Alternating states (kâh ... kâh ...)

To describe rapidly alternating states or actions—like the behavior of someone who is unpredictable—use the correlative conjunction kâh ... kâh ... (sometimes ... sometimes ... / now ... now ...).

For alternating actions, place a conjugated verb immediately after each kâh:

He is so erratic that he sometimes laughs and sometimes cries.
O kadar dengesiz ki kâh güler kâh ağlar.

Alternating States

You can also use kâh ... kâh ... with adjectives or noun phrases to describe shifting moods. When linking states, the final word often takes a "to be" suffix (like the present -dir or past -di), which applies to both halves of the statement:

That man was sometimes a grumpy old person, sometimes an affectionate child.
O adam kâh huysuz bir ihtiyar kâh sevecen bir çocuktu.
The manager is sometimes secretive, sometimes talkative.
Müdür kâh ketum kâh gevezedir.
The inconsistent boss was sometimes arrogant, sometimes humble.
Tutarsız patron kâh kibirli kâh mütevazıydı.

This conjunction is highly flexible. You can even use it to contrast entirely different types of clauses:

He is so aloof that he sometimes doesn't see us, sometimes he becomes very affectionate.
O kadar vurdumduymaz ki kâh bizi görmez kâh çok sevecen olur.