You will answer questions such as Kahve içiyor musun? and the trickier Kahve içmiyor musun?, and choose between evet and hayır without being misunderstood.
The idea
Evet says that the question is right, hayır that it is wrong. After a positive question this works as in English: Kahve içiyor musun? – Evet, içiyorum. or Hayır, içmiyorum. After a negative question evet agrees with the negative: Kahve içmiyor musun? – Evet, içmiyorum (you are right, I do not) or Hayır, içiyorum (that is wrong, I do). Questions with var or yok are answered with those words: Hayır, yok.
| Question | After evet | After hayır |
|---|---|---|
| Kahve içiyor musun? | Evet, içiyorum. | Hayır, içmiyorum. |
| Kahve içmiyor musun? | Evet, içmiyorum. | Hayır, içiyorum. |
| Bugün sınav var mı? | Evet, var. | Hayır, yok. |
| Bugün sınav yok mu? | Evet, yok. | Hayır, var. |
Examples
- Evet, ben kahve içmiyorum.Yes, I don't drink coffee.The answer to Kahve içmiyor musun? Evet agrees with the question, so the verb stays negative. The pronoun ben may be dropped: Evet, içmiyorum.
- Hayır, ben kahve içiyorum.No, I do drink coffee.The same question again. Hayır rejects the idea that you do not drink coffee, so the verb turns positive. Hayır and a negative verb would be easy to misread.
- Evet, bugün okula gidiyorum.Yes, I am going to school today.
- Hayır, bugün okula gitmiyorum.No, I am not going to school today.
- Evet, babam evde değil.Yes, my father is not at home.
- Hayır, babam evde.No, my father is at home.
- Bugün sınav yok mu?Is there no exam today?Evet, yok means there is none; Hayır, var means there is one. Var and yok are the verb of the answer, so no other verb is needed.
- Hayır, bugün sınav var.No, there is an exam today.
- Bugün pazartesi, değil mi?It is Monday today, isn't it?Here değil mi is a tag after a positive statement, so evet simply confirms it: Evet, pazartesi. Hayır denies the statement: Hayır, salı.
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Watch out
Out of English habit, learners answer Kahve içmiyor musun? with Evet, içiyorum, meaning "yes, I do". In Turkish evet agrees with the negative question, so this sounds self-contradictory and listeners may ask again. Repeat the verb after evet or hayır, because the bare word is often misread.
Try it yourself
Finish the answer: you agree that you do not drink coffee.
Show answer or example answer
içmiyorum
içmiyorum: evet agrees that you do not drink coffee, so the verb stays negative.
Finish the answer: you are not coming.
Show answer or example answer
gelmiyorum
gelmiyorum: hayır rejects "you are coming", so the verb turns negative: gelmiyorum.
Is there no exam today? Say that there is one.
Show answer or example answer
var
var: the question assumes there is no exam; hayır rejects that, and what remains is var.
Choose the first word: you are going to school.
Show answer or example answer
hayır
hayır: you are going, so you reject "you are not going", and the word is hayır even though the verb is positive.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Finish the answer: you agree that you do not drink coffee.
Finish the answer: you are not coming.
Is there no exam today? Say that there is one.
Choose the first word: you are going to school.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Ask a classmate three questions, one positive and two negative, such as Bugün okula gitmiyor musun? Answer each with evet or hayır and the verb, and say whether you agree with the question or reject it.