Use sökmek when you detach something fixed in place, dismantle it or undo stitching. The object tells you which action is intended.

The idea

The stem is sök-: söküyorum, söktüm, sökeceğim. Learn vida sökmek for removing a screw and dikiş sökmek for unpicking a seam. Specific objects take the accusative: rafı, vidayı.

Patterns to compare
PersonPresent continuousPastFuture
bensöküyorumsöktümsökeceğim
sensöküyorsunsöktünsökeceksin
osöküyorsöktüsökecek
bizsöküyoruzsöktüksökeceğiz
sizsöküyorsunuzsöktünüzsökeceksiniz
onlarsöküyorlarsöktülersökecekler

Examples

  • Bugün eski rafı söküyoruz.We are taking down the old shelf today.
  • Dün masanın ayaklarını söktük.Yesterday we removed the table legs.
  • Yarın bu dolabı sökeceğim.I will take this cupboard apart tomorrow.
  • Lütfen bu vidayı sökmeyin.Please do not remove this screw.
  • Tamirci arka tekerleği söktü.The repairer removed the rear wheel.
  • Bu dikişi dikkatle söküyorum.I am carefully unpicking this seam.

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Watch out

Removing a part need not break it. Sökmek describes detaching or dismantling; kırmak describes breaking. Do not soften the stem’s k in söküyorum.

Try it yourself

  1. Use the -iyor present for biz: we are taking down the old shelf today.

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    söküyoruz

    söküyoruz: The stem’s ö selects -üyor; -uz gives the subject “we”.

  2. Use the -di past for biz: yesterday we removed the table legs.

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    söktük

    söktük: Voiceless k gives t, and rounded front ö selects ü in the past ending.

  3. Write a negative instruction for siz: please do not remove this screw.

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    sökmeyin / sökmeyiniz

    sökmeyin: Use negative -me before the polite/plural ending; sökmeyiniz is also correct and more formal.

Use it today

Describe a piece of furniture you will dismantle and a part already removed. State clearly whether the object was taken apart or broken.