Turkish grammar: olumsuz cümleler

What this grammar point covers

In Turkish, 'olumsuz cümleler' are negative sentences. These sentences say that something does NOT happen or is NOT true.

When to use it

Use negative sentences in Turkish to say that something does not happen, does not exist, or is not true. For example, to say you do not like something, do not have something, or are not doing something.

Key forms

• Verb + -me/-ma (for present simple and general statements)
• Verb + -miyor/-mıyor/-muyor/-müyor (for present continuous)
• Değil (for negative with nouns/adjectives)

Examples

Tips

• The negative suffix -me/-ma comes before the tense suffix in verbs.
• For 'to be' sentences with nouns or adjectives, use 'değil' to make them negative.
• Be careful with vowel harmony when choosing -me or -ma.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs are irregular in the negative form, especially in the past tense or with the verb 'var' (to have), which becomes 'yok' (there is not).