The Approximative Verb (-eyazmak)
To describe an action that came incredibly close to happening but ultimately didn't, Turkish uses a special compound verb structure. It is perfect for talking about close calls, sudden accidents, and near-disasters.
Verb Root + -(y)Ayazmak
Apply two-way vowel harmony to choose between -ayazmak and -eyazmak, and use the buffer y if the verb root ends in a vowel. Because the "close call" was averted in the past, these verbs are almost always conjugated in the definite past tense (-DI).
For example, with düşmek (to fall) and a first-person subject:
düş + eyaz + dım ➔ düşeyazdım (I almost fell)
With çarpmak (to hit) and a third-person subject:
çarp + ayaz + dı ➔ çarpayazdı (He/it almost hit)
| I stumbled on the street and almost fell. | Sokakta tökezledim ve düşeyazdım. |
Accidents and Near-Misses
This structure is extremely common when describing sudden slips, swerving vehicles, or narrowly avoided traffic accidents.
| The car swerved and almost crashed into the pole. | Araba savruldu ve direğe çarpayazdı. |
| The car swerved and we almost rolled into the ditch. | Araba savruldu ve şarampole yuvarlanayazdık. |
Dropping and Breaking Things
Another classic use for this form is when you clumsily bump into something or almost drop a fragile object out of sheer surprise.
| I almost knocked over his fragile vase. | Onun kırılgan vazosunu devireyazdım. |
| Out of astonishment, the woman almost dropped the fragile glass. | Kadın şaşkınlıktan kırılgan bardağı düşüreyazdı. |
Extreme Reactions
You will also frequently hear native speakers use this structure to playfully exaggerate dramatic physical reactions, like almost fainting from shock or nearly dying of fright.
| We looked at each other in astonishment and almost fainted. | Şaşkınlıkla birbirimize baktık ve bayılayazdık. |
| He didn't get injured in the accident, but he almost died. | Kazada yaralanmadı ama öleyazdı. |