Learner Driven Focused Turkish Language Mini Lessons

Novice Mid

Simple Present Tense

Note: this lesson is a little heavy for this level. It has three parts and you could study these in three sessions. On the other hand, because your knowledge bank is still quite empty, if you don't get discouraged you could study all of it as well. In any case, remember that usually a 4 year Turkish child perfectly knows this tense.

The Simple Present Tense describes factual actions in present but not necessarily happening right now. For example, in English "I go to the mall" does not specify a time, but definitely is not in the past or in the future. The same is valid with Simple Present Tense in Turkish, however constructing the tense has three distinct cases. The general form is:

The verb root + present tense suffix + personal suffix where the personal suffixes are determined depending on the last vowel of the verb root, as in the table below:

Last Vowel a/ı e/i o/u ö/ü

Ben -[y]ım -[y]im -[y]um -[y]üm

Sen -sın -sin -sun -sün

O

Biz -[y]ız [y]iz -[y]uz -[y]üz

Siz -sınız -siniz -sunuz -sünüz

Onlar -lar -ler -lar -ler

Personal suffixes according to last vowel

Personal suffixes according to last vowel
Last Vowel	a/ı	e/i	o/u	ö/ü
Ben	-[y]ım	-[y]im	-[y]um	-[y]üm
Sen	-sın	-sin	-sun	-sün
O
Biz	-[y]ız	[y]iz	-[y]uz	-[y]üz
Siz	-sınız	-siniz	-sunuz	-sünüz
Onlar	-lar	-ler	-lar	-ler

Part 1

The verb root ends in vowel: - we add a r to the verb root and then a personal suffix.

Example: ye-mek -> ye-r-im

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

Ben -rım -rim -rum -rüm

Sen -rsın -rsin -rsun -rsün

O -r -r -r -r

Biz -rız -riz -ruz -rüz

Siz -rsınız -rsiniz -rsunuz -rsünüz

Onlar -rlar -rler -rlar -rler

Suffixes to be added to the verb root ending in vowel

Part 2

The verb root ends in a single syllable ending in a consonant: - we add an appropriate suffix from the table befow to the verb root and then a personal suffix.

Example: yaz-mak -> yaz-ar-ım

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

Ben -arım -erim

Sen -arsın -ersin

O -ar -er

Biz -arız -eriz

Siz -arsınız -ersiniz

Onlar -arlar -erler

Suffixes to be added to the verb root of a single syllable ending in a consonant

Part 3

The verb root ends in two or more syllables ending in a consonant: - we add an appropriate suffix from the table befow to the verb root and then a personal suffix.

Example: kullan-mak -> kullan-ır-ım

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

Ben -ırım -irim -urum -ürüm

Sen -ırsın -irsin -ursun -ürsün

O -ır -ir -ur -ür

Biz -ırız -iriz -uruz -ürüz

Siz -ırsınız -irsiniz -ursunuz -ürsünüz

Onlar -ırlar -irler -urlar -ürler

Suffixes to be added to the verb root ending in a consonant and more than one syllable

Suffixes to be added to the verb root ending in vowel
Last Vowel of verb root	a/ı	e/i	o/u	ö/ü
Ben	-rım	-rim	-rum	-rüm
Sen	-rsın	-rsin	-rsun	-rsün
O	-r	-r	-r	-r
Biz	-rız	-riz	-ruz	-rüz
Siz	-rsınız	-rsiniz	-rsunuz	-rsünüz
Onlar	-rlar	-rler	-rlar	-rler

Suffixes to be added to the verb root of a single syllable ending in a consonant
Last Vowel of verb root	a/ı/o/u	e/i/ö/ü
Ben	-arım	-erim
Sen	-arsın	-ersin
O	-ar	-er
Biz	-arız	-eriz
Siz	-arsınız	-ersiniz
Onlar	-arlar	-erler

Suffixes to be added to the verb root ending in a consonant and more than one syllable
Last Vowel of verb root	a/ı	e/i	o/u	ö/ü
Ben	-ırım	-irim	-urum	-ürüm
Sen	-ırsın	-irsin	-ursun	-ürsün
O	-ır	-ir	-ur	-ür
Biz	-ırız	-iriz	-uruz	-ürüz
Siz	-ırsınız	-irsiniz	-ursunuz	-ürsünüz
Onlar	-ırlar	-irler	-urlar	-ürler

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

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Mini Lesson: Present Tense - Listening

Click on the link to listen to the mini lesson on Present Tense

Listen to Present Tense sound track

Tip: you can leave the sound track open, close this mini lesson drop down, and then open the reading mini lesson and follow the text while listening to the sound track.

