Verbs

If you ignore verbs, the preceding pages contain about all there is to learning Turkish word
morphology, like a text for online degrees in the field! However, there are many verb forms to
learn. At least they're fairly well ordered....

Infinitive

This uses -mek, and is the form found in the dictionary:

anlamak = to understand
grmek = to see
gitmek = to go
okumak = to read

Verb Formation
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".

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.

-eo oyun = "game", while oynamak = "to play".

o ya = "age", while yaamak = "to live".

-leo su = "water", while sulamak = "to irrigate".

o kilit = "lock", while kilitlemek = "to lock".
o kir = "dirt", while kirlemek = "to make dirty".
o 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:
o hav hav = the sound a dog makes, while havlamak = "to 'woof woof' like a
dog"
o miyav = the sound a cat makes, while miyavlamak = "to 'meow' like a cat"

-lenThe reflexive and passive of -le-, also some verbs synonymous with the -le- form, and
some verbs for which there is no -le- form.
o kir = "dirt", kirlemek = "to make dirty", kirlenmek = "to be made dirty".
o temiz = "clean", temizlemek = "to make clean", temizlenmek = "to be made
clean".
o 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:
o can = "life", canlanmak = "to come to life", canlandrmak = "to bring to life",
o kirlemek = "to make dirty", kirletmek = "to make dirty"
o temiz = "clean", temizlemek = "to make clean", temizletmek = "to be made
clean".

-leReciprocal of -le- or to form "to become ..."

o karlamak = "to meet", karlamak = "to meet one another"
o mektup = "letter", mektuplamak = "to correspond"
o bir = "one", birlemek = "to become united"

-el- / -lAdded usually to adjectives, infrequently to nouns, to form "to become ..."
o az = "little", while azalmak = "to diminish"

o ok = "much", while oalmak = "to increase"

-erUsed 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-.
o az = "white", aarmak = "to become white"
o gk = "blue" or "green", ger or gver = "to become blue green"
o kzl = "red", kzarmak = "to become red" or "to be roasted"
o ya = "moisture", yaarmak = "to become moist"

-seThe 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 ..."
o benim = "mine" (or "of me"), benimsemek = "to regard as one's own"
o mhim = "important", mhimsemek = "to regard as important"

-imse
Used similarly to -se- to form "to regard as ..." or "to consider to be ..."
o az = "little", azmsamak = "to consider inadequate"
o ok = "much", oumsamak = "to consider excessive"

-deUsed 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).

Verb Modification
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-

o For most tenses, add -megrmek = "to see"

grmemek = "not to see"
o 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 etir. Siz, Senatr Kuayl, siz dans etmezsiniz.

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 -ino For verb stems ending in vowels, add -nokumak = "to read",
okunmak = "to be read"
o For verb stems ending in consonants other than l, add -ilvermek = "to give",
verilmek = "to be given"
o For verb stems ending in l, add -inbilmek = "to know",
bilinmek = "to be known"

Causative -dir- or -t- or -ito Most verbs add -dirbilmek = "to know",
bildirmek = "to inform" or "to announce"
o Verbs ending in a vowel, or l, or r, add only -tanlamak = "to understand",
anlatmak = "to explain"
o Verbs ending in or add -irimek = "to drink",
iirmek = "to cause or make to drink"
o A few monosyllable verb stems ending in k add -it-.
o 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 -ino giymek = "to wear clothes"

o giyinmek = "to dress oneself"
o giyindirmek = "to dress someone else"
o giyindirilmek = "to be dressed by someone else"
o giyindirildirmek = "to be forced to be dressed by someone else"

Verbs of mutual action -io grmek = "to see"

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

Order for applying modification:

o Reflexive
o Reciprocal
o Causative
o Passive
For example:
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.

Table of all tenses and moods

From G.L. Lewis' Turkish Grammar, especially page 136 (section VIII,38).
1. Drop the -mek from the infinitive to get the stem:
grmek > gr2. 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 (Aorist) -(i)r-

Things generally true, hence timeless.

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

-(y)ecek-

Actions that will happen.

