A noun can become a verb about a new state: toz means dust, while tozlanmak means to get dusty. You will build three familiar verbs and then put one into the past tense.
The idea
With this suffix, use -lan after a back vowel (a ı o u) and -len after a front vowel (e i ö ü). The suffix often makes a verb about acquiring a quality or entering a state. It creates the verb stem; it does not mark tense or person. Attach the infinitive after it: toz-lan-mak, kir-len-mek, ev-len-mek. For a finite verb, put the tense ending after the derived stem instead: kir-len-di. The chains here keep -lan/-len together as one word-building unit.
| Last vowel | Suffix | Base | Infinitive |
|---|---|---|---|
| a, ı, o, u | -lan | toz | tozlanmak |
| e, i, ö, ü | -len | kir | kirlenmek |
| e | -len | ev | evlenmek |
Examples
- Raflar iki günde tozlandı.The shelves got dusty in two days.
- Beyaz gömleğim bahçede kirlendi.My white shirt got dirty in the garden.
- Ablam küçük bir kasabada evlendi.My older sister got married in a small town.
- tozlanmakto get dustytozlan-lan / -len: forming verbs of changemak-mek / -mak: the infinitive
- kirlenmekto get dirtykirlen-lan / -len: forming verbs of changemek-mek / -mak: the infinitive
- evlenmekto get marriedevlen-lan / -len: forming verbs of changemek-mek / -mak: the infinitive
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Watch out
Do not treat the suffix as a freely usable translation of “become”, or interpret every verb literally. Evlenmek means to get married, not to move into a house. Learn kullanmak as to use; its spelling does not supply its meaning. Also distinguish kirlenmek (to get dirty) from kirletmek (to make something dirty).
Try it yourself
Build the infinitive from toz (dust): to get dusty.
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tozlanmak
tozlanmak: dust accumulates on the thing concerned. The o in toz selects -lan; the last vowel of the new stem is then a, so the infinitive has -mak, not -mek.
Build the infinitive from kir (dirt): to get dirty.
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kirlenmek
kirlenmek: the subject gets dirty. The base kir contains front i, which leads to -len and then -mek. Making another thing dirty would require kirletmek.
Build the established verb from ev (house): to get married. Write the infinitive.
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evlenmek
evlenmek: the requested meaning is getting married. Although ev means house, the established verb names marriage. Its front vowel gives -lenmek.
Complete in the simple past: My apron got dirty with paint. Use kirlenmek.
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kirlendi
kirlendi: the apron undergoes the change. Remove infinitive -mek from kirlenmek and add -di to kirlen-; the third-person singular needs no further person ending.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Build the infinitive from toz (dust): to get dusty.
Build the infinitive from kir (dirt): to get dirty.
Build the established verb from ev (house): to get married. Write the infinitive.
Complete in the simple past: My apron got dirty with paint. Use kirlenmek.
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: to get dusty
Tap the parts in order to build this word: to get dirty
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Write one past-tense sentence about something getting dusty and another about something getting dirty. Split each verb into base, derivational suffix and tense ending, then identify what undergoes the change.