Learn Hardcore Turkish: Adınızı heceler misiniz?

Ad-ınız-ı = ad (name) + -ınız (your, formal/plural) + -ı (accusative/definite object)
hecele-r = verb stem hecele- (to syllabify/spell) + aorist -r
mi-siniz = yes/no question particle mi
- 2nd person plural/polite ending -siniz

What exactly does the ending -ınızı mean in Adınızı?

It’s two stacked suffixes:

-ınız: 2nd person plural/polite possessive, “your” (formal “you” or addressing more than one person).
-ı: accusative case, marking a definite direct object (“your name” is specific). So ad-ınız-ı = “your name” as a definite object.

Why do we need the accusative -ı here?

In Turkish, definite/specific direct objects take the accusative. “Your name” is specific, so adınız must be adınızı. Without the accusative, it would sound ungrammatical or mean something like “a name,” which isn’t intended.

Why is it heceler misiniz and not hecelersiniz mi or hecelersiniz?

In yes/no questions, the question particle mi carries the personal ending, so the verb stays in its bare aorist form: hecele-r mi-siniz. The form hecelersiniz is an affirmative statement (“you spell”), not a question.

What does the aorist -r in heceler convey here?

The aorist (-r/-Ar/-Ir) can express general/habitual action, but with mi-siniz it’s commonly used for a polite request/offer: “Would you…?”

How does vowel harmony affect adınızı and misiniz?

-ınız harmonizes with the last vowel of the stem (ad has “a”), so it becomes -ınız (not -iniz/-unuz/-ünüz).
The accusative -ı harmonizes with the last vowel of the whole word (adınız ends in “ı”), so it’s -ı.
The question particle uses one of mi/mı/mu/mü; it matches the last vowel of the preceding word (heceler ends in “e”), so it’s mi → misiniz.

Why is mi written separately, but misiniz looks like one word?

Orthographically, mi/mı/mu/mü is written as a separate word after the predicate: heceler mi…. Personal endings attach to it, so you get misiniz (no space between mi and siniz): heceler misiniz?

Why use misiniz instead of misin?

-siniz is the polite/formal or plural “you.” It’s appropriate with strangers and in formal situations. -sin is informal singular (“you” to a friend): Adını heceler misin?

Is there a more “can you” style version?

Yes:

Adınızı heceleyebilir misiniz? (“Can you spell your name?” – ability + polite)
Even softer/polite: Adınızı heceleyebilir miydiniz? (“Could you possibly…?”)
Adding lütfen makes any of these more courteous: Lütfen, adınızı heceleyebilir misiniz?

Does hecelemek really mean “to spell,” or “to syllabify”?

Literally it’s “to syllabify,” but in everyday speech it’s often used to mean “to spell (out).” If you specifically want letter-by-letter:

Adınızı harf harf söyler misiniz? (say it letter by letter)
On the phone/customer service, you’ll often hear: Adınızı kodlar mısınız? (spell using code words).

Can I say isminizi instead of adınızı?

Yes. Ad and isim both mean “name.” Ad is more native/Turkic; isim is an Arabic loan. Both are common: İsminizi heceler misiniz?

Can I change the word order?

Turkish is normally object–verb, so Adınızı heceler misiniz? is the default. You might hear variants for emphasis, but keep mi right after the predicate. Placing the object after the question feels marked and is less natural here.

How do I say it informally to one person?

Adını heceler misin?
Or with “can”: Adını heceleyebilir misin? Add lütfen for politeness even in informal speech.

How is it pronounced? Any tricky letters?

c = English “j” in “jam” (so hece- sounds like “heh-jeh”).
ı (dotless i) = a close, central vowel (like the ‘e’ in “the” when unstressed).
Roughly: a-dı-nı-zı he-je-ler mi-si-niz. Stress generally tends toward the last syllable of each word.

How would I address multiple people about their names?

If you truly mean more than one person’s names: Adlarınızı heceler misiniz? (“Would you spell your names?”). If you’re politely addressing one person, stick with Adınızı…

Are there buffer consonants I should watch for in similar forms?

If a noun ends in a vowel and you add a vowel-initial suffix, insert -y- (e.g., baba-y-ı).
With 3rd-person possessive + case, use buffer -n- (e.g., adı-n-ı = “his/her name” + acc).
Here, adınız ends in a consonant, so -ı attaches directly: adınızı.