General Necessity
When you want to state a general rule, requirement, or piece of advice without directing it at a specific person (like saying "It is necessary to..." or "One must..."), Turkish uses the full infinitive of the verb.
To form this, take the verb stem and add the infinitive suffix based on 2-way vowel harmony:
- -mak (for verbs with a, ı, o, u)
- -mek (for verbs with e, i, ö, ü)
After the infinitive, you simply add one of two words meaning "necessary": lazım or gerek. In these general statements, they are completely interchangeable.
| necessary | lazım |
| necessary | gerek |
Health Guidelines
This infinitive structure is the standard way to express general health recommendations. Because it is impersonal, it sounds like universal advice rather than a direct command.
| For health, it is necessary to drink plenty of water. | Sağlık için bol su içmek lazım. |
| It is necessary to do regular exercise every day. | Her gün düzenli egzersiz yapmak gerek. |
| It is necessary to sleep regularly to feel good. | İyi hissetmek için düzenli uyumak gerek. |
Safety Rules and Emergencies
You will also encounter this structure frequently in public safety announcements, traffic rules, and emergency guidelines. It clearly states what actions are required to stay safe.
| It is necessary to wear a mask to protect ourselves. | Kendimizi korumak için maske takmak lazım. |
| It is necessary to wear a seatbelt in the car. | Arabada emniyet kemeri takmak gerek. |
| In an emergency, it is necessary to call the police immediately. | Acil bir durumda hemen polisi aramak lazım. |