How to Form Negative Sentences in Turkish
Learning how to form negative sentences is essential when studying Turkish. Negation in Turkish is simple and systematic, using suffixes and auxiliary words. In this guide, we will explore how to form negative sentences in different tenses and structures.
HOW TO MAKE VERBS NEGATIVE IN TURKISH LANGUAGE
1. Negative Sentences in the Present Tense in Turkish
In Turkish, present tense negation is formed by adding "-m-" before the verb suffix. For example:
- Geliyorum I am coming → Gelmiyorum I am not coming
- Seviyorum I love/like → Sevmiyorum I don’t love
- Anlıyorum I understand → Anlamıyorum I don’t understand
The vowel in "-m-" follows vowel harmony rules, so it changes based on the root vowel.
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2. Negative Sentences in the Past Tense in Turkish
For past tense, "-me/-ma" is used before the past tense suffix "-di/-dı/-du/-dü". For example:
- Geldim I came → Gelmedim I didn’t come
- Baktın You looked → Bakmadın You didn’t look
- Yaptık We did → Yapmadık We didn’t do
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3. Negative Sentences in the Future Tense in Turkish
In the future tense, the negation "-me/-ma" is placed before the future suffix "-ecek/-acak". For example:
- Geleceğim I will come → Gelmeyeceğim I will not come
- Yapacaklar They will do → Yapmayacaklar They will not do
- Okuyacağız We will read → Okumayacağız We will not read
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4. Negative Sentences with "Have & There Is" in Turkish
Turkish does not use "Have" like in English. Instead, "var" (Have & There is/are) and "yok" (Don't Have & There isn’t/aren’t) express existence or possession. For example:
- Kitap var. There is a book. → Kitap yok. There is no book.
- Benim bir arabam var. I have a car. → Benim bir arabam yok. I don’t have a car.
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5. Negative Imperatives (Commands)
Negative commands use "-me/-ma" before the verb. For example:
- Gel! Come! → Gelme! Don’t come!
- Bak! Look! → Bakma! Don’t look!
- Konuş! Speak! → Konuşma! Don’t speak!
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Forming negative sentences in Turkish is logical and follows consistent patterns. By mastering negation, you can express refusals, prohibitions, and denials effectively. Practice these structures to improve your fluency and confidence in Turkish!
Do you have any questions? Drop them in the comments below!
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