SPEAK TURKISH FLUENTLY

MASTER TURKISH GRAMMAR

Despite what you have heard, Turkish grammar is actually quite easy to learn! This Grammar Section is designed to make learning the rules as quick as possible so you can start building your own sentences. Unlike other courses we want you to familiarise with the most important rules to speak Turkish immediately from today.

We use the Zagreb Method for teaching grammar. Instead of presenting grammar as abstract rules, we integrates it directly into real-life communication and scenarios. Our students are introduced to grammar through dialogues and situational context that reflect everyday interactions. The method also incorporates repetition and variation, gradually increasing the complexity of sentences to help learners internalize grammatical patterns naturally.

The sections below cover everything you need to know from basic sentence construction and verb conjugations to more complex topics like noun cases, gender agreements, together with practical examples to help you understand and memorise the Turkish grammar rules. Be sure to learn the core 2000 Turkish vocabulary first so you can follow the examples more easily.

Click on the titles below to reach the section you are interested in or simply start learning from the beginning. 

• Alphabet

• Nouns

• Cases

• Articles

• Adjectives

• Pronouns

• Prepositions

• Adverbs

• Present Tense

• Past Tense

• Future Tense

• Imperative

• Passive

• Negation

• Word Order

• Questions

• Relative Clauses

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Turkish Alphabet

The Turkish Alphabet is a Latin-based writing system that consists of 29 letters. It was adopted in 1928 as part of Atatürk’s language reforms, replacing the Ottoman Arabic script. The goal was to increase literacy and better reflect the phonetic structure of Turkish. The alphabet closely matches pronunciation, making Turkish one of the most phonetic languages in the world.

The Turkish alphabet includes the same 26 letters found in the basic Latin script, with three additional characters: ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş, ü. However, it does not have the letters q, w, x, as these are not needed for native Turkish words.

• A, a – Pronounced like the "a" in "father". Example: araba (car).

• B, b – Similar to the English "b" in "book". Example: balık (fish).

• C, c – Always pronounced like the "j" in "jungle". Example: cami (mosque).

• Ç, ç – Sounds like the "ch" in "chair". Example: çay (tea).

• D, d – Similar to the "d" in "dog". Example: dağ (mountain).

• E, e – Pronounced like the "e" in "bed". Example: ev (house).

• F, f – Same as the English "f" in "fish". Example: fil (elephant).

• G, g – Sounds like the "g" in "go", never like "g" in "giant". Example: gül (rose).

• Ğ, ğ – Known as "yumuşak ge" (soft g), it lengthens the preceding vowel but is silent by itself. Example: dağ (mountain), pronounced as "daa".

• H, h – Like the "h" in "hat". Example: hayvan (animal).

• I, ı – A unique Turkish vowel, pronounced like the second "i" in "cousin". Example: ılık (lukewarm).

• İ, i – The dotted "i" is pronounced like the "ee" in "see". Example: iz (trace).

• J, j – A rare letter in native words, pronounced like the "s" in "measure". Example: jilet (razor).

• K, k – Like the "k" in "kite". Example: kalem (pen).

• L, l – Same as in English, but sometimes palatalized before front vowels. Example: limon (lemon).

• M, m – Like the "m" in "mother". Example: masa (table).

• N, n – Like the "n" in "nose". Example: nehir (river).

• O, o – Pronounced like the "o" in "or". Example: okul (school).

• Ö, ö – Similar to the German "ö" or French "eu" in "peur". Example: özgür (free).

• P, p – Like the "p" in "park". Example: pazar (market).

• R, r – A trilled "r", like in Spanish. Example: rüya (dream).

• S, s – Like the "s" in "sun". Example: su (water).

• Ş, ş – Pronounced like the "sh" in "shoe". Example: şeker (sugar).

• T, t – Like the "t" in "top". Example: tarih (history).

• U, u – Like the "u" in "rule". Example: uçak (airplane).

• Ü, ü – Similar to the German "ü" or French "u" in "lune". Example: üzüm (grape).

• V, v – Like the "v" in "van", though sometimes softer. Example: vazo (vase).

• Y, y – Like the "y" in "yellow". Example: yaz (summer).

• Z, z – Like the "z" in "zebra". Example: zeytin (olive).

Vowel Harmony in Turkish

One of the defining features of Turkish phonology is vowel harmony, a system that ensures vowels in a word harmonize according to specific patterns. This rule applies to word formation, suffixation, and overall pronunciation. The purpose of vowel harmony is to maintain fluidity and ease of pronunciation in spoken Turkish.

Turkish has eight vowels: a, e, ı, i, o, ö, u, ü. These vowels are categorized based on two main criteria:

1. Front vs. Back Vowels

   • Front vowels: e, i, ö, ü

   • Back vowels: a, ı, o, u

   Front vowels are produced towards the front of the mouth, while back vowels are pronounced towards the back. A word that starts with a front vowel will generally continue with front vowels, and a word that begins with a back vowel will follow with back vowels.

   • Güneş (sun) contains only front vowels (ü and e).

   • Kapı (door) contains only back vowels (a and ı).

2. Rounded vs. Unrounded Vowels

   • Rounded vowels: o, ö, u, ü

   • Unrounded vowels: a, e, ı, i

   Rounded vowels involve lip rounding, while unrounded vowels do not. In suffixation, rounded vowels tend to be followed by other rounded vowels.

   • Çocuk (child) contains the rounded vowels o and u.

   • Elma (apple) contains only unrounded vowels e and a.

Vowel Harmony in Suffixation

Vowel harmony is especially important in suffixes. Turkish is an agglutinative language, meaning suffixes are added to a root word to modify its meaning. These suffixes must match the vowel harmony of the word they attach to.

For example, the suffix for "plural" (-lar / -ler) follows vowel harmony:

• Kitaplar (books) – the back vowel a in kitap determines that the suffix must be -lar.

• Kediler (cats) – the front vowel e in kedi determines that the suffix must be -ler.

Similarly, the possessive suffix (-ım / -im / -um / -üm) changes based on the last vowel of the root word:

• Kalemim (my pen) – the last vowel e is a front vowel, so the suffix takes the -im form.

• Evimiz (our house) – the last vowel i is also a front vowel, so the suffix takes the -imiz form.

• Kitabım (my book) – the last vowel a is a back vowel, so the suffix takes the -ım form.

• Çocuğumuz (our child) – the last vowel u is a back and rounded vowel, so the suffix takes the -umuz form.

These patterns apply to almost all suffixes in Turkish, ensuring that the language maintains a smooth and natural flow when spoken.

Exceptions and Loanwords

While vowel harmony is a strong rule in Turkish, there are a few exceptions. Loanwords, especially those from Arabic, Persian, and European languages, do not always follow vowel harmony. For instance, words like telefon (telephone) and hastane (hospital) contain mixed vowels. However, when adding suffixes to these words, vowel harmony is generally applied to maintain consistency:

• Telefonum (my telephone), not telefonım.

• Hastanede (at the hospital), not hastanada.

Some exceptions also exist within native Turkish words, though these are rare. In such cases, suffixes tend to align with the last vowel of the word.

Turkish Nouns

In Turkish, nouns refer to people, animals, objects, places, or abstract concepts. Unlike in many other languages, Turkish nouns do not have grammatical gender, meaning there is no distinction between masculine and feminine forms. The same noun can refer to both male and female individuals unless specified by additional words.

For example:

• Öğrenci (student) can refer to both male and female students.

• Doktor (doctor) is gender-neutral and applies to both men and women.

Turkish nouns do, however, change according to number (singular/plural) and possession (my, your, his/her, etc.), which are indicated by suffixes.

Pluralization of Turkish Nouns

Turkish forms the plural by adding either -lar or -ler to the noun, depending on vowel harmony. The suffix -lar is used if the last vowel in the noun is a back vowel (a, ı, o, u), while -ler is used if the last vowel is a front vowel (e, i, ö, ü).

Examples:

• Kitap (book) → Kitaplar (books)

• Elma (apple) → Elmalar (apples)

• Kedi (cat) → Kediler (cats)

• Göz (eye) → Gözler (eyes)

One important rule in Turkish is that plural suffixes are not used after numbers or other words that already indicate plurality. Instead, the noun remains in its singular form when used with a number or a quantifier.

For example:

• Üç kitap (three books), not üç kitaplar.

• Birçok insan (many people), not birçok insanlar.

• Bazı evler (some houses) is correct because bazı (some) does not imply a specific number, whereas with a number, it would be beş ev (five houses).

Possessive Forms of Turkish Nouns

Possession is expressed in Turkish by adding possessive suffixes to the noun. These suffixes indicate whether something belongs to one person or multiple people. The suffix used depends on vowel harmony and whether the noun ends in a consonant or a vowel.

Singular Possession (Belonging to One Person)

• Ev (house) → Evim (my house)

• Kalem (pen) → Kalemin (your pen)

• Kapı (door) → Kapısı (his/her/its door)

• Telefon (phone) → Telefonumuz (our phone)

Plural Possession (Belonging to Multiple People)

When possession refers to more than one owner, the plural suffix -imiz / -ımız / -ümüz / -umuz (depending on vowel harmony) is used.

• Evimiz (our house)

• Kitabınız (your book - plural/formal)

• Çantaları (their bags)

Possessive suffixes must always match the last vowel of the noun in accordance with vowel harmony. For example, in kitap (book), the last vowel is a, so the suffix -ım is used in kitabım (my book). In şehir (city), the last vowel is i, so the suffix -im is used in şehrim (my city).

Compound Nouns in Turkish

Turkish frequently uses compound nouns, which are formed by combining two nouns to create a new meaning. In these cases, the second noun typically takes a possessive suffix.

For example:

• Anahtar kapı (key door) → Kapı anahtarı (door key)

• Kitap kütüphane (book library) → Kütüphane kitabı (library book)

• Çay kaşığı (tea spoon) → Çay kaşığı (teaspoon)

If the first noun in the compound is plural, the plural suffix -lar/-ler is dropped:

• Ev kapısı (house door), not evler kapısı (houses' door).

