Future ability and inability (-ebilecek / -emeyecek)

Future Inability: "Won't be able to"

When discussing what will or won't be possible in the future, Turkish combines the ability/inability marker with the future tense.

To express that someone won't be able to do something, attach the inability suffix -(y)ama or -(y)eme to the verb stem, followed by the future tense suffix. Because the inability suffix ends in a vowel, you must insert the buffer letter -y- before adding the future suffix -acak or -ecek.

This gives us two forms depending on vowel harmony:

• -(y)amayacak (for back vowel verbs like yapmak or almak)
• -(y)emeyecek (for front vowel verbs like kesmek or görmek)

Just like the regular future tense, the final -k softens to -ğ- for the "I" and "we" personal endings (e.g., -mayacağım, -meyeceğiz).

Future Ability: "Will be able to"

To express what will be able to happen, use the positive ability marker -(y)abil or -(y)ebil.

Because the ability suffix ends with the front vowel i (-bil), it will always be followed by the front-vowel version of the future tense (-ecek). Your future ability endings will always look like this:

• -(y)abilecek (for back vowel verbs)
• -(y)ebilecek (for front vowel verbs)

Setting Expectations in the Salon

These ability and inability structures are highly useful for explaining conditions, giving advice, and predicting outcomes.