enclitic Independent

deilmisem deilmisek deilimisem deilimisek

deilmisen deilmiseniz deilimisen deilimiseniz

deilmise deilmiseler deilimise deilimiseler

Dervi imise ... I gather that if he was a dervish ...

Dervi deil imise ... I gather that if he was not a dervish ...

Present
Note that -dir is not generally used in informal speech or writing. For a copula, or "A = B" sentence, The
girl's name is Fatma:
Formal: Kzn ad, Fatma'dr.

Informal: Kzn ad, Fatma.

It is also used informally to indicate emphasis or a supposition. To answer the question Derviler nerede?,
or Where are the dervishes?
Camide. In the mosque.

Camideler. They are in the mosque.

Camidedirler. They are surely in the mosque... (supposition)

Camidedirler! They are in the mosque! (emphasis)

Camidelerdir. They are surely in the mosque... (supposition)

Also, -dir may be suffixed to verbs, where it weakens rather than emphasizes the verb.
Biliyorsunuz. You know.

Biliyorsunuzdur. You surely know. or I presume you know.

Arkadama mektup yazdim. I wrote a letter to my friend.

Literally, To-my-friend letter I-wrote.
A simple statement of fact.

Arkadama mektup yazmm. It seems that I wrote a letter to my friend.

An inference I do not remember writing the letter, but I found a
copy on my computer and so I must have written it...

Arkadamamektupyazmmdr. I must have written a letter to my friend...

I do not remember writing the letter, nor do I have any evidence
that I did so, but it has been some time since I received his letter
and I'm usually quite punctual with my correspondance...

Finally, the particle mi turns the preceding word into a question. It is a separate word but follows vowel
harmony.
Present positive Present interrogative

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-(y)im -(y)iz miyim? miyiz?

-sin -siniz misin? misiniz?

-(dir) -(dir)ler mi(dir)? midirler?

Present negative Present negative interrogative

deilim deiliz deilmiyim? deilmiyiz?

deilsin deilsiniz deilmisin? deilmisiniz?

deildir deildirler deilmidir? deilmidirler?

Evdeyim. I am at home.

Evde miyim? Am I at home?

Derviim. I am a dervish.

Dervi miyim? Am I a dervish?

Kzn ad, Fatma'dr. The girl's name is Fatma.

Kzn ad, Fatma m? The girl's name, is it Fatma?

Kzn ad, Fatma mdr?

Dervi deilim. I am not a dervish.

Dervi deil miyim? Am I not a dervish?

Present II
I am in the act of ...
The infinitive, plus the locative, thus -mekte, followed by some ending of "to be":
Konya'ya gitmekteyim. I am in the act of going to Konya.

Dervileri grmekteymiim. I am said to be in the act of seeing dervishes.

Var / Yok
There take the place of there are and there are not, respectively:
Mercimek orbas var m? Is there any lentil soup?

orba var. There is soup.

orba yok. There is no soup.

Bu evde ok kedi var! There are many cats in this house!

Hoverkraftmda ok yalnbal var! My hovercraft is full of eels!

Literally: Hovercraft-of-me-inside many eel(s) exist!

Yeni Meksiko'da uan daire var m? Are there flying saucers in New Mexico?

Yeni Meksiko'da yok. There aren't any in New Mexico.

Ama, "Alan Elli Bir'de" ok var. However, there are many at Area 51.

Necessity
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Simple necessity
I must, I ought to
Positive Negative

-meliyim -meliyiz -memeliyim -memeliyiz

-melisin -melisiniz -memelisin -memelisiniz

-meli(dir) -meli(dir)ler -memeli(dir) -memeli(dir)ler

Konya'ya gitmeliyim. I must go to Konya.

Derviler frl frl dnmeliler. Dervishes must whirl.

Derviler frl frl dnmelidirler.

Past necessity
I had to do, I should have done
Positive Negative

-meli idim -meli idik -memeli idim -memeli idik

-meliydim -meliydik -memeliydim -memeliydik

-meli idin -meli idiniz -memeli idin -memeli idiniz

-meliydin -meliydiniz -memeliydin -memeliydiniz

-meli idi -meli idiler -memeli idi -memeli idiler

-meliydi -meliydiler -meliydi -memeliydiler
-melilerdi -memelilerdi

Konya'ya gitmeli idim. I had to go to Konya.

Konya'ya gitmeliydim.

Derviler frl frl dnmeli idiler. Dervishes needed to whirl.

Derviler frl frl dnmeliydiler.
Derviler frl frl dnmelilerdi.