• Araba lastiği (car tire), not arabalar lastiği (cars' tire).

However, some exceptions exist, particularly with certain fixed phrases or expressions where the plural suffix is retained.

Proper Nouns in Turkish

Proper nouns, such as names of people, places, and brands, always begin with a capital letter in Turkish. Unlike in English, when suffixes are added to proper nouns, an apostrophe is used to separate them.

Examples:

• Türkiye’den geldim (I came from Turkey).

• Ali’nin arabası var (Ali has a car).

• İstanbul’un havası değişken (Istanbul’s weather is unpredictable).

One major difference from English is that in Turkish, days of the week and months are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

For example:

• pazartesi günü (on Monday).

• ocak ayında (in January).

• Nisan ayında çok yağmur yağar (It rains a lot in April – "Nisan" is capitalized because it is the first word of the sentence).

Abstract and Concrete Nouns in Turkish

Turkish nouns can be either concrete or abstract.

Concrete nouns are things that can be seen, touched, or perceived with the senses:

• Ağaç (tree)

• Su (water)

• Masa (table)

• Köpek (dog)

Abstract nouns refer to emotions, concepts, and intangible ideas:

• Aşk (love)

• Özgürlük (freedom)

• Bilgi (knowledge)

• Mutluluk (happiness)

Many abstract nouns in Turkish are derived from verbs by adding the suffix -lık / -lik / -luk / -lük, depending on vowel harmony.

For example:

• Güzel (beautiful) → Güzellik (beauty)

• Özgür (free) → Özgürlük (freedom)

• Bilgi (knowledge) is derived from bilmek (to know).

Turkish Nouns and Loanwords

Turkish has borrowed many nouns from other languages, particularly Arabic, Persian, French, and English. While many of these words have been fully integrated into the language, some retain their original sounds and do not always follow Turkish vowel harmony rules.

Examples of loanwords:

• Televizyon (television) – from French

• Hastane (hospital) – from Persian

• Sigara (cigarette) – from Italian

• Şirket (company) – from Arabic

Despite their foreign origins, these words still take Turkish suffixes when needed:

• Televizyonum (my television)

• Hastaneler (hospitals)

• Şirketiniz (your company).

Turkish Cases

Turkish is an agglutinative language, meaning that words, including nouns and pronouns, take suffixes to indicate grammatical relationships. One of the most fundamental aspects of Turkish grammar is the use of cases, which modify nouns to express different roles in a sentence. Turkish has six primary cases: nominative, accusative, dative, locative, ablative, and genitive. Each of these cases plays a specific role and follows vowel harmony rules.

The Nominative Case (Base Form)

The nominative case is the default form of a noun, meaning it appears without any suffix. It is used primarily for the subject of a sentence.

Examples:

• Kedi uyuyor (The cat is sleeping).

• Kitap masada (The book is on the table).

• Ali futbol oynuyor (Ali is playing football).

In these examples, kedi (cat), kitap (book), and Ali are in their base forms because they serve as the subjects of their respective sentences.

The Accusative Case (Specific Object)

The accusative case is used when referring to a specific, definite object in a sentence. This case takes the suffix -ı, -i, -u, -ü, depending on vowel harmony. If the noun ends in a vowel, the buffer letter y is added before the suffix.

Examples:

• Kitabı aldım (I took the book).

• Köpeği gördüm (I saw the dog).

• Arabayı sürdü (He/She drove the car).

If the object is not specific, the noun remains in its base form without the accusative suffix:

• Kitap aldım (I bought a book).

• Köpek gördüm (I saw a dog).

In the first set of examples, kitabı (the book), köpeği (the dog), and arabayı (the car) are definite objects and take the accusative suffix. In contrast, in the second set, kitap (a book) and köpek (a dog) remain in the nominative form because they are indefinite.

The Dative Case (Direction, To, Towards)

The dative case indicates movement towards a noun or direction. It takes the suffix -a, -e, following vowel harmony. If the noun ends in a vowel, the buffer letter y is inserted.

Examples:

• Okula gidiyorum (I am going to school).

• Kediye yemek verdim (I gave food to the cat).

• Ali’ye bir hediye aldım (I bought a gift for Ali).

In these examples, okula (to the school), kediye (to the cat), and Ali’ye (to Ali) show movement or direction towards something.

The Locative Case (Location, In, At, On)

The locative case expresses where something is located. It takes the suffix -da, -de, following vowel harmony. If the noun ends in a vowel, no buffer letter is needed.

Examples:

• Evdeyim (I am at home).

• Kitap masada (The book is on the table).

• Parkta çocuklar oynuyor (Children are playing in the park).

Here, evde (at home), masada (on the table), and parkta (in the park) show the location of the subject in each sentence.

The Ablative Case (From, Out of)

The ablative case expresses movement away from something, the source of an action, or origin. It takes the suffix -dan, -den, following vowel harmony. If the noun ends in a vowel, the buffer letter n is inserted.

Examples:

• Okuldan geldim (I came from school).

• Masadan kalemi aldım (I took the pen from the table).

• Ali’den bir haber aldım (I received news from Ali).

In these examples, okuldan (from school), masadan (from the table), and Ali’den (from Ali) indicate movement away from a place or source.

The Genitive Case (Possession, Of)

The genitive case is used to indicate possession or association. It takes the suffix -ın, -in, -un, -ün, following vowel harmony. This case must always be followed by a noun that takes a possessive suffix.

Examples:

• Ali’nin kitabı (Ali’s book).

• Köpeğin maması (The dog’s food).

• Şehrin havası çok soğuk (The city’s weather is very cold).

Here, Ali’nin (Ali’s), köpeğin (the dog’s), and şehrin (the city’s) take the genitive suffix, while kitabı (his/her/its book), maması (its food), and havası (its weather) take a corresponding possessive suffix to complete the possessive structure.

Case Usage in Sentences

To illustrate the use of cases, consider the noun kitap (book):

• Kitap masada (The book is on the table). → Locative case

• Kitabı aldım (I took the book). → Accusative case

• Kitaptan bahsetti (He/She talked about the book). → Ablative case

• Kitaba baktı (He/She looked at the book). → Dative case

• Kitabın rengi mavi (The color of the book is blue). → Genitive case

Each of these sentences demonstrates how Turkish cases modify the noun kitap depending on its grammatical role in the sentence.

Turkish Adjectives

Adjectives in Turkish are words that describe or modify nouns. They can indicate qualities, colors, sizes, shapes, emotions, numbers, and other attributes of a noun. Unlike in many languages, Turkish adjectives do not change based on gender or number. Whether a noun is singular or plural, the adjective remains the same.

For example:

• Büyük ev (big house)

• Büyük evler (big houses)

In both cases, büyük (big) does not change even though ev (house) is singular in the first sentence and plural in the second.

Adjective Placement in Turkish

In Turkish, adjectives always come before the noun they modify. Unlike in English, they do not follow the noun.

Examples:

• Güzel kadın (beautiful woman)

• Yeşil ağaç (green tree)

• Küçük çocuk (small child)

If the adjective appears after the noun, it usually functions as a part of a sentence with a verb.

Examples:

• Bu kadın güzel (This woman is beautiful).

• Ağaç yeşil (The tree is green).

• Çocuk küçük (The child is small).

In these cases, the adjective acts as the predicate and describes the noun with the help of an implicit verb like olmak (to be).

Common Types of Adjectives in Turkish

1. Descriptive Adjectives

These adjectives express qualities, characteristics, or conditions of a noun.

Examples:

• Uzun yol (long road)

• Soğuk su (cold water)

• Parlak ışık (bright light)

• Hızlı araba (fast car)

2. Color Adjectives

Turkish has many adjectives for colors, which function just like descriptive adjectives.

Examples:

• Mavi gökyüzü (blue sky)

• Beyaz masa (white table)

• Kırmızı elbise (red dress)

• Siyah kedi (black cat)

3. Size and Shape Adjectives

These adjectives describe the size, dimensions, or shape of an object.

Examples:

• Geniş oda (wide room)

• Dar sokak (narrow street)

• Yuvarlak masa (round table)

• Kısa hikâye (short story)

4. Quantity Adjectives

These adjectives express amount or quantity and often appear before countable or uncountable nouns.

Examples:

• Bir elma (one apple)

• Çok insan (many people)

• Az şeker (little sugar)

• Bazı kitaplar (some books)+

5. Demonstrative Adjectives

These adjectives indicate which object or person is being referred to.

Examples:

• Bu ev (this house)

• Şu adam (that man)

• O masa (that table over there)

• Bunlar güzel çiçekler (These are beautiful flowers).

6. Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives indicate who owns or possesses something. In Turkish, personal pronouns function as possessive adjectives.

Examples:

• Benim kitabım (my book)

• Senin araban (your car)

• Onun evi (his/her/its house)

• Bizim öğretmenimiz (our teacher)

Unlike English, Turkish possessive adjectives always require the noun to take a possessive suffix.

Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives

Comparative Adjectives (More/Less … than)

In Turkish, the comparative form is formed by adding the word daha (more) before the adjective. To indicate comparison, the noun being compared is placed in the ablative case using the suffix -dan / -den.

Examples:

• Bu ev daha büyük (This house is bigger).

• Köpek kediden daha hızlı (The dog is faster than the cat).

• Ali, Mehmet’ten daha çalışkan (Ali is more hardworking than Mehmet).

• Bu film daha ilginç (This movie is more interesting).

For less than, the word daha az (less) is used:

• Bu oda daha az sıcak (This room is less hot).

• Bu kitap diğerinden daha az ilginç (This book is less interesting than the other).

Superlative Adjectives (The Most …)

To express the superlative form (the most …), the word en (the most) is added before the adjective.

Examples:

• En büyük bina burada (The biggest building is here).