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

Past conditional

-idi- + -isi-

II

Inferential

-imi-

Inferential conditional

-imi- + -ise-

II

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

Type I

-im

-iz

-sin

-siniz

(-dir)

-(dir)ler

Type II

-m

-k

-n

-niz

-ler

Type III

-eyim

-elim

-esin

-esiniz

-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
I
-idi + II

Past
Inferential
Conditiona
conditional
Inferential conditional
l
-idi- + -ise- + I -imi- + I
-imi- + -ise- +
ise + II
I
II

Present
-(i)yor-

-(i)yor + -(i)yordu + -(i)yorsa + I -(i)yorduysa + -(i)yormu + -(i)yormusa +

I
II
I
II
I
II

General
(aorist)
-(i)r-

-(i)r + I -(i)rdi + II -(i)rse + II -(i)rdise + II

Future
-ecek-

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

mi-past
-mi-

-mi + I -miti + II

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

di-past
-di-

-di + II

-diydi + II

-diyse + II

Necessity
-meli-

-meli + I

-meliydi + I

-(i)rmi + I -(i)rmise + II

-di idiyse + II

-meliy
mi + I

Conditiona
l
-se + II -seydi + II
-se-

-sey mi + I

Subjunctiv
e
-e + III
-e-

-ey mi + I

-edi + II

So, to discuss looking at derviler

Present
-(i)yor-

General
(aorist)
-(i)r-

Simple
I

Past
-idi + II

Conditional
ise + II

Past conditional Inferential

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

Dervileri
gryorum.
I am seeing
Dervishes.

Dervileri
gryordum.
I was seeing
Dervishes.

Dervileri
gryorsam, ...
If I am seeing
Dervishes, ...

Dervileri
gryorduysam, ...
If I was seeing
Dervishes, ...

Dervileri
Dervileri
grrdm.
grrm.
I used to see
I see Dervishes.
Dervishes.

Future
-ecek-

Dervileri
greceim.
I will see
Dervishes.

Dervileri
grrdysem, ...
If I used to see
Dervishes, ...

Dervileri
gryormusam, ...
Dervileri
If, as they say, I am
gryormuum.
seeing Dervishes, ...
I am said to be seeing
or
Dervishes.
If I am said to be
seeing Dervishes, ...
Dervileri
grrmm.
I am said to see
Dervishes.

Dervileri
grrmsem, ...
If, as they say, I see
Dervishes, ...
or
If I am said to see
Dervishes, ...
Dervileri
grecekmisem, ...
If, as they say, I was
going to see Dervishes,
...
or
If I am said to be about
to see Dervishes, ...

Dervileri
greceksem, ...
If I am going to
see Dervishes, ...

Dervileri
grecektiysem, ...
If I was going to
see Dervishes, ...

Dervileri
grecekmiim.
I am said to see
Dervishes.

mi-past
-mi-

Dervileri
Dervileri
grmtm.
grmm.
I had seen
I saw Dervishes.
Dervishes. (so
(so they say)
they say)

Dervileri
grmsem, ...
If I have seen
Dervishes, ...

Dervileri grm
idiysem, ...
If I had seen
Dervishes, ...

Dervileri grm
msem, ...
Dervileri grm
If, as they say, I have
mm.
seen Dervishes, ...
I am said to have seen
or
Dervishes.
If I am said to have
seen Dervishes, ...

di-past
-di-

Dervileri
grdm.
I saw Dervishes.
or
I have seen
Dervishes.
(II)

Dervileri
grdydm.
I had seen
Dervishes.

Dervileri
grdysem.
If I saw
Dervishes, ...
or
If I have seen
Dervishes, ...

Dervileri grd
dysem, ...
If I had seen
Dervishes, ...

Necessity
-meli-

Dervileri
grmeliyim.
I must see
Dervishes.

Dervileri
grmeliydim.
I needed to see
Dervishes.

Dervileri
grmeliymiim.
They say I ought to
see Dervishes.

Dervileri
grseymiim.
They say that if I
were to see
Dervishes, ...
or
They say, "If only I
would see
Dervishes"!

Dervileri
greymiim!
They say, "Would
that I had seen
Dervishes"!

Dervileri

Conditional grsem, ...

If I were to see
-seDervishes, ...

Dervileri
greyim.
Subjunctive I might see
Dervishes,
-emaybe later.

Dervileri
grecektim.
I was going to
see Dervishes.

Dervileri
grrsem, ...
If I see Dervishes,
...

Inferential
conditional
-imi- + -ise- + II

Dervileri
grseydim, ...

