Question 1

What does the suffix -den beri mean, and what role does it play in a sentence?

Accepted Answer

-den beri literally means “since (that time)” and tells you that an action or state that began at a specific point in the past is still continuing now. You attach it to a time expression to mark the starting point.  
Example:  
  Sabah kahvaltıdan beri kahve içiyorum.  
  (“I have been drinking coffee since breakfast.”)

Question 2

How do I attach -den beri to different words?

Accepted Answer

1. First add the ablative suffix -den to your noun; then write beri as a separate word.  
2. Follow Turkish vowel harmony and consonant assimilation rules:  
   - If the last sound of the noun is a front vowel (e, i, ö, ü), use -den.  
   - If it’s a back vowel (a, ı, o, u), use -dan.  
   - After a voiceless consonant you often see a t instead of d (kitap → kitaptan beri).  
3. Always separate beri with a space: e.g. sabah + -tan + beri → sabahtan beri.

Question 3

Why is beri written as a separate word instead of being part of the suffix?

Accepted Answer

Because beri is a postposition (like “ago” or “for” in English), not just an ending. The ablative suffix -den attaches to the noun, and beri follows as its own word, together forming the meaning “since.”

Question 4

Which verb tenses or aspects can follow -den beri?

Accepted Answer

Most commonly you see it with the present continuous (–yor) to emphasize an unbroken action or state:  
  Üç saattir bekliyorum.  
You can also use it with simple present when describing a continuing state or habit:  
  On yıldır bu şehirde yaşıyorum.

Question 5

Can -den beri be used in negative sentences and questions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You simply negate or question the verb as usual, while the time expression stays the same:  
  Negative: Dün geceden beri uyumadım. (“I haven’t slept since last night.”)  
  Question: Ne zamandan beri Türkçe öğreniyorsun? (“Since when have you been learning Turkish?”)

Question 6

Is there any difference between -den beri and expressions like -dan bu yana?

Accepted Answer

They are virtually interchangeable:  
  İki yıldır bu işi yapıyorum.  
  İki yıldan bu yana bu işi yapıyorum.  
  İki yıldan beri bu işi yapıyorum.  
All mean “I have been doing this job for two years,” though -den beri and -dan bu yana are more focused on the starting point (“since two years ago”).

Question 7

What’s the difference between saying iki yıldır and iki yıldan beri?

Accepted Answer

- iki yıldır is a single suffix (-dır) attached to the time noun, meaning “for two years.”  
- iki yıldan beri spells out the ablative (-dan) plus beri, literally “since two years [ago].”  
Meaning-wise they overlap a lot, but -den beri emphasizes the moment something started, whereas -dır simply states the duration.

Question 8

Can -den beri be used with any unit of time (hours, days, months, events)?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can attach it to:  
  • Numbers + time units: üç günden beri (“since three days ago”)  
  • Named days/months: Haziran’dan beri (“since June”)  
  • Specific events: sınavdan beri (“since the exam”)

Question 9

How do I ask “since when…?” using -den beri?

Accepted Answer

Use a question word with -den beri:  
  Ne zamandan beri …? — Since when …?  
  Ne zamandan beri sinemaya gitmiyorsun? (“Since when haven’t you been going to the cinema?”)  
You can also specify:  
  Hangi tarihten beri bu şirkette çalışıyorsun? (“Since which date have you been working at this company?””)

Yeni bir dilbilgisi konusu olarak “-den beri” ekini tanıtıyoruz; bu ek, bir eylemin yapıldığı zamandan itibaren hâlâ devam ettiğini anlatır.

Questions & Answers about Yeni bir dilbilgisi konusu olarak “-den beri” ekini tanıtıyoruz; bu ek, bir eylemin yapıldığı zamandan itibaren hâlâ devam ettiğini anlatır.

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Master Turkish — from Yeni bir dilbilgisi konusu olarak “-den beri” ekini tanıtıyoruz; bu ek, bir eylemin yapıldığı zamandan itibaren hâlâ devam ettiğini anlatır to fluency