Resemblance can concern a face, a sound, a material or an idea. Use benzemek to say what reminds you of something else, without claiming that the two are identical.
The idea
The comparison target takes the dative: birine/bir şeye benzemek. In Sesin annemin sesine benziyor, your voice is the subject and my mother’s voice is the comparison target. Birbirine benzemek means to resemble each other. The stem benze- gives benziyor, but benzedi, benzeyecek and benzer. The present continuous can describe a lasting resemblance; it need not mean that someone is changing. Use benzemiyor for a negative and benziyor mu? for a question.
| Subject | Present continuous | Past | Future | Aorist | Negative present |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ben | benziyorum | benzedim | benzeyeceğim | benzerim | benzemiyorum |
| sen | benziyorsun | benzedin | benzeyeceksin | benzersin | benzemiyorsun |
| o | benziyor | benzedi | benzeyecek | benzer | benzemiyor |
| biz | benziyoruz | benzedik | benzeyeceğiz | benzeriz | benzemiyoruz |
| siz | benziyorsunuz | benzediniz | benzeyeceksiniz | benzersiniz | benzemiyorsunuz |
| onlar | benziyorlar | benzediler | benzeyecekler | benzerler | benzemiyorlar |
Examples
- Bu bulut tavşana benziyor.This cloud looks like a rabbit.
- Sesin annemin sesine benziyor.Your voice sounds like my mother’s voice.
- İki tasarım birbirine benziyor.The two designs resemble each other.
- Bu kumaş ipeğe benziyor ama aslında pamuk.This fabric resembles silk, but it is actually cotton.
- Yeni çizimim eskisine hiç benzemiyor.My new drawing does not resemble my old one at all.
- Çocukken teyzeme benzerdim, şimdi anneme benziyorum.As a child, I used to resemble my maternal aunt; now I resemble my mother.
- Kule tamamlanınca dev bir kaleme benzeyecek.When the tower is completed, it will resemble a giant pencil.
- Bu iki plan birbirine benzese de farklı sorunları çözüyor.Although these two plans resemble each other, they solve different problems.
- Sence bu taş bir kalbe benziyor mu?Do you think this stone looks like a heart?
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Watch out
Do not transfer an object pattern from English “resemble”: say ona benziyorum, not onu benziyorum. Also distinguish Bu logo bir kuşa benziyor (this logo resembles a bird) from Ben bu logoyu bir kuşa benzetiyorum (I liken this logo to a bird). In the second sentence, the person making the comparison is the subject.
Try it yourself
Complete with the correct form of kardeşim: I resemble my sibling.
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kardeşime
kardeşime: start with kardeşim (my sibling) and add -e. The possessive -im stays because the comparison is with your own sibling.
Use benzemek in the third-person singular present continuous: this shape resembles a star.
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benziyor
benziyor: the final e of benze- narrows to i before -yor. The singular subject is the shape, so no first-person ending is needed.
Use benzemek in the first-person singular future: when I grow old, I will resemble my grandfather.
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benzeyeceğim
benzeyeceğim: benze- keeps its final e before the future ending and takes linking y. The k of -ecek becomes ğ before the vowel of the first-person ending.
Choose benzemek or benzetmek and conjugate in the first-person singular present continuous: I liken this logo to a bird.
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benzetiyorum
benzetiyorum: the speaker is making the comparison, and bu logoyu is its object. Using benziyorum would instead make the speaker the thing that resembles the bird.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Complete with the correct form of kardeşim: I resemble my sibling.
Use benzemek in the third-person singular present continuous: this shape resembles a star.
Use benzemek in the first-person singular future: when I grow old, I will resemble my grandfather.
Choose benzemek or benzetmek and conjugate in the first-person singular present continuous: I liken this logo to a bird.
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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Describe two similarities and one difference between two designs. Use birbirine once, then rewrite one observation with benzetmek and yourself as the subject. Next, practise yaklaşmak.