Turkish Verbs - the Past Tenses

Turkish Past Definite Tenses

Was it seen? or Was it heard?
There are two Past Tenses in Turkish. The Definite Past Tenses ("Seen Tenses") are used when you have personal
knowledge and witness of the action. These Definite Past tenses are like the English:
Past Perfect Tense I have made it
Past Simple Tense I made it
Past Imperfect Tense (Past Continuous) I was making it
Past Pluperfect Tense I had made it.
The Sign of the Definite Past is the addition of the suffix -di-/-ti-, -d-/-t-, -d-/-t-, -du-/-tu- according to Vowel
harmony and Consonant Mutation Rules, to which the Personal suffixes are added.
Continuous Past: Geliyordum [Gel-iyor-dum] I was coming
Simple Past: Gelirdim [Gel-ir-dim] I used to come
Future Past (Future in the Past): Gelecektim [Gel-ecek-tim] I was going to come
Pluperfect (Past in the Past): Gelmitim [Gel-mi-tim] I had come
The -mi suffix here does not convey any inferential meaning in the Pluperfect Tense.
Necessitative Past (Obligation in the Past): Gelmeliydim I had to come
Conditional Past: Gelseydim [Gel-se-ydim] If only I had come
All these tenses are discussed in the next pages.

Formation of Definite Past Tenses

The suffixes -d- -di- -du- -d- or -t- -ti- -tu- -t- when added to verb root ending in p k t . Personal suffixes are added
to complete the verb in number.The past tense suffix follow vowel harmony and consonant mutation rules.

Turkish Definite Past Conjugation

E-Verb Stem

A-Verb Stem

geldim (gel-di-m)

I came

anladm (anla-d-m)

I understood

geldin (gel-di-n)

you came

anladn (anla-d-n)

you understood

(o) geldi (gel-di)

he/she/it came

(o) anlad (anla-d)

he understood

geldik (gel-di-k)

we came

anladk (anla-d-k)

we understood

geldiniz (gel-di-niz)

you came

anladnz (anla-d-nz)

you understood

geldiler (gel-di-ler)

they came

anladlar (anla-d-lar)

-Verb Stem

they understood

I-Verb Stem

itim (i-ti-m)

I drank/smoked

ktm (k-t-m)

I went out

itin

you drank/smoked

ktn

you went out

(o) iti

he drank/smoked

(o) kt

he went out

itik

we drank/smoked

ktk

we went out

itiniz

you drank/smoked

ktnz

you went out

itiler

they drank/smoked

ktlar

they went out

-Verb Stem

O-Verb Stem

grdm (gr-d-m)

I saw

kotum (ko-tu-m)

I ran

grdn

you saw

kotun

you ran

(o) grd

he/she/it saw

(o) kotu

he ran

grdk

we saw

kotuk

we ran

grdnz

you saw

kotunuz

you ran

grdler

they saw

kotular

they ran

-Verb Stem

U-Verb Stem

gldm (gl-d-m)

I laughed

buldum (bul-du-m)