• Bu en güzel elbise (This is the most beautiful dress).

• En hızlı araba Ferrari’dir (The fastest car is Ferrari).

Unlike comparative forms, superlative adjectives do not require the ablative case because they do not compare two things but instead express an absolute quality.

Adjective-Derived Words in Turkish

Many Turkish adjectives can form nouns or adverbs by adding suffixes.

1. Forming nouns from adjectives:

   • Zengin (rich) → Zenginlik (wealth)

   • Mutlu (happy) → Mutluluk (happiness)

   • Hızlı (fast) → Hız (speed)

2. Forming adverbs from adjectives:

   • Hızlı (fast) → Hızlıca (quickly)

   • Güzel (beautiful) → Güzelce (nicely, beautifully)

   • Yavaş (slow) → Yavaşça (slowly)

Adjective Agreement in Turkish

Unlike many other languages, Turkish adjectives do not change based on number or case. Whether a noun is in the nominative, accusative, dative, locative, ablative, or genitive case, the adjective remains the same.

Examples:

• Büyük köpek bahçede (The big dog is in the garden).

• Büyük köpeği gördüm (I saw the big dog).

• Büyük köpeğe yemek verdim (I gave food to the big dog).

In all of these sentences, büyük (big) does not change even though the noun köpek (dog) takes different case suffixes.

Turkish Pronouns

Pronouns are words that replace nouns to avoid repetition and clarify meaning. Turkish pronouns function similarly to those in English but differ in their structure and usage. Unlike many Indo-European languages, Turkish does not have gender-specific pronouns, meaning that the third-person singular pronoun applies to both males and females.

Turkish pronouns change based on case, meaning they take different suffixes depending on their function in a sentence. However, unlike nouns, pronouns do not always follow the same case suffix rules.

Personal Pronouns in Turkish

Turkish has six personal pronouns that correspond to singular and plural first, second, and third persons.

• Ben (I)

• Sen (You - singular, informal)

• O (He/She/It)

• Biz (We)

• Siz (You - plural or formal singular)

• Onlar (They)

Examples in sentences:

• Ben doktorum (I am a doctor).

• Sen çok hızlı konuşuyorsun (You speak very fast).

• O çok çalışkan bir öğrenci (He/She is a very hardworking student).

• Biz bugün sinemaya gidiyoruz (We are going to the cinema today).

• Siz hangi ülkeden geliyorsunuz? (Which country are you from? - formal or plural).

• Onlar tatilde (They are on vacation).

Possessive Pronouns in Turkish

Possessive pronouns show ownership. In Turkish, possession is typically expressed with possessive suffixes, so standalone possessive pronouns are rarely used unless emphasizing ownership.

The Turkish possessive pronouns are:

• Benim (Mine/My)

• Senin (Yours/Your)

• Onun (His/Her/Its)

• Bizim (Ours/Our)

• Sizin (Yours/Your - plural/formal)

• Onların (Theirs/Their)

Examples in sentences:

• Bu benim kalemim (This is my pen).

• Senin telefonun nerede? (Where is your phone?).

• Onun arabası kırmızı (His/Her car is red).

• Bizim evimiz büyük (Our house is big).

• Sizin planınız nedir? (What is your plan? - formal or plural).

• Onların çocukları çok zeki (Their children are very smart).

Object Pronouns in Turkish

Object pronouns replace the object of a sentence. Unlike English, Turkish object pronouns take different forms depending on whether they are used with a specific or unspecific object.

• Beni (Me)

• Seni (You - singular, informal)

• Onu (Him/Her/It)

• Bizi (Us)

• Sizi (You - plural/formal)

• Onları (Them)

Examples in sentences:

• Beni hatırlıyor musun? (Do you remember me?).

• Seni çok seviyorum (I love you very much).

• Onu dün gördüm (I saw him/her/it yesterday).

• Bizi arabayla alacaklar (They will pick us up by car).

• Sizi arayacağım (I will call you - plural or formal).

• Onları okulda gördüm (I saw them at school).

Reflexive Pronouns in Turkish

Reflexive pronouns indicate that the subject and object of the sentence are the same. In Turkish, reflexive pronouns are formed using "kendi" plus a possessive suffix.

• Kendim (Myself)

• Kendin (Yourself - singular, informal)

• Kendisi (Himself/Herself/Itself)

• Kendimiz (Ourselves)

• Kendiniz (Yourselves - plural/formal)

• Kendileri (Themselves)

Examples in sentences:

• Bunu kendim yaptım (I did this myself).

• Kendin denemelisin (You should try it yourself).

• O bunu kendisi seçti (He/She chose this himself/herself).

• Biz kararımızı kendimiz verdik (We made our decision ourselves).

• Siz kendiniz karar verebilirsiniz (You can decide for yourselves).

• Onlar kendileri gitmek istediler (They wanted to go themselves).

Demonstrative Pronouns in Turkish

Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out specific things.

• Bu (This)

• Şu (That - closer to the listener)

• O (That - far from both the speaker and listener)

• Bunlar (These)

• Şunlar (Those - closer to the listener)

• Onlar (Those - far from both the speaker and listener)

Examples in sentences:

• Bu çok güzel (This is very beautiful).

• Şu kapıyı açabilir misin? (Can you open that door?).

• O çok pahalı (That is very expensive).

• Bunlar benim kitaplarım (These are my books).

• Şunlar senin ayakkabıların mı? (Are those your shoes?).

• Onlar çok eski (Those are very old).

Interrogative Pronouns in Turkish

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions.

• Kim? (Who?)

• Ne? (What?)

• Hangisi? (Which one?)

• Nerede? (Where?)

• Ne zaman? (When?)

• Neden? (Why?)

• Nasıl? (How?)

Examples in sentences:

• Bu kim? (Who is this?).

• Ne yapıyorsun? (What are you doing?).

• Hangisini tercih edersin? (Which one do you prefer?).

• Anahtarlar nerede? (Where are the keys?).

• Ne zaman geleceksin? (When will you come?).

• Neden üzgünsün? (Why are you sad?).

• Bu yemek nasıl? (How is this food?).

Indefinite Pronouns in Turkish

Indefinite pronouns are used to refer to non-specific people or things.

• Biri (Someone)

• Hiç kimse (Nobody)

• Her şey (Everything)

• Bazı (Some)

• Birkaç (A few)

Examples in sentences:

• Biri kapıyı çaldı (Someone knocked on the door).

• Hiç kimse burada değil (Nobody is here).

• Her şey yolunda (Everything is fine).

• Bazı insanlar sabırsızdır (Some people are impatient).

• Birkaç gün beklememiz gerekiyor (We need to wait a few days).

Turkish Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show relationships between nouns, pronouns, and other words in a sentence. In English, prepositions like in, on, at, with, about, for, from, and to are separate words. However, Turkish does not have prepositions in the same way as English. Instead, Turkish uses postpositions, case suffixes, and compound expressions to convey similar meanings.

In Turkish, many relationships that prepositions indicate in English are expressed through noun cases (such as locative, ablative, and dative) or postpositions (which function similarly to prepositions but come after the noun instead of before it).

Prepositions Expressed Through Case Suffixes

Unlike in English, where prepositions are separate words, Turkish often uses case suffixes to indicate meaning. The most common cases used for this purpose are:

• Dative (-a, -e) → "to, toward, for"

• Ablative (-dan, -den) → "from, out of, since, about"

• Locative (-da, -de) → "in, on, at"

• Genitive (-ın, -in, -un, -ün) + Possessive Suffix → "of"

Dative Case (To, Toward, For)

The dative case expresses movement towards a place or an object.

Examples:

• Okula gidiyorum (I am going to school).

• Size bir hediye aldım (I bought a gift for you).

• Kitaba baktım (I looked at the book).

Ablative Case (From, Out of, About, Since)

The ablative case expresses movement away from something, origin, cause, or the topic of discussion.

Examples:

• İstanbul’dan geldim (I came from Istanbul).

• Masadan bir kalem aldım (I took a pen from the table).

• Bu filmden hoşlanıyorum (I like this movie).

Locative Case (In, On, At)

The locative case expresses location.

Examples:

• Evdeyim (I am at home).

• Kitap masada (The book is on the table).

• Denizde yüzüyorum (I am swimming in the sea).

Genitive Case (Of, Belonging To)

The genitive case is used to indicate possession or relationships.

Examples:

• Ali’nin kitabı (Ali’s book).

• Türkiye’nin başkenti Ankara’dır (The capital of Turkey is Ankara).

• Filmin sonu çok güzeldi (The ending of the movie was very beautiful).

Common Postpositions in Turkish

Since Turkish does not use prepositions like English, it relies on postpositions, which function similarly but come after the noun instead of before it.

İçin (For, Because of, In order to)

İçin expresses purpose, reason, or benefit. It follows the noun or pronoun.

Examples:

• Bu hediye senin için (This gift is for you).

• Okul için yeni kıyafetler aldım (I bought new clothes for school).

• Sağlığım için spor yapıyorum (I exercise for my health).

Gibi (Like, As, Similar to)

Gibi is used for comparisons and expressing similarity.

Examples:

• O, annesi gibi konuşuyor (She speaks like her mother).

• Bu elbise senin gibi güzel (This dress is as beautiful as you).

• Kedi yastık gibi yumuşak (The cat is soft like a pillow).

Kadar (As much as, Until, Up to)

Kadar is used to express comparisons, limits, or approximate amounts.

Examples:

• Benim kadar çalışkan biri yok (There is no one as hardworking as me).

• Ders saat 3’e kadar sürecek (The lesson will last until 3 o’clock).

• Bu kitap seninki kadar kalın değil (This book is not as thick as yours).

Sonra (After, Later)

Sonra means "after" or "later" and follows a noun or verb.

Examples:

• Yemekten sonra sinemaya gideceğiz (After dinner, we will go to the cinema).

• Mezun olduktan sonra çalışmaya başladım (After graduating, I started working).

