Learner Driven Focused Turkish Language Mini Lessons

Intermediate High

Ben yazmalıyım, Sen yazmalısın ...

The word "Must" in Turkish is expressed with the suffixes "malı/meli". Like other suffixes it has to be combined with a personal suffix, and the selection is made depending on the vowel in the last syllable.

When the last sylable contains one of the a/ı/o/u vowels we add the suffix "malı", and when the last sylable contains one of the e/i/ö/ü vowels we add the suffix "meli".

Finaly we add the personal pronoun, e.g. -yım, -sın, ...

Last Vowel of verb root a/ı/o/u e/i/ö/ü

Ben -malıyım -meliyim

Sen -malısın -melisin

O -malı -meli

Biz -malıyız -meliyiz

Siz -malısınız -melisiniz

Onlar -malılar -meliler

Suffixes to be added to the verb root

Here are some examples:
to write: yazmak - Ben yaz--malı--yım, Sen yazmalısın, O yazmalı, Biz yazmalıyız, Siz yazmalısınız, Onlar yazmalılar
I must write, You must write, He/she/it must write, We must write, You must write, They must write

to see: görmek - Ben görmeliyim, Sen görmelisin, O görmeli, Biz görmeliyiz, Siz görmelisiniz, Onlar görmeliler
I must see, You must see, He/she/it must see, We must see, You must see, They must see

Suffixes to be added to the verb root
Last Vowel of verb root	a/ı/o/u	e/i/ö/ü
Ben	-malıyım	-meliyim
Sen	-malısın	-melisin
O	-malı	-meli
Biz	-malıyız	-meliyiz
Siz	-malısınız	-melisiniz
Onlar	-malılar	-meliler

See mini lesson Vowel Harmony for importance of Front versus Back vowels distinction

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Mini Lesson: The word "Must" - Listening

Click on the link to listen to the mini lesson on The word "Must"

Listen to The word "Must" sound track

See mini lesson Turkish Vowels – Reading to learn the vowels in this lesson

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Mini Lesson: The word "Must" - Writing

As an exercise let's see how we can use the word "Must" in simple sentences.

Example: gitmek (to go) - Ben gitmeliyim, sen gitmelisin, o gitmeli, biz gitmeliyiz, siz gitmelisiniz, onlar gitmeliler
I must go, You must go, He/she/it must go, We must go, You must go, they must go

gelmek (to come)

gülmek (to laugh)

yemek (to eat)

See mini lesson Turkish Vowels – Reading to learn the vowels in this lesson

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Mini Lesson: The word "Must" - Speaking

These are the solutions to the questions in the writing mini lesson. Click on the link at the bottom and listen. How close were you?

gelmek (to come) Ben gelmeliyim, sen gelmelisin, o gelmeli, biz gelmeliyiz, siz gelmelisiniz, onlar gelmeliler
I must come, You must come, He/she/it must come, We must come, You must come, They must come

gülmek (to laugh) Ben gülmeliyim, sen gülmelisin, o gülmeli, biz gülmeliyiz, siz gülmelisiniz, onlar gülmeliler
I must laugh, You must laugh, He/she/it must laugh, We must laugh, You must laugh, They must laugh

yemek (to eat) Ben yemeliyim, Sen yemelisin, o yemeli, biz yemeliyiz, siz yemelisiniz, onlar yemeliler
I must eat, You must eat, He/she/it must eat, We must eat, You must eat, They must eat

Listen to The word "Must" sound track

See mini lesson Turkish Vowels – Reading to learn the vowels in this lesson

Welcome to Learning Turkish Your Way!

Intermediate High

Ben yazmalıyım, Sen yazmalısın ...

Mini Lesson: The word "Must" - Reading

See mini lesson Vowel Harmony for importance of Front versus Back vowels distinction

Mini Lesson: The word "Must" - Listening

Click on the link to listen to the mini lesson on The word "Must"

Listen to The word "Must" sound track

See mini lesson Turkish Vowels – Reading to learn the vowels in this lesson

Mini Lesson: The word "Must" - Writing

As an exercise let's see how we can use the word "Must" in simple sentences.

Example: gitmek (to go) - Ben gitmeliyim, sen gitmelisin, o gitmeli, biz gitmeliyiz, siz gitmelisiniz, onlar gitmeliler I must go, You must go, He/she/it must go, We must go, You must go, they must go

gelmek (to come)

gülmek (to laugh)

yemek (to eat)

See mini lesson Turkish Vowels – Reading to learn the vowels in this lesson

Mini Lesson: The word "Must" - Speaking

These are the solutions to the questions in the writing mini lesson. Click on the link at the bottom and listen. How close were you?

gelmek (to come) Ben gelmeliyim, sen gelmelisin, o gelmeli, biz gelmeliyiz, siz gelmelisiniz, onlar gelmeliler I must come, You must come, He/she/it must come, We must come, You must come, They must come

gülmek (to laugh) Ben gülmeliyim, sen gülmelisin, o gülmeli, biz gülmeliyiz, siz gülmelisiniz, onlar gülmeliler I must laugh, You must laugh, He/she/it must laugh, We must laugh, You must laugh, They must laugh

yemek (to eat) Ben yemeliyim, Sen yemelisin, o yemeli, biz yemeliyiz, siz yemelisiniz, onlar yemeliler I must eat, You must eat, He/she/it must eat, We must eat, You must eat, They must eat

Listen to The word "Must" sound track

See mini lesson Turkish Vowels – Reading to learn the vowels in this lesson

Example: gitmek (to go) - Ben gitmeliyim, sen gitmelisin, o gitmeli, biz gitmeliyiz, siz gitmelisiniz, onlar gitmeliler
I must go, You must go, He/she/it must go, We must go, You must go, they must go

gelmek (to come) Ben gelmeliyim, sen gelmelisin, o gelmeli, biz gelmeliyiz, siz gelmelisiniz, onlar gelmeliler
I must come, You must come, He/she/it must come, We must come, You must come, They must come

gülmek (to laugh) Ben gülmeliyim, sen gülmelisin, o gülmeli, biz gülmeliyiz, siz gülmelisiniz, onlar gülmeliler
I must laugh, You must laugh, He/she/it must laugh, We must laugh, You must laugh, They must laugh

yemek (to eat) Ben yemeliyim, Sen yemelisin, o yemeli, biz yemeliyiz, siz yemelisiniz, onlar yemeliler
I must eat, You must eat, He/she/it must eat, We must eat, You must eat, They must eat