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

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Mini Lesson: Present Tense - Writing

Try to conjugate the following verbs, one for each case:

Verb root ending in vowel : okumak (oku-mak: to read)

Verb root of a single syllable ending in a consonant : gelmek (gel-mek: to come)

Verb root ending in a consonant and more than one syllable : oturmak (o-tur-mak: to sit)

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

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Mini Lesson: Present Tense - Speaking

First try to guess how these words are pronounced, then click on the link at the bottom and listen. How close were you?

okumak (oku-mak: to read) : okurum, okursun, okur, okuruz, okursunuz, okurlar

gelmek (gel-mek: to come) : gelirim, gelirsin, gelir, geliriz, gelirsiniz, gelirler

oturmak (o-tur-mak: to sit) : otururum, oturursun, oturur, otururuz, oturursunuz, otururlar

Listen to Present Tense sound track

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

Welcome to Learning Turkish Your Way!

Novice Mid

Simple Present Tense

Mini Lesson: Present Tense - Reading

The verb root + present tense suffix + personal suffix where the personal suffixes are determined depending on the last vowel of the verb root, as in the table below:

Part 1

The verb root ends in vowel: - we add a r to the verb root and then a personal suffix. Example: ye-mek -> ye-r-im

Part 2

The verb root ends in a single syllable ending in a consonant: - we add an appropriate suffix from the table befow to the verb root and then a personal suffix. Example: yaz-mak -> yaz-ar-ım

Part 3

The verb root ends in two or more syllables ending in a consonant: - we add an appropriate suffix from the table befow to the verb root and then a personal suffix. Example: kullan-mak -> kullan-ır-ım

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

Mini Lesson: Present Tense - Listening

Click on the link to listen to the mini lesson on Present Tense

Listen to Present Tense sound track

Tip: you can leave the sound track open, close this mini lesson drop down, and then open the reading mini lesson and follow the text while listening to the sound track.

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

Mini Lesson: Present Tense - Writing

Try to conjugate the following verbs, one for each case: Verb root ending in vowel : okumak (oku-mak: to read) Verb root of a single syllable ending in a consonant : gelmek (gel-mek: to come) Verb root ending in a consonant and more than one syllable : oturmak (o-tur-mak: to sit)

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

Mini Lesson: Present Tense - Speaking

First try to guess how these words are pronounced, then click on the link at the bottom and listen. How close were you?

okumak (oku-mak: to read) : okurum, okursun, okur, okuruz, okursunuz, okurlar gelmek (gel-mek: to come) : gelirim, gelirsin, gelir, geliriz, gelirsiniz, gelirler oturmak (o-tur-mak: to sit) : otururum, oturursun, oturur, otururuz, oturursunuz, otururlar

Listen to Present Tense sound track

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

The verb root ends in vowel: - we add a r to the verb root and then a personal suffix.

Example: ye-mek -> ye-r-im

The verb root ends in a single syllable ending in a consonant: - we add an appropriate suffix from the table befow to the verb root and then a personal suffix.

Example: yaz-mak -> yaz-ar-ım

The verb root ends in two or more syllables ending in a consonant: - we add an appropriate suffix from the table befow to the verb root and then a personal suffix.

Example: kullan-mak -> kullan-ır-ım

Try to conjugate the following verbs, one for each case:

Verb root ending in vowel : okumak (oku-mak: to read)

Verb root of a single syllable ending in a consonant : gelmek (gel-mek: to come)

Verb root ending in a consonant and more than one syllable : oturmak (o-tur-mak: to sit)

okumak (oku-mak: to read) : okurum, okursun, okur, okuruz, okursunuz, okurlar

gelmek (gel-mek: to come) : gelirim, gelirsin, gelir, geliriz, gelirsiniz, gelirler

oturmak (o-tur-mak: to sit) : otururum, oturursun, oturur, otururuz, oturursunuz, otururlar