Indirect Wh-Questions (-dIğI)
In English, we change the word order to embed a question into a sentence (e.g., "Where is the castle?" becomes "I wonder where the castle is"). In Turkish, use the noun clause structures you already know, combined with a question word.
To embed a present or past tense question, use a question word (like nerede or ne kadar) and attach the factive suffix -dık / -dik / -duk / -dük to the verb stem. This is followed by a possessive suffix and the case marker required by the main verb. The k mutates to ğ before a vowel.
| I wonder where the castle is located. | Kalenin nerede bulunduğunu merak ediyorum. |
| Shall we ask how much the entrance fee is? | Giriş ücretinin ne kadar olduğunu soralım mı? |
Future Indirect Questions (-(y)AcAğI)
To embed a question about a future action ("where I will pay", "how I will find"), use the future noun clause suffix -(y)acak / -(y)ecek instead.
| The attendant is explaining to me where I will pay the entrance fee. | Görevli bana giriş ücretini nereye ödeyeceğimi anlatıyor. |
| Please describe to me how I will find the exit. | Lütfen bana çıkışı nasıl bulacağımı tarif et. |
Question Words and Subjects
Just like in standard noun clauses, the specific subject of the embedded question takes the genitive case (e.g., ziyaretçilerin - the visitors').
The question words themselves can take case endings depending on their grammatical role (e.g., kime - to whom). You can also use full question phrases, such as ne zaman (when) or hangi yönden (from which direction).
| Do not forget to whom we will give the brochures at the exit. | Çıkışta broşürleri kime vereceğimizi unutma. |
| The visitors are asking when they will enter the mosque. | Ziyaretçiler camiye ne zaman gireceklerini soruyorlar. |
| We do not know from which direction we will go to the touristic places. | Turistik yerlere hangi yönden gideceğimizi bilmiyoruz. |
