Turkish Past Definite Tenses

Was it seen? or Was it heard?

There are two Past Tenses in Turkish.

Definite Past and Indefinite Past

The Definite Past Tenses ("Seen Tenses") are used when you have personal knowledge and witness of the action.

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:

Definite Past Suffix:
‑di‑ / ‑ti‑ ‑dı‑ / ‑tı‑ ‑dü‑ / ‑tü‑ ‑du‑ / ‑tu‑
- to which the Personal suffixes are added.

The past tense suffix follows vowel harmony and consonant mutation rules.

It mutates to ‑tı‑ ‑ti‑ ‑tu‑ ‑tü‑ when added to verb root ending in p ç k t ş

Turkish Past Indefinite Tenses

The Indefinite Past Tenses ("heard tenses") are used to transfer information that the speaker has not witnessed.

There is no Inferential Tense in English.

Not many languages have one.

Inference is communicated by other ways by English speakers.

The Sign of indefinite Past suffix is the:

Inferential Suffix:‑miş‑ ‑mış‑ ‑müş‑ ‑muş‑
- to which the personal suffixes are added.

Turkish Definite Past tenses

Continuous Past:

Geliyordum
[Gel-iyor-dum]

I was coming

Simple Past:

Gelirdim
[Gel-ir-dim]

I used to come

Future Past:

Gelecektim
[Gel-ecek-tim]

I was going to come

Necessitative Past:

Gelmeliydim
[Gel-meli-ydim]

I had to come

Conditional Past:

Gelseydim
[Gel-se-ydim]

If only I had come

Pluperfect:

Gelmiştim
[Gel-miş-tim]

I had come

Suffix -miş does not convey any inferential meaning in the Pluperfect Tense.

Turkish Definite Past Conjugation

Question:

Mehmet çıktı mı?Has Mehmet gone out?

Definite Answer:

O çıktı.He has gone out.

["I saw him go."]

E-Verb - gelmek

geldim

I came

geldin

you came

geldi

he came

geldik

we came

geldiniz

you came

geldiler

they came

A-Verb - anlamak

anladım

I understood

anladın

you understood

anladı

he understood

anladık

we understood

anladınız

you understood

anladılar

they understood

İ-Verb - içtmek

içtim

I drank

içtin

you drank

içti

he drank

içtik

we drank

içtiniz

you drank

içtiler

they drank

I-Verb - çıkmak

çıktım

I left

çıktın

you left

çıktı

he left

çıktık

we left

çıktınız

you left

çıktılar

they left

Ö-Verb - görmek

gördüm

I saw

gördün

you saw

gördü

he saw

gördük

we saw

gördünüz

you saw

gördüler

they saw

O-Verb - koşmak

koştum

I ran

koştun

you ran

koştu

he ran

koştuk

we ran

koştunuz

you ran

koştular

they ran

Ü-Verb - gülmek

güldüm

I laughed

güldün

you laughed

güldü

he laughed

güldük

we laughed

güldünüz

you laughed

güldüler

they laughed

U-Verb - bulmak

buldum

I found

buldun

you found

buldu

he found

bulduk

we found

buldunuz

you found

buldular

they found

The Turkish Inferential Mood

I think that he might have gone out.
[doubt]

Presumably he has arrived.
[possibility]

He has left as far as I know.
[reportative]

I think that the bus left at 6 o'clock.
[uncertainty]

They say that you have been ill.
[hearsay]

Its pretty sure that they have left the car in the garage.
[probability]

The Inferential Tense used for reporting unwitnessed events, or implying possibility, doubt or uncertainty.

It is often used in telling jokes and stories.

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 -miş- tense itself.

Extra words of explanation are not required for clarification purposes.

Formation of Indefinite (Inferential) Past Tenses

The indefinite Past suffix is ‑miş‑ ‑mış‑ ‑müş‑ ‑muş‑ to which the personal suffixes are added.

Present Indef.

Geliyormuşum

[Gel-iyor-muş-um]

I am probably coming.

Future Indef.

Gelecekmişim.

[Gel-ecek-miş-im]

It seems I shall come

*Simple Indef.*

Gelirmişler.

[Gel-ir-miş-ler]

It seems they (will) come.

"must" Indef.

Gelmeliymişim.

[Gel-meli-ymiş-im]

They say I must have come.

***Simple tenses are used for "untimed" future events.

The Simple Tense is widely used in spoken and written Turkish.

