Auxiliary verb compounds (-etmek, -olmak)

Merged Auxiliary Verbs

In Turkish, you can create new verbs by combining a noun with an auxiliary verb, most commonly etmek (to do/make) or olmak (to be/become). Usually, these words are written separately. However, if combining them triggers a sound change in the root noun—such as dropping a vowel or doubling a consonant—the noun and auxiliary verb must be merged and written together as a single word.

Vowel Dropping

Many two-syllable nouns drop their second vowel when they merge with a vowel-initial auxiliary verb. For example, kahır (sorrow) + olmak becomes kahrolmak (to be devastated), and hapis (confinement) + etmek becomes hapsetmek (to confine).

Consonant Doubling

Some one-syllable nouns double their final consonant when paired with etmek or olmak. For example, haz (pleasure) + etmek becomes hazzetmek (to enjoy), and hal (solution/state) + olmak becomes hallolmak (to be resolved).

Further Examples of Vowel Dropping

This vowel-dropping rule is very common when discussing internal reflections, emotions, or abstract concepts. Here are a few more nouns that lose their second vowel when forming compound verbs:

• meyil (inclination) + etmek = meyletmek
• zehir (poison) + olmak = zehrolmak (to be ruined)
• azim (determination) + etmek = azmetmek
• hüküm (judgment/rule) + etmek = hükmetmek
• nakil (transfer/narration) + etmek = nakletmek
• akis (reflection) + etmek = aksetmek