Mektup gönderilmeli.

The letter must be sent.

Breakdown of Mektup gönderilmeli.

• mektup: the letter
• gönderilmek: to be sent
• –meli: must

Questions & Answers about Mektup gönderilmeli.

What does the suffix -meli indicate in gönderilmeli?

The suffix -meli (or -malı after vowels) expresses necessity or obligation. In gönderilmeli, it means “must be sent” or “should be sent.”

Why is there an extra -il- in gönderilmeli?

The element -il- is the Turkish passive marker. It turns the active verb stem gönder- (“to send”) into a passive form, so you get “to be sent.”

What’s the difference between göndermeli and gönderilmeli?

• göndermeli = “(someone) should send (it)” (active necessity)
• gönderilmeli = “(it) must be sent” or “should be sent” (passive necessity)

Why is there no explicit subject in Mektup gönderilmeli?

This is an impersonal or agent-less necessity construction. The focus is on the action “the letter must be sent,” not who sends it. Turkish often omits the subject when it’s general or unknown.

Can I change the word order to Gönderilmeli mektup?

No. Turkish generally follows Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order or Topic-Comment order. Here mektup (the topic) comes first, then the verb phrase gönderilmeli.