Expressing Past Regrets with Keşke
In a previous lesson, you saw the past conditional -(y)saydı used to describe hypothetical events ("If X had happened..."). By using this same verb form with the word keşke ("I wish" or "if only"), you can express regret about past decisions—like what you studied or the career path you took.
To build a positive regret ("I wish I had..."), follow this structure:
Keşke- Verb stem +
-sa/-se-ydı/-ydi- Personal ending
- Verb stem +
For example, with okumak (to read/study) and the "I" personal ending (-m), you get okusaydım (I wish I had studied).
| I wish I had studied medicine at university. | Keşke üniversitede tıp okusaydım. |
| I am very regretful now, I wish I had chosