Turkish can make a description vivid without adding çok. You will distinguish an intensified adjective, a repeated word group and a fixed expression about a pleasant smell.
The idea
In forms such as kıpkırmızı, masmavi and tertemiz, a short piece echoing the start of the adjective comes before the whole adjective. Learn these established forms as words: the intervening consonant is not freely chosen. They are written together. Full repetitions stay separate: yavaş yavaş describes a slow pace, tek tek means one by one, and iri iri highlights the size of individual things. Mis gibi is a separate fixed expression, not reduplication; with kokmak it describes a lovely smell.
| Base adjective | Intensified form |
|---|---|
| kırmızı | kıpkırmızı |
| mavi | masmavi |
| temiz | tertemiz |
| beyaz | bembeyaz |
Examples
- Pazarda kıpkırmızı biberler gördüm.I saw bright red peppers at the market.
- Bu sabah gökyüzü masmaviydi.The sky was deep blue this morning.
- Rafları tek tek sildik.We wiped the shelves one by one.
- Merdivenlerden yavaş yavaş indik.We went down the stairs slowly.
- Yıkadığım bardaklar tertemiz oldu.The glasses I washed became spotless.
- Fırından çıkan ekmek mis gibi kokuyor.The bread fresh from the oven smells wonderful.
- Sepette iri iri şeftaliler var.There are big, plump peaches in the basket.
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 translate every repetition as “very”: tek tek describes separate actions, not their intensity. Do not split kıpkırmızı or join tek tek. The s in mis gibi is also important: this is not the grammatical ending -miş.
Try it yourself
Write the established one-word intensifier of kırmızı (red).
Show answer or example answer
kıpkırmızı
kıpkırmızı: the established beginning is kıp, followed by the complete adjective kırmızı. The result describes a vivid red and keeps all four dotless ı letters.
Use the repeated expression taught here: I opened the files one by one.
Show answer or example answer
tek tek
tek tek: each file is opened separately, so the sentence needs a distributive expression. Yavaş yavaş would describe the pace instead.
Complete with the fixed expression for a lovely smell: the fresh mint smells wonderful.
Show answer or example answer
mis gibi
mis gibi: the clue concerns the pleasant smell of mint, which this fixed phrase expresses with kokuyor. Keep the two words separate and write s.
Write the established one-word intensifier of temiz (clean).
Show answer or example answer
tertemiz
tertemiz: ter precedes the full word temiz, giving the sense of spotless. The r belongs to this established form; it is not selected by vowel harmony.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Write the established one-word intensifier of kırmızı (red).
Use the repeated expression taught here: I opened the files one by one.
Complete with the fixed expression for a lovely smell: the fresh mint smells wonderful.
Write the established one-word intensifier of temiz (clean).
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 market visit in three sentences: use a colour intensifier, an action done one by one and a pleasant smell. Check which forms are joined and which stay separate.