Subjunctive verbs in Turkish

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Suggested actions and desires are expressed with the subjunctive verb. The suffixes -(y)eyim, -(y)elim and other forms are used to form a subjunctive verb. The Turkish subjunctive means 'let someone do something' in English.

Lesson outline

1.Forming the subjunctive
1.1.The suffix -(y)eyim/ -(y)ayım
1.1.1.Example table
1.2.The suffix -(y)elim/ -(y)alım
1.2.1.Example table
2.Exercises
2.1.Multiple choice exercise on the subjunctive verbs in Turkish
2.2.Fill in the blanks exercise about the subjunctive verbs in Turkish

Forming the subjunctive

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Serkan K.

Samet B.

Günay M.

Hakan Y.

Aysegül Ö.

Irada I.

ERENHAN Ç.

Emine A.

Huzeyfe A.

Gülseren A.

Serkan K.

Samet B.

Günay M.

Hakan Y.

Aysegül Ö.

Irada I.

ERENHAN Ç.

Emine A.

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1. The suffix -(y)eyim/ -(y)ayım

The suffix -(y)eyim or -(y)ayım is used for the singular form of the first person according to the last vowel of the verb and it means 'let me do'.

Use the suffix -(y)ayım: if the last vowel of the word is ''a, ı, o, or u'
Use the suffix -(y)eyim: if the last vowel of the word is ''e, i, ö, or ü''

If the verb root ends in a vowel the letter 'y' is added after the verb root.

ağlamak (to cry) -> ağlayayım (let me cry)
uyumak (to sleep) -> uyuyayım (let me sleep)

Example table

Verb	Suffix	Subjunctive
gelmek (to come)	-eyim	geleyim (let me come)
almak (to buy)	-ayım	alayım (let me buy)

Ben de sizinle geleyim. (Let me come with you.)
Önce elmaları alayım. (Let me buy the apples first.)

2. The suffix -(y)elim/ -(y)alım

The suffix -(y)elim or -(y)alım is used for the plural form of the first person according to the last vowel of the verb and it means 'let us do'.

Use the suffix -(y)alım: if the last vowel of the word is ''a, ı, o, or u'
Use the suffix -(y)elim: if the last vowel of the word is ''e, i, ö, or ü''

Example table

Verb	Suffix	Subjunctive
sürmek (to drive)	-elim	sürelim
yapmak (to make)	-alım	yapalım

Bugün araba sürelim. (Let's drive a car today.)
Bu akşam için kek yapalım. (Let's make a cake for tonight.)

Exercises

Multiple choice exercise on the subjunctive verbs in Turkish
Fill in the blanks exercise about the subjunctive verbs in Turkish

Multiple choice exercise on the subjunctive verbs in Turkish

Slide 1 of 11

'Sana yardım edeyim.'

Let me help you.
Let us help you.

'Bugün yüzmeye gidelim.'

Let me go swimming today.
Let's go swimming today.

'Erken uyuyayım.'

Let me sleep early.
Let us sleep early.

'Bu akşam parti yapalım.'

Let me have a party tonight.
Let's have a party tonight.

'Önce meyveleri alayım.'

Let us buy the fruits first.
Let me buy the fruits first.

'Let's go.'

Gideyim.
Gidelim.

'Let me know about the result.'

Sonucu bileyim.
Sonucu bilelim.

'Let me see the picture.'

Tabloyu görelim.
Tabloyu göreyim.

'Let me give you an advice.'

Sana bir tavsiye verelim.
Sana bir tavsiye vereyim.

'Let's run away together.'

Hadi birlikte kaçalım.
Hadi birlikte kaçayım.

Fill in the blanks exercise about the subjunctive verbs in Turkish

Fill in the missing verb's translations:

uyumak (to sleep) -> (let us sleep) -> (let me sleep)

görmek (to see) -> (let us see) -> (let me see)

aramak (to call) -> (let us call) -> (let me call)

içmek (to drink) -> (let's drink) -> (let me drink)

konuşmak (to talk) -> (let's talk) -> (let me talk)

çalışmak (to work) -> (çalışalım) -> (çalışayım)

okumak (to read) -> (okuyalım) -> (okuyayım)

yazmak ( to write) -> (yazalım) -> (yazayım)

değiştirmek (to change) -> (değiştirelim) -> (değiştireyim)

açmak (to open) -> (açalım) -> (açayım)