If only I had seen

Dervishes, ...

Dervileri
greydim!

Would that I had

seen Dervishes!

(III)

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

Present

Simple
I

Past
-idi + II

Conditional
ise + II

Past conditional Inferential

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

Inferential
conditional
-imi- + -ise- + II

Konya'ya

Konya'ya

Konya'ya

Konya'ya

Konya'ya

Konya'ya

-(i)yor-

General
(aorist)
-(i)r-

gidiyorum.
I am going to
Konya.

gidiyordum.
I was going to
Konya.

gidiyorsam, ...
If I am going to
Konya, ...

gidiyorduysam, ...
If I was going to
Konya, ...

gidiyormusam, ...
If, as they say, I am
gidiyormuum.
going to Konya, ...
I am said to be going
or
to Konya.
If I am said to be going
to Konya, ...

Konya'ya
giderim.
I go to Konya.

Konya'ya
giderdim.
I used to go to
Konya.

Konya'ya
gidersem, ...
If I go to
Konya, ...

Konya'ya
giderdiysem, ...
If I used to go to
Konya, ...

Konya'ya
gidermisem, ...
Konya'ya gidermiim If, as they say, I go to
I am said to go to
Konya, ...
Konya.
or
If I am said to go to
Konya, ...

Future
-ecek-

Konya'ya
gideceim.
I will go to
Konya.

Konya'ya
gidecektim.
I was going to go
to Konya.

Konya'ya
gideceksem, ...
If I am going to
go to Konya, ...

Konya'ya
gidecekmisem, ...
Konya'ya
Konya'ya
If, as they say, I am
gidecektiysem, ... gidecekmiim.
going to go to
If I was going to go I am said to be going Konya, ...
to Konya, ...
to go to Konya.
or
If I am said to be going
to go to Konya, ...

mi-past
-mi-

Konya'ya
gitmiim.
I went to
Konya. (so they
say)

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

Konya'ya
gitmisem, ...
If I have gone to
Konya, ...

Konya'ya gitmi
idiysem, ...
If I had gone to
Konya, ...

Konya'ya gitmi
imiim.
I am said to have
gone to Konya.

Konya'ya gitmi
imisem, ...
If, as they say, I have
gone to Konya, ...
or
If I am said to have
gone to Konya, ...

di-past
-di-

Konya'ya gittim.
I went to
Konya.
or
I have gone to
Konya.
(II)

Konya'ya
gittiytim.
I had gone to
Konya.

Konya'ya
gittiysem.
If I went to
Konya, ...
or
If I have gone to
Konya, ...

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

Necessity
-meli-

Konya'ya
gitmeliyim.
I must go to
Konya.

Konya'ya
gitmeliydim.

I needed to go to
Konya.

Konya'ya
gitmeliymiim.
They say I ought to
go to Konya.

Konya'ya
gitseytim, ...

If only I had gone

to Konya, ...

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

Konya, ...
or
They say, "If only I
would go to Konya"!

Konya'ya
gideydim!

Would that I had

gone to Konya!

Konya'ya gideymiim!
They say, "Would that
I had gone to Konya"!

Konya'ya

Conditional gitsem, ...

If I were to go
-seto Konya, ...

Subjunctive
-e-

Konya'ya
gideyim.
I might go to
Konya, maybe
later
(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 the forms of the
verb to be, participles, ability-to ..., and imperatives.

-di-Past

-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.

Konya'ya gittim.

I saw dervishes in Konya.

I have seen dervishes in Konya.
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

-diydin

-diydiniz

-diydi

-diydiler

-or-

Konya'da dervileri grdydm.

Konya'da dervileri grdmd.
Konya'ya gittiytim.
Konya'ya gittimdi.

-dimdi

-dikti

-dindi

-dinizdi

-diydi

-dilerdi

I had seen dervishes in Konya.

I had gone to Konya.

-di-Past Conditional -di -ise + II

If I did or If I have done
-diysem

-diysek

-diysen

-diyseniz

-diyse

-diyseler

Konya'da dervileri grdysem ...

Konya'da dervileri grdmse ...
Konya'ya gittiysem ...
Konya'ya gittimse ...

-or-

-dikse

-dinse

-dinizse

-diyse

-dilerse

If I saw dervishes in Konya ...

If I went to Konya ...