• Bir saat sonra seni arayacağım (I will call you in an hour).

Önce (Before, Ago)

Önce means "before" or "ago" and is used in temporal expressions.

Examples:

• Ders başlamadan önce kahve içtim (I drank coffee before the class started).

• Bir yıl önce taşındık (We moved a year ago).

• Toplantıdan önce hazır olmalısın (You must be ready before the meeting).

Beraber / İle (With, Together with)

Beraber and ile express accompaniment or being together. İle is sometimes shortened to "-le" or "-la" and attached to the noun.

Examples:

• Annemle alışverişe gittim (I went shopping with my mother).

• Seninle konuşmak istiyorum (I want to talk with you).

• Ali arkadaşıyla geldi (Ali came with his friend).

Hakkında (About, Regarding)

Hakkında is used when talking about a topic or subject.

Examples:

• Bu kitap Atatürk hakkında (This book is about Atatürk).

• Senin hakkında çok şey duydum (I have heard a lot about you).

• Film hakkında ne düşünüyorsun? (What do you think about the movie?).

Yüzünden (Because of, Due to - Negative Connotation)

Yüzünden is used for negative causes or reasons.

Examples:

• Hava koşulları yüzünden uçuş iptal edildi (The flight was canceled because of the weather conditions).

• Senin yüzünden geç kaldım (I was late because of you).

• Kazanın sebebi dikkatsizlik yüzünden (The cause of the accident was carelessness).

Sayesinde (Thanks to - Positive Connotation)

Sayesinde is used for positive causes or reasons.

Examples:

• Senin sayende bu işi başardım (I succeeded in this job thanks to you).

• Teknoloji sayesinde hayat daha kolay (Life is easier thanks to technology).

• Öğretmenimizin sayesinde sınavı geçtik (We passed the exam thanks to our teacher).

Turkish Adverbs

Adverbs are essential in Turkish because they modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing details about how, when, where, or to what extent an action happens. Unlike adjectives, adverbs do not agree with the noun in number or case, making them relatively simple in structure.

In Turkish, adverbs are formed in different ways. Some are standalone words, while others are derived from adjectives. Many adverbs are also used in idiomatic expressions that add depth to the language.

Types of Adverbs in Turkish

Turkish adverbs can be categorized into different groups based on their function:

• Adverbs of Manner (nasıl zarfları) – Describe how an action happens

• Adverbs of Time (zaman zarfları) – Indicate when an action happens

• Adverbs of Place (yer-yön zarfları) – Describe where an action happens

• Adverbs of Frequency (sıklık zarfları) – Show how often an action happens

• Adverbs of Degree (derece zarfları) – Indicate the intensity of an action

Adverbs of Manner (How?)

Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed. In Turkish, they often correspond to English adverbs ending in "-ly" (quickly, slowly, happily). Many Turkish adverbs of manner are identical to adjectives, meaning they do not require a special ending.

Common adverbs of manner:

• hızlı fast, quickly

• yavaş slow, slowly

• dikkatli careful, carefully

• mutlu happy, happily

• üzgün sad, sadly

• kolay easy, easily

• zor hard, with difficulty

Examples:

Hızlı konuşuyorsun. You speak quickly.
O çok yavaş yürüyor. He/she/they walk very slowly.
Bu soruyu kolay çözdüm. I solved this question easily.
Beni dikkatli dinleyin. Listen to me carefully.
Derslerini zor yaptığını söyledi. He/she/they said that they did their homework with difficulty.

Some adverbs of manner are formed by adding "-ce" or "-ça" to an adjective.

Examples:

Türkçeyi akıcı konuşuyor. He/she/they speak Turkish fluently.
Konuyu bilimsel açıdan inceledi. He/she/they examined the topic scientifically.
Öğretmen sabırlıca açıkladı. The teacher explained patiently.

Adverbs of Time (When?)

Adverbs of time tell when an action happens. Some are specific (like yesterday, tomorrow), while others are general (like soon, always).

Common adverbs of time:

• şimdi now

• hemen immediately

• bugün today

• yarın tomorrow

• dün yesterday

• önce before

• sonra later, then

• geç late

• erken early

Examples:

Şimdi dışarı çıkıyoruz. We are going out now.
Ders hemen başlayacak. The lesson will start immediately.
Dün seni aradım ama ulaşamadım. I called you yesterday, but I couldn’t reach you.
Toplantı biraz sonra başlayacak. The meeting will start a little later.
Sabah çok erken kalkıyorum. I wake up very early in the morning.

Adverbs of Place (Where?)

Adverbs of place describe where an action takes place. They answer the question "Nerede?" (Where?). Some adverbs of place are also used to indicate movement (towards or away from a location).

Common adverbs of place:

• burada here

• orada there

• şurada over there

• içeride inside

• dışarıda outside

• aşağıda downstairs, below

• yukarıda upstairs, above

• ileride ahead

• geride behind, at the back

Examples:

Burada bekleyin. Wait here.
Dışarıda çok soğuk. It is very cold outside.
Öğretmen yukarıda seni bekliyor. The teacher is waiting for you upstairs.
İçeride kimse yok. There is nobody inside.

Some adverbs of place indicate movement:

Aşağı inelim. Let’s go down.
Dışarı çıkmalıyız. We should go outside.
Yukarı çıkarken dikkatli ol. Be careful when going upstairs.

Adverbs of Frequency (How Often?)

Adverbs of frequency describe how often an action happens. They answer the question "Ne sıklıkla?" (How often?).

Common adverbs of frequency:

• her zaman always

• genellikle usually

• sık sık often

• bazen sometimes

• nadiren rarely

• hiçbir zaman never

Examples:

Her zaman erken kalkarım. I always wake up early.
Genellikle hafta sonları spor yaparım. I usually exercise on weekends.
Bazen dışarıda yemek yeriz. Sometimes we eat outside.
Hiçbir zaman yalan söylemem. I never lie.

Adverbs of Degree (To What Extent?)

Adverbs of degree modify adjectives or other adverbs, indicating the intensity or extent of an action.

Common adverbs of degree:

• çok very, much

• az a little, less

• oldukça quite

• tamamen completely

• fazla too much

• kesinlikle definitely

Examples:

Bu film çok güzel. This movie is very good.
O konu hakkında az bilgim var. I have little knowledge about that topic.
Oldukça zor bir sınavdı. It was quite a difficult exam.
Kesinlikle doğru söylüyor. He/she/they are definitely telling the truth.

Word Order with Adverbs

• Adverbs usually appear before the verb they modify.

• Adverbs of degree appear before adjectives.

• Time and frequency adverbs can appear at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Examples:

Hızlı konuşuyor. He/she/they speak fast.
Çok güzel bir şehir. A very beautiful city.
Bazen parkta yürüyüş yaparım. Sometimes I take a walk in the park.

Present Tense in Turkish

The present tense in Turkish is used to describe actions that happen regularly, habits, general truths, and ongoing actions. It corresponds to both the present simple (I eat, you go, she works) and the present continuous (I am eating, you are going, she is working) in English, depending on the context.

In Turkish, there are two main forms of the present tense:

• Aorist tense (Geniş zaman) – used for general truths, habits, and repeated actions.

• Present continuous tense (Şimdiki zaman) – used for actions happening right now or in a particular period.

This section focuses on the aorist tense, which is the primary way to express habitual and general actions in Turkish.

Formation of the Present Tense (Aorist Tense)

The aorist tense is formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb root. The choice of suffix depends on vowel harmony and consonant harmony rules.

Personal Endings for the Aorist Tense

The verb stem is modified by adding the appropriate aorist suffix followed by the personal ending. The suffixes change according to the last vowel of the verb root due to vowel harmony.

There are two main aorist suffixes: -r and -er / -ar. The correct one is chosen based on whether the verb root ends in a vowel or consonant.

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in the Present Tense

Verbs Ending in a Vowel

When a verb ends in a vowel, the aorist suffix -r is added directly.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okurum I read
sen okursun you read
o okur he/she/it reads
biz okuruz we read
siz okursunuz you (plural/formal) read
onlar okurlar they read

Example: uyumak (to sleep)
ben uyurum I sleep
sen uyursun you sleep
o uyur he/she/it sleeps
biz uyuruz we sleep
siz uyursunuz you (plural/formal) sleep
onlar uyurlar they sleep

Verbs Ending in a Consonant

When a verb ends in a consonant, the -er / -ar suffix is used according to vowel harmony.

Example: yazmak (to write)
ben yazarım I write
sen yazarsın you write
o yazar he/she/it writes
biz yazarız we write
siz yazarsınız you (plural/formal) write
onlar yazarlar they write

Example: çizmek (to draw)
ben çizerim I draw
sen çizersin you draw
o çizer he/she/it draws
biz çizeriz we draw
siz çizersiniz you (plural/formal) draw
onlar çizerler they draw

Irregularities in the Present Tense

Some verbs undergo minor consonant changes when conjugated in the aorist tense. This usually happens when the verb root ends in certain consonants (p, ç, t, k), which may change to b, c, d, ğ respectively.

Example: gitmek (to go)
ben giderim I go
sen gidersin you go
o gider he/she/it goes
biz gideriz we go
siz gidersiniz you (plural/formal) go
onlar giderler they go

Example: etmek (to do)
ben ederim I do
sen edersin you do
o eder he/she/it does
biz ederiz we do
siz edersiniz you (plural/formal) do
onlar ederler they do

Usage of the Present Tense

Expressing Habits or Repeated Actions

The aorist tense is used for habits, routines, or actions that happen repeatedly.

Examples:
Her sabah kahve içerim. I drink coffee every morning.
Sen her gün spor yaparsın. You exercise every day.
O kitap okur. He/she/they read books.

Expressing General Truths

It is also used to state facts or general truths.

Examples:
Su 100 derecede kaynar. Water boils at 100 degrees.
Güneş doğudan doğar. The sun rises from the east.
Bitkiler fotosentez yapar. Plants perform photosynthesis.

