Language/Turkish/Grammar/Verbs

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Turkish → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Basic Grammar → Verbs

Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on Turkish verb conjugation and tenses! In this lesson, we will explore the basics of Turkish verbs and how they are conjugated. Understanding verb conjugation is essential for constructing sentences and expressing actions in Turkish. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid foundation in Turkish verb conjugation and be able to use verbs in different tenses. So let's get started!

Verb Conjugation

Verbs in Turkish undergo changes in their form to indicate tense, mood, aspect, and voice. These changes are known as verb conjugation. Turkish verbs are conjugated based on person, number, and tense. Let's take a closer look at each of these components.

Person

In Turkish, verbs change their form based on the person performing the action. There are six different persons: first person singular, second person singular, third person singular, first person plural, second person plural, and third person plural. The person is indicated by verb suffixes added to the verb root.

For example, let's conjugate the verb "to speak" (konuşmak) in the present tense for different persons:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
konuşuyorum	konu-ʃu-jor-um	I speak
konuşuyorsun	konu-ʃu-jor-sun	You speak
konuşuyor	konu-ʃu-jor	He/She/It speaks
konuşuyoruz	konu-ʃu-jor-uz	We speak
konuşuyorsunuz	konu-ʃu-jor-su-nuz	You speak
konuşuyorlar	konu-ʃu-jor-lar	They speak

As you can see, the verb suffixes change depending on the person. Make sure to pay attention to these suffixes when conjugating verbs in Turkish.

Number

Verbs in Turkish also change their form based on the number of people performing the action. There are two numbers: singular and plural. The number is indicated by the verb suffixes as well.

Let's continue with the example of the verb "to speak" (konuşmak) and conjugate it in the present tense for different numbers:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
konuşuyorum	konu-ʃu-jor-um	I speak
konuşuyoruz	konu-ʃu-jor-uz	We speak
konuşuyorsun	konu-ʃu-jor-sun	You speak
konuşuyorsunuz	konu-ʃu-jor-su-nuz	You speak
konuşuyor	konu-ʃu-jor	He/She/It speaks
konuşuyorlar	konu-ʃu-jor-lar	They speak

As you can see, the verb suffixes change to indicate both person and number. This is an important aspect of Turkish verb conjugation.

Tense

Turkish has several tenses, including present tense, past tense, future tense, and more. Each tense has its own set of suffixes for verb conjugation. Let's explore the conjugation of the verb "to speak" (konuşmak) in different tenses:

Present Tense

The present tense in Turkish is used to describe actions happening at the current moment. To conjugate verbs in the present tense, we add the following suffixes:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
konuşuyorum	konu-ʃu-jor-um	I speak
konuşuyorsun	konu-ʃu-jor-sun	You speak
konuşuyor	konu-ʃu-jor	He/She/It speaks
konuşuyoruz	konu-ʃu-jor-uz	We speak
konuşuyorsunuz	konu-ʃu-jor-su-nuz	You speak
konuşuyorlar	konu-ʃu-jor-lar	They speak

In the present tense, the verb suffixes change based on the person, number, and tense. Pay close attention to these suffixes to correctly conjugate verbs in the present tense.

Past Tense

The past tense in Turkish is used to describe actions that have already happened in the past. To conjugate verbs in the past tense, we add the following suffixes:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
konuştum	konuʃtum	I spoke
konuştun	konuʃtun	You spoke
konuştu	konuʃtu	He/She/It spoke
konuştuk	konuʃtuk	We spoke
konuştunuz	konuʃtunuz	You spoke
konuştular	konuʃtular	They spoke

In the past tense, the verb suffixes also change based on the person, number, and tense. Pay close attention to these suffixes to correctly conjugate verbs in the past tense.

Future Tense

The future tense in Turkish is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. To conjugate verbs in the future tense, we add the following suffixes:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
konuşacağım	konuʃadʒaːɰɯm	I will speak
konuşacaksın	konuʃadʒaːksɯn	You will speak
konuşacak	konuʃadʒaːdʒɯk	He/She/It will speak
konuşacağız	konuʃadʒaːɰɯz	We will speak
konuşacaksınız	konuʃadʒaːksɯːnɯz	You will speak
konuşacaklar	konuʃadʒaːklar	They will speak

In the future tense, the verb suffixes change based on the person, number, and tense. Pay close attention to these suffixes to correctly conjugate verbs in the future tense.

Negation

To form the negative form of a verb in Turkish, we add the negation particle "me/ma" before the verb stem. Let's take the verb "to speak" (konuşmak) as an example:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
konuşmuyorum	konuʃmuʲorɯm	I don't speak
konuşmuyorsun	konuʃmuʲorʃun	You don't speak
konuşmuyor	konuʃmuʲor	He/She/It doesn't speak
konuşmuyoruz	konuʃmuʲoruz	We don't speak
konuşmuyorsunuz	konuʃmuʲorʃunuz	You don't speak
konuşmuyorlar	konuʃmuʲorlar	They don't speak

As you can see, the negation particle "me/ma" is added before the verb stem, and the verb suffixes are conjugated as usual.

Verb Tenses

Turkish has several verb tenses, each used to express different time frames and aspects of actions. Let's explore some of the most common verb tenses in Turkish.

Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense in Turkish is used to describe habitual actions or general truths. It is formed by adding the present tense suffixes to the verb stem.

For example, let's conjugate the verb "to eat" (yemek) in the simple present tense:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
yerim	je-ɾim	I eat
yersin	jeɾ-sin	You eat
yer	jeɾ	He/She/It eats
yeriz	jeɾ-iz	We eat
yersiniz	jeɾ-si-niz	You eat
yerler	jeɾ-leɾ	They eat

In the simple present tense, the verb suffixes indicate the person, number, and tense of the action.

Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense in Turkish is used to describe actions that have already happened in the past. It is formed by adding the past tense suffixes to the verb stem.

Let's continue with the example of the verb "to eat" (yemek) and conjugate it in the simple past tense:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
yedim	je-dim	I ate
yedin	je-din	You ate
yedi	je-di	He/She/It ate
yedik	je-dik	We ate
yediniz	je-di-niz	You ate
yediler	je-di-ler	They ate

In the simple past tense, the verb suffixes indicate the person, number, and tense of the action.

Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense in Turkish is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by adding the future tense suffixes to the verb stem.

Let's continue with the example of the verb "to eat" (yemek) and conjugate it in the simple future tense:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
yiyeceğim	je-je-dʒe-ɰɯm	I will eat
yiyeceksin	je-je-dʒeksin	You will eat
yiyecek	je-je-dʒek	He/She/It will eat
yiyeceğiz	je-je-dʒe-ɰɯz	We will eat
yiyeceksiniz	je-je-dʒeksiniz	You will eat
yiyecekler	je-je-dʒek-leɾ	They will eat

In the simple future tense, the verb suffixes indicate the person, number, and tense of the action.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have reached the end of the lesson on Turkish verb conjugation and tenses. In this lesson, we explored the basics of Turkish verb conjugation, including person, number, tense, and negation. We also learned about different verb tenses such as the present tense, past tense, and future tense. By understanding verb conjugation, you will be able to construct sentences and express actions in Turkish. Keep practicing and applying what you've learned, and soon you'll become fluent in Turkish verb conjugation!

Table of Contents - Turkish Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Turkish Alphabet

Basic Grammar

Complex Grammar

Everyday Phrases

Numbers and Time

Turkish Culture

Daily Life

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