Verbs

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Verbs

All infinitives end either in -mak or -mek according to the vowel harmony (last vowel of the verb stem).

almak (to take, to buy)
bulmak (to find)
vermek (to give)
gitmek (to go)
öğrenmek (to learn)
bilmek (to know)
söylemek (to say)
konuşmak (to talk)
dinlemek (to listen)
çalışmak (to study/to work)
sevmek (to love)





Turkish knows also the negative verb infinitives (not to do, not do learn, etc.). The stem contains the negative suffix -ma- or -me-. "-me" or "-ma" is used according to the vowel harmony (last vowel of the verb stem). If the last vowel of the noun is a back vowel (a, ı, o, u), the negative suffix "-ma" is used. if the last vowel of the noun is a front vowel (e, i, ö,ü), the negative suffix -me is used.
almamak (not to take, not to buy)
bulmamak (not to find)
vermemek (not to give)
gitmemek (not to go)
öğrenmemek (not to learn)

The negative stem (alma-, bulma-, etc.) is used for building negative forms of most tenses (past tense, simple present, future, ...).