Turkish grammar: zarf-fiiller

What this grammar point covers

Zarf-fiiller (also called gerunds or adverbial participles) are special verb forms in Turkish that act like adverbs. They show how, when, why, or under what condition an action happens.

When to use it

Use zarf-fiiller in Turkish to connect two actions in a sentence, to show time, reason, condition, or manner. They help you say when or how something happens, or link actions together.

Key forms

• -ken (e.g., yaparken)
• -ince/-ınca/-unca/-ünce (e.g., gelince)
• -dikçe/-dıkça (e.g., gördükçe)
• -meden/-madan (e.g., gitmeden)
• -ip (e.g., okuyup)

Examples

Tips

• The verb stem changes slightly for each zarf-fiil ending. Pay attention to vowel harmony.
• Don't use a subject for the zarf-fiil part if it's the same as the main verb.
• Zarf-fiil forms do not take tense or person endings.