The Turkish Verb “to be” Positive
The Turkish Verb “to be” Positive
The verbto be is used in sentences to describe a state of being
- The house is blue.
- It will be a quick journey.
- If it is a big house.
- If it had not been out of sight.
Origin of Turkish Verb “to be”
The verb "to be" is a defective verb imek whose stem was i-.
It is found in four forms of vowel harmony i ı u ü
It also mutates to -y in the past and other forms when being suffixed to a word.
This is no longer important in learning Turkish.
It gives the reason for many of the suffixes in modern use for the verb "to be".
Turkish Verb to be: Positive I am, you are etc.
The Verb “to be” takes the form of a suffix in Turkish.
It is subject to Vowel Harmony.
Consonant Mutation:
3rd person suffixes d ↔ t when suffixed to words ending in:
[ç f h k p s ş t]
The buffer letter -y- is used when this suffix to a word which terminates in a vowel.
Turkish ‘to be’ Present Tense Suffixes
- I am‑(y)im ‑(y)ım ‑(y)üm ‑(y)um
- you are‑sin ‑sın ‑sün ‑sun
- he/she/it is‑dir / ‑tir ‑dır /‑tır ‑dür / ‑tür ‑dur /‑tur
- we are‑(y)iz ‑(y)ız ‑(y)üz ‑(y)uz
- you are ‑siniz ‑sınız ‑sünüz ‑sunuz
- they are‑dirler /‑tirler ‑dırlar / ‑tırlar ‑dürler‑ / ‑türler ‑durlar / ‑turlar
Turkish “to be” Present Tense Examples
- Hastayım.
[hasta yım]I am ill. - Hastayız.We are ill.
- Mutlusun.You are happy.
- Mutlu bir kadınsın.You are a happy lady.
- Yorgundurlar.
[yorgun-durlar]They are tired. - Yorgunuz.
[yorgun-uz]We are tired. - Evim kırmızıdır.My house is red.
- Kırmızı bir evdir.It is a red house.
- Paltom uzundur.My overcoat is long.
- Uzun bir paltodur.It is a long overcoat.
- Köpeğim küçüktür.My dog is small.
- Küçük bir köpektir.It is a small dog.
- Cadde geniştir.The road is wide.
- Geniş bir caddedir.It is a wide road.
- Kedim mutludur.My cat is happy.
- Kediniz kahverengi renkliydir.Your cat is brown coloured.
- Odam boştur.
[boş-tur]My room is full. - Odam doludur.
[dolu-dur]My room is big. - Mor renkli bir evdir.It is a purple coloured house.
- Ev mor renkliydir.The house is coloured.
Third Person Plural is very often omitted in conversation.
It only for emphasis and for public advice and warnings or stating fact:
A Turkish Public Notice showing the use of -dir/-tir
|
İtifaye çikişidır
It is the fire-station exit
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Turkish “to be” Past Tense I was, you were
Past tense idim, idim… → -ydim, ydin… when suffixed to a vowel.
Initial -d becomes -t when suffixed to [p ç t k f h s ş]
Often the -ler/-lar plurals are omitted in conversation.
Turkish “to be” Past tense Suffixes
- ‑(y)dim ‑(y)dım ‑(y)düm ‑(y)dum I was
- ‑(y)din ‑(y)dın ‑(y)dün ‑(y)dunyou were
- ‑(y)di ‑(y)dı ‑(y)dü ‑(y)duhe / she / it was
- ‑(y)dik ‑(y)dık ‑(y)dük ‑(y)dukwe were
- ‑(y)diniz ‑(y)dınız ‑(y)dünüz ‑(y)dunuzyou were
- ‑(y)diler ‑(y)dılar ‑(y)düler ‑(y)dularthey were
Turkish “to be” Past Tense Examples
- kadındıShe was a woman.
[kadın-dı] - lâzımdılarThey were necessary.
[lâzım-dılar] - müdürdümI was a director.
[müdür-düm] - hastaydımI was ill.
[hasta-y-dım] - mutluydunuzYou were happy.
[mutlu-y-dunuz] - iyiydinizYou were good.
[iyi-ydiniz] - mektuptuIt was a book.
[mektup-tu] - sabahIt was morning.
[sabah-tı] - çabuktularThey were swift.
[çabuk-tular] - köprüydüIt was bridge.
[köprü-ydü]
Turkish Vowel Harmony Verb “to be”
Both the present and past obey the rules of vowel harmony, which are summed up as follows:
- Final vowel -a -ı
- yaşlıyızwe are old
[yaşlı-yız]
yaşlıydıkwe were old[yaşlı-ydık] - hastayımI am ill
[hasta-yım]
hastaydımI was ill[hasta-ydım] - Final vowel -o -u
- bir vazodurit is a vase.
