Looking back, you can judge an earlier decision: what was the right thing to do then? This lesson uses -meliydi for past obligation, regret and criticism, with context showing what actually happened.
The idea
Compare Seni aramalıyım (I should call you) with Seni aramalıydım (I should have called you). The necessity form takes the past copula, then the person ending. In these past situations, the speaker often implies that the better action did not happen; context supplies the outcome. Put negation before necessity: açmamalıydık means we should not have opened it. In a yes/no question, write the question particle separately and attach the past and person endings to it: beklemeli miydim?
| Present obligation | Looking back |
|---|---|
| Seni aramalıyım. | Seni aramalıydım. |
| Kutuyu açmamalıyız. | Kutuyu açmamalıydık. |
Examples
- Dün seni aramalıydım.I should have called you yesterday.
- Bu kutuyu açmamalıydık.We should not have opened this box.
- Bana önceden söylemeliydin.You should have told me beforehand.
- Bileti evde unuttum; çantama koymalıydım.I left the ticket at home; I should have put it in my bag.
- Çok tuz ekledik; daha az eklemeliydik.We added too much salt; we should have added less.
- Seni beklemeli miydim?Should I have waited for you?
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Watch out
Beklememeliydim means I should not have waited: waiting was the wrong choice. Beklemem gerekmiyordu means I did not need to wait: there was no necessity. The latter alone does not tell you whether I waited.
Try it yourself
I did not call you yesterday. Choose: I should have called you. Write the missing word.
Show answer or example answer
aramalıydım
aramalıydım: the call was missed yesterday, so the judgment looks back. aramalıyım would express a current obligation instead.
We opened the box and the glass inside broke. Choose the form that expresses regret about opening it.
Show answer or example answer
açmamalıydık
açmamalıydık: opening the box led to the broken glass, so the speaker judges opening it a mistake. The ending includes the whole group: we.
You waited for me, but waiting was unnecessary. Choose the phrase that states there was no need.
Show answer or example answer
beklemen gerekmiyordu
beklemen gerekmiyordu: the prompt explicitly says waiting was unnecessary. beklememeliydin would criticize the decision to wait, which is a different claim.
Yesterday I could not decide. Complete the question: should I have waited for you?
Show answer or example answer
miydim
miydim: the question asks about my earlier decision. The particle carries the past copula and the first-person ending; y joins the two vowels.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
I did not call you yesterday. Choose: I should have called you. Write the missing word.
We opened the box and the glass inside broke. Choose the form that expresses regret about opening it.
You waited for me, but waiting was unnecessary. Choose the phrase that states there was no need.
Yesterday I could not decide. Complete the question: should I have waited for you?
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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Invent two small mishaps. For each, say what happened and what you should or should not have done. Then write one question asking whether a different action would have been appropriate.