Toplantıya katılmak mecburiyettir.

Attending the meeting is mandatory.

Breakdown of Toplantıya katılmak mecburiyettir.

• olmak: to be
• toplantı: the meeting
• -ya: to
• katılmak: to attend
• mecburi: mandatory

Questions & Answers about Toplantıya katılmak mecburiyettir.

What does the dative suffix in Toplantıya indicate?

In Turkish, the ending -a (or -e depending on vowel harmony) is the dative case marker. It shows that Toplantı (meeting) is the destination or target of the action—hence, “to the meeting.”

Why is the infinitive form katılmak used instead of a conjugated verb?

Katılmak is the infinitive form meaning “to attend”. In Turkish, when you nominalize a verb to use it as a subject, you use its infinitive form. Here, the phrase Toplantıya katılmak functions as the subject of the sentence, much like the gerund “attending the meeting” does in English.

What role does mecburiyettir play in this sentence?

Mecburiyettir is the predicate and means “is compulsory” or “is mandatory”. It asserts that the action described by the infinitive phrase (attending the meeting) is an obligation. Essentially, it states that “attending the meeting is compulsory.”

Can this sentence be rephrased using a modal expression, and if so, how?

Yes. Instead of saying that the action is compulsory in a general statement, you could express it as a direct instruction using a modal suffix: for example, Toplantıya katılmalısın (informal singular, meaning “you must attend the meeting”) or Toplantıya katılmalısınız (formal or plural). However, these versions address specific individuals, whereas Toplantıya katılmak mecburiyettir communicates a general rule.

How does this Turkish sentence compare to the English sentence “Attending the meeting is compulsory” in structure?

Both sentences nominalize the action. In Turkish, the infinitive katılmak is used to create a noun phrase (“attending”), while English uses a gerund. The structure of both sentences is similar: the nominalized subject (attending the meeting / Toplantıya katılmak) is linked to a predicate expressing obligation (is compulsory / mecburiyettir), making the overall meaning clear and direct.

Is there any nuance between using mecburiyettir and other obligation expressions like zorunludur?

Both mecburiyettir and zorunludur express obligation. Mecburiyettir often carries a formal or perhaps legalistic tone, while zorunludur can feel more neutral or common in everyday language. The choice between them usually depends on the context and the level of formality desired.