Explain the goal behind an action, rather than just naming the action. These examples keep the same person or group as the doer of both actions.
The idea
Put the intended action in the infinitive before için: dinlenmek için means “to rest”. The main verb supplies tense and person: Dinlenmek için durduk. A goal does not guarantee a result. -mek üzere also introduces a purpose, often in more formal language: Konuşmak üzere toplandık. Keep the infinitive and the following word together when moving the purpose phrase. For an unwanted outcome, negate the infinitive: unutmamak için means “so as not to forget”. Forms for a different doer are covered in the verbal-noun lesson.
Examples
- Dinlenmek için durduk.We stopped to rest.
- Konuşmak üzere toplandık.We gathered to talk.
- Unutmamak için yazıyorum.I am writing it down so as not to forget.
- Yeni bir lamba almak için para biriktiriyorum.I am saving money to buy a new lamp.
- Projeyi konuşmak üzere yarın buluşacağız.We will meet tomorrow to discuss the project.
- Treni kaçırmamak için erken çıktık.We left early so as not to miss the train.
- Evden çıkmak üzereyim.I am about to leave home.
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 automatically replace every üzere with için. Evden çıkmak üzereyim means “I am about to leave home”; it gives no goal. In a negative purpose, negate the intended action: Unutmamak için yazıyorum says I write to avoid forgetting, not that I avoid writing.
Try it yourself
Complete with için: I boiled water to brew tea. Use demlemek.
Show answer or example answer
demlemek için
demlemek için: brewing tea is the goal of boiling the water. The past time belongs to kaynattım; the brewing stays in the infinitive.
Complete with için: we left early so as not to miss the train. Use the negative of kaçırmak.
Show answer or example answer
kaçırmamak için
kaçırmamak için: missing the train is the outcome to prevent. Leaving early still happens, so the negative belongs inside the purpose phrase.
Complete the purpose phrase with için or üzere. Both neutral and formal wording are accepted.
Show answer or example answer
için / üzere
için / üzere: both connect the gathering with its goal of discussing the project. The second makes the wording more formal; neither proves that the discussion took place.
Does this sentence express a goal or an imminent action? Write amaç or yakın gelecek.
Show answer or example answer
yakın gelecek
yakın gelecek: the speaker is on the point of leaving. üzereyim completes the predicate here; no separate action is given as a means to a goal.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Complete with için: I boiled water to brew tea. Use demlemek.
Complete with için: we left early so as not to miss the train. Use the negative of kaçırmak.
Complete the purpose phrase with için or üzere. Both neutral and formal wording are accepted.
Does this sentence express a goal or an imminent action? Write amaç or yakın gelecek.
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
Write two actions with their goals, one of them something you want to avoid. Then describe a planned meeting using üzere. Identify who performs each action and whether the goal has actually been achieved.