Learn Hardcore Turkish: Affedersiniz, siz de toplantıya katılacak mısınız? - Excuse me, will you also attend the meeting?

Affedersiniz is a very polite way to get someone’s attention (like “Excuse me”), and it can also function as a light apology (“Sorry”). It literally comes from the verb affet- “to forgive” in the aorist: affeder-siniz “you (plural/formal) forgive.” Informal: Affedersin. Stronger apology: Özür dilerim. Casual: Pardon.

Why is siz used instead of sen?

Siz is the polite/formal “you” (also the plural “you”). It’s used with strangers, in formal settings, or to be respectful. Sen is informal singular. The ending in mısınız also matches siz (2nd person plural/polite). Informal version: Affedersin, sen de toplantıya katılacak mısın?

Can I omit the pronoun siz?

Yes. Turkish verbs carry person information, so Toplantıya katılacak mısınız? is complete. Including siz here adds emphasis and, with de, specifically highlights “you too.”

What does de in siz de mean?

De is the additive particle meaning “also/too/as well.” Here, siz de means “you too.” It’s written separately from the word it follows and follows vowel harmony as de/da (never te/ta for this particle).

How is this de different from the locative suffix -de/-da?

The additive particle: de/da = “also,” written as a separate word: siz de, toplantıya da.
The locative suffix: -de/-da = “in/at/on,” attached to the noun: toplantıda “at the meeting.” Only the locative turns into -te/-ta after voiceless consonants; the additive particle does not.

Could de be placed elsewhere, and does that change the emphasis?

Yes. Placement changes what is being “also”-ed:

Siz de toplantıya katılacak mısınız? = You, too, (among people) will attend.
Toplantıya siz de katılacak mısınız? = Emphasizes you among other potential attendees.
Toplantıya da katılacak mısınız? = Will you attend the meeting as well (in addition to some other event)?

Why is it toplantıya and not toplantı?

Katılmak (“to attend; to join”) takes the dative case (-a/-e). So toplantı + -(y)a → toplantıya. The y is a buffer consonant because toplantı ends in a vowel, and vowel harmony picks -a (back vowel after ı).

What is the structure of katılacak mısınız?

katıl- = join/attend
-acak = future
mı = yes/no question particle (separate word, but it takes person endings)
-sınız = 2nd person plural/polite Together: katılacak mısınız = “will you (polite) attend?”

Why is it mı and not mi/mu/mü?

The question particle follows vowel harmony based on the preceding word’s last vowel:

a/ı → mı
e/i → mi
o/u → mu
ö/ü → mü Katılacak ends with a (back), so we use mı.

Where do person endings go in yes/no questions like this?

In neutral yes/no questions with tense/aspect markers like -yor, -ecek, -meli, etc., the person ending typically attaches to the question particle:

Geliyor musunuz? (not Geliyorsunuz mu?)
Gelecek misiniz? (not Geleceksiniz mi? in the neutral sense) With simple past, the person usually stays on the verb: Geldiniz mi?

Is Katılacaksınız mı? wrong?

It’s not ungrammatical, but it’s marked. Katılacak mısınız? is the neutral, standard form. Katılacaksınız mı? can add focus/emphasis to the future commitment (“So you will attend, will you?”), and is more colloquial or contrastive.

Could I use the present continuous instead: Katılıyor musunuz?

Yes. Katılıyor musunuz? often feels more immediate or tied to an arrangement/schedule (“Are you attending?”). Katılacak mısınız? is a neutral future (“Will you attend?”). In everyday speech about upcoming events, -yor is very common.

What about Katılır mısınız? How does that differ?

Katılır mısınız? (aorist) can sound like a polite, somewhat formal request or a general/habitual question (“Would you attend?”/“Do you attend?”). For a specific upcoming meeting, -ecek or -yor is more typical.

Why is there a comma after Affedersiniz?

Affedersiniz is a discourse marker here (“Excuse me,”), so a comma is standard. In casual text messages people might omit it, but it’s good practice in writing.

Any pronunciation tips for tricky sounds?

ı (dotless i) in toplantıya, katılacak, mısınız is a back unrounded vowel [ɯ], not like English i.
c in katılacak is [dʒ], like j in “jam.”
kı syllables are unaspirated; keep consonants crisp: [katɯɫaˈdʒak mɯsɯˈnɯz].
de in siz de is a separate clitic; it’s short and unstressed.

Are there any spacing or capitalization conventions I should know?

The question particle is always written separately: katılacak mısınız (not katılacakmısınız).
De (additive) is also separate: siz de.
Personal endings attach to mı/mi/mu/mü without a space: misiniz, mısınız, etc.
Siz is not capitalized for politeness in modern standard Turkish (though some do in very formal letters).