Indirect Yes/No Questions
In English, we use "whether or not" or "if" to embed a yes/no question into a sentence (e.g., "I am checking whether or not the customer is staying here").
In Turkish, you express this concept by repeating the verb: first in the positive, then immediately in the negative.
| to stay (lodge overnight) / to accommodate | konaklamak |
To build this structure, combine what you know about conjunctions and noun clauses:
- The positive half: Verb stem +
-(y)ıp/-(y)ip/-(y)up/-(y)üp - The negative half: Verb stem +
-ma/-me-dık/-dik/-duk/-dük- possessive suffix + case marker
As in standard noun clauses, the k in the -dık suffix softens to ğ when a vowel follows. If the main verb takes a direct object (like kontrol etmek), you will add the accusative case suffix at the very end.
| I am checking whether or not the customer is staying here. | Müşterinin burada konaklayıp konaklamadığını kontrol ediyorum. |
| Everyone wonders whether or not he used the pool. | Herkes onun havuzu kullanıp kullanmadığını merak ediyor. |
Matching the Subject
The possessive suffix on the negative verb matches the subject of the embedded question:
| I do not remember whether or not they had breakfast at the open buffet in the morning. | Sabah açık büfede kahvaltı edip etmediklerini hatırlamıyorum. |
| No one asked whether or not we went to the Turkish bath. | Hamama gidip gitmediğimizi kimse sormadı. |
| You must state whether or not you want room service. | Oda servisi isteyip istemediğinizi belirtmelisiniz. |
Expressing "Whether or not there is"
To ask whether or not something exists (or whether a place has something), apply this structure to the verb olmak (to be). This gives olup olmadığı (literally, "its being and its not being").
| safe (strongbox) | kasa |
| He is asking whether or not there is a safe in the room. | Odada kasa olup olmadığını soruyor. |
| I do not remember whether or not there is a clean bathrobe in the bathroom. | Banyoda temiz bornoz olup olmadığını hatırlamıyorum. |