I found

gldn

you laughed

buldun

you found

(o) gld

he/she/it laughed

(o) buldu

he found

gldk

we laughed

bulduk

we found

gldnz

you laughed

buldunuz

you found

gldler

they laughed

buldular

they found

Formation of Indefinite (Inferential) Past Tenses

The Indefinite Past Tenses ("heard tenses") are used, by inference, to transfer information that you have not actually seen
and witnessed yourself. There is no Inferential Tensein English, not many languages have one. The idea of inference is
communicated by other ways. English speakers do this automatically and just a few of the ways are as follow:
I think that I went out [doubt]
Presumably you have left [possibility]
He has left as far as I know [reportative]
I think that we left at [uncertainty]
They say that you went out [hearsay]
Its pretty sure that they have left [probability]
All the examples above show that this tense is used whenever the speaker has not been an eyewitness to the past events.
The Inferential Tense used for reporting unwitnessed events, or implying possibility, doubt or uncertainty. It is often used
in telling jokes and stories.
The Sign of the Indefinite (Inferential) Past is the addition of the suffix -mi- -m- -m- -mu- to which the past tense
personal suffixes are added.
Continuous Inferential: Geliyormuum [Gel-iyor-mu-um] It seems (they say) I am coming.
Future Inferential: Gelecekmiim. [Gel-ecekm-i-im] It seems I shall come
Simple Inferential: Gelirmiim. [Gel-ir-mi-im] It seems I come.
Necessitative Inferential: Gelmeliymiim. [Gel-meli-ymi-im] They say I must have come.
The form "it seems" gives the sense of inference in these examples by showing that there is a doubt in what is being
stated. There are many ways of modifying speech in English to show these various nuances of doubt, uncertainty or
hearsay. All these modifications and nuances are inherent in the turkish inferential -mi- tense itself. Extra words of
explanation are not required for clarification purposes.
In English this tense can be translated as:
I believe that he went out.
We think that he has arrived.
Presumably the train will be on time.
All showing some uncertainty or lack of prior knowledge.
This tense is widely used on a daily basis in spoken and written Turkish. It is used all the time in daily conversation.
English shows shades of meaning using exra words:
kmm. I think that I went out. [doubt]
kmsn. Presumably you have left. [possibility]
km. He has left as far as I know. [reportative]
kmz. I think that we left at [uncertainty]
kmsnz. They say that you went out. [hearsay]

kmlar. Its pretty sure that they have left [probability]

The inferential is used whenever the speaker has dounbt about the events.
As a question: Mehmet kt m? Has Mehmet gone out?
Past definite answer: O kt. He has gone out. meaning Yes he has gone out for sure [I saw him go.]
Past inferential (indefinite) answer: O km. He has gone out. meaning As far as I know he has left.
This "doubt" within the -mi inferential tense itself.

Turkish Interential Negative Forms

Examples of the Negative Verb yapmamak to not do
In Turkish "I think that" is not required in Turkish, the inferential -mi Tense already says it.
Ben yapmamm ki. (I think that) I did not do it.
Sen yapmamsn ki. (They say that) You did not do it.
O yapmam ki. (It seems that) He did not do it.
Biz yapmamz ki. (They say that) We did not do it.
Siz yapmamsnz ki. (It is reported that) You did not do it.
Onlar yapmamlar ki. (Apparently) They did not do it. (but they might have).
ki is an object it/that to complete the sentence.

Turkish Inferential Question Forms

The interrogative particle -mi follows the verb and is written separately together with the relevant personal pronoun:
Onu yapm mym? Have I done it [I wonder]? Did I do it, [I'm not sure]?
Onu yapm msn? Have you done it [at all]? Did you do it [anyrate]?
Onu yapm m? Has he done it [then]? Did he do it [yet]?
Onu yapm myz? Have we done it [I wonder]? Did we do it, [I'm not sure]?
Onu yapm msnz? Have you done it [at all]? Did you do it [anyrate]?
Onu yapmlar m? Have they done it [surely]? Did they do it [yet]?
Onu yapmam mym? Haven't I done it [I wonder]? Didn't I do it, [I'm not sure]?
Onu yapmam msn?- Haven't you done it [at all]? Didn't you do it [anyrate]?
Onu yapmam m?- Hasn't he done it [then]? Didn't he do it [yet]?
Onu yapmam myz? Haven't we done it [I wonder]? Didn't we do it, [I'm not sure]?
Onu yapmam msnz? Haven't you done it [at all]? Didn't you do it [anyrate]?
Onu yapmamlar m?- Haven't they done it [surely]? Didn't they do it [yet]?
km mi? Has he (seemingly) left? [would you know? possibility.]
Glmler mi ? Did they laugh? (at all?) [a question asking for a report.]
Onu yapmam msnz? Haven't you done it? [at all? uncertainty.]
Onu yapmam msnz? You haven't (gone and) done it have you? [doubt and incredulity]
The Tense Sign suffix -mi-, -m-, -m-, -mu- and the personal ending are added to the verb stem, in all cases Vowel
harmony and Consonant Mutation rules are applied.

Turkish Indefinite Past Conjugation

E-Verb Stem

A-Verb Stem

gelmiim (gel-mi-im)

I have come

anlamm (anla-m-m)

I have understood

gelmisin (gel-mi-sin)

you have come

anlamsn (anla-m-sn)

you have understood

(o) gelmi (gel-mi)

he/she/it has come

(o) anlam (anla-m)

he have understood

gelmiiz (gel-mi-iz)

we have come

anlamz (anla-m-z)

we have understood

gelmisiniz (gel-mi-siniz)

you have come

anlamsnz (anla-m-snz)

you have understood

gelmiler (gel-mi-ler)

they have come

anlamlar (anla-m-lar)

they have understood

-Verb Stem

I-Verb Stem

imiim (i-mi-im)

I have drunk/smoked

kmm (k-m-m)

I have gone out

imisin

you have drunk/smoked

kmsn

you have gone out

(o) imi

he has drunk/smoked

(o) km

he have gone out

imiiz

we have drunk/smoked

kmz

we have gone out

imisiniz

you have drunk/smoked

kmsnz

you have gone out

imiler

they have drunk/smoked

kmlar

they have gone out

-Verb Stem

O-Verb Stem

grmm (gr-m-m)

I have seen

komuum (ko-mu-um)

I have run

grmsn

you have seen

komusun

you have run

(o) grm

he/she/it have seen

(o) komu

he have run

grmz

we have seen

komuuz

we have run

grmsnz

you have seen

komusunuz

you have run

grmler

they have seen

komular

they have run

-Verb Stem

U-Verb Stem

glmm (gl-m-m)

I have laughed

bulmuum (bul-mu-um)

I have found

glmsn

you have laughed

bulmusun

you have found

(o) glm

he/she/it have laughed

(o) bulmu

he have found

glmz

we have laughed

bulmuuz

we have found

glmsnz

you have laughed

bulmusunuz

you have found

glmler

they have laughed

bulmular

they have found

Turkish Negative Past Tenses

For the Perfect Past Tense Definite (Seen) the suffix -d-, -di-, -du-, -d- is added to the negative verb form. For
thePerfect Past Tense Indefinite (Heard) the suffix -m-, -mi-, -mu-, m- is added to the negative verb form. In both
tenses the person is then added to complete the personalized verb.

Turkish Past Negative Conjugation

Past Definite

Past Inferential

anlamadm

I didn't understand/have not understood

anlamamm

I did not understand (it

seems)

anlamadn

you didn't understand

anlamamsn

you did not understand

(o)
anlamad

he, she, it didn't understand

(o) anlamam

he did not understand

anlamadk

we didn't understand / we have not understood

anlamamz

we did not understand

anlamadnz

you didn't understand / you have not

understood

anlamamsnz

you did not understand

anlamadlar

they don't understand / they have not

understood

anlamamlar

Past Definite

they did not understand

Past Inferential

gitmedim

I didn't go

gitmemiim

I have not gone (it seems)

gitmedin

you didn't go

gitmemisin

you did not go

(o) gitmedi

he, she, it didn't go

(o) gitmemi

he did not go

gitmedik

we didn't go

gitmemiiz

we did not go

gitmediniz

you didn't go

gitmemisiniz

you did not go

gitmediler

they don't go

gitmemiler

they did not go

A Turkish Joke in the Inferential Tense

Snfta retmen sormu - Dalda kus var, birini vurdum ka tane kalr?
In class a teacher asked "There were three birds on a branch, I hit one how many are left?"
ocuk cevaplam - Hi kalmaz retmenim.
A child answered "None at all remained, sir"
- Olur mu olum? - demi retmen - 2 tane kalr.
"Really, my lad?" said the teacher "Two of them remain."
Olmaz retmenim - demi ocuk - Siz birini vurunca dierleri aptal deil ya sesten rkp kaarlar...
"No way, sir" said the child "When you hit one of them, the others not being fools, were startled by the sound and flew
off.."
retmen sasrm ve - Aferin olum! Cevabin yanl ama dnce tarzn beendim. - demi.
The teacher was surprised and "Well done, my lad!" Your answer is wrong but I like your style." he said
Sonra ocuk - retmenim, ben de size bir ey sormak istiyorum: Karsdan tane bayan geliyor, de
dondurma yiyor, ama biri yalayarak, biri srarak, dieri de emerek yiyor dondurmay. Sizce bunlardan hangisi
evlidir?
Then the child said "Sir, I want to ask you something: There are three ladies coming opposite and they are eating ice
cream, but one is licking, one eating and on sucking the ice cream. Which one do you think is married?"
retmen kzm ama, cevap veremedi dedirtmemek iin belli etmemi - Yalarak yiyen evlidir -demi.
The teacher got angry but not to show that he could not answer "The one licking is married" he said.
ocuk - Olur mu retmenim ne alakas var, parmanda yzk olan evlidir - demi - Ama dnce tarznz
beendim.
The child "Really sir? What a thing to say, the one with the ring on her finger is married" he said "But I like your style."
Quotation marks (" ") are not use in the Turkish speech above. Instead It is normal when writing Turkish to use the dash
(-).

Turkish Definite Past Continuous Tense (gram: imperfect)

Formation is: verb stem + present tense suffix [-iyor-] + past tense suffix [-di-] + personal ending. All these meanings are
witnessed. The must be construed as "true".

Turkish Definite Past Continuous

Positive

gelmek

Negative

gitmemek

geliyordum
[gel-iyor-du-m]

I was coming

gitmiyordum
[gitm-iyor-du-m]

I wasn't going

geliyordun

you were coming

gitmiyordun

you weren't going

(o) geliyordu

he/she/it was coming

(o) gitmiyordu

he/she/it wasn't going

geliyorduk

we were coming

gitmiyorduk

we weren't going

geliyordunuz

you were coming

gitmiyordunuz

you weren't going

geliyorlard
or geliyordular

they were coming

gitmiyorlard
or gitmiyordular

they weren't going

Turkish Indefinite Past Continuous Tense

Formation is: verb stem + present tense suffix [-iyor-] + past tense suffix [-mi-] + personal ending. All the meanings must
be construed as "hearsay". They may or may not be true.

Turkish Indefinite Past Continuous

Positive

bilmek

Negative

okumamak

biliyormuum
[bil-iyor-mu-um]

(it seems) I was knowing

okumuyormuum
[okum-uyor-muum]

(it seems) I wasn't reading

biliyormusun

you were knowing

okumuyormusun

you weren't reading

(o) biliyormu

he/she/it was knowing

(o) okumuyormu

he/she/it wasn't reading

biliyormuuz

we were knowing

okumuyormuuz

we weren't reading

biliyormusunuz

you were knowing

okumuyormusunuz

you weren't reading

biliyorlarm
or geliyormular

they were knowing

okumuyorlarm
or okumuyormular

they weren't reading

Examples of Indefinite Past/Present Continuous Tense Negative (Hearsay)

anlamamak to not understand
anlamyormuum it seem that I was not understanding
anlamyormusun it seem that you were not understanding
anlamyormu it seem that he was not understanding
anlamyormuuz it seem that we were not understanding
anlamyormusunuz it seem that you were not understanding
anlamyorlarm it seem that they were not understanding
gitmemek not to go
gitmiyormuum presumably I was not going
gitmiyormusun apparently you were not going
gitmiyormu it seems he is not going
gitmiyormuuz possibly we are not going
gitmiyormusunuz it seems you are not going
gitmiyorlarm apparently they are not going

Turkish Past Continuous Tense Interrogative Positive

Was I going?, Were you crying?, Was he waiting?, Were we arranging?, Were you saying?, Wre they selling?
The verb stem is suffixed with -iyor plus he past tense personalised question tags which are written separately. The third
person plural is suffixed with -iyorlar

Positive Interrogative Examples:

beklemek to wait expect

bekliyor muydum? Was I waiting?

bekliyor muydun?

bekliyor muydu?

bekliyor muyduk?

bekliyor muydunuz?

bekliyorlar myd?

gitmek to to

gidiyor muydum? Was I going?

gidiyor muydun?

gidiyor muydu?

gidiyor muyduk?

gidiyor muydunuz?

gidiyorlar myd?

Turkish Past Continuous Tense Interrogative Negative

The past tense question tags are written separately.

Negative Interrogative Example:

gitmiyor muydum? Wasn't I going?

alamyor muydun? Weren't you crying?

beklemiyor muydu? Weren't you waiting?

toplamyor muyduk? Weren't we arranging?

sylemiyor muydunuz? Weren't you saying?

satmyorlar myd? Weren't they selling?

Definite -di and Indefinite -mi Past Tense Examples

Turkish

English

Positive
Definite

Positive
Indefinite

Negative
Definite

Negative
Indefinite

almak

to take

ald

alm

almad

almam

aramak

to look for

arad

aram

aramad

aramam

bitmek

to end

bitti

bitmi

bitmedi

bitmemi

imek

to drink/smoke

iti

imi

imedi

imemi

balamak

to start

balad

balam

balamad

balamam

almak

to work

alt

alm

almad

almam

gelmek

to come

geldi

gelmi

gelmedi

gelmemi

grmek

to see

grd

grm

grmedi

grmemi

glmek

to laugh

gld

glm

glmedi

glmemi

kzmak

to get angry

kzd

kzm

kzmad

kzmam

okumak

to read

okudu

okumu

okumad

okumam

vermek

to give

verdi

vermi

vermedi

vermemi

yapmak

to do/make

yapt

yapm

yapmad

yapmam

Examples of Questions in the Definite Past Tenses

Note that the mi? question particle follows the full verb in the Past Tense.
Okula gittin mi? Did you go to school? [Eng: Have you been to school?]
Okula gitmeli miydin? Did you have go to school? [Eng: Did you have to go to school?]
Aye ders alt m? Has Ayshe done her lesson?
Mehmet televizyon seyrediyor muydu? Was Mehmet watching television?
Mehmet televizyonu seyrediyor muydu? Was Mehmet watching THE television?
Kemal gazete okudu mu? Did Kemal read a newspaper? [unspecified object]
Kemal gazeteyi okudu mu? Did Kemal read THE newspaper? [specified object]
Kemal bu gazeteyi okudu mu? Did Kemal read THIS newspaper? [demonstrated specific object]
Serhan iki iti mi? Did Serhan drink alcohol? [iki = alcoholic drink]
Serhan iki iiyor muydu? Was Serhan drinking alcohol?
Faruk Ankara'ya gitti mi? Has Faruk gone Ankara?
Faruk Ankara'ya gidebildi mi? Was Faruk able to go Ankara?

Turkish Past Definite Perfect Tense Conjugation "I had written"

The Past Perfect Definite is formed by adding the Definite past tense suffix to the Past Tense -mi form of the verb.
There is no hearsay or doubt in the meaning of this tense as it is made definite and specific by the addition of the past
definite suffix in -di. This tense signifies the definite Past in The Past. "I had done it."

Definite Past Perfect

gelmitim [gelmi-tim] I had come

unutmutun [unutmu-tun] you had forgotten

yrmt [yrm-t] he had walked

bilmitik [bilmi-tik] we had known

kmtnz [km-tnz] you had gone out

anlamtlar [anlam-tlar] they had understood

Turkish Past Indefinite Perfect Tense Conjugation

The Past Perfect Indefinite is formed by adding the indefinite past tense suffix -mi to the past tense -mi form of the
verb. There is hearsay or doubt in the meaning of this tense as it is made indefinite and unspecific by the addition of the
past indefinite suffix in -mi. This tense signifies the indefinite Past in The Past. "(I thought) I had done it."

Indefinite Past Perfect

gelmimm [gelmi-miim] I had come (apparently)

unutmumusun [unutmu-musun] you had forgotten (apparently)

yrmms [yrm-mu] he had walked (apparently)

bilmimiiz [bilmi-miiz] we had known (apparently)

kmmsnz [km-msnz] you had gone out (apparently)

anlammlar [anlam-mlar] they had understood (apparently)

The Turkish indefinite past perfect IS USED in daily conversation. It is also used for sarcasm as in English:
"You just had to be rude to your teacher yesterday! (apparently)"
"He had to leave his wife and kids for another floozie! (it seems)"

Turkish Past Perfect Tense Conjugation

Definite
gelmitim [gelmi-tim]

Indefinite
I had come

gelmimiim [gelmi-miim]

I had come

unutmutun [unutmutun]

you had forgotten

unutmumusun [unutmumusun]

you had forgotten

yrmt [yrm-t]

he had walked

yrmm [yrm-m]

he had walked

bilmitik [bilmi-tik]

we had known

bilmimiiz [bilmi-miiz]

we had known

kmtnz [km-tnz]

you had gone out

kmmsnz [km-msnz

you had gone out

anlamtlar [anlam-tlar]

they had
understood

anlammlar [anlam-mlar]

they had
understood