You will add -dir to a word to state a fact or a likely guess, and choose the right one of its eight shapes.
The idea
The ending -dir closes a sentence about a third person or thing and does two jobs: it states a general fact (Deniz tuzludur) and it marks a confident guess (Müdür toplantıdadır). The vowel follows the last vowel of the word (i after e i, ı after a ı, u after o u, ü after ö ü). The first consonant is d after a vowel or a voiced sound and t after a voiceless one, one of ç f h k p s ş t: sıcaktır, dürüsttür. After a plural it is -lerdir / -lardır.
| Last vowel | After a vowel or voiced sound | Example | After a voiceless sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a, ı | -dır | kapalıdır | -tır | sıcaktır |
| e, i | -dir | güzeldir | -tir | serttir |
| o, u | -dur | tuzludur | -tur | yoktur |
| ö, ü | -dür | gündür | -tür | dürüsttür |
Examples
- Burada kışın hava soğuktur.The weather here is cold in winter.
- Bu kapı genellikle kapalıdır.This door is usually closed.
- Müdür şimdi toplantıdadır.The manager must be in a meeting now.Here -dir after the place toplantıda marks a confident guess, not a plain report: the speaker has not seen it.
- okuldadırmust be at schoolokulda-de / -da / -te / -ta: in, at, ondır-dir / -dır / -tir / -tür: is, must be
- arkadaşlarımızdırthey are our friendsarkadaşlar-ler / -lar: the plural suffixımız-imiz / -ımız / -umuz / -ümüz: ourdır-dir / -dır / -tir / -tür: is, must be
- çocuklardırthey are childrençocuklar-ler / -lar: the plural suffixdır-dir / -dır / -tir / -tür: is, must beThe plural -lar ends in the voiced r, so the ending starts with d; the back vowel a gives -dır: çocuklardır.
- Deniz tuzludur.The sea is salty.The word ends in the vowel u, so the ending starts with d, and the rounded u gives -dur. This is a general fact with no guess in it.
- Zeynep dürüsttür.Zeynep is honest.The word ends in the voiceless t and its last vowel ü is front and rounded, so the ending is -tür: dürüsttür, with two t.
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Watch out
Do not add -dir to every everyday sentence with "is". Speakers say Annem evde and Hava güzel, not evdedir and güzeldir, which sound like a report, a rule or a guess. With ben and sen there is no -dir: Ben öğrenciyim, never öğrencidir.
Try it yourself
Add the right form of -dir to güzel (beautiful).
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güzeldir
güzeldir: the last vowel is e and l is voiced, so the ending is -dir.
Add the right form of -dir to sıcak (hot).
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sıcaktır
sıcaktır: k is voiceless, so the ending starts with t, and the unrounded back vowel a gives -tır.
Add the right form of -dir to tuzlu (salty).
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tuzludur
tuzludur: the word ends in the vowel u, so the ending starts with d, and the rounded back vowel u gives -dur.
Add the right form of -dir to dürüst (honest).
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dürüsttür
dürüsttür: the final t is voiceless and the last vowel ü is front and rounded, so it is -tür, with the t doubled in writing.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Add the right form of -dir to güzel (beautiful).
Add the right form of -dir to sıcak (hot).
Add the right form of -dir to tuzlu (salty).
Add the right form of -dir to dürüst (honest).
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the parts in order to build this word: must be at school
Tap the parts in order to build this word: they are our friends
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Write three statements that are generally true (about a food, an animal or a season) and one guess about where a family member is now, each ending in -dir. Check the vowel and whether the sound before it is voiceless.