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Breakdown of Şimdiye kadar bu kitabı okumadım.
bu
this
kitap
the book
okumak
to read
şimdiye kadar
until now
Questions & Answers about Şimdiye kadar bu kitabı okumadım.
What does the time phrase şimdiye kadar do here, and how is it built?
It means until now / so far. It’s formed as:
- şimdi (now) + dative -e with a buffer y → şimdiye (to now)
- kadar (a postposition meaning up to / as far as / until) Together: şimdiye kadar = up to now.
Why is it bu kitabı (accusative) and not bu kitap?
Turkish marks a definite/specific direct object with the accusative. Bu kitap is specific (this book), so it must be bu kitabı. If the object were indefinite, you’d leave it unmarked:
- Definite: Bu kitabı okumadım.
- Indefinite: Kitap okumadım. or Bir kitap okumadım. (I didn’t read any book.)
What’s being emphasized by the word order?
In Turkish, the element immediately before the verb is the focus. In Şimdiye kadar bu kitabı okumadım, the focused item is bu kitabı: I haven’t read this book (perhaps I read other books). If you say Bu kitabı şimdiye kadar okumadım, the focus shifts to şimdiye kadar (until now), implying the time frame is what you’re highlighting.
Why is the past tense -dı used even though the meaning corresponds to English present perfect?
Turkish doesn’t have a dedicated present perfect. It often uses the simple past -dı with time expressions like şimdiye kadar to express English-like present perfect meanings:
- Şimdiye kadar … okumadım ≈ I haven’t read … so far.
How is okumadım formed morphologically?
- oku (read, verb stem)
- -ma- (negative)
- -dı (past; becomes -dı/-di/-du/-dü by vowel harmony; here -dı after back vowel a)
- -m (1st person singular) So: oku-ma-dı-m → okumadım = I did not read.
Why not use değil to negate it?
Verb negation in Turkish is done inside the verb with -ma/-me (as in okumadım). Değil negates nominal/adjectival predicates (e.g., Öğretmen değilim = I am not a teacher), not actions.
Can I use henüz, daha, or hâlâ instead of şimdiye kadar? What’s the nuance?
- Henüz bu kitabı okumadım. = I haven’t read this book yet (neutral, often implies expectation you will).
- Daha bu kitabı okumadım. = I haven’t read this book yet (very common colloquial).
- Hâlâ bu kitabı okumadım. = I still haven’t read this book (often implies delay/surprise/annoyance). All pair naturally with okumadım; henüz doesn’t typically appear in positive sentences.
Should I add hiç? What does it change?
You can. Hiç intensifies the negation: Şimdiye kadar bu kitabı hiç okumadım = I’ve never read this book (not even once) up to now. Without hiç, it’s simply a neutral negation.
Can I drop the subject Ben?
Yes. The verb ending -m already shows the subject is first person singular. Ben is only used for emphasis or contrast:
- Neutral: Şimdiye kadar bu kitabı okumadım.
- Emphatic: Ben şimdiye kadar bu kitabı okumadım.
Why is it kitabı and not kitapı?
Two reasons:
- Consonant softening: word-final p often softens to b when a vowel-initial suffix is added: kitap → kitabı.
- 4-way vowel harmony: the accusative is -ı/-i/-u/-ü; after a, it becomes -ı → kitabı.
Could I use -miş forms like okumamışım or okumamıştım here?
- Okumamışım (inferential/evidential past) implies discovery or surprise: It seems I haven’t read it / I realize I haven’t read it.
- Okumamıştım (past perfect) means by some past reference point, you hadn’t read it yet: O zamana kadar bu kitabı okumamıştım. For a plain statement about now, okumadım is the default.
How would I ask the negative question, like English Haven’t you read this book yet?
Use the yes/no question particle mi after the verb (conjugated):
- To one person informal: Şimdiye kadar bu kitabı okumadın mı?
- Polite/plural: Şimdiye kadar bu kitabı okumadınız mı?
Are there synonyms for şimdiye kadar?
Yes, with minor nuance/register differences:
- Bugüne kadar (up to today)
- Şu ana kadar (up to this very moment)
- Bu zamana kadar (up to this time; a bit heavier)
- Şimdiye dek / bugüne dek (more formal/literary) All work with okumadım.
What if I mean I haven’t finished it, rather than I haven’t read it at all?
Say that explicitly:
- Bu kitabı bitirmedim. (I haven’t finished this book.)
- Bu kitabı henüz bitirmedim. (I haven’t finished it yet.)
- Bu kitaba henüz başlamadım. (I haven’t started this book yet.) If that’s what you mean.
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