Grammar
Questions (-mi?)
Yes/No questions in Turkish are typically formed using the question particle mi / mı / mu / mü, which follows I-Type vowel harmony based on the preceding vowel.
Formation:
The question particle is written as a separate word and comes after the verb (or the word being questioned). Personal suffixes are attached to the question particle, not the verb itself.
Verb (conjugated for tense/mood, but usually without personal suffix) + mi/mı/mu/mü + Personal Suffix (if applicable)
Examples:
- Present Continuous:
Geliyor musun? (Are you coming?)
(geliyor + mu + sun) - Present Simple/Aorist:
Okur musun? (Do you read? / Would you read?)
(okur + mu + sun) - Past Simple (-di):
Yaptı mı? (Did he/she do it?)
(yaptı + mı - no personal suffix for 3rd person singular)
Yaptınız mı? (Did you (pl./formal) do it?)
(yaptı + nız + mı - Note: Suffixes can sometimes attach to verb, then particle: Yaptınız mı? or Yaptı mıydınız? - latter is more complex) Simpler: Siz yaptınız mı? (You did do it?) - Future Tense:
Gelecek misin? (Will you come?)
(gelecek + mi + sin) - With "to be" (using değil for negative):
Bu kitap mı? (Is this a book?)
Hasta mısın? (Are you sick?)
Öğretmen değil mi? (Isn't he/she a teacher?)
The question particle mi takes the full stress of the sentence.
Practice Zone
1. How do you ask 'Are you coming?' (Present Continuous, informal 'you')?