Expressing Future Intentions

In some cases, the aorist tense can refer to a planned or expected future event.

Examples:
Yarın sinemaya gideriz. We will go to the cinema tomorrow.
Sen bize akşam yemeğine gelir misin? Will you come to dinner with us?
Onlar tatilde denize girerler. They will swim in the sea on vacation.

Making Polite Requests or Offers

The aorist tense is often used in polite offers and requests.

Examples:
Bir kahve alır mısınız? Would you like a coffee?
Bize katılır mısın? Would you join us?
Yardım eder misiniz? Could you help?

Negation in the Present Tense

To negate a sentence in the present tense, the suffix -mez / -maz is added before the personal ending.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okumam I do not read
sen okumazsın you do not read
o okumaz he/she/it does not read
biz okumayız we do not read
siz okumazsınız you (plural/formal) do not read
onlar okumazlar they do not read

Examples in sentences:
Ben sabah kahve içmem. I do not drink coffee in the morning.
O hiç spor yapmaz. He/she/they never exercise.
Biz fast food yemeyiz. We do not eat fast food.

Questions in the Present Tense

To form a yes/no question, the interrogative particle -mı / -mi / -mu / -mü is added after the verb.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okur muyum? Do I read?
sen okur musun? Do you read?
o okur mu? Does he/she/it read?
biz okur muyuz? Do we read?
siz okur musunuz? Do you (plural/formal) read?
onlar okur mu? Do they read?

Examples in sentences:
Her gün spor yapar mısın? Do you exercise every day?
O yemek pişirir mi? Does he/she/they cook food?
Biz burada yaşar mıyız? Do we live here?

Past Tense in Turkish

Turkish Grammar: The Past Tense

The past tense in Turkish is used to describe actions that have already happened. Turkish has two main past tenses:

• Definite past tense (di’li geçmiş zaman) – used for events that the speaker personally witnessed or knows for certain.

• Reported past tense (miş’li geçmiş zaman) – used for events that were not directly witnessed by the speaker but learned from others or inferred.

This section focuses on the definite past tense, which is the most commonly used form when talking about past events.

Formation of the Definite Past Tense (di’li geçmiş zaman)

The definite past tense is formed by adding the -di / -dı / -du / -dü suffix to the verb root, followed by the personal endings. The choice of -di / -dı / -du / -dü depends on vowel harmony:

• If the last vowel of the verb is e, i, ö, ü, the suffix is -di or -dü.

• If the last vowel of the verb is a, ı, o, u, the suffix is -dı or -du.

• If the verb ends in a voiceless consonant (p, ç, t, k, f, h, s, ş), -d becomes -t (consonant harmony).

Personal Endings in the Past Tense

The personal endings in the past tense are:

ben -m I
sen -n you (singular)
o -∅ he/she/they
biz -k we
siz -niz / -nız / -nuz / -nüz you (plural/formal)
onlar -ler / -lar they

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in the Past Tense

Verbs Ending in a Vowel

When a verb ends in a vowel, the -di / -dı / -du / -dü suffix is added directly.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okudum I read
sen okudun you read
o okudu he/she/they read
biz okuduk we read
siz okudunuz you (plural/formal) read
onlar okudular they read

Example: uyumak (to sleep)
ben uyudum I slept
sen uyudun you slept
o uyudu he/she/they slept
biz uyuduk we slept
siz uyudunuz you (plural/formal) slept
onlar uyudular they slept

Verbs Ending in a Consonant

When a verb ends in a consonant, the same -di / -dı / -du / -dü suffix is added.

Example: yazmak (to write)
ben yazdım I wrote
sen yazdın you wrote
o yazdı he/she/they wrote
biz yazdık we wrote
siz yazdınız you (plural/formal) wrote
onlar yazdılar they wrote

Example: çizmek (to draw)
ben çizdim I drew
sen çizdin you drew
o çizdi he/she/they drew
biz çizdik we drew
siz çizdiniz you (plural/formal) drew
onlar çizdiler they drew

Irregularities in the Past Tense

Some verbs undergo minor changes due to consonant harmony. When a verb ends in p, ç, t, k, these letters change to b, c, d, ğ before the past tense suffix.

Example: gitmek (to go)
ben gittim I went
sen gittin you went
o gitti he/she/they went
biz gittik we went
siz gittiniz you (plural/formal) went
onlar gittiler they went

Example: etmek (to do)
ben ettim I did
sen ettin you did
o etti he/she/they did
biz ettik we did
siz ettiniz you (plural/formal) did
onlar ettiler they did

Usage of the Past Tense

Expressing Completed Actions

The definite past tense is used for actions that happened in the past and were completed.

Examples:
Dün sinemaya gittim. I went to the cinema yesterday.
Sen sabah kahvaltı yaptın. You had breakfast in the morning.
Biz geçen hafta tatile çıktık. We went on vacation last week.

Narrating Past Events

It is also used when telling stories or describing past experiences.

Examples:
Bir zamanlar büyük bir şehirde yaşadım. Once upon a time, I lived in a big city.
Geçen yıl çok kitap okudum. Last year, I read a lot of books.
Onlar eski bir evde büyüdüler. They grew up in an old house.

Stating Past Conditions

It can describe past states, feelings, or conditions.

Examples:
Hava dün çok soğuktu. The weather was very cold yesterday.
Çocukken çok utangaçtım. I was very shy as a child.
O çok mutlu oldu. He/she/they became very happy.

Negation in the Past Tense

To negate a sentence in the past tense, the suffix -me / -ma is added before the past tense ending.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okumadım I did not read
sen okumadın you did not read
o okumadı he/she/they did not read
biz okumadık we did not read
siz okumadınız you (plural/formal) did not read
onlar okumadılar they did not read

Examples in sentences:
Ben dün kahve içmedim. I did not drink coffee yesterday.
Sen geçen hafta çalışmadın. You did not work last week.
Biz filmi izlemedik. We did not watch the movie.

Questions in the Past Tense

To form a yes/no question, the interrogative particle -mı / -mi / -mu / -mü is added after the verb.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okudum mu? Did I read?
sen okudun mu? Did you read?
o okudu mu? Did he/she/they read?
biz okuduk mu? Did we read?
siz okudunuz mu? Did you (plural/formal) read?
onlar okudular mı? Did they read?

Examples in sentences:
Dün sinemaya gittin mi? Did you go to the cinema yesterday?
O sana mesaj attı mı? Did he/she/they send you a message?
Biz geçen yıl tatile çıktık mı? Did we go on vacation last year?

Future Tense in Turkish

The future tense in Turkish is used to express actions that will take place at a later time. It corresponds to the English "will" or "shall", as in I will go, she will study, or we will see.

In Turkish, the future tense is formed by adding the suffix -acak / -ecek to the verb stem, followed by personal endings. The choice between -acak and -ecek depends on vowel harmony.

Formation of the Future Tense

The -acak / -ecek suffix attaches to the root of the verb. The vowel in the suffix changes based on the last vowel of the verb root:

• If the last vowel is a, ı, o, u, the suffix is -acak.

• If the last vowel is e, i, ö, ü, the suffix is -ecek.

After adding -acak / -ecek, the personal endings are added to indicate the subject of the verb.

Personal Endings in the Future Tense

ben -ım / -im / -um / -üm I
sen -sın / -sin / -sun / -sün you (singular)
o -∅ he/she/they
biz -ız / -iz / -uz / -üz we
siz -sınız / -siniz / -sunuz / -sünüz you (plural/formal)
onlar -lar / -ler they

Conjugation of Regular Verbs in the Future Tense

Verbs Ending in a Vowel

When a verb root ends in a vowel, -y- is inserted before the suffix -acak / -ecek to avoid vowel collision.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okuyacağım I will read
sen okuyacaksın you will read
o okuyacak he/she/they will read
biz okuyacağız we will read
siz okuyacaksınız you (plural/formal) will read
onlar okuyacaklar they will read

Example: uyumak (to sleep)
ben uyuyacağım I will sleep
sen uyuyacaksın you will sleep
o uyuyacak he/she/they will sleep
biz uyuyacağız we will sleep
siz uyuyacaksınız you (plural/formal) will sleep
onlar uyuyacaklar they will sleep

Verbs Ending in a Consonant

If a verb ends in a consonant, -acak / -ecek is attached directly to the verb root.

Example: yazmak (to write)
ben yazacağım I will write
sen yazacaksın you will write
o yazacak he/she/they will write
biz yazacağız we will write
siz yazacaksınız you (plural/formal) will write
onlar yazacaklar they will write

Example: çizmek (to draw)
ben çizeceğim I will draw
sen çizeceksin you will draw
o çizecek he/she/they will draw
biz çizeceğiz we will draw
siz çizeceksiniz you (plural/formal) will draw
onlar çizecekler they will draw

Irregularities in the Future Tense

Some verbs undergo slight changes due to consonant harmony. If the verb root ends in p, ç, t, k, these letters change to b, c, d, ğ when adding -acak / -ecek.

Example: gitmek (to go)
ben gideceğim I will go
sen gideceksin you will go
o gidecek he/she/they will go
biz gideceğiz we will go
siz gideceksiniz you (plural/formal) will go
onlar gidecekler they will go

Example: etmek (to do)
ben edeceğim I will do
sen edeceksin you will do
o edecek he/she/they will do
biz edeceğiz we will do
siz edeceksiniz you (plural/formal) will do
onlar edecekler they will do

Usage of the Future Tense

Expressing Future Actions

The future tense is used to describe actions that will take place later.

Examples:
Yarın okula gideceğim. I will go to school tomorrow.
Sen gelecek hafta sınava gireceksin. You will take the exam next week.
Biz yazın tatile çıkacağız. We will go on vacation in summer.

Making Predictions

It is also used to make predictions about future events.

