blog.basics
Basic Numbers
Turkish numbers follow a logical pattern:
110: bir, iki, üç, dört, beş, altı, yedi, sekiz, dokuz, on
1119: on bir, on iki, on üç, etc.
Tens: yirmi (20), otuz (30), kırk (40), elli (50), altmış (60), yetmiş (70), seksen (80), doks...
Turkish Alphabet
The Turkish alphabet consists of 29 letters, based on the Latin script:
A B C Ç D E F G Ğ H I İ J K L M N O Ö P R S Ş T U Ü V Y Z
Notable features include:
Ç (ch sound as in "chair")
Ğ (silent, lengthens preceding vowel)...
Grammar overview
Word Order
Turkish follows a SubjectObjectVerb (SOV) word order
Flexible word order is possible due to case markings
Modifiers generally precede the words they modify
Agglutination
Turkish is an agglutinative languag...
Understanding Turkish Personal Pronoun Suffixes
Turkish, an agglutinative language, uses suffixes to convey a variety of grammatical meanings. One of the fundamental aspects of Turkish grammar involves the use of suffixes with personal pronouns to ind...
Nouns in Turkish
Turkish nouns are relatively straightforward, with no grammatical gender or articles. They follow an agglutinative structure, where suffixes are added to create new meanings or grammatical functions.
Basic Characteristics:
Nouns...
In Turkish, verbs are conjugated by adding suffixes to the verb stem. The present tense uses the following endings:
Ben (I): ım/im/um/üm
Sen (You, singular): sın/sin/sun/sün
O (He/She/It): /ı/i/u/ü
Biz (We): ız/iz/uz/üz
Siz (You...
SubjectObjectVerb (SOV) Order
Turkish follows a SubjectObjectVerb (SOV) word order, unlike English's SubjectVerbObject (SVO) structure. For example:
Ben kitap okuyorum. (I book read.)
O elma yiyor. (He/She apple eats.)
Agglutination
Tur...
Turkish Possessive Pronouns
Turkish possessive pronouns are suffixes added to nouns to indicate ownership or possession. They agree with the person and number of the possessor.
Basic Forms
1st person singular: (i)m (my)
2nd person singular: ...
Types of Turkish Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives: Define qualities (e.g., güzel beautiful, büyük big)
Demonstrative adjectives: Indicate specific items (e.g., bu this, şu that)
Quantitative adjectives: Express amounts (e.g., çok many,...
Turkish Question Words
Ne: What
Kim: Who
Nerede: Where
Ne zaman: When
Neden/Niçin: Why
Nasıl: How
Hangi: Which
Kaç: How many/How much
Forming Questions in Turkish
1. Yes/No Questions:
Add th...
Turkish Demonstrative Pronouns
Turkish uses three main demonstrative pronouns:
Bu: This (near the speaker)
Şu: That (near the listener)
O: That (far from both speaker and listener)
Usage
1. As pronouns:
Bu güzel. (This...
The Turkish past tense is formed by adding the suffix "di" (or its variants dı, du, dü, ti, tı, tu, tü) to the verb stem. The specific variant used depends on vowel harmony and consonant assimilation rules.
Usage
1. Completed actions: Used...
Forming the Future Tense
The Turkish future tense is formed by adding the suffix "ecek" or "acak" to the verb stem. The choice between these suffixes depends on vowel harmony:
Use "ecek" after e, i, ö, ü
Use "acak" after a, ı, o, u
For exampl...
Turkish Imperative Mood
The imperative mood in Turkish is used to give commands, make requests, or offer suggestions. It is relatively simple to form but has some unique characteristics:
Basic Formation
For singular (informal) commands, use the...
Forming Negative Sentences in Turkish
Turkish negative sentences are formed by adding the suffix "me" or "ma" to the verb stem. This suffix changes based on vowel harmony:
Use "me" after e, i, ö, ü
Use "ma" after a, ı, o, u
Examples:
Gelmek...
Reflexive pronouns in Turkish are formed by adding the suffix "kendisi" to personal pronouns. They are used to refer back to the subject of the sentence.
Ben kendim (myself)
Sen kendin (yourself)
O kendisi (himself/herself/itself)
Biz kendimiz (o...
Types of Conjunctions in Turkish
Coordinating Conjunctions
ve: and
ama: but
fakat: however
veya: or
ya da: or else
These conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance.
Subordinating Conjunc...
Postpositions in Turkish
Unlike many European languages, Turkish doesn't use prepositions. Instead, it employs postpositions, which come after the noun they modify. Some common postpositions include:
için (for, in order to)
ile (with)
gibi...
Forming Comparatives in Turkish
Turkish uses the suffix "DAn daha" to form comparatives, which is equivalent to "er" or "more" in English. The suffix is added to the noun being compared:
"büyük" (big) → "X'den daha büyük" (bigger than X)
"hızlı"...
The Turkish Present Continuous Tense expresses actions happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time. It is formed by adding the suffix "yor" to the verb stem, followed by personal endings.
Conjugation Pattern
I am (verb)ing: (i)...
Possessive Suffixes in Turkish
Turkish employs a system of possessive suffixes to indicate ownership or belonging. These suffixes are added to the end of nouns and vary depending on the person and number of the possessor.
Basic Structure
1st pe...
Turkish modal verbs are used to express ability, possibility, necessity, and obligation. The most common modal verbs include:
ebilmek: ability or possibility
meli/malı: necessity or obligation
gerek: necessity
lazım: necessity or need
...
Types of Conditional Sentences in Turkish
Type 1: Real Conditional
Uses the simple present tense in the ifclause and future tense in the main clause
Example: "Eğer yağmur yağarsa, evde kalacağım." (If it rains, I will stay at home.)
Type...
Direct vs. Indirect Speech
In Turkish, reported speech follows similar principles to English, with some key differences:
Tense changes are less rigid
Pronouns shift according to the new speaker's perspective
The verb "demek" (to say) is often us...
Types of Adverbs in Turkish
Manner adverbs: Describe how an action is performed (e.g., "hızlı" quickly)
Time adverbs: Indicate when an action occurs (e.g., "dün" yesterday)
Place adverbs: Show where an action happens (e.g., "burada" here)
...
Turkish Indirect Object Pronouns
Turkish indirect object pronouns are used to indicate the recipient of an action or the person for whom an action is performed. These pronouns are formed by adding specific suffixes to personal pronouns.
Formation
...
Turkish Gerunds
Turkish gerunds are formed by adding specific suffixes to verb stems:
mek/mak: Basic infinitive form
me/ma: Verbal noun
iş/ış/uş/üş: Action noun
These forms can function as nouns in sentences:
Yüzmek sağlıklıdı...
Turkish Passive Voice
The passive voice in Turkish is formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb stem. This construction is used when the focus is on the action rather than the doer.
Formation
For verbs ending in a vowel: add n, ın, ...
The Causative Form in Turkish
The causative form in Turkish is used to express that someone or something causes an action to be performed by someone else. It's formed by adding specific suffixes to verb stems.
Formation
For verbs ending in a vo...
Compound Nouns in Turkish
Turkish compound nouns are formed by combining two or more words to create a new meaning. There are two main types:
1. Definite compound nouns: The first noun takes the possessive suffix, while the second remains unchanged.
...