Turkish grammar: dolaylı anlatım

What this grammar point covers

Indirect speech (dolaylı anlatım) in Turkish is used to report what someone else said, thought, or asked, without quoting their exact words.

When to use it

Use indirect speech in Turkish when you want to tell what someone else said or thought, but not with their exact words. It is common in stories, news, and conversations.

Key forms

• Verb stem + -diğini/-diğini/-diğini/-diğini + söyledi/düşündü/sordu, etc.
• For questions: Verb stem + -ip/-madığını + sordu

Examples

Tips

• Pay attention to the verb endings (-diğini, -eceğini, etc.) as they change depending on tense and person.
• The subject can change in indirect speech; make sure to use the correct possessive suffix.
• Do not use direct quotation marks in indirect speech.

Exceptions and edge cases

• For some verbs like 'istemek' (to want), the structure may change (e.g., gelmek istediğini söyledi).