[vazo-dur]
bir vazoyduit was a vase.[vazo-ydu] - yorgunsunyou are tired.
[yorgun-sun]
yorgundunyou were tired.[yorgun-dun] - Final vowel -e -i
- bir deredirit is a stream
[dere-dir]
bir dereydiit was stream[dere-ydi] - zenginsinyou are rich
[zengin-sin]
zengindinyou were rich[zengin-din] - Final vowel -ö -ü
- bir gözdürit is an eye.
[göz-dür]
bir gözdü it was an eye.[göz-dü] - Türk’türlerthey are Turkish.
[Türk'-türler]
Türk’tülerthey were Turkish.[Türk'-tüler]
Turkish Consonant Mutation Verb “to be”
- -dir ⇔ -tir when suffixed to hard consonants ç p h k s t
- büyüktürit is large
büyüktü it was large - gençtirlerthey are young
gençtikwe were young - yavaştınyou were slow
çabuktunuzyou were quick - sabahtırit is morning
sabahtıit was morning - bir mektupturit is a letter
bir mektuptuit was a letter - bir sepettirit is a basket
bir sepettiit was a basket - bir virüstürit is a virus
bir virüstüit was a virus - felakettirit is a disaster
felakettiit was a disaster - bir polistirit is a policeman
bir polistiit was a policeman - Mehmet’ tirIt is Mehmet
Mehmet’ tiIt was Mehmet
Suffixes are not fixed directly to Proper Names.
A comma is used to separate the suffix from a name or title:
İstanbul’ dayımI am in Istanbul
Turkish Verb “to be” Present and Past Tense Examples with Vowel Harmony and Consonant Changes.
- zenginimI am rich
zengindim I was rich - yorgunsumyou are tired
yorgundunyou were tired - pahalıdırit is dear
pahalıydıit was dear - küçüktürit is small
küçüktüit was small - hastayızwe are ill
hastaydıkwe were ill - yaşlısınızyou are old
yaşlıydınızyou were old - yoksuldurlarthey are poor
yoksuldularthey were poor - gençtirlerthey are young
gençtilerhey were young
Turkish “to be” Positive Interrogative Am I?, Are you?
The interrogative particle -mi? is suffixed with the Personal Pronouns.
It is placed after the word it affects.
- Turkish ‘to be’ Questions – Present Positive
- mıyım? miyim? muyum? müyüm?am I?
- mısın? misin? musun? müsün?are you?
- mı? mi? mu? mü?is he / she / it?
- mıdır? midir? mudur? müdür?is he / she / it?
- mıyız? miyiz? muyuz? müyüz?are we?
- mısınız? misiniz? musunuz? müsünüz?are you?
- -lar mı? -ler mi? -lar mu? -ler mü?are they?
- mıdırlar? midirler? mudurlar? müdürler?are they?
Except for the 3rd person form -lar mi?it is written separately from the word it affects.
The longer forms which end in -dir are formal.
They are used in instructions and public notices.
Not used in general conversation.
Turkish Present “to be” Positive Question Examples
- zengin miyim?am I rich?
- yorgun musun?are you tired?
- pahalı mı?is it dear?
- büyük mü?is it big?
- hasta mıyız?are we ill?
- yaşlı mısınız?are you old?
- gençler mi?are they young?
- yoksullar mı?are they poor?
Turkish Past “to be” Interrogative “Was I?, Were you?”
The Past tense personal endings are added to the question particle -mi
It obeys Vowel harmony but is written separately.
- Turkish ‘to be’ Question Past Positive”
- mıydım? miydim? muydum? müydüm?was I?
- mıydın? miydin? muydun? müydün?were you?
- mıydı? miydi? muydu? müydü?is he/she/it?
- mıydık? miydik, muyduk? müydük?were we?
- mıydınız? miydiniz? muydunuz? müydünüz?were you?
- mıydılar? miydiler? muydular? müydüler?are they?
Turkish Past Tense Positive Question Examples
- acı mıydı?was it bitter?
- sıcak mıydı?was it hot?
- hava soğuk muydu?was the weather cold?
- mutlu muyduk?were we happy?
- yorgun muydular?were they tired?
- hasta mıydınız?were you ill?
ENG:have you been ill? - güzel miydi?was she beautiful?
- ev büyük müydü?was it a large house?
The Turkish Future “will be”
The Future of the verb “to be” is lacking in Turkish.
- It place is taken by the Future Tense of the Verb olmakto be, to become.
- Yarın hazır olacağım.
I will be ready tomorrow. - Er geç zengin olacaksın.
You will become rich sooner or later. - Bu gece parti çok güzel olacak.
It will be a great party tonight.
- The Turkish Verb “to be” Positive, The Turkish Verb “to be” Positive