-dimse

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

If I had done

-di idiysem

-di idiysek

-di idiysen

-di idiyseniz

-di idiyse

-di idiyseler

Konya'da dervileri grd idiysem ...

Konya'da dervileri grdm idiyse ...
Konya'ya gitti idiysem ...
Konya'ya gittim idiyse ...

-or-

-dim idiyse

-dik idiyse

-din idiyse

-din idiyizse

-diy idiyse

-diler idiyse

If I had seen dervishes in Konya ...

If I had gone to Konya ...

mi-Past

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?

-memisin

-memisiniz

-memi misin?

-memi misiniz?

-memi

-memiler

-memi mi?

-memiler mi?

Konya'da masalarda dans etmiim.

Konya'da masalarda dans etmemiim.
Konya'da masalarda dans etmi miyim?
Konya'da masalarda dans etmemi miyim?
Konya'ya gitmiim.
Konya'ya gitmemiim.
Konya'ya gitmi miyim?
Konya'ya gitmemi miyim?

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!)
Supposedly I did not dance on the tables in Konya.
Did I supposedly dance on the tables in Konya?
Did I supposedly not dance on the tables in Konya?
I went to Konya, so they say.
I did not go to Konya, so they say.
Did I go to Konya?
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.

Konya'da dervileri grmemtm.
Konya'da dervileri grm mydm.
Konya'da dervileri grmem mydm.
Konya'ya gitmitim.
Konya'ya gitmemitim.
Konya'ya gitmi miydim?
Konya'ya gitmemi miydim?

I had seen dervishes in Konya.

I had not seen dervishes in Konya.
Had I seen dervishes in Konya?
Had I not seen dervishes in Konya?
I had gone to Konya, so they say.
I had not gone to Konya, so they say.
Had I gone to Konya?
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-past
Positive

Negative

-miimdir

-miizdir

-memiimdir

-memiizdir

-misindir

-misenizdir

-memisindir

-memisenizdir

-midir

-milerdir

-memidir

-memilerdir

Derviler Konya'ya gitmilerdir

Derviler Konya'ya gitmemilerdir

In tonight's news, dervishes went to Konya.

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, ....

Konya'ya gitmisem ...
Konya'ya gitmemisem ...

If I had seen dervishes in Konya, ...

If I had gone to Konya ...
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.

Konya'da dervileri grm imiim.
Konya'ya gitmimiim.
Konya'ya gitmi imiim.

I am said to have seen dervishes in Konya.

I am said to have gone to Konya.

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, ...

Konya'ya gitmi imisem, ...

If I am said to have seen dervishes in Konya, ...

If I am said to have gone to Konya, ...

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.

Konya'ya gidiyorum.
Konya'ya gitmiyorum.

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
-(i)yordular

-miyordu

-miyorlard
-miyordular

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryordum.

Derviler Konya'ya gidiyorlard.
Derviler Konya'ya gidiyordular.

I saw dervishes in Konya every day.

Dervishes were going to Konya.

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
-(i)yorsalar

-miyorsa

-miyorlarsa
-miyorsalar

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryorsam ...

Konya'ya derviler gidiyorlarsa ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyorsalar ...

I see dervishes in Konya every day.

I am going to Konya. (note t->d change)
I am not going to Konya.

If I see dervishes in Konya every day ...

If Dervishes are going to Konya ...

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

If I was doing ...
Positive

Negative

-(i)yorduysam
-(i)yor idiysem

-(i)yorduysak
-(i)yor idiysek

-miyorduysam
-miyor idiysem

-miyorduysak
-miyor idiysek

-(i)yorduysan
-(i)yor idiysen

-(i)yorduysanz
-(i)yor idiyseniz

-miyorduysan
-miyor idiysen

-miyorduysanz
-miyor idiyseniz

-(i)yorduysa
-(i)yor idiyse

-(i)yorduylarsa
-(i)yorduysalar

-miyorduysa
-miyor idiyse

-miyorduylarsa
-miyorduysalar

-(i)yor idiylerse
-(i)yor idiyseler
Konya'da dervileri her gn gryorduysam ...
Konya'da dervileri her gn gryor idiysem ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyorduylarsa ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyorduysalar ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyor idiylerse ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyor idiyseler ...

If I saw dervishes in Konya every day ...

If Dervishes were going to Konya ...

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.

