You will decide whether a phrase gives a comparison, an approximate amount or an endpoint. That distinction tells you when dek can replace kadar without changing the basic meaning.
The idea
For an endpoint in time or space, both words follow the dative: akşama kadar / akşama dek means “until evening”, and köprüye kadar / köprüye dek means “as far as the bridge”. An event can set the endpoint too: ışık sönene kadar / ışık sönene dek, “until the light goes out”. For equality, use kadar: ablam kadar hızlı, “as fast as my older sister”. With an approximate amount, use kadar again: iki saat kadar, “about two hours”. In these comparison and approximation uses, dek is not a substitute. Both words are written separately; the linked grammar and suffix lessons explain how the preceding forms are built.
| Expression | Meaning and choice |
|---|---|
| akşama kadar / akşama dek | Until evening: a time endpoint; both fit. |
| köprüye kadar / köprüye dek | As far as the bridge: a spatial endpoint; both fit. |
| ablam kadar hızlı | As fast as my older sister: a comparison; only kadar. |
| iki saat kadar | About two hours: approximate duration; only kadar. |
| ışık sönene kadar / ışık sönene dek | Until the light goes out: an event endpoint; both fit. |
Examples
- Biz akşama kadar atölyedeyiz.We are in the workshop until evening.
- Çocuklar öğlene dek bahçede oynadı.The children played in the garden until noon.
- Bugün yol köprüye dek kapalı.Today the road is closed as far as the bridge.
- Bu raf öteki kadar geniş.This shelf is as wide as the other one.
- Ablam kadar hızlı koşamıyorum.I cannot run as fast as my older sister.
- Yolculuk iki saat kadar sürdü.The journey took about two hours.
- Işık sönene dek burada bekle.Wait here until the light goes out.
- Bu çanta sandığım kadar ağır değil.This bag is not as heavy as I thought.
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Watch out
Do not choose by the English word “time” alone: iki saat kadar estimates a duration, but saat ikiye kadar sets two o’clock as the endpoint. Only the second allows dek with the same meaning. Nor does benim kadar mean “up to me”: here a person is the comparison standard, not a destination.
Try it yourself
Bu ip öteki ___ uzun. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Show answer or example answer
kadar
kadar: the two ropes are equal in length. Öteki is the comparison standard; there is no stopping point for dek to mark.
Konser gece yarısına ___ sürdü. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Show answer or example answer
kadar / dek
kadar / dek: midnight is when the concert ended. Gece yarısına already marks that endpoint, so either word fits; this is not an estimate of how many hours the concert lasted.
Çorba on dakika ___ kaynadı. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Show answer or example answer
kadar
kadar: the soup boiled for roughly ten minutes. On dakika measures elapsed time without a dative ending; dek would not express this approximation.
Yağmur dinene ___ burada kalalım. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Show answer or example answer
kadar / dek
kadar / dek: the rain stopping is the event that ends the proposed stay. Dinene supplies the endpoint construction, so both words fit after it.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Bu ip öteki ___ uzun. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Konser gece yarısına ___ sürdü. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Çorba on dakika ___ kaynadı. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Yağmur dinene ___ burada kalalım. Fill the gap with kadar or dek; both may be possible.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write one comparison, one approximate duration and one sentence with an endpoint. Replace kadar with dek only where the meaning survives, and explain what ends at that boundary.