To set a firm condition for an action to happen, Turkish uses the conjunction yeter ki (as long as / provided that).
| Let's support the startup, as long as it is innovative. | Girişimi destekleyelim, yeter ki yenilikçi olsun. |
The Grammar of the Condition
Because the yeter ki clause describes a hypothetical requirement, its verb does not take standard tenses. Instead, it typically takes the Optative mood (like -alım / -elim for "let us") or the third-person Imperative mood (like -sun / -sün for "let it").
For example, olsun translates literally to "let it be," but after yeter ki, it simply means "is".
| As long as the project is scalable, finding financing is easy. | Yeter ki proje ölçeklenebilir olsun, finansman bulmak kolay. |
When the condition relies on an action we must take, use the first-person plural optative (-alım / -elim):
| As long as we offer financing, they must not reject the partnership. | Yeter ki finansman sunalım, ortaklığı reddetmemeliler. |
Flexible Sentence Order
You can place the yeter ki clause at the end of the sentence, or at the very beginning to emphasize the requirement.
| As long as it is ready today, let's test the prototype. | Yeter ki bugün hazır olsun, prototipi test edelim. |
Pitching to Investors
When pitching a girişim (startup), you will frequently use this structure to establish exactly what conditions must be met for success, such as securing çekirdek (seed) investment or finalizing an ortaklık (partnership).
| As long as we find seed investment, growth will be fast. | Yeter ki çekirdek yatırım bulalım, büyüme hızlı olur. |
| Let's establish a partnership, as long as they offer an effective plan. | Ortaklık kuralım, yeter ki etkili bir plan sunsunlar. |