Konya'ya derviler gidiyormular.

-miyor idiylerse
-miyor idiyseler

I am said to see dervishes in Konya every day.

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 ...
Positive

Negative

-(i)yormusam
-(i)yor imisem

-(i)yormusak
-(i)yor imisek

-miyormusam
-(i)yor imisem

-miyormusak
-(i)yor imisek

-(i)yormusan
-(i)yor imisen

-(i)yormusunaz
-(i)yor imiseniz

-miyormusan
-miyor imisen

-miyormusunaz
-miyor imisen

-(i)yormusa
-(i)yor mise

-(i)yormusalar
-(i)yor imiseler

-miyormusa
-miyor mise

-miyormusalar
-miyor imiseler

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryormusam, ...

Konya'da dervileri her gn gryor imisem, ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyormusalar, ...
Konya'ya derviler gidiyor imiseler, ...

If I am, as they say, seeing dervishes in Konya every day, ...

If dervishes, as they say, are going to Konya, ...

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.
Barinikov dans etir. = Baryshnikov is a dancer.
He isn't necessarily dancing right now, but generally speaking, he dances.
Senatr Kuayl dans etmezsiniz. = Senator Quayle is not a dancer.
He is not ready, willing, or able to dance.
The aorist is used for:
Requests:
Promises:
With olmak,
(to become or happen),
to ask permission:
In proverbs:

Oturur musunuz?
Yarn gelirim.
Olur mu?.
It rr, kervan geer.

Will you sit down?

Tomorrow I shall come.
Is it all right?.
Literally, Does it happen?
Answer: olur (all right) or olmaz (no)
The dogs howl, the caravan moves on.

What to add? It depends on the verb stem:

-r + I

-ar + I

Verb stem ends with a vowel.

anlamak = to understand

anlar = he understands

Verb stem ends with a consonant, single syllable.

etmek = to do

eder = he does

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

-ir + I 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

Polysyllabic verb stems, and extensions of monosyllabic verb stems

-ir + I

konumak = to speak

konuur = he speaks

demek = to say
de-n-mek = to be said

der = he says
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.

Indiyana'da dervileri grmem.
Konya'ya derviler dans etirler.
Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezler.

I see dervishes in Konya.

I do not see dervishes in Indiana.
Dervishes dance in Konya.
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.

Indiyana'da dervileri grmedim.
Konya'ya derviler dans etirdiler.
Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezdiler.

I used to see dervishes in Konya.

I was not a seer of dervishes in Indiana.
Dervishes were dancing in Konya.
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
-(i)rlerse

-mezse

-mezseler

Konya'da dervileri grrsem ...

Indiyana'da dervileri grmesem ...
Konya'ya derviler dans etirseler.
Konya'ya derviler dans etirlerse.
Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezseler ...

If dervishes dance in Konya ...

If dervishes do not dance in Indiana ...

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

If I do ...
Positive

Negative

-(i)rdiysem
-(i)r idiysem

-(i)rdiysek
-(i)r idiysek

-mediysem

-mediysek

-(i)rdiysen
-(i)r idiysen

-(i)rdiyseniz
-(i)r idiyseniz

-mezdiysen

-mezdiyseniz

-(i)rdiyse
-(i)r idiyse

-(i)rdiyseler
-(i)r idiyseler

-mezdiyse

-mezdiyseler

Konya'da dervileri grrdysem ...

Konya'da dervileri grr idiysem ...
Indiyana'da dervileri grmediysem ...
Konya'ya derviler dans etirdiyseler.
Konya'ya derviler dans etiri idiyseler.
Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezdiyseler ...

If I see dervishes in Konya ...

If I do not see dervishes in Indiana ...

If I saw dervishes in Konya ...

If I did not see dervishes in Indiana ...
If dervishes danced in Konya ...
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 grrmiim.

Indiyana'da dervileri grmemiim.
Konya'ya derviler dans etirmiler.
Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezmiler.

I am said to see dervishes in Konya.

I am said not to see dervishes in Indiana.
Dervishes are said to dance in Konya.
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)ir imisem

-(i)rmisek
-(i)ir imisek

-memisem

-memisek

-(i)rmisen
-(i)r imisen

-(i)rmiseniz
-(i)r imiseniz

-mezmisen

-mezmiseniz

-(i)rmise
-(i)r imise

-(i)rmiseler
-(i)r imiseler

-mezmise

-mezmiseler

Konya'da dervileri grrmisem ...

