You will build negative commands such as gitme and gelmeyin and choose the right form for one friend or for several people.
The idea
For one close person, put -me (after e i ö ü) or -ma (after a ı o u) on the verb stem: gelme, bakma. For several people, or politely, add -yin or -yın after it: gelmeyin, bakmayın; the y is needed because -me/-ma ends in a vowel. Signs often use -meyiniz / -mayınız. The stem does not change: gitme, yeme.
| Verb stem | To one friend (sen) | To several people or politely (siz) | On signs and formal notices |
|---|---|---|---|
| gel | gelme | gelmeyin | gelmeyiniz |
| git | gitme | gitmeyin | gitmeyiniz |
| gör | görme | görmeyin | görmeyiniz |
| bak | bakma | bakmayın | bakmayınız |
| yap | yapma | yapmayın | yapmayınız |
| unut | unutma | unutmayın | unutmayınız |
| bekle | bekleme | beklemeyin | beklemeyiniz |
| oku | okuma | okumayın | okumayınız |
| ye | yeme | yemeyin | yemeyiniz |
Examples
- Bugün okula geç kalma.Don't be late for school today.
- Lütfen burada sigara içmeyin.Please do not smoke here.The form with -yin speaks to several people or politely to one. On signs the longer -meyiniz is common: sigara içmeyiniz.
- Anahtarını evde unutma.Don't leave your key at home.The command to one close person has no ending after -ma: Anahtarını evde unutma. It suits friends, family and children.
- gitmeyindon't go (to several people or politely)gitme-me / -ma: don't, the negative commandyin-in / -ın / -un / -ün: polite command
- korkmayındon't be afraidkorkma-me / -ma: don't, the negative commandyın-in / -ın / -un / -ün: polite command
- beklemeyindon't waitbekleme-me / -ma: don't, the negative commandyin-in / -ın / -un / -ün: polite command
- yemeyindon't eatyeme-me / -ma: don't, the negative commandyin-in / -ın / -un / -ün: polite commandThe stem ye does not change before -me: yeme, yemeyin. Compare yiyemem, 'I cannot eat', where the cannot form changes it.
- Bana yalan söyleme.Don't lie to me.
- Çocuklar, sokakta top oynamayın.Children, do not play ball in the street.
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Watch out
Do not drop the y or put the negative after the ending: gelmein and gelinme are wrong, gelmeyin is right. A bare gelme also sounds blunt to someone older, so say gelmeyin. And do not mix it up with -eme-: gelme means 'don't come', gelemem means 'I cannot come'.
Try it yourself
Tell one close friend not to come: gel (come).
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gelme
gelme: the last vowel of gel is e, which is front, so -me; to a friend nothing follows it.
Tell several people not to do it: yap (do, make).
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yapmayın
yapmayın: the last vowel a is back, so -ma, and -yın follows with its y.
Tell several people not to wait: bekle (wait).
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beklemeyin
beklemeyin: bekle already ends in a vowel, so -me is added to the whole stem, then -yin with its y.
Tell one close friend not to eat it: ye (eat).
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yeme
yeme: ye does not change before -me; yiyemem is 'I cannot eat'.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Tell one close friend not to come: gel (come).
Tell several people not to do it: yap (do, make).
Tell several people not to wait: bekle (wait).
Tell one close friend not to eat it: ye (eat).
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: don't go (to several people or politely)
Tap the parts in order to build this word: don't be afraid
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Write three prohibitions you might hear at home or at work: one to a friend, one to a group and one for a sign. Underline -me/-ma and check the y.