Three expressions can cover a whole group without doing the same job. First ask whether you name each member with a noun, mean everyone, or refer back to an identifiable set.
The idea
Her precedes a singular noun and considers its members one by one: her öğrenci. Herkes stands for all the people relevant to the situation; it does not mean every person in the world. Hepsi refers to the whole of an identifiable group or quantity: biletlerin hepsi. It can refer to people too. With three guests already in view, herkes and hepsi may describe the same people, with different emphasis. When the sentence needs a case ending, compare her soruyu with hepsini: the noun carries the ending in the first expression, the pronoun in the second. Follow the linked pronoun case lesson for forms.
| Expression | In context |
|---|---|
| her öğrenci | Her öğrenci bir renk seçti. |
| herkes | Herkes salonda bekliyor. |
| hepsi | Üç konuk geldi. Hepsi burada. |
| biletlerin hepsi | Biletlerin hepsi masanın üzerinde. |
| her şey | Her şey planladığımız gibi ilerliyor. |
Examples
- Her öğrenci bugün bir renk seçti.Every student chose a colour today.
- Herkes salonda sessizce bekliyor.Everyone is waiting quietly in the hall.
- Biletlerin hepsi masanın üzerinde.All of the tickets are on the table.
- Üç konuk geldi; hepsi aynı otelde kalıyor.Three guests arrived; all of them are staying at the same hotel.
- Her soruyu ayrı bir sayfaya yazın.Write each question on a separate page.
- Konukların hepsini kapıda karşıladık.We welcomed all of the guests at the door.
- Herkesin fikri aynı olmak zorunda değil.Not everyone has to have the same opinion.
- Her şey planladığımız gibi ilerliyor.Everything is going as we planned.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Turkish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Turkish device voice is available. You can still read the text.
Watch out
Do not sort these words into “people versus things”: hepsi can include guests. Nor is it a universal substitute for “everything”. Her şey, written as two words, can describe the whole situation; hepsi needs an identifiable referent. After her, keep the noun singular: her öğrenci.
Try it yourself
Choose from the brackets: each student should bring their own pen.
Show answer or example answer
her
her: the following noun öğrenci names each individual. The instruction assigns responsibility for a pen to each student separately.
Choose from the two options: anyone can answer this question.
Show answer or example answer
herkes
herkes: the blank is the subject referring to people. Her alone cannot supply that subject; bu soruya names the question being answered, not the people.
Choose from the brackets: I found the files; it turns out they were all in the same folder.
Show answer or example answer
hepsi
hepsi: the files have just been identified, and the second clause says where all of them were. Herkes would introduce people instead of referring back to the files.
Both options can fit: all three guests are ready and can set off. Write either one.
Show answer or example answer
herkes / hepsi
herkes / hepsi: both work because the three guests form the relevant group of people. Herkes includes everyone in that situation; hepsi points back to all three guests.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Choose from the brackets: each student should bring their own pen.
Choose from the two options: anyone can answer this question.
Choose from the brackets: I found the files; it turns out they were all in the same folder.
Both options can fit: all three guests are ready and can set off. Write either one.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
Sign up for free to save your practice results in your account.
Sign up to saveI already have an accountUse it today
Describe a workshop: give one instruction for each participant, one statement about everyone, and one about all the materials. Then replace a reference to the participants with hepsi and explain which group it means.