Turkish Indefinite Past Tense Conjugation

Question:

Mehmet çıktı mı?Has Mehmet gone out?

Indefinite Answer:

O çıkmış.He has gone out.

["As far as I know."]

This "doubt"is within the -miş inferential tense itself.

E-Verb
Indefinite

gelmişim

I have come

gelmişsin

you have come

gelmiş

he has come

gelmişiz

we have come

gelmişsiniz

you have come

gelmişler

they have come

A-Verb
Indefinite

anlamışım

I have understood

anlamışsın

you have understood

anlamış

he have understood

anlamışız

we have understood

anlamışsınız

you have understood

anlamışlar

they have understood

İ-Verb
Indefinite

içmişim

Ihave drunk

içmişsin

you have drunk

içmiş

he has drunk

içmişiz

we have drunk

içmişsiniz

you have drunk

içmişler

they have drunk

I-Verb
Indefinite

çıkmışım

I have left

çıkmışsın

you have left

çıkmış

he have left

çıkmışız

we have left

çıkmışsınız

you have left

çıkmışlar

they have left

Ö-Verb
Indefinite

görmüşüm

I have seen

görmüşsün

you have seen

görmüş

he has seen

görmüşüz

we have seen

görmüşsünüz

you have seen

görmüşler

they have seen

O-Verb
Indefinite

koşmuşum

I have run

koşmuşsun

youhave run

koşmuş

he have run

koşmuşuz

we have run

koşmuşsunuz

you have run

koşmuşlar

they have run

Ü-Verb
Indefinite

gülmüşüm

I have laughed

gülmüşsün

you have laughed

gülmüş

he has laughed

gülmüşüz

we have laughed

gülmüşsünüz

you have laughed

gülmüşler

they have laughed

U-Verb
Indefinite

bulmuşum

I have found

bulmuşsun

you have found

bulmuş

he have found

bulmuşuz

we have found

bulmuşsunuz

you have found

bulmuşlar

they have found

Turkish Negative Past Tenses

Perfect Past Tense Definite[Seen]-dı is suffixed to the negative verb.

A-Verb
Negative Past Definite

anlamadım

I didn't understand

anlamadın

you didn't understand

anlamadı

he, she, it didn't understand

anlamadık

we didn't understand

anlamadınız

you didn't understand

anlamadılar

they don't understand

E-Verb
Negative Past Definite

gitmedim

I didn't go

gitmedin

you didn't go

gitmedi

he, she, it didn't go

gitmedik

we didn't go

gitmediniz

you didn't go

gitmediler

they don't go

Turkish Interential Negative Forms

Perfect Past Tense Indefinite[Heard] the suffix -mış- is suffixed to the negative verb.

A-Verb
Past Inferential

anlamamışım

I did not understand

anlamamışsın

you did not understand

anlamamış

he did not understand

anlamamışız

we did not understand

anlamamışsınız

you did not understand

anlamamışlar

they did not understand

E-Verb
Past Inferential

gitmemişim

I have not gone

gitmemişsin

you did not go

gitmemiş

he did not go

gitmemişiz

we did not go

gitmemişsiniz

you did not go

gitmemişler

they did not go

Turkish Negative Indefinite Past Model:

yapmamak[yap-ma-mak]to not do

Indefinite
Negative

Ben yapmamışım ki.

I did not do it.
[Did I?]

Sen yapmamışsın ki.

You did not do it.
[looks like..]

O yapmamış ki.

He did not do it.
[surely?]

Biz yapmamışız ki.

We did not do it.
[forgot to]

Siz yapmamışsınız ki.

You did not do it.
[ever?]

Onlar yapmamışlar ki.

They did not do it.
[already]

Indef. Positive
Interrogative

Onu yapmış mıyım?

Have I done it
[I'm not sure]

Onu yapmış mısın?

Have you done it
[at all?]

Onu yapmış mı?

Has he done it
[yet?]

Onu yapmış mıyız?

Have we done it
[I wonder]

Onu yapmış mısınız?

Have you done it
[possibly]

Onu yapmışlar mı?

Have they done it
[surely?]

Indef. Negative
Interrogative

Onu yapmamış mıyım?

Haven't I done it
[I wonder?]

Onu yapmamış mısın?

Haven't you done it
[at all?]

Onu yapmamış mı?

Hasn't he done it
[then?]

Onu yapmamış mıyız?

Haven't we done it
[I wonder?]

Onu yapmamış mısınız?

