Turkish grammar: Şart kipinin geniş kullanımı

What this grammar point covers

The 'şart kipi' (conditional mood) in Turkish is used to talk about conditions, possibilities, or hypothetical situations. At B2 level, you will see it used in a wide range of contexts, not just simple 'if' sentences.

When to use it

Use the şart kipi in Turkish to talk about what could happen if something else happens, to give advice, make polite requests, express wishes, or discuss hypothetical or unreal situations.

Key forms

• Verb stem + -se/-sa (present conditional suffix)
• Ben gidersem, sen gelmezsen, o yaparsa, biz kalırsak, siz söylerseniz, onlar başlarlarsa

Examples

Tips

• Remember to use the correct suffix (-se or -sa) depending on vowel harmony.
• The conditional form is often used with 'eğer' at the beginning, but 'eğer' is optional.
• Do not confuse the conditional form with the future tense; they have different uses.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs with irregular stems (like 'gelmek' becoming 'gelirse') may look a bit different but follow the same rules.
• The negative form uses '-mezse/-mazsa' after the verb stem.