Examples:
Hava yarın yağmurlu olacak. The weather will be rainy tomorrow.
Bu maç çok heyecanlı geçecek. This match will be very exciting.
O film çok popüler olacak. That movie will be very popular.

Expressing Promises or Intentions

The future tense is commonly used to express promises or intentions.

Examples:
Sana yardım edeceğim. I will help you.
O, her zaman seni destekleyecek. He/she/they will always support you.
Daha çok çalışacağım. I will study more.

Giving Commands or Instructions Politely

It can also be used to give instructions or polite commands.

Examples:
Saat sekizde burada olacaksınız. You will be here at 8 o’clock.
Misafirlerimize iyi davranacaksınız. You will treat our guests well.

Negation in the Future Tense

To negate a sentence in the future tense, the suffix -mayacak / -meyecek is used before the personal endings.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okumayacağım I will not read
sen okumayacaksın you will not read
o okumayacak he/she/they will not read
biz okumayacağız we will not read
siz okumayacaksınız you (plural/formal) will not read
onlar okumayacaklar they will not read

Examples in sentences:
Ben yarın okula gitmeyeceğim. I will not go to school tomorrow.
Sen bu kitabı okumayacaksın. You will not read this book.
Onlar bize katılmayacaklar. They will not join us.

Questions in the Future Tense

To form a yes/no question, the interrogative particle -mı / -mi / -mu / -mü is added after the verb.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okuyacak mıyım? Will I read?
sen okuyacak mısın? Will you read?
o okuyacak mı? Will he/she/they read?
biz okuyacak mıyız? Will we read?
siz okuyacak mısınız? Will you (plural/formal) read?
onlar okuyacaklar mı? Will they read?

Examples in sentences:
Yarın okula gidecek misin? Will you go to school tomorrow?
Bu akşam sinemaya gidecek miyiz? Will we go to the cinema tonight?

Imperatives in Turkish

The imperative mood in Turkish is used to give commands, instructions, requests, warnings, advice, or suggestions. It corresponds to English phrases like Go!, Come here!, Listen carefully!, or Let's go!.

The Turkish imperative is direct and concise, as it does not require a subject. However, the verb changes depending on the person (singular, plural, formal, or inclusive "we").

Formation of the Imperative Mood

The imperative form of a verb is created by removing the personal suffixes found in regular conjugation. Different endings apply depending on whether the subject is singular (informal), plural/formal, first-person plural (inclusive "we"), or third-person (let him/her/they do something).

Imperative Forms by Person

Second-Person Singular (informal "you") – Direct Commands

The most basic imperative form is used for direct commands to a single person. The verb appears in its bare root form with no additional suffixes.

Examples:
Gel! Come!
Git! Go!
Dinle! Listen!
Konuş! Speak!
Yaz! Write!
Oku! Read!

This form is informal and is used when addressing friends, family members, or children.

Second-Person Plural or Formal Singular ("you all" or "polite you")

To give commands to multiple people or to address one person politely, the suffix -ın / -in / -un / -ün is added according to vowel harmony.

Examples:
Gelin! Come (you all)!
Gidin! Go (you all)!
Dinleyin! Listen (you all)!
Konuşun! Speak (you all)!
Yazın! Write (you all)!
Okuyun! Read (you all)!

This form is also used when speaking politely to one person, such as to a teacher, elder, or stranger.

First-Person Plural ("we") – Let’s Do Something

To make suggestions or include oneself in an action, the suffix -alım / -elim is used.

Examples:
Gidelim! Let’s go!
Konuşalım! Let’s talk!
Oynayalım! Let’s play!
Yemek yapalım! Let’s cook!
Sinemaya gidelim! Let’s go to the cinema!
Kitap okuyalım! Let’s read a book!

This form is inclusive, meaning that the speaker is also participating in the action.

Third-Person Singular ("let him/her/they do something")

To give an indirect command to someone who is not present, the suffix -sın / -sin / -sun / -sün is used.

Examples:
Gitsin! Let him/her/they go!
Konuşsun! Let him/her/they speak!
Yazsın! Let him/her/they write!
Bize katılsın! Let him/her/they join us!

This form is used when the command is not directed at the listener but at a third party.

Third-Person Plural ("let them do something")

To give a command to a group of people who are not directly being addressed, -sınlar / -sinler / -sunlar / -sünler is used.

Examples:
Gitsinler! Let them go!
Konuşsunlar! Let them speak!
Bizi beklesinler! Let them wait for us!
Odayı temizlesinler! Let them clean the room!

This form is commonly used in formal instructions, workplace settings, or indirect commands.

Imperative in Negative Form

To negate an imperative command, the -ma / -me suffix is placed before the imperative ending.

Negative Commands for Singular (you)

Examples:
Gelme! Don’t come!
Gitme! Don’t go!
Konuşma! Don’t speak!
Yazma! Don’t write!

Negative Commands for Plural/Formal (you all or polite you)

Examples:
Gelmeyin! Don’t come (you all)!
Gitmeyin! Don’t go (you all)!
Konuşmayın! Don’t speak (you all)!
Yazmayın! Don’t write (you all)!

Negative Commands for First-Person Plural ("let’s not")

Examples:
Gitmeyelim! Let’s not go!
Konuşmayalım! Let’s not talk!
Kitap okumayalım! Let’s not read a book!

Negative Commands for Third-Person Singular and Plural

Examples:
Görmesin! Let him/her/they not see!
Bizi beklemesin! Let him/her/they not wait for us!
Odayı temizlemesinler! Let them not clean the room!

Using the Imperative for Requests and Politeness

Since imperatives can sound very direct, polite phrases or modal verbs are often added to soften commands.

Examples:
Lütfen gel! Please come!
Bakar mısınız? Could you look?
Yardım eder misiniz? Could you help?
Bize katılır mısınız? Would you join us?
Biraz bekleyebilir misiniz? Could you wait a little?

Using the Imperative in Everyday Speech

The imperative mood is widely used in daily interactions, giving instructions, or making polite suggestions.

Giving Direct Commands

Examples:
Kapıyı aç! Open the door!
Telefonunu kapat! Turn off your phone!
Sessiz ol! Be quiet!

Making Suggestions

Examples:
Dışarı çıkalım! Let’s go outside!
Bir kahve içelim! Let’s have a coffee!

Giving Instructions

Examples:
Adınızı yazın. Write your name.
Bu formu doldurun. Fill out this form.

Making Requests

Examples:
Lütfen buraya oturun. Please sit here.
Bana bir çay getirir misiniz? Could you bring me a tea?

Passives in Turkish

The passive voice in Turkish is used to describe actions where the doer (subject) is either unknown, unimportant, or omitted. It corresponds to English structures like "The book was written", "The door was opened", or "The work is done".

The passive voice is commonly used in formal writing, news reports, academic texts, instructions, and general statements.

Formation of the Passive Voice

The passive form is created by adding specific suffixes to the verb root. The suffix depends on whether the verb root ends in a vowel or a consonant.

• For verbs ending in a vowel, the passive suffix -n is added.

• For verbs ending in a consonant, the suffix -ıl / -il / -ul / -ül is used based on vowel harmony.

• Some verbs use -in / -un / -ün as the passive suffix due to phonetic reasons.

Conjugation of the Passive Voice in Different Tenses

Present Tense (Aorist - General Truths, Habits)

The passive form in the aorist tense describes general truths, habitual actions, or timeless facts. It is formed by adding the aorist suffix -r after the passive suffix.

Example: açmak (to open) → açılmak (to be opened)
ben açılırım I am opened
sen açılırsın you are opened
o açılır he/she/it is opened
biz açılırız we are opened
siz açılırsınız you (plural/formal) are opened
onlar açılırlar they are opened

Examples in sentences:
Kapılar sabah saat yedide açılır. The doors are opened at 7 in the morning.
Bu bina her yıl yenilenir. This building is renovated every year.
Yeni kurallar hükümet tarafından belirlenir. New rules are determined by the government.

Present Continuous Tense (Action Happening Now)

To form the present continuous passive, the suffix -yor is added to the passive verb root.

Example: görmek (to see) → görülmek (to be seen)
ben görülüyorum I am being seen
sen görülüyorsun you are being seen
o görülüyor he/she/it is being seen
biz görülüyoruz we are being seen
siz görülüyorsunuz you (plural/formal) are being seen
onlar görülüyorlar they are being seen

Examples in sentences:
Yeni film şu anda sinemalarda izleniyor. The new movie is being watched in theaters right now.
Bu konu sık sık tartışılıyor. This topic is being discussed frequently.
Trafik kameraları tarafından hız sınırı kontrol ediliyor. The speed limit is being monitored by traffic cameras.

Past Tense (Action Completed in the Past)

The past passive is formed by adding -dı / -di / -du / -dü to the passive root.

Example: yazmak (to write) → yazılmak (to be written)
ben yazıldım I was written
sen yazıldın you were written
o yazıldı he/she/it was written
biz yazıldık we were written
siz yazıldınız you (plural/formal) were written
onlar yazıldılar they were written

Examples in sentences:
Kitap 2020 yılında basıldı. The book was published in 2020.
Toplantı dün iptal edildi. The meeting was canceled yesterday.
Bütün biletler çoktan satıldı. All the tickets were already sold.

Future Tense (Action That Will Happen in the Future)

The future passive is formed by adding -acak / -ecek to the passive root.

Example: temizlemek (to clean) → temizlenmek (to be cleaned)
ben temizleneceğim I will be cleaned
sen temizleneceksin you will be cleaned
o temizlenecek he/she/it will be cleaned
biz temizleneceğiz we will be cleaned
siz temizleneceksiniz you (plural/formal) will be cleaned
onlar temizlenecekler they will be cleaned

Examples in sentences:
Yeni köprü önümüzdeki yıl yapılacak. The new bridge will be built next year.
Bu yasa parlamento tarafından kabul edilecek. This law will be approved by parliament.
Şirketin yeni ofisi İstanbul'da açılacak. The company’s new office will be opened in Istanbul.