Inferential necessity
They say I must, they say I ought to
Positive Negative

-meliymiim -meliymiiz -memeliymiim -memeliymiiz

-meliymisin -meliymisiniz -memeliymisin -memeliymisiniz

-meliymi -meliymiler -memeliymi -memeliymiler

-melilermi -memelilermi

Konya'ya gitmeliymiim, ... They say that I should have gone to Konya

Derviler frl frl dnmemelimiler. They say that dervishes should not whirl.
Derviler frl frl dnmemelilermi.

Conditional
Conditional simple
This expresses remote conditions: If I were to ...
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and wishes: If only I were to ...

Positive Negative

-sem -sek -mesem -mesek

-sen -seniz -mesen -meseniz

-se -seler -mese -meseler

Konya'ya gitsem, dervileri gryorum. If I were to go to Konya, I would see dervishes.

Derviler Indiana'ya gitseler, beni gryorler. If dervishes were to go to Indiana, they would see me.

Conditional past
This expresses unfulfilled conditions: If I had ...
and hopeless wishes relating to the past: If only I had ...
Positive Negative

-seydim -seydik -meseydim -meseydik

-seydin -seydiniz -meseydin -meseydiniz

-seydi -seydiler -meseydi -meseydiler

-selerdi -meselerdi

Konya'ya gitseydim! If only I had gone to Konya!

Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeseydiler! If only the dervishes had not gone to Indiana!
Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeselerdi!

Conditional inferential
This quotes remote conditions and wishes:
They say that if I were to ...
They say "If only I were to ..."
Positive Negative

-seymiim -seymiiz -meseymiim -meseymiiz

-seymisin -seymisiniz -meseymisin -meseymisiniz

-seymi -seymiler -meseymi -meseymiler

-selermi -meselermi

Konya'ya gitseymiim, ... They say that if I were to go to Konya, ...

Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeseymiler, ... They say that if the dervishes had not gone to Indiana, ...
Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeselermi, ...

Subjunctive
Subjunctive simple
As per Lewis, this "expresses concepts envisaged by the subject or the speaker; it makes no statement
about facts, except that the first singular is used colloquially with future meaning:
Yarn geleyim. Let me come tomorrow -> I may come tomorrow -> I'll come tomorrow"
The second persons are used in formal speech to relay requests and commands:

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Babam dedi ki, yarn bize gelesiniz.

My father said that you-should-come to us tomorrow.
The third singular is used colloquially to ask cautious questions:
Evde mi ola? Might he be at home?
The endings do not follow a consistent pattern used by other verbs, history indicates that this ending is a
hybrid.
Positive Negative

-eyim -elim -meyeyim -meyelim

-esin -esiniz -meyesin -meyesiniz

-e -eler -meye -meyeler

Subjunctive past
Used to express unfulfillable past wishes. Lewis' example is:
Bileydim buraya kadar gelmezdim. Had I known, I would not have come this far.
Positive Negative

-eydim -eydik -meyeydim -meyeydik

-eydin -eydiniz -meyeydin -meyeydiniz

-eydi -eydiler -meyeydi -meyeydiler

-elerdi -meyelerdi

Subjunctive inferential Infrequently used, this quotes the simple and past subjunctive:
People say "would that I had ...
Positive Negative

-eymiim -eymiiz -meyeymiim -meyeymiiz

-eymisin -eymisiniz -meyeymisin -meyeymisiniz

-eymi -eymiler -meyeymi -meyeymiler

-elermi -meyelermi

Ability,tobeableto...
Positive ability
Append -(y)ebilmek, conjugated in some form, to the root of the verb:
grmek to see

Dervileri grebiliyorum. I can see dervishes.

Dervileri grebiliyordum. I was able to see dervishes.

Dervileri grebileceim. I will be able to see dervishes.

Negative ability
Append -(y)eme to the verb root and conjugate:
Konya'ya gitmedim. I did not go to Konya.

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Konya'ya gidemedim. I was unable to go to Konya.

Egilize anlyorum. I understand English.

Trke anlmyorum. I do not understand Turkish.

Trke anlyamyorum. I am unable to understand Turkish.

Trkler Trke anlyabiliyorler. Turks are able to understand Turkish.

Imperative
Second-person form is like a command. Third-person form is used when the command is about someone, e.g., "Let
them eat cake." Second-person singular form is informal or harsh, and an alternative form is the verb stem with no
suffix at all.

The second-person form is like a command. The third-person form is used when the command is about
someone, e.g., "Let them eat cake." The second-person singular form is informal or harsh, and an
alternative form is the verb stem with no suffix at all.

-(y)in -(y)iniz

-sin -sinler

Kebab yiyin! Eat a kebab! (familiar, informal, harsh)

Kebab yiyiniz! Eat a kebab! (plural, formal, polite)

Kebablari yesinler! Let them eat kebabs!

