Usage of the "DI" suffix in Turkish

Date: November 24, 2024

Posted By: Ali AKPINAR

Learn how to form and use the suffix "DI" in Turkish language.

The "-di" suffix in Turkish is a key component of the definite past tense, which is used to indicate that an action has definitely occurred in the past.

This suffix can take different forms based on vowel harmony and the final consonant of the verb root. Here’s a detailed explanation of its usage.

Usage of the "-di" Suffix

1. Forming the Past Tense

The "-di" suffix attaches to the root of a verb to express that an action was completed in the past.

The specific form of the suffix depends on the last vowel of the verb root and whether it ends in a voiced or voiceless consonant:

If the last vowel is a or ı, use -dı. (al - dı, kıl - dı)
If the last vowel is e or i, use -di. (gel - di, bil - di)
If the last vowel is o or u, use -du. (boz - du, bul - du)
If the last vowel is ö or ü, use -dü. (gör - dü, gül - dü)

If the verb root ends with voiceless consonants such as ç, f, h, k, p, s, ş, t, then you would use the corresponding voiceless forms. For example:

gitmek (to go) → git - ti (He/She went.)
yapmak (to do) → yap - tı (He/She did.)
içmek (to drink) → iç - ti (He/She drank.)
bakmak (to look) → bak - tı (He/She looked.)

2. Negative Form

To negate a past tense verb, you add a negative suffix (-ma / -me) before adding the past tense suffix. For example:

vermek (to give) → ver-me-di (He/She did not give.)
görmek (to see) → gör-me-di (He/She did not see.)
almak (to take) → al-ma-dı (He/She did not take.)

3. Using with Personal Endings

The "-di" suffix can also be combined with personal endings to specify who performed the action.

When using personal endings, they attach directly to the past tense form. For example:

O geldi. (He / She came.)
Ben geldim. (I came.)
Sen geldin. (You came.)

The "-di" suffix is essential for expressing completed actions in Turkish and follows specific rules based on vowel harmony and consonant voicing. It allows speakers to convey certainty about past events, making it a fundamental aspect of Turkish grammar.