Negation in the Passive Voice

Negation in the passive voice follows the same pattern as in active voice, using the -me / -ma negation suffix.

Example: temizlenmek (to be cleaned) → temizlenmemek (not to be cleaned)
ben temizlenmem I am not cleaned
sen temizlenmezsin you are not cleaned
o temizlenmez he/she/it is not cleaned
biz temizlenmeyiz we are not cleaned
siz temizlenmezsiniz you (plural/formal) are not cleaned
onlar temizlenmezler they are not cleaned

Examples in sentences:
Bu ürün tekrar üretilmeyecek. This product will not be produced again.
Yeni kural henüz kabul edilmedi. The new rule has not been accepted yet.
Ev dün temizlenmedi. The house was not cleaned yesterday.

Usage of the Passive Voice

When the Doer is Unknown or Unimportant

Examples:
Bu bina 100 yıl önce inşa edildi. This building was built 100 years ago.
Kapılar otomatik olarak açılır. The doors open automatically.

To Make Statements More Formal

Examples:
Ödeme işlemi tamamlandı. The payment process has been completed.
Yeni yönetmelik hazırlandı. The new regulation has been prepared.

To Emphasize the Object Instead of the Doer

Examples:
Hata fark edildi. The mistake was noticed.
Tüm sorular dikkatlice yanıtlandı. All the questions were answered carefully.

Negation in Turkish

Negation in Turkish is formed using different methods depending on tense, mood, and sentence structure. Unlike English, which often uses "not", "never", or "no", Turkish relies on specific suffixes, auxiliary verbs, and negative words to express negation.

Negation is commonly used to deny an action, express impossibility, prohibit something, or reject a statement.

Negation in the Present Tense

In the simple present tense (aorist - geniş zaman), negation is formed by inserting -me / -ma before the tense suffix.

Example: okumak (to read)
ben okumam I do not read
sen okumazsın you do not read
o okumaz he/she/they do not read
biz okumayız we do not read
siz okumazsınız you (plural/formal) do not read
onlar okumazlar they do not read

Examples in sentences:
Ben gazete okumam. I do not read newspapers.
Sen kahve içmezsin. You do not drink coffee.
O televizyon izlemez. He/she/they do not watch TV.

Negation in the Present Continuous Tense

In the present continuous tense (şimdiki zaman), negation is formed using -miyor after the verb root.

Example: yazmak (to write)
ben yazmıyorum I am not writing
sen yazmıyorsun you are not writing
o yazmıyor he/she/they are not writing
biz yazmıyoruz we are not writing
siz yazmıyorsunuz you (plural/formal) are not writing
onlar yazmıyorlar they are not writing

Examples in sentences:
Ben şu anda kitap okumuyorum. I am not reading a book right now.
O burada çalışmıyor. He/she/they are not working here.
Biz sinemaya gitmiyoruz. We are not going to the cinema.

Negation in the Past Tense

In the past tense (di'li geçmiş zaman), negation is formed by adding -me / -ma before the past tense suffix.

Example: görmek (to see)
ben görmedim I did not see
sen görmedin you did not see
o görmedi he/she/they did not see
biz görmedik we did not see
siz görmediniz you (plural/formal) did not see
onlar görmediler they did not see

Examples in sentences:
Ben onu dün görmedim. I did not see him/her/them yesterday.
Sen bu sabah kahvaltı yapmadın. You did not have breakfast this morning.
Biz haberi duymadık. We did not hear the news.

Negation in the Future Tense

In the future tense (gelecek zaman), negation is formed using -mayacak / -meyecek before the personal endings.

Example: çalışmak (to work)
ben çalışmayacağım I will not work
sen çalışmayacaksın you will not work
o çalışmayacak he/she/they will not work
biz çalışmayacağız we will not work
siz çalışmayacaksınız you (plural/formal) will not work
onlar çalışmayacaklar they will not work

Examples in sentences:
Ben yarın işe gitmeyeceğim. I will not go to work tomorrow.
Sen bu kitabı okumayacaksın. You will not read this book.
Onlar bize katılmayacaklar. They will not join us.

Negation in the Conditional Mood

The conditional mood (şart kipi) is negated by adding -me / -ma before the conditional suffix.

Example: sevmek (to love)
ben sevmesem if I do not love
sen sevmesen if you do not love
o sevmezse if he/she/they do not love
biz sevmesek if we do not love
siz sevmeseniz if you (plural/formal) do not love
onlar sevmeseler if they do not love

Examples in sentences:
Eğer buraya gelmezse, biz gideceğiz. If he/she/they do not come here, we will leave.
Sen bu ödevi yapmazsan, öğretmen kızacak. If you do not do this homework, the teacher will be angry.

Negation in the Necessitative Mood ("must")

The necessitative mood (gereklilik kipi) uses -me / -ma before the -malı / -meli suffix.

Example: bilmek (to know)
ben bilmemeliyim I must not know
sen bilmemelisin you must not know
o bilmemeli he/she/they must not know
biz bilmemeliyiz we must not know
siz bilmemelisiniz you (plural/formal) must not know
onlar bilmemeliler they must not know

Examples in sentences:
Sen bu konuda endişelenmemelisin. You must not worry about this.
Biz gecikmemeliyiz. We must not be late.

Negation in the Imperative Mood (Commands and Requests)

To form negative commands, -me / -ma is added before the imperative ending.

Example: bakmak (to look)
sen bakma! Do not look!
siz bakmayın! Do not look (plural/polite)!

Examples in sentences:
Oraya gitme! Do not go there!
Beni beklemeyin! Do not wait for me!

Negation in Questions

Negative questions are formed in the same way as positive questions but with the negation suffix.

Examples:
Sen okula gitmedin mi? Did you not go to school?
O seni aramadı mı? Did he/she/they not call you?
Biz bu filmi izlemedik mi? Did we not watch this movie?

Common Negative Words in Turkish

• hayır no

• asla never

• hiç not at all / never

• hiçbir none, not a single

• değil not (used for nouns and adjectives)

Examples in sentences:
Bu doğru değil. This is not true.
Hiçbir şey anlamadım. I did not understand anything.
O asla yalan söylemez. He/she/they never lie.

Word Order in Turkish

Turkish Grammar: Word Order

Word order in Turkish is more flexible than in English because Turkish is an agglutinative language, meaning that grammatical relationships are expressed through suffixes rather than word order. However, the default structure in Turkish is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV), which differs from the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order commonly found in English.

Turkish word order can change for emphasis, style, or clarity, and different elements of the sentence can be moved to different positions without altering the core meaning.

Basic Word Order: Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)

The standard sentence structure in Turkish places the subject first, followed by the object, and ending with the verb.

Examples:
Ben kitabı okudum. I read the book.
Sen filmi izledin. You watched the movie.
O kapıyı açtı. He/she/they opened the door.
Biz mektubu yazdık. We wrote the letter.
Onlar evi sattılar. They sold the house.

In each case, the subject appears at the beginning, the object is in the middle, and the verb comes at the end.

Changing Word Order for Emphasis

While the SOV order is the default, Turkish allows for flexibility to emphasize different parts of the sentence.

Emphasizing the Object

Moving the object to the beginning of the sentence places more emphasis on it.

Examples:
Kitabı ben okudum. It was I who read the book.
Filmi sen izledin. It was you who watched the movie.
Kapıyı o açtı. It was he/she/they who opened the door.

Here, the object is placed first to highlight it.

Emphasizing the Verb

If the verb is moved earlier, it makes the action more immediate or dramatic.

Examples:
Okudum ben kitabı. I read the book (and that’s what matters).
Açtı kapıyı o. He/she/they opened the door (and that’s important).

This word order is less common and usually used in poetry, storytelling, or informal speech.

Word Order in Questions

Questions generally preserve the same word order as statements, with a question word at the beginning if necessary.

Yes/No Questions

Yes/no questions are created by adding -mı / -mi / -mu / -mü after the verb.

Examples:
Sen kahve içtin mi? Did you drink coffee?
O sinemaya gitti mi? Did he/she/they go to the cinema?
Biz doğru mu söyledik? Did we say it correctly?

Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions begin with a question word such as ne (what), kim (who), nasıl (how), neden (why), ne zaman (when), nerede (where).

Examples:
Ne okuyorsun? What are you reading?
Kim geldi? Who came?
Neden bekliyorsun? Why are you waiting?
Ne zaman gideceksin? When will you go?
Nerede yaşıyorsun? Where do you live?

In Turkish, the question word usually appears at the beginning of the sentence, but the verb still remains at the end.

Word Order with Adverbs

Adverbs can be placed at different points in the sentence depending on what is emphasized.

Time Adverbs (when?)

Examples:
Ben dün kitap okudum. I read a book yesterday.
Sen her gün kahve içersin. You drink coffee every day.
O yarın işe gidecek. He/she/they will go to work tomorrow.

Place Adverbs (where?)

Examples:
Ben evde ders çalışıyorum. I am studying at home.
Biz parkta yürüyüş yaptık. We took a walk in the park.
O okulda futbol oynuyor. He/she/they are playing football at school.

Word Order with Negation

Negation in Turkish is formed with -me / -ma and the negation suffix appears directly before the tense marker.

Examples:
Ben kahve içmem. I do not drink coffee.
Sen okula gitmedin. You did not go to school.
O film izlemedi. He/she/they did not watch the movie.

Even though the verb is negated, it still appears at the end of the sentence.

Word Order in Imperative Sentences (Commands)

The imperative form does not require a subject, but the word order remains similar to normal sentences.

Examples:
Kapıyı aç! Open the door!
Sessiz ol! Be quiet!
Hızlı konuşma! Do not speak fast!

When the imperative is plural or polite, -ın / -in / -un / -ün is added.

Examples:
Kapıyı açın! Open the door (you all)!
Sessiz olun! Be quiet (you all)!
Yavaş yürüyün! Walk slowly!