Konya'da dervileri grr imisem ...
Indiyana'da dervileri grmemisem ...
Konya'ya derviler dans etirmiseler ...
Konya'ya derviler dans etir imiseler ...
Indiyana'da derviler dans etmezmiseler ...

If, as they say, I see dervishes in Konya ...

If, as they say, I do not see dervishes in Indiana ...
If, as they say, dervishes dance in Konya ...
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.

Konya'da dervileri grmeyeceim.
Konya'da dervileri grecek miyim?
Konya'da dervileri grmeyecek miyim?

I will see dervishes in Konya.

I will not see dervishes in Konya.
Will I see dervishes in Konya?
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
Konya'da Dervileri grecektim.
Filimi dervileri grecektim,
ama saati yetmidi.

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

-(y)eceksek

-(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)ecektiysem
-(y)ecektimse

-(y)ecek idiysek
-(y)ecektiysek
-(y)ecektikse

-(y)ecek idiysen
-(y)ecektiysen
-(y)ecektinse

-(y)ecek idiyniz
-(y)ecektiyseniz
-(y)ecektinizse

-(y)ecek idiyse
-(y)ecektiyse
-(y)ecektise

-(y)ecek idiyseler
-(y)ecektiyseler
-(y)eceklerdiyse

Konya'da dervileri grecek idiysem, ...

Konya'da dervileri grecektiysem ...
Konya'da dervileri grecektimse ...

-(y)eceklerdi
I was going to see dervishes in Konya.
A film having-dervishes I-was-going-to-see,
but time I did-not-have.

If I was going to have seen dervishes in Konya, ...

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

-(y)ecek imisiz
-(y)ecekmisiz

-(y)ecek imisin
-(y)ecekmisin

-(y)ecek imisiniz
-(y)ecekmisiniz

-(y)ecek imi
-(y)ecekmi

-(y)ecek imiler
-(y)ecekmiler

Konya'da dervileri grecek imiim.

Konya'da dervileri grecekmiim.

It is said that I will see dervishes in Konya.

Future Inferential Conditional

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

-(y)ecek imisek
-(y)ecekmisek

-(y)ecek imisen
-(y)ecekmisen

-(y)ecek imiseniz
-(y)ecekmiseniz

-(y)ecek imise
-(y)ecekmise

-(y)ecek imiseler
-(y)ecekmiseler

Konya'da dervileri grecek imisem, ...

Konya'da dervileri grecekmisem, ...

If, as they say, I will see dervishes in Konya, ...

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

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

May your house be demolished!

May your dervishes stage a revolution!

To Be
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

idiler

deildi

deildiler

deil idi

deil idiler

-(y)diler idi

Past Positive Interrogative

Past Negative Interrogative

Enclitic form

Independent
form

miydim
miydik?
?

mi idim
deil miydi deil miydik
mi idik?
?
m?
?

miydin miydiniz mi idin mi idini

?
?
?
z?
miydi?

Enclitic form

Independent form
deil mi idi deil mi idik
m?
?

deil miydi deil miydini deil mi idi deil mi idini

n?
z?
n?
z?

miydiler
mi idiler deil miydi deil miydile deil mi idi deil mi idile
mi idi?
?
?
?
r?
?
r?

Atatrk Trk idi.

Atatrk Trkdu.

Atatrk was a Turk.

Dervitim.
Dervi idim.
Dervi miydim?
Dervi miyim?
Dervi deildim.
Dervi deil idim.
Dervi deil miydim?
Dervi deil mi idin?

I was a dervish
Was I a dervish?
I was not a dervish
Was I not a dervish?

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

-(y)diyse

-(y)diyseler

-(y)diyse

-(y)diyseler

idiyse

idiyseler

Negative
Suffixed

Suffixed

Independent

deildiysem

deildiysek

deildimse

deildikse

deil idiysem

deil idiysek

deildiysen

deildiyseniz

deildinse

deildinizse

deil idiysen

deil idiyseniz

deildiyse

deildiyseler

deildiyse

deildilerse

deil idiyse

deil idiyseler

Dervi idiysem, ...

Dervi deil idiysem, ...
Evde idiysem ...
Evdeydiysem ...
Evdeydimse ...

