Express a wish about now or later with keşke and a verb carrying -sa/-se. Build the forms rather than translating each one as an unfinished “if” clause; the same forms can also occur in conditions.
The idea
Attach -sa after a stem whose last vowel is a ı o u, and -se after e i ö ü. Then add the conditional person ending: -m, -n, no ending, -k, -nız/-niz, -lar/-ler. A vowel-final stem needs no linking consonant: oku-sa-k. Negation comes before the wish suffix: yat-ma-sa-m. With keşke, the sentence can stand alone as a wish. These examples concern now or later; a regret about yesterday normally uses -saydı/-seydi, as in Keşke dün gelseydim.
| Person | -se | -sa | Negative: -se | Negative: -sa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ben | gelsem | kalsam | gelmesem | kalmasam |
| sen | gelsen | kalsan | gelmesen | kalmasan |
| o | gelse | kalsa | gelmese | kalmasa |
| biz | gelsek | kalsak | gelmesek | kalmasak |
| siz | gelseniz | kalsanız | gelmeseniz | kalmasanız |
| onlar | gelseler | kalsalar | gelmeseler | kalmasalar |
Examples
- Keşke yarın birlikte yüzsek.If only we could swim together tomorrow.
- Keşke bu akşam evde kalsak.If only we could stay at home this evening.
- Keşke komşular biraz sessiz konuşsalar.I wish the neighbours would speak a little more quietly.
- gelsemif I were to comegelse-sa / -se: wishing with keşkemConditional person endings: -m, -n, -k
- yüzsekif we were to swimyüzse-sa / -se: wishing with keşkekConditional person endings: -m, -n, -k
- kalsakif we were to staykalsa-sa / -se: wishing with keşkekConditional person endings: -m, -n, -k
- dinlesenizif you were to listen (plural or polite)dinlese-sa / -se: wishing with keşkenizConditional person endings: -m, -n, -k
- Keşke yarın erken kalkmasam.I wish I did not have to get up early tomorrow.
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Watch out
Keşke does not mean that the speaker performs the action. In Keşke gelsen, I wish that you would come: -n identifies you. Do not put -m on every wish just because its English translation begins “I wish”.
Try it yourself
Complete the wish for tomorrow: I wish I could come with you too. Use gelmek with ben.
Show answer or example answer
gelsem
gelsem: the prompt names ben as the person coming. The front vowel in gel- gives -se, and -m keeps that action in the first person.
Complete the wish: if only we could read more at the weekend. Use okumak with biz.
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okusak
okusak: biz requires -k. The final u in oku- selects -sa, which attaches directly; there is no extra y between the stem and suffix.
Complete the negative wish: if only I did not go to bed late tonight. Use yatmak with ben.
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yatmasam
yatmasam: the desired situation is not going to bed late, so insert -ma before -sa. Final -m refers to the speaker; the sentence does not report an actual bedtime.
Complete the wish: if only you would take this road tomorrow. Use gitmek with siz.
Show answer or example answer
gitseniz
gitseniz: siz selects -niz after -se. The stem keeps its t because the following suffix starts with s, not a vowel.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Complete the wish for tomorrow: I wish I could come with you too. Use gelmek with ben.
Complete the wish: if only we could read more at the weekend. Use okumak with biz.
Complete the negative wish: if only I did not go to bed late tonight. Use yatmak with ben.
Complete the wish: if only you would take this road tomorrow. Use gitmek with siz.
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: if I were to come
Tap the parts in order to build this word: if we were to swim
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Write two wishes for tomorrow: one about yourself and one about several friends. Make one negative, then circle the ending that identifies the person performing the action.