To express concepts like "the desire to go" or "the probability of returning," Turkish combines a short verbal noun with an abstract noun. This creates a standard noun compound (belirtisiz isim tamlaması).
Forming the Abstract Noun Clause
- Add the short verbal noun suffix -ma / -me to the verb stem (e.g., gitme, çalışma).
- Follow it with an abstract noun.
- Add a possessive suffix to the abstract noun.
For a general idea, use a third-person possessive suffix (-(s)i, -(s)ı, -(s)u, -(s)ü):
- gezme (traveling) + arzu (desire) + -su = gezme arzusu (the desire to travel)
| The desire to travel the world was her biggest dream. | Dünyayı gezme arzusu onun en büyük hayaliydi. |
To specify whose intention or feeling it is, use the matching possessive suffix (e.g., -m for "my", -n for "your"):
| Because of your hesitation, my enthusiasm for starting a new project faded. | Senin tereddüdün yüzünden yeni bir projeye başlama hevesim kaçtı. |
| It means your desire to go abroad was just a small passing fancy. | Demek ki yurt dışına gitme arzun sadece küçük bir hevesti. |
Obligations and Hesitations
This structure is often used for shifted goals or plans abandoned due to outside pressures. Pair a verbal noun with mecburiyet (obligation) to express an unavoidable action.
| I was going to buy that house, but the obligation to take out a loan made me hesitate. | O evi alacaktım ama kredi çekme mecburiyeti bende tereddüt yarattı. |
Since the phrase functions as a regular noun, it can take case markers. Notice how the compound takes the accusative case (taşınma mecburiyeti-ni) when it acts as the direct object:
| Rather than experiencing indecision, I accepted the obligation to move. | Kararsızlık yaşamaktansa taşınma mecburiyetini kabul ettim. |
Probabilities, Tendencies, and Obsessions
Apply the same grammar to talk about likelihoods or psychological patterns using words like olasılık (probability), eğilim (tendency), or saplantı (obsession):
| Is there any probability of him returning despite his desire to leave? | Onun gitme isteğine rağmen dönme olasılığı var mı? |
| The obligation to work constantly creates a tendency to escape. | Sürekli çalışma mecburiyeti kaçma eğilimi yaratıyor. |
| Rather than giving up, he keeps attempting everything; this is a winning obsession! | Vazgeçmektense her şeye kalkışıp duruyor, bu bir kazanma saplantısı! |