Word Order in Subordinate Clauses

In complex sentences, the subordinate clause usually precedes the main clause.

Examples:
Eğer hava güzel olursa, dışarı çıkacağız. If the weather is nice, we will go outside.
Kitabı bitirince, sana vereceğim. When I finish the book, I will give it to you.
Buraya geldiğinde, beni ara. Call me when you get here.

Questions in Turkish

Questions are an essential part of communication, allowing speakers to ask for information, clarification, or confirmation. In Turkish, questions are structured differently from English, as Turkish does not use auxiliary verbs like do or does to form questions. Instead, questions are created using question words or the -mı / -mi / -mu / -mü suffix.

Turkish has two main types of questions:

• Yes/No Questions – Questions that can be answered with evet (yes) or hayır (no).

• Open-ended Questions – Questions that require more than a yes/no answer and use question words like what, who, where, when, why, how.

Yes/No Questions

Yes/no questions are formed by adding the -mı / -mi / -mu / -mü question suffix after the verb. The choice of suffix follows vowel harmony:

• If the last vowel of the word is a, ı, the suffix is -mı.

• If the last vowel of the word is e, i, the suffix is -mi.

• If the last vowel of the word is o, u, the suffix is -mu.

• If the last vowel of the word is ö, ü, the suffix is -mü.

The question suffix is separate from the verb and follows the word it modifies.

Examples:
Sen Türk müsün? Are you Turkish?
Bu doğru mu? Is this correct?
Biz sinemaya gidiyor muyuz? Are we going to the cinema?
O seni seviyor mu? Does he/she/they love you?
Onlar burada mı? Are they here?

If the verb is in the past or future tense, the question suffix -mı / -mi / -mu / -mü is placed after the tense suffix.

Examples:
Sen dün okula gittin mi? Did you go to school yesterday?
Biz yeni filmi izledik mi? Did we watch the new movie?
O yarın gelecek mi? Will he/she/they come tomorrow?

Open-Ended Questions (Question Words)

Open-ended questions in Turkish use specific question words at the beginning or middle of a sentence. The verb remains at the end of the sentence, as in normal Turkish word order.

Who - Kim?

Kim is used to ask about people and acts as a subject or object. It is inflected for case when necessary.

Examples:
Kim geldi? Who came?
Sen kimi arıyorsun? Who are you calling?
Bu kitabı kim yazdı? Who wrote this book?
Kimden bahsediyorsun? Who are you talking about?

What - Ne?

Ne is used to ask about things, actions, or concepts. It is modified depending on case.

Examples:
Bu ne? What is this?
Ne yapıyorsun? What are you doing?
Sen ne düşünüyorsun? What are you thinking?
O sana ne söyledi? What did he/she/they tell you?

Where - Nerede? / Nereye? / Nereden?

Turkish differentiates location, direction, and origin using different forms of "where".

• Nerede (where?) is used for location.

• Nereye (to where?) is used for direction.

• Nereden (from where?) is used for origin.

Examples:
Çantan nerede? Where is your bag?
Biz nereye gidiyoruz? Where are we going?
Sen nereden geliyorsun? Where are you coming from?

When - Ne zaman?

Ne zaman is used to ask about time.

Examples:
Ne zaman tatile çıkıyorsun? When are you going on vacation?
Ders ne zaman başlıyor? When does the class start?
Onlar ne zaman gelecek? When will they come?

Why - Neden? / Niçin? / Niye?

All three words mean "why" and can be used interchangeably.

Examples:
Neden üzgünsün? Why are you sad?
Niçin burada bekliyorsun? Why are you waiting here?
Niye bana yardım etmiyorsun? Why are you not helping me?

How - Nasıl?

Nasıl is used to ask about manner, method, or condition.

Examples:
Sen nasıl geldin? How did you come?
Bu yemek nasıl yapılır? How is this dish made?
Sınav nasıl geçti? How did the exam go?

How Much/Many - Ne kadar? / Kaç?

• Ne kadar is used for uncountable quantities or price.

• Kaç is used for countable items.

Examples:
Bu kitap ne kadar? How much is this book?
Ne kadar su içtin? How much water did you drink?
Kaç tane elma aldın? How many apples did you buy?
Senin kaç kardeşin var? How many siblings do you have?

Negation in Questions

Negative questions are formed by negating the verb before adding the question suffix.

Examples:
Sen okula gitmedin mi? Did you not go to school?
O seni aramadı mı? Did he/she/they not call you?
Biz doğruyu söylemedik mi? Did we not tell the truth?

Negative questions can express surprise or expectation.

Examples:
Sen hala hazır değil misin? Are you still not ready?
Onlar bize katılmayacaklar mı? Will they not join us?

Tag Questions (Confirmation Questions)

To ask for confirmation, Turkish adds değil mi? at the end of a sentence.

Examples:
Sen bu filmi daha önce izledin, değil mi? You have watched this movie before, haven’t you?
Biz yarın erkenden buluşacağız, değil mi? We will meet early tomorrow, right?
Bu senin çantan, değil mi? This is your bag, isn't it?

Politeness and Softened Questions

To make a question polite or less direct, Turkish often uses conditional forms.

Examples:
Bana yardım eder misin? Could you help me?
Bize katılabilir misiniz? Could you join us?
Biraz bekleyebilir misiniz? Could you wait a little?

Relative Clauses in Turkish

Relative clauses in Turkish are used to provide additional information about a noun, much like in English with who, which, that, whose, whom, where. However, unlike English, Turkish does not have separate relative pronouns such as who or which. Instead, relative clauses are formed by adding suffixes to the verb, and the word order changes accordingly.

In Turkish, relative clauses are typically formed using the suffixes -an / -en for present tense actions, -dığı / -diği / -duğu / -düğü for past tense actions, and -acak / -ecek for future tense actions. These suffixes attach to the verb and function similarly to English relative pronouns.

Relative Clauses in the Present Tense

When describing something that is happening or happens regularly, Turkish uses -an / -en after the verb root. This structure acts like "who" or "which" in English.

Example: okumak (to read)
okuyan öğrenci the student who is reading
okuyan adam the man who is reading

Examples in sentences:
Bahçede oynayan çocuklar çok mutlu. The children who are playing in the garden are very happy.
Sınıfta konuşan öğrenci öğretmeni dinlemiyor. The student who is speaking in class is not listening to the teacher.
Sana mesaj atan kişi kim? Who is the person who sent you a message?

If the relative clause describes an object, it follows normal Turkish object-verb order.

Examples:
Senin yazdığın mektubu okudum. I read the letter that you wrote.
O adamın sattığı arabayı aldım. I bought the car that that man sold.

Relative Clauses in the Past Tense

For past events, Turkish uses -dığı / -diği / -duğu / -düğü, which vary according to vowel harmony. These suffixes act like "who" or "which" in English but also include a possessive marker.

Example: görmek (to see)
gördüğüm film the movie that I saw
gördüğün kişi the person that you saw
gördüğü yer the place that he/she/they saw

Examples in sentences:
Dün yediğim yemek çok lezzetliydi. The food that I ate yesterday was very delicious.
Senin bana verdiğin kitabı çok beğendim. I really liked the book that you gave me.
Kütüphanede çalıştıkları saat çok uzun sürdü. The time they worked in the library lasted very long.

If the subject of the relative clause is different from the main subject, it is marked with -nın / -nin / -nun / -nün to indicate possession.

Examples:
Ahmet’in aldığı telefon çok pahalı. The phone that Ahmet bought is very expensive.
Mehmet’in yazdığı kitaplar çok ünlü oldu. The books that Mehmet wrote became very famous.

Relative Clauses in the Future Tense

When describing something that will happen, the suffix -acak / -ecek is used.

Example: yapmak (to do)
yapacağım iş the work that I will do
yapacağın proje the project that you will do
yapacağı sunum the presentation that he/she/they will do

Examples in sentences:
Gelecek yıl ziyaret edeceğimiz ülke Fransa olacak. The country that we will visit next year will be France.
Sana göndereceğim e-posta önemli. The email that I will send you is important.
Oturacağım ev deniz manzaralı olacak. The house that I will live in will have a sea view.

Relative Clauses with Indirect Objects (Where, Whose, With Whom, etc.)

To express where, whose, or with whom, Turkish does not use separate relative pronouns. Instead, possessive suffixes and case endings are added.

Relative Clauses Expressing Location ("where")

Turkish often uses -diği yer (place where something happened).

Examples:
Buluştuğumuz kafe çok kalabalıktı. The café where we met was very crowded.
Tatil yaptığımız şehir çok güzeldi. The city where we had our vacation was very beautiful.

Relative Clauses Expressing Possession ("whose")

In Turkish, -in / -ın / -un / -ün is used to indicate possession.

Examples:
Evinin bahçesi çok büyük olan adam komşum. The man whose house has a big garden is my neighbor.
Kedisinin rengi beyaz olan kız benim arkadaşım. The girl whose cat is white is my friend.

Relative Clauses Expressing "With Whom"

To indicate "with whom", Turkish uses -le / -yla combined with the relative clause.

Examples:
Beraber çalıştığım insan çok çalışkan. The person with whom I work is very hardworking.
Sürekli vakit geçirdiği arkadaşı çok komik. The friend with whom he/she/they spend a lot of time is very funny.

Relative Clauses in Negative Form

To negate a relative clause, the verb is negated using -me / -ma.

Examples:
Sana anlatmadığım hikaye çok ilginç. The story that I did not tell you is very interesting.
Gitmeyeceğimiz yerleri listeledik. We listed the places that we will not go to.
Görmediğin insanlar hakkında konuşma. Do not talk about people that you have not seen.

Relative Clauses in Questions

Relative clauses can also be used in questions.

Examples:
Bana önerdiğin restoran hangisi? Which restaurant did you recommend to me?
Bu projeyi kim hazırladı? Who prepared this project?
Hangi şehirde yaşayacağını biliyor musun? Do you know in which city you will live?

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