In Turkish, you express ability ("can") by attaching a suffix directly to the verb root.
The Ability Suffix: -(y)abil / -(y)ebil
The ability suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony:
- Add -abil for back vowels (a, ı, o, u).
- Add -ebil for front vowels (e, i, ö, ü).
- If the verb root ends in a vowel, add the buffer -y- (e.g., tasarla → tasarlayabil).
To express general ability, combine this suffix with the Aorist (simple present) tense. Because the suffix is derived from bilmek (to know/be able), its aorist form always takes -ir.
"He / She / It can"
For the third person, there is no personal ending. The formula is just Verb Root + (y)abil/ebil + ir:
- yap (make) + abil
- ir = yapabilir (he/she can make)
- tasarla (design) + y
- abil
- ir = tasarlayabilir (he/she can design)
- abil
| The architect can design a beautiful building. | Mimar güzel bir bina tasarlayabilir. |
| The craftsman can make an iron door. | Usta demir bir kapı yapabilir. |
| The craftsman can carry concrete. | Usta beton taşıyabilir. |
| The engineer can bring concrete and iron. | Mühendis beton ve demir getirebilir. |
| The craftsman can make a wooden table. | Usta ahşap bir masa yapabilir. |
"We can"
To say "we can," attach the first-person plural ending -iz to the aorist ability suffix, forming -(y)abiliriz or -(y)ebiliriz.
(Note: When a verb root ends in *t like etmek, it often softens to d before a vowel. So, inşa et becomes inşa edebiliriz).*
| We can construct a new school here. | Burada yeni bir okul inşa edebiliriz. |
| We can find a hammer and nails. | Çekiç ve çivi bulabiliriz. |
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