If I had been a dervish, ...

If I had not been a dervish, ...
If I had been at home ...

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

deil imiim

deil imiiz

deilmisin

deilmisiniz

deil imisin

deil imisiniz

deilmi

deilmiler

deil imi

deil imiler

Dervi imi.
Dervi deil imi.

He was said to be a dervish.

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

Negative
Enclitic

Independent

deilmisem

deilmisek

deil imisem

deil imisek

deilmisen

deilmiseniz

deil imisen

deil imiseniz

deilmise

deilmiseler

deil imise

deil imiseler

Dervi imise ...

Dervi deil imise ...

I gather that if he was a dervish ...

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:
Informal:

It is also used informally to indicate emphasis or a supposition. To answer the question

Derviler nerede?, or Where are the dervishes?
Camide.
Camideler.
Camidedirler.
Camidedirler!
Camidelerdir.

Kzn ad, Fatma'dr.

Kzn ad, Fatma.

In the mosque.
They are in the mosque.
They are surely in the mosque...
They are in the mosque!
They are surely in the mosque...

(supposition)
(emphasis)
(supposition)

Also, -dir may be suffixed to verbs, where it weakens rather than emphasizes the verb.
Biliyorsunuz.
Biliyorsunuzdur.
Arkadama mektup yazdim.

You know.
You surely know. or I presume you know.
I wrote a letter to my friend.

Arkadama mektup yazmm.

Arkadama mektup yazmmdr.

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

Present interrogative

-(y)im

-(y)iz

miyim?

miyiz?

-sin

-siniz

misin?

misiniz?

-(dir)

-(dir)ler

mi(dir)?

midirler?

Present negative

Present negative interrogative

deilim

deiliz

deil miyim?

deil miyiz?

deilsin

deilsiniz

deil misin?

deil misiniz?

deildir

deildirler

deil midir?

deil midirler?

Evdeyim.
Evde miyim?
Derviim.
Dervi miyim?
Kzn ad, Fatma'dr.
Kzn ad, Fatma m?
Kzn ad, Fatma mdr?
Dervi deilim.
Dervi deil miyim?

I am at home.
Am I at home?
I am a dervish.
Am I a dervish?
The girl's name is Fatma.
The girl's name, is it Fatma?
I am not a dervish.
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.
Dervileri grmekteymiim.

Literally, To-my-friend letter I-wrote.

A simple statement of fact.
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...
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...

I am in the act of going to Konya.

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?
orba var.
orba yok.

Is there any lentil soup?

There is soup.
There is no soup.

Bu evde ok kedi var!

Hoverkraftmda ok yalnbal var!
Yeni Meksiko'da uan daire var m?
Yeni Meksiko'da yok.
Ama, "Alan Elli Bir'de" ok var.

There are many cats in this house!

My hovercraft is full of eels!
Literally: Hovercraft-of-me-inside many eel(s) exist!
Are there flying saucers in New Mexico?
There aren't any in New Mexico.
However, there are many at Area 51.

Necessity

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.
Derviler frl frl dnmeliler.
Derviler frl frl dnmelidirler.

I must go to Konya.
Dervishes must whirl.

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

Negative

-meli idim
-meliydim

-meli idik
-meliydik

-memeli idim
-memeliydim

-memeli idik
-memeliydik

-meli idin
-meliydin

-meli idiniz
-meliydiniz

-memeli idin
-memeliydin

-memeli idiniz
-memeliydiniz

-meli idi
-meliydi

-meli idiler
-meliydiler
-melilerdi

-memeli idi
-meliydi

-memeli idiler
-memeliydiler
-memelilerdi

Konya'ya gitmeli idim.

Konya'ya gitmeliydim.
Derviler frl frl dnmeli idiler.
Derviler frl frl dnmeliydiler.
Derviler frl frl dnmelilerdi.

I had to go to Konya.
Dervishes needed to whirl.

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

Negative

-meliymiim

-meliymiiz

-memeliymiim

-memeliymiiz

-meliymisin

-meliymisiniz

-memeliymisin

-memeliymisiniz

-meliymi

-meliymiler
-melilermi

-memeliymi

-memeliymiler
-memelilermi

Konya'ya gitmeliymiim, ...

Derviler frl frl dnmemelimiler.
Derviler frl frl dnmemelilermi.

