Lesson n.23: Negative and interrogative form of TO BE in Turkish - Introduction to simple past suffixes-Conversation: at the hotel reception

In this lesson we will learn how to obtain the NEGATIVE and INTERROGATIVE form of the verb TO BE in Turkish and will also hint at the suffixes to conjugate Turkish verbs in SIMPLE PAST TENSE.

Listen to this conversation in which a customer shows up at a hotel reception to reserve a room and practice with the expressions used in this context.

- Affedersiniz, danışma memuru siz misiniz?
- Evet efendim buyurun.
- İstanbul'a biraz önce geldim. Üç gün için bir oda istiyorum.
- Tek kişilik mi?
- Evet yalnızım.
- Odanız üçüncü katta 45 numara.
- Teşekkür ederim ama simdi Amerikan Konsolosluğu'na gidiyorum.Bir Taksi çağrır mısınız lütfen?
- Tabii şimdi çağrıyorum.


VOCABULARY/SÖZLÜK

Müşteri: Customer, client

Danışma memuru: receptionist

Biraz önce: A while ago, shortly before

Yalnız:       Alone

Kat:            Floor

Tek kişilik: for one person, single room
Çağırmak: Ask for, call

Konsolos:  Consul

Konsolosluk:  Consulate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GRAMMATICAL NOTES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEGATIVE FORM, INTERROGATIVE FORM AND SIMPLE PAST SUFFIXES
The negative form of the verb TO BE is obtained by placing the term " değil" after the pronoun, noun, adverb, adjective and then attaching the personal suffixes.
To make things clear let's have a look to the following examples:

I am not:    Ben değil + im    Ben değilim 

You are not a teacher:   Sen öğretmen değil + sin        Sen öğretmen değilsin.

She is not a student :  O öğrenci değil + dir                  O öğrenci değildir

They are not doctors:    Onlar doktor değil + ler           Onlar doktor değiller

It is very simple and the rule applies in the same way  to all persons.


INTERROGATIVE FORM

The interrogative form of  TO BE is obtained by placing one of the question  particles mi, mı, mu, mü right after the the pronoun, noun, adverb  or adjective and attaching to personal suffix.

Bear in mind that the choice of the question particles occurs in accordance with the vowel harmony rule.

The following examples will make things clear:

Am I?     Ben + mi + (y)im?     Ben miyim?  (remember that "y" has the euphonic function of liaising two vowels).

Is she tired?   O yorgun + mu (dur)?      O yorgun mu (dur)?   ( The suffix -dur can be omitted as it has an enfatic function - see previous lesson 23)

Are you on holiday?   Siz tatilde +mi  + siniz?    Siz tatilde misiniz?

Are we on the way?    Biz  yolda + mı + (y)ız?

As you can see the interrogative form is quite simple to understand.

Again don't forget that the question particle you have to pick up must go by the vowel harmony rule hence it is related to the dominant (final) vowel of the pronoun, adjective or adverb.

INTERROGATIVE-NEGATIVE FORM

This form is obtained by  placing the negative particle "değil" after the pronoun, noun, adverb or adjective and the group "question particle+ personal suffix"
A few examples will clear doubts.

Am I not a soldier?:  Ben asker değil miyim?

Aren't you lazy?:      Siz tembel değil misiniz?

Aren't we busy?:       Biz meşgul değil miyiz?

Aren't they? :            Onlar değil midir (ler)?

It is important to highlight here that the group " question particle+ personal suffix remains unchanged as the vowel harmony is linked to the dominant (final) vowel of the negative particle "değil"( i >> i)


SIMPLE PAST OF TO BE.

This tense is obtained by attaching to pronouns, nouns, adjectives and adverbs particular suffixes.
Also in the formation of the simple past tense the choice of suffixes goes by the vowel harmony rule.
The following chart will better explain this:

Pronouns conjugation

Ben -(i)dim: I was
Sen -(i)din: You were
O -(i)di: He, she, it was
Biz -(i)dik: We were
Siz -(i)diniz: You were
Onlar -dılar: They were

CASES

1)Dominant (final) vowel:    e -  i



Adjective/noun conjugation

Same suffixes  as the pronouns (see chart above)
If the adjective/noun ends by one of these consonants t, ş, k, p, ç, f,  h, s  the suffixes mutates its initial d in t.
This mutation occurs in all cases regardless the  dominant (final) vowel.
A few examples will help better understand this rule.

Examples:
The room was clean:  Oda temizdi (temiz+di) (3rd person singular suffix)
The gardens were large:  Bahçeler geniştiler (geniş+ tiler) (3r person plural suffix)


2)Dominant (final) vowel:    a -  ı

suffixes: 
-(ı) dım   
-(ı) dın
-(ı) dı
-(ı) dık
-(ı) dınız
-(ı) dılar

If the adjective/noun ends by one of these consonants  t, ş, k, p, ç, f,  h, s  the suffixes mutates its initial d in t.


3)Dominant (final) vowel:    o -  u

-(u) dum
-(u) dun
-(u) du
-(u) duk
-(u) dunuz
-(u) dular

If the adjective/noun ends by one of these consonants t, ş, k, p, ç, f, h, s the suffixes mutates its initial d in t.

 4)Dominant (final) vowel:    ö -  ü

-(ü) düm   
-(ü) dün
-(ü) dü
-(ü) dük
-(ü) dünüz
-(ü) dülar

If the adjective/noun ends by one of these consonants t, ş, k, p, ç, f, h, s the suffixes mutates its initial d in t.

A few examples wıll help you have a clearer picture

I was alone:   Ben yalnızdım

You were fair: Sen dürüsttün (this is a case of mutation of d into t as dürüst ends by t.In this case the consonant is doubled)

She was  my friend:  O arkadaşımdı

You were pilots:   Siz pilotudunuz

NOTE: THESE SUFFIXES ARE IN GENERAL USED TO CONJUGATE ALL THE VERBS IN SIMPLE PAST.WE WILL SEE MORE IN A DEDICATE  LESSON