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Types of Verbal Nouns

Verbal nouns (masdars) convert verbs into nouns. Turkish has several forms:


1. Infinitive: -mek/-mak (to do)

2. Action noun: -me/-ma (doing, the act of)

3. Result noun: -iş/-ış/-uş/-üş (result of doing)


Each has different uses.

git-mek
to go (infinitive)

Basic infinitive form

git-me
going (action)

Action noun

gid-iş
departure (result)

Result noun

Action Noun -me/-ma

The -me/-ma form creates an action noun. It can take possessive and case endings.


Pattern: Verb stem + -me/-ma + (possessive) + (case)


Front vowels → -me

Back vowels → -ma

Koş-ma yasak
Running is forbidden

koş + ma (action noun as subject)

Gel-me-ni istiyorum
I want you to come

gel + me + ni (your coming + accusative)

Oku-ma-yı seviyorum
I love reading

oku + ma + yı (reading + accusative)

Result Noun -iş/-ış/-uş/-üş

The -iş suffix (i-type harmony) creates nouns referring to the result or manner of an action. Often becomes a standalone word.

yaz-ış
correspondence, writing

yaz + ış

gör-üş
opinion, view

gör + üş

çık-ış
exit

çık + ış

gir-iş
entrance

gir + iş

Infinitive -mek/-mak

The infinitive form is the dictionary form of verbs. It can also function as a noun:


Front vowels → -mek

Back vowels → -mak

Oku-mak güzel
Reading is nice

Infinitive as subject

Yüz-mek istiyorum
I want to swim

Infinitive as object

Çalış-mak zorundayım
I have to work

Infinitive with obligation

Exercises

verbal noun

Form action noun from 'yazmak' with 'your' (sen)

Answer: yazman

yaz + ma + n = yazman (your writing)

translation

Translate: I love swimming

Answer: Yüzmeyi seviyorum

yüz + me + yi (action noun + accusative) + seviyorum

fill in-blank

Complete: Konuş__ yasak (Talking is forbidden)

Answer: ma

konuş + ma = konuşma (action noun)