The Negative Suffix
You already know that the bare verb root forms a positive command. To tell someone not to do something, add the negative suffix -ma or -me to the verb root.
The suffix depends on vowel harmony. Look at the last vowel in the root:
- Back vowels (a, ı, o, u) take -ma.
- Front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) take -me.
| Please do not cry. | Lütfen ağlama. |
| Do not run in the school. | Okulda koşma. |
| This man is sick, do not laugh. | Bu adam hasta, gülme. |
Providing Context
Just like with positive commands, the verb always stays at the very end of the sentence. Time words like erken (early) and geç (late) come right before the verb.
| Do not go early, wait here. | Erken gitme, burada bekle. |
| The bus is here, do not run. | Otobüs burada, koşma. |
Multiple Commands
You can pair a negative command with a positive one to redirect behavior. The negative verb takes the suffix, while the positive verb stays in its bare root form.
| Do not play on the street, play in the garden. | Sokakta oynama, bahçede oyna. |
| Please do not speak, listen! | Lütfen konuşma, dinle! |
To connect two or more commands, use ve (and).
| Do not shout and do not cry. | Bağırma ve ağlama. |
| Read a book and do not speak. | Kitap oku ve konuşma. |
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