They say that I should have gone to Konya

They say that dervishes should not whirl.

Conditional

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

Derviler Indiana'ya gitseler, beni gryorler.

If I were to go to Konya, I would see dervishes.

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
-selerdi

-meseydi

-meseydiler
-meselerdi

Konya'ya gitseydim!
Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeseydiler!
Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeselerdi!

If only I had gone to Konya!

If only the dervishes had not gone to Indiana!

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
-selermi

-meseymi

-meseymiler
-meselermi

Konya'ya gitseymiim, ...

Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeseymiler, ...
Derviler Indiana'ya gitmeselermi, ...

Subjunctive

They say that if I were to go to Konya, ...

They say that if the dervishes had not gone to Indiana, ...

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:
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
-elerdi

-meyeydi

-meyeydiler
-meyelerdi

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

Negative

-eymiim

-eymiiz

-meyeymiim

-meyeymiiz

-eymisin

-eymisiniz

-meyeymisin

-meyeymisiniz

-eymi

-eymiler
-elermi

-meyeymi

-meyeymiler
-meyelermi

Ability, to be able to ...

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.

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!
Kebab yiyiniz!
Kebablari yesinler!
Dervi gibi frl frl dnnz!

Eat a kebab! (familiar, informal, harsh)

Eat a kebab! (plural, formal, polite)
Let them eat kebabs!
Whirl like a dervish!

Participles and Substantives

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
konumamak

to talk
to not talk

Kpekler
koyorlar.

The dogs are

running.

Bu insanlar
konumyorlar.

These people are not

talking.

koan kpekler

running dogs

konumyan insanlar

people who are not

talking

koanlar

those who are

running

konumyanlar

those who are not

talking

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
komular.

Dogs have run,

apparently.

Bu insanlar
konumamlar.

These people have not

talked, it seems.

komu kpekler dogs who ran

konumam insanlar

people who did not talk

komular

konumamlar

those who did not talk

those who ran

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
kodlar.

Dogs ran.

Bu insanlar
konumadlar.

These people did not

talk.

kodk kpekler

dogs who were

running

konumadk insanlar

people who were not

talking

kodklar

those who were

running

konumadklar

those who were not

talking

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 isseen.

stanbul'a geldii otobs

dolmudan byk.

The bus in which he came to Istanbul was bigger than a

dolmu.
To-Istanbul pertaining-to-his-having-come bus from-adolmu 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 -ecei gel- 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.

Verbal Nouns

Infinitive -mek
This takes endings to form the various cases, except for genitives and possessives:

o 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.
Kebap almak istiyorum. I want to buy a kebab.
o Accusative as object of other verbs:
Kebap alma unuttum. I forgot to buy a kebap.
o Dative:
Kebap almaa baladm. I began to buy a kebab.
Kebap almaa gittim. I have gone to buy a kebab.
o Locative:
Kebap almakta tehlikeyi grmiyorum. I see no danger in buying a kebap.
o Ablative:
Kebap almaktan kendimi nleyememiim. Apparently I was unable to prevent
myself from buying a kebap.

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

Kebap almaklk ticarete iyi. My kebab-buying is good for business (to-business goodis).

-i the manner of action, but also the fact of action

Bu kebap 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:

o 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.

o deye, from demek, to say, meaning saying:

TEHLKE diye bir levha
A sign saying DANGER
Literally: DANGER saying one sign.
o rasgele, from rasgelmek, to meet by chance, meaning haphazardly or
randomly.
Rasgele bir dervi frl frl dnmedi.
At random, one dervish did not whirl.
o Repeated, it has an idiomatic use:
Gide gide kebapcya 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:
o bilerek = knowingly
bilmiyerek = unknowingly
o 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 dein until

Otobs gelinceye kadar, gidemedik. Until the bus arrives, we cannot go.

-ene kadar, -enedek, -ene dein until, less formal

Otobs gelene kadar, gidemedik. Until the bus arrives, we cannot go.

-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.

-dii mddete as long as, all the time

O alt mddete ark syler. He sings all the time he works.

-dii 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.

-dii iin or -diinden because of the verbing

Bir hal ald iin, vergi demeliyim. Because of my purchasing a carpet, taxes I
must pay.

-dii kadar as much as

Istediiniz kadar kaliniz. Stay as long as you want.

-eceine 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!)