Dervi gibi frl frl dnnz! Whirl like a dervish!

ParticiplesandSubstantives
These words are verb forms that can function as adjectives or nouns, generally:
which-is-verbing
which-is-characterized-by-verbing
Or having-verbed or will-be-verbed or other tenses.

To be strict, it might be better to use participle to refer to the verbal adjective forms, e.g., "talking people", and
substantive to refer to the forms functioning as nouns, e.g., "those who talk". I have labeled the below tables
simply as "participles" when each table really includes both participles and substantives.

Present Participle -(y)en

Verbing, right now.
If the y is needed, it "narrows" the preceding vowel:
komak to run konumak to talk
konumamak to not talk

Kpekler The dogs are Bu insanlar These people are not

kouyorlar. running. konumyorlar. talking.

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koan kpekler running dogs konumyan insanlar people who are not talking

koanlar those who are konumyanlar those who are not talking
running

Aorist Participle -(y)ir

Verbing, in general.
Kpekler korler. Dogs run. Bu insanlar konumyrlar. These people do not talk

kor kpekler dogs who run konumyr insanlar people who do not talk

korlar those who run konumyrlar those who do not talk

Future Participle -(y)ecek

Pertaining-to-future-verbing.
Kpekler koacaklar. Dogs will run. Bu insanlar konumayacaklar. These people will not talk

koacak kpekler dogs who will run konumayacak insanlar people who will not talk

koacaklar those who will run konumayacaklar those who will not talk

Yiyecek bir kebap istiyorum. I want a kebab to eat.

Pertaining-to-future-eating one-kebab I-want.

mi-Past Participle -mi

Pertaining-to-having-verbed.
However, this does not have the inferential I gather that ... sense of the mi-past.
Kpekler Dogs have run, Bu insanlar These people have not talked, it
komular. apparently. konumamlar. seems.

komu dogs who ran konumam insanlar people who did not talk
kpekler

komular those who ran konumamlar those who did not talk

di-Past Participle -dik

Pertaining-to-past-verbing. Most of these are passive and negative:
grmek to see

grlmek to be seen

grlmemek to be unseen

grlmedik extraordinary (that which has not been seen)

Kpekler Dogs ran. Bu insanlar These people did not talk.

kodlar. konumadlar.

kodk kpekler dogs who were running konumadk insanlar people who were not
talking

kodklar those who were konumadklar those who were not talking
running

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Personal Participles
Add a suffix of possession to mean:
Characterized-by-my/your/his/etc-verbing
bilmek to know

bildik an acquaintance (characterized by knowing)

bildiim my acquaintance (characterized by my knowing)

bildiklerim my acquaintances (those characterized by my knowing)

Yiyeceim kebap ok iyi grnir. The kebab I am going to eat looks very good.
Characterized-by-my-future-eating kebab very good is-seen.

stanbul'a geldii otobs dolmudan The bus in which he came to Istanbul was bigger than a
byk. dolmu.
To-Istanbul pertaining-to-his-having-come bus from-a-dolmu
bigger is.

Size bir diyeceim yok. I have nothing to say to you.

To-you one-thing-of-my-future-saying does-not-exist.

Bana bir diyeceiniz var m? Do you have anything to say to me?

To-me one-thing-of-your-future-saying exists does-it?

Combine -eceigel- to form it feels like or the time is coming phrases:

stanbul'u greceim geldi. I feel like seeing Istanbul

Istanbul my-future-seeing has-come.

VerbalNouns
Infinitive -mek
This takes endings to form the various cases, except for genitives and possessives:
Absolute
As subject:
Trke renmek ok zor. To learn Turkish is very difficult.
As object of istemek and bilmek (to want and to know):
Trke anlamak istiyorum. I want to understand Turkish.
Kebab almak istiyorum. I want to buy a kebab.
Accusative as object of other verbs:
Kebab alma unuttum. I forgot to buy a kebab.
Dative:
Kebab almaa baladm. I began to buy a kebab.
Kebab almaa gittim. I have gone to buy a kebab.
Locative:
Kebab almakta tehlikeyi grmiyorum. I see no danger in buying a kebab.
Ablative:
Kebab almaktan kendimi alamamm. Apparently I was unable to prevent myself from buying a
kebab.

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Gerund verbal nouns -me the action or result of action

This forms words as verbing and can take every case ending and possessive suffix:
alma buying
gitme going
bekeleme salonu waiting room
-meklik the fact of action
Kebab almaklk ticarete iyi. My kebab-buying is good for business (to-business good-is).
-i the manner of action, but also the fact of action
Bu kebab all, ticaret baaracaktr. With this sort of kebab-buying, business will succeed.
giri entrance (entering, going in)
k exit (exiting, going out)

Gerund
These are adverbal words formed from nouns.

