The Obligation Suffix: "Must" and "Should"
In Turkish, expressing obligation ("must") and giving advice ("should") are handled by the same suffix. Whether you translate it as "must" or "should" depends entirely on the context.
To build this form, add -malı or -meli to the verb root, following 2-way vowel harmony:
- Back vowels (a, ı, o, u) take -malı.
- Front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) take -meli.
For the third person ("he", "she", or "it"), simply add the obligation suffix to the root. No additional personal ending is needed.
| He is coughing a lot, he must keep his throat warm. | O çok öksürüyor, boğazını sıcak tutmalı. |
| Everyone must be careful, because there is a cold in the office. | Herkes kendine dikkat etmeli, çünkü ofiste nezle var. |
Giving Advice: "You must" and "You should"
When giving advice to someone directly, attach the "you" ending -sın / -sin.
- You should/must: Verb Root + -malısın / -melisin
This form is perfect for telling someone what they should do to recover from a cold.
| cold (illness) | nezle |
| You are coughing a lot, you should drink some syrup. | Çok öksürüyorsun, biraz şurup içmelisin. |
| You are always sneezing, you must wipe your nose. | Hep hapşırıyorsun, burnunu silmelisin. |
| You have a cold, you must take very good care of yourself. | Nezlesin, kendine çok iyi bakmalısın. |
Personal Obligations: "I must" and "We must"
When talking about what you or your group must do, use the first-person endings. Because the suffixes -malı and -meli end in a vowel, insert the buffer consonant -y- before attaching the personal endings (-ım / -im for "I", -ız / -iz for "we").
- I must: Verb Root + -malıyım / -meliyim
- We must: Verb Root + -malıyız / -meliyiz
| My throat hurts a lot, I must drink hot water. | Boğazım çok ağrıyor, sıcak su içmeliyim. |
| I have a cold, therefore I must sleep with a thick blanket. | Nezleyim, bu yüzden kalın bir battaniyeyle uyumalıyım. |
| To recover, we must take this pill and syrup. | İyileşmek için bu hapı ve şurubu kullanmalıyız. |