You will name twelve everyday clothes and say what you wear, choosing between giymek and takmak.
The idea
English says "wear" for everything; Turkish has two verbs. Use giymek for clothes that cover the body or the feet: gömlek, pantolon, etek, elbise, ceket, kazak, mont, çorap, ayakkabı. Use takmak (to fasten, to attach) for things you put on or hang on yourself: gözlük, saat, kolye. In a general statement the noun stays without an ending: Gömlek giyiyorum, Saat takıyorum.
| Word | Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| gömlek | giymek | shirt |
| pantolon | giymek | trousers |
| etek | giymek | skirt |
| elbise | giymek | dress |
| ceket | giymek | jacket |
| kazak | giymek | sweater |
| mont | giymek | winter coat |
| çorap | giymek | sock |
| ayakkabı | giymek | shoe |
| gözlük | takmak | glasses |
| saat | takmak | watch |
| kolye | takmak | necklace |
Examples
- Bugün mavi bir gömlek giyiyorum.Today I am wearing a blue shirt.Clothes that cover the body or the feet go with giymek: gömlek giymek, ayakkabı giymek.
- Babam her gün saat takıyor.My father wears a watch every day.A watch is fastened on the wrist, so it takes takmak, not giymek: saat takmak.
- Kışın kalın bir mont giyiyorum.In winter I wear a thick coat.
- Bu etek çok güzel ama biraz kısa.This skirt is very nice but a little short.
- Kazağım eski ama çok rahat.My sweater is old but very comfortable.Before a vowel suffix the final k of kazak softens to ğ: kazak becomes kazağım, like gömlek becomes gömleğim.
- ayakkabılarımmy shoesayakkabılar-ler / -lar: the plural suffixım-im / -ım / -um / -üm / -m: my
- giyiyorumI am wearing (it)giyiyor-iyor / -ıyor / -uyor / -üyor: happening nowum-im / -sin / -iz / -siniz: I am, you are, we are
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Watch out
A learner who copies "wear" with one verb says Gözlük giyiyorum. That is wrong: glasses, watches and jewellery take takmak, so Gözlük takıyorum. The reverse is wrong too: shoes are only ayakkabı giymek, never ayakkabı takmak.
Try it yourself
I wear glasses. Fill in takmak in the present continuous, I-form.
Show answer or example answer
takıyorum
takıyorum: glasses are put on with takmak; the stem tak takes -ıyor (back vowel a) and then -um.
I am wearing a red dress. Fill in giymek in the present continuous, I-form.
Show answer or example answer
giyiyorum
giyiyorum: a dress is worn on the body, so the verb is giymek, not takmak; stem giy + -iyor + -um.
Add the possessive -ım (my) to kazak (sweater): my sweater.
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kazağım
kazağım: the final k of kazak softens to ğ before the vowel of the ending, and the last vowel a is back, so the ending is -ım, not -im.
Write the Turkish word for shirt.
Show answer or example answer
gömlek
gömlek: it is written with ö; gomlek is a different spelling and counts as wrong.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
I wear glasses. Fill in takmak in the present continuous, I-form.
I am wearing a red dress. Fill in giymek in the present continuous, I-form.
Add the possessive -ım (my) to kazak (sweater): my sweater.
Write the Turkish word for shirt.
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: my shoes
Tap the parts in order to build this word: I am wearing (it)
Keep your progress
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Write five sentences about what you wear on a cold day and on a hot day. Check each verb: giymek for clothes, takmak for glasses, a watch or jewellery.