Haven't you done it
[at all?]

Onu yapmamışlar mı?

Haven't they done it
[surely?]

The interrogative particle -mi follows the verb

It is written separately together with the relevant personal pronoun:

Onu yapmamış mısınız?
You haven't (gone and) done it have you?
[doubt and incredulity]

Turkish Definite Past Continuous Tense

Formation: verb stem + present tense suffix [-iyor-] + [-di-] + personal ending.

These meanings are witnessed. The must be construed as "true".

Positive Past
Continuous

gelmek

to come

geliyordum

I was coming

geliyordun

you were coming

geliyordu

he was coming

geliyorduk

we were coming

geliyordunuz

you were coming

geliyorlardı (-dular)

they were coming

Negative Past
Continuous

gitmemek

to not come

gitmiyordum

I wasn't going

gitmiyordun

you weren't going

gitmiyordu

he wasn't going

gitmiyorduk

we weren't going

gitmiyordunuz

you weren't going

gitmiyorlardı (-dular)

they weren't going

Turkish Indefinite Past Continuous

Formation: verb stem + present tense suffix [-iyor-] + [-miş-] + personal ending.

The meaning must be construed as "hearsay"

Positive Indefinite
Continuous

bilmek

to know

biliyormuşum

I was knowing

biliyormuşsun

you were knowing

biliyormuş

he was knowing

biliyormuşuz

we were knowing

biliyormuşsunuz

you were knowing

biliyorlarmış -muşlar

they were knowing

Negative Indefinite
Continuous

okumamak

to not read

okumuyormuşum

I wasn't reading

okumuyormuşsun

you weren't reading

okumuyormuş

he wasn't reading

okumuyormuşuz

we weren't reading

okumuyormuşsunuz

you weren't reading

okumuyorlarmış -muşlar

they weren't reading

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 + past tense personalised question tags - written separately.

Past Continuous
Pos. Interrogative

bekliyor muydum?

Was I waiting?

bekliyor muydun?

Were you waiting?

bekliyor muydu?

Was he waiting?

bekliyor muyduk?

Were we waiting?

bekliyor muydunuz?

Were you waiting?

bekliyorlar mıydı?

Were they waiting?

Past Continuous
Neg.Interrogative

gitmiyor muydum?

Wasn't I going?

ağlamıyor muydun?

Weren't you crying?

beklemiyor muydu?

Weren't you waiting?

toplamıyor muyduk?

Weren't we arranging?

söylemiyor muydunuz?

Weren't you saying?

satmıyorlar mıydı?

Weren't they selling?

Examples of Questions in the Definite Past Tenses

The mi? question particle follows the full verb in the Past Tense.

Okula gittin mi?
Did you go to school?

Okula gitmeli miydin?
Did you have go to school?

Ayşe ders çalıştı mı?
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?

Kemal gazeteyi okudu mu?
Did Kemal read the newspaper?

Kemal bu gazeteyi okudu mu?
Did Kemal read this newspaper?

Serhan içki içti mi?
Did Serhan drink alcohol?

Serhan içki içiyor 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 ‑miş 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."

Turkish Definite Past Perfect

gelmiştim
[gelmiş-tim]
I had come

unutmuştun
you had forgotten

yürümüştü
he had walked

bilmiştik
we had known

çıkmıştınız
you had gone out

anlamıştılar
they had understood

Turkish Past Indefinite Perfect Tense Conjugation

The Past Perfect Indefinite is formed by adding the indefinite past tense suffix ‑miş to the past tense ‑mişform 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 ‑miş.

This tense signifies the indefinite Past in The Past. "(I thought) I had done it."

Turkish Indefinite Past Perfect

gelmişmışım
[gelmiş-miş-im]
I had come (it seems)

unutmuşmuşsun
you had forgotten

yürümüşmüs
he had walked

bilmişmişiz
we had known

çıkmışmışsınız
you had gone out

anlamışmışlar
they had understood

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)"

Turkish Past Perfect Tense Conjugation

Definite		Indefinite
gelmiştim	I had come	gelmişmişim	I had come
unutmuştun	you had forgotten	unutmuşmuşsun	you had forgotten
yürümüştü	he had walked	yürümüşmüş	he had walked
bilmiştik	we had known	bilmişmişiz	we had known
çıkmıştınız	you had gone out	çıkmışmışsınız	you had gone out
anlamıştılar	they had understood	anlamışmışlar	they had understood

Turkish Past Definite Tenses