-e Repeated or continuing activity simultaneous with the main verb:

gee, from gemek, to pass, indicating the time at which something happens:
Saat drde on gee gellerdi.
They came at ten past four.
Literally: Hour from-four ten passing they-came.
deye, from demek, to say, meaning saying:
TEHLKE diye bir levha
A sign saying DANGER
Literally: DANGER saying one sign.
rasgele, from rasgelmek, to meet by chance, meaning haphazardly or randomly.
Rasgele bir dervi frl frl dnmedi.
At random, one dervish did not whirl.
Repeated, it has an idiomatic use:
Gide gide kebabcya m gittin?
Going and going, was it to the kebab shop you went? meaning:
After all that travel, couldn't you find anywhere better to go than to the kebab shop?
Also see Gle gle, said to someone who is departing. Glmek means to smile.
-erek Single act or continued activity simultaneous with or slightly before the main verb. Often
corresponds to by doing or with doing:
bilerek = knowingly
bilmiyerek = unknowingly
Kapy aarak evden gitti. Opening the door, he left the house.
-ip Used when there are two verbs with identical suffixes joined by "and", to simplify the first one. To
say We got up and we left:
Kalkp gittik. (and not Kalktk gittik.)
Or, for They are sitting and talking:
Oturup konuuyorlar. (and not Oturuyorlar konuuyorlar.)
-ince Action just prior to the main verb:
Otobs gelince kalkarm. When the bus arrives, I will get up.
-inceye kadar, -inceyedek, -inceye de in until
Otobs gelinceye kadar, gidemedik. Until the bus arrives, we cannot go.
-ene kadar, -enedek, -ene de in until, less formal
Otobs gelene kadar, gidemedik. Until the bus arrives, we cannot go.
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-esiye to the point of.

Derviler baylasya frl frl dnlerdi. The dervishes whirled to the point of fainting.
-eli, -eli beri, eliden beri, -diX -eli since, with the di-past ending conjugated as needed.
All these mean Since we came to Istanbul it has not rained:
Biz stanbul'a geleli hi yamur yamad.
Biz stanbul'a geleli beri hi yamur yamad.
Biz stanbul'a geleliden beri hi yamur yamad.
Biz stanbul'a geldik geleli hi yamur yamad.
-meden, -mezden before, without, followed by evvel or nce to mean before.
Siz gitmeden evvel beni uyandriniz. Wake me up before you go.
-dikten sonra after doing, the converse of -meden evvel / -meden nce
Beni uyandrdktan sonra gitiniz. Leave after waking me.
-r -mez used to mean as soon as, or literally, as I was between the states of doing and not-doing:
Ben oturur oturmaz telefon ald. As soon as I was sitting down, the telephone rang.
-dike so long as or the more
"Ben frl frl dnduka, frl frl dnacam gelir!", dervi dedi.
"The more I whirl, the more I feel like whirling!", the dervish said.
-dikten baka apart from doing or in addition to doing
O, kapy adktan baka, evden gittim. He, in addition to opening the door, left the house.
-di i mddete as long as, all the time
O alt mddete ark syler. He sings all the time he works.
-di i halde although or in a state of
Bardm halde kimse yardma gelmedi. Although I shouted, no one came.
Baca alda olduu halde eve dnd. He returned home with his leg plastered.
-di i iin or -di inden because of the verbing
Bir hal ald iin, vergi demeliyim. Because of my purchasing a carpet, taxes I must pay.
-di i kadar as much as
Istediiniz kadar kaliniz. Stay as long as you want.
-ece ine or -ecek yerde instead of verbing
zmir'e yryeceine, otobsu bineceim. Instead of walking to Izmir, I will ride a bus.
-mekle with/by verbing
Gnm hep yaz yazrmakla geirdim. All of my day I spent by writing.
-mektense or -mekten ise rather than
Ankara'ya gitmektense, stanbul'a gittim. Rather than go to Ankara, I went to Istanbul.
-meksizin without verbing, -meden is more frequently used.
Otobsu binmeksizin, stanbul'a gittim. Without riding a bus, I went to Istanbul.
Otobsu binmeden, stanbul'a gittim. Without riding a bus, I went to Istanbul.
(Treni binden!) (I rode a train!)

Word Order is the next section (/turkish/word-order.html)

Start (/turkish/) Introduction (/turkish/background.html)

Words & Letters (/turkish/orthography.html) Nouns (/turkish/nouns.html)

Verbs (/turkish/verbs.html) Word Order (/turkish/word-order.html)

Reform (/turkish/language-reform.html) All Suffixes (/turkish/turkish-suffixes.html)

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