4 Basic Turkish Verb Tenses Explained
Understanding Turkish verb tenses is crucial for mastering the language. Unlike English, Turkish verbs change through suffixes rather than auxiliary verbs. Here are the five most essential Turkish verb tenses, their meanings, and how to use them.
4 BASIC TURKISH VERB TENSES
1. Present Continuous Tense (Şimdiki Zaman)
The Present Continuous Tense is used for actions happening right now or ongoing actions.
Formation
Verb root + -yor + personal suffix
Examples
- O şimdi bir kitap okuyor. He / She is reading a book now.
- Ben şimdi bir kitap okuyorum. I am reading a book now.
- Sen şimdi bir kitap okuyorsun. You are reading a book now.
Tip Be mindful of vowel harmony when adding "-yor." For example, "geliyor" (coming) vs. "gülüyor" (laughing).
Download Turkish worksheets: Present Tense (Affirmative) in Turkish (video lessons + PDF worksheets)
2. Simple Present Tense (Geniş Zaman)
The Simple Present Tense is used for general truths, habits, and routines.
Formation
Verb root + -(i)r / er / ar + personal suffix
Examples
- O her gün bir kitap okur. He / She read a book every day.
- O sabahları bir kahve içer. He / She drinks a coffee in the mornings.
- O hafta içi erken kalkar. He / She gets up early during the week.
Tip Some verbs require a buffer letter "y" (e.g., "gel-ir" → "gelir").
Download Turkish worksheets: Aorist Tense (Affirmative) in Turkish (video lessons + PDF worksheets)
3. Past Tense (Geçmiş Zaman)
This tense is used for definite past actions that the speaker personally witnessed.
Formation
Verb root + -dı/di/du/dü + personal suffix
Examples
- O dün akşam televizyonda bir film izledi. He / She watched a film on TV yesterday evening.
- Ben dün akşam televizyonda bir film izledim. I watched a film on TV yesterday evening.
- Sen dün akşam televizyonda bir film izledin. You watched a film on TV yesterday evening.
Tip The suffix changes based on vowel harmony ("geldi", "gördü", "buldu").
Download Turkish worksheets: Past Tense (Affirmative) in Turkish (video lessons + PDF worksheets)
4. Future Tense (Gelecek Zaman)
Used for actions that will happen in the future.
Formation
Verb root + -ecek/acak + personal suffix
Examples
- O yarın okula gidecek. He / She will / is going to go to school tomorrow.
- Ben yarın okula gideceğim. I will / is going to go to school tomorrow.
- Sen yarın okula gideceksin. You will / is going to go to school tomorrow.
Tip Watch for vowel harmony ("gelecek", "bulacak", "yapacak").
Download Turkish worksheets: Future Tense (Affirmative) in Turkish (video lessons + PDF worksheets)
Mastering these five key Turkish verb tenses will greatly improve your ability to communicate clearly and confidently. Start by practicing each tense in daily conversations, and soon they’ll become second nature. Happy learning!
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