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Questions & Answers about Öğrenciler istekli.
Why is there no word for "are" in this sentence?
Turkish usually drops the verb “to be” in the present tense for third person. So Öğrenciler istekli literally says “Students willing,” which is how Turkish expresses “The students are willing.”
- I am willing: Ben istekliyim.
- You are willing: Sen isteklisin.
- He/She/It is willing: O istekli.
- We are willing: Biz istekliyiz.
- You (pl.) are willing: Siz isteklisiniz.
- They are willing: Onlar istekli. (no extra ending is required)
Why isn’t the adjective plural (why not “istekliler”)?
Predicate adjectives in Turkish normally don’t agree in number: you say Öğrenciler istekli, not “istekliler.” In everyday speech, some speakers add plural for human subjects (agreement): Öğrenciler istekliler; it’s acceptable but more colloquial. Be careful: İstekliler on its own means “the willing ones,” i.e., it turns the adjective into a plural noun.
Can I add -dir (as in “isteklidir”)? What does it do?
Yes. -dir/-dır/-dur/-dür (harmonized as -dir here) attaches to the predicate: Öğrenciler isteklidir. It adds formality and often signals certainty, inference, or a general statement (e.g., “Students are [by nature] willing”). Without it, the sentence is neutral and often read as context-specific.
How do I make it negative?
Use değil to negate adjectival/noun predicates:
- Present: Öğrenciler istekli değil. / Öğrenciler istekli değiller. (both heard; the second makes plural agreement explicit)
- With pronouns, agreement is clearer: Ben istekli değilim, O istekli değil, Onlar istekli değiller.
- Past: Öğrenciler istekli değildi(ler).
How do I ask “Are the students willing?”
Use the question particle mi after the predicate:
- Öğrenciler istekli mi? You can also front the predicate for focus:
- İstekli mi öğrenciler? Note: mi follows vowel harmony (mi, mı, mu, mü). After istekli, it’s mi. Don’t say “miler.” If you want a plural feel, put -ler on the predicate (colloquial): İstekliler mi?
How do I put it in the past or future?
- Past (state): Öğrenciler istekliydi(ler). (from istekli + idi → istekliydi; adding -ler is optional with an explicit plural subject)
- Future (state): Öğrenciler istekli olacak(lar).
- Became willing (change of state): Öğrenciler istekli oldular.
Does this sentence describe a general truth or the current situation?
Without -dir, it’s typically read as about the current or specific situation. With -dir (e.g., Öğrenciler isteklidir), it often sounds like a generalization or a more formal assertion.
Can I say “İstekli öğrenciler” instead? What’s the difference?
- Öğrenciler istekli. is a full sentence: “The students are willing.”
- İstekli öğrenciler is a noun phrase: “willing students.” You’d need a verb to make it a sentence, e.g., İstekli öğrenciler geldiler (“Willing students came”).
Do I need to say “onlar” (they)?
No. Onlar is usually omitted unless you want emphasis or contrast. Onlar istekli is fine but not necessary when you already have Öğrenciler.
How do I say “The students are very/really willing”?
Add an adverb before the adjective:
- Öğrenciler çok istekli.
- Öğrenciler oldukça/gayet son derece istekli.
What’s the difference between “istekli,” “hevesli,” and “gönüllü”?
- istekli: willing, keen (often about readiness to do something; can pair with a verb: X yapmaya istekli).
- hevesli: eager/enthusiastic, sometimes with a nuance of excited interest.
- gönüllü: willing/voluntary; also “volunteer” as a noun. Strong nuance of doing something by one’s own will. All can overlap, but istekli is the neutral “willing.”
How do I say “The students are willing to do X”?
Use the -mA(y)a infinitive:
- Öğrenciler X yapmaya istekli. Examples:
- Öğrenciler çalışmaya istekli. (willing to study)
- Öğrenciler yardımcı olmaya istekli. (willing to help)
Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- Ö as in German “ö” or French “eu” in “peur.”
- Ğ (soft g) is not a hard sound; it lengthens/smooths the preceding vowel: öğ ≈ a longer “ö.”
- C is like English “j” in “jam”: -ci- = “jee.”
- Approximate: Öğrenciler ≈ “Ö-ren-jee-ler,” istekli ≈ “is-TEK-li.”
- Typical stress is toward the end of words; here, you’ll commonly hear stress on -ci in öğrenci and on -li in istekli.
Is “Öğrenciler” definite (“the students”) or just “students”?
Turkish has no articles. Öğrenciler can mean “the students” (definite) or “students” in a generic sense; context decides. To make a generic/formal statement, -dir helps: Öğrenciler isteklidir (“Students are willing” as a generalization).
Do adjectives and nouns behave the same as predicates with plurals?
Not exactly. Adjectives usually stay singular: Öğrenciler istekli. With predicate nouns, singular vs plural can change meaning:
- Öğrenciler doktor. (each student is a doctor; classification)
- Öğrenciler doktorlar. (they are doctors—as a plural group/identification) With adjectives, adding -lar is mainly colloquial agreement: Öğrenciler istekliler.
What are the word parts here?
- öğrenci-ler: öğren- (learn) + -ci (agent suffix “-er”) → öğrenci (“learner/student”) + -ler (plural) → “students.”
- istek-li: istek (desire/wish) + -li (“with/possessing”) → “having desire” → “willing/keen.”
Why is it “-ler” (not “-lar”) in “öğrenciler”?
Vowel harmony. -lar/-ler alternates based on the last vowel of the stem. öğrenci has a front vowel (i), so the front form -ler is used: öğrenciler.