The negative conditional (-mazsa / -mezse)
When organizing an event or project, you need to make backup plans in case things go wrong. To express "if something doesn't happen" in Turkish, you combine the negative form of the aorist tense (-maz / -mez) with the conditional suffix (-sa / -se).
Here is how this looks for the verb gelmek (to come):
| Pronoun | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben | -mazsam / -mezsem | gelmezsem | if I don't come |
| Sen | -mazsan / -mezsen | gelmezsen | if you don't come |
| O | -mazsa / -mezse | gelmezse | if he/she/it doesn't come |
| Biz | -mazsak / -mezsek | gelmezsek | if we don't come |
| Siz | -mazsanız / -mezseniz | gelmezseniz | if you don't come |
| Onlar | -mazlarsa / -mezlerse | gelmezlerse | if they don't come |
The third-person singular (-mazsa / -mezse) is the most common form for discussing general contingencies, like a computer breaking down or a venue not working out.
| If he doesn't come, we have a backup plan. | O gelmezse, bir yedek planımız var. |
| If the backup computer doesn't work, what are we doing? | Yedek bilgisayar çalışmazsa ne yapıyoruz? |
| If the venue is not suitable, the participants will not come. | Mekân uygun olmazsa, katılımcılar gelmeyecek. |
Changing the subject
When your backup plans rely on other people, swap out the personal ending on the conditional suffix.
For "if you don't," use -mazsan / -mezsen. For "if they don't," use -mazlarsa / -mezlerse (the plural marker -lar / -ler comes before the conditional -sa / -se).
| If you don't like this venue, there is another option. | Bu mekânı beğenmezsen, başka bir seçenek var. |
| If they don't accept the offer, there is no better option. | Teklifi kabul etmezlerse, daha iyi bir seçenek yok. |
Dealing with setbacks and precautions
You will frequently use the negative conditional to warn against a lack of preparation or to outline what happens if someone rejects a proposal.
| If you don't take precautions, the problem doesn't end. | Önlem almazsan, problem bitmez. |
| If the boss doesn't reject the plan, we are starting. | Patron planı reddetmezse, başlıyoruz. |
When confirming schedules, the phrase bir aksilik olmazsa (if there is no setback) is commonly used to express "barring any issues" or "unless something goes wrong."
| If there is no setback, the flight is tomorrow morning. | Bir aksilik olmazsa, uçuş yarın sabah. |