In English, when we talk about general rules, customs, or etiquette, we often use words like "one," "you," or "people" (for example, "One doesn't speak loudly here"). In Turkish, you express this by putting an intransitive verb into the passive voice. This is called an impersonal passive.
Affirmative Rules (-ilir)
To state a general rule or custom, attach the passive suffix (-il, -in, or -n) followed by the affirmative aorist (simple present) tense suffix (-ir or -ar).
| In society, etiquette rules are followed. | Toplumda görgü kurallarına uyulur. |
Negative Rules (-ilmez)
To state that something is forbidden or generally not done, attach the negative aorist suffix (-mez / -maz) to the passive verb stem.
| One doesn't speak with a loud voice in the library. | Kütüphanede yüksek sesle konuşulmaz. |
Working with Noun Cases
Because these verbs are intransitive, there is no direct object to become the subject of the sentence. If a verb naturally requires a specific noun case—like the dative (direction) or ablative (origin)—those words simply keep their original case endings in the impersonal passive sentence.
| One doesn't enter the online system from outside. | Dışarıdan çevrimiçi sisteme girilmez. |
| One accesses the wireless internet only from inside. | Kablosuz internete sadece içeriden erişilir. |
Asking Questions
To ask if a general rule applies, add the aorist question particle (mi / mı / mu / mü) written separately after the impersonal passive verb.
| Does one enter the online system at any hour? | Herhangi bir saatte çevrimiçi sisteme girilir mi? |
Combining Rules
When listing rules for public spaces or etiquette, you can easily combine multiple impersonal passive verbs in the same sentence.
| One doesn't enter the library late, and one doesn't sleep here. | Kütüphaneye geç girilmez ve burada uyunmaz. |