In English, to state a condition based on an event that may or may not have happened, we use phrases like "If she set it up..." or "If you have finished...". In Turkish, you express this by attaching the conditional copula to a verb in the past tense.
Forming the Past Conditional (-DIysA)
To build a past conditional verb, follow this structure:
- Start with the verb stem.
- Add the past tense suffix (-dı / -di / -du / -dü or -tı / -ti / -tu / -tü).
- Add the conditional copula. Since the past tense suffix always ends in a vowel, you must use the buffer letter y, making the suffix -ysa or -yse.
- Attach the appropriate personal ending (for the third-person singular, there is no extra ending).
Here is how the verb kurmak (to set up) is conjugated:
| Person | Verb + Past | Conditional + Ending | Full Form | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Singular | kurdu | -ysam | kurduysam | If I set up |
| 2nd Singular | kurdu | -ysan | kurduysan | If you set up |
| 3rd Singular | kurdu | -ysa | kurduysa | If he/she/it set up |
| If the teacher set up the easel, we will place the canvas. | Öğretmen şövaleyi kurduysa tuvali yerleştireceğiz. |
| If he sanded the wood, we will apply varnish. | Ahşabı zımparaladıysa vernik süreceğiz. |
When addressing the listener directly ("If you..."), use the second-person singular suffix -n at the end of the conditional compound.
| If you have finished the sketch, we will start painting. | Eskizi bitirdiysen boyamaya başlayacağız. |
| If you missed that stitch, the knitting will be ruined. | O ilmeği kaçırdıysan örgü bozulacak. |
This structure is widely used when the next step of a project depends on the completion of a previous one.
| If she has fired the pottery, we are ready to paint. | Çömleği fırınladıysa boyamak için hazırız. |
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