Grammar

Optative Mood (-e)

The Optative Mood (İstek Kipi) expresses wishes, desires, suggestions, or intentions, often translated as "let me...", "may I...", "let's...".

Suffix Formation:

The basic suffix is -e / -a (A-Type vowel harmony). If the verb stem ends in a vowel, a buffer 'y' is inserted: -ye / -ya.

Conjugation (gitmek - to go):

PersonPositiveNegative
Bengideyimgitmeyeyim
Sengidesingitmeyesin
Ogidegitmeye
Bizgidelimgitmeyelim
Sizgidesinizgitmeyesiniz
Onlargidelergitmeyeler

The 1st person plural (gidelim - let's go) is very common.

Examples:

  • Ben geleyim mi? (May I come? / Shall I come?)
  • Hadi sinemaya gidelim! (Let's go to the cinema!)
  • Allah rahmet eyleye. (May God rest his/her soul. (Fixed expression))

Negation:

The negative is formed by adding the negative suffix -me/-ma before the optative suffix (with buffer 'y'): -meye/-maya. Example: Ben gitmeyeyim. (Let me not go / May I not go.)

Practice Zone

1. How do you say 'Let's go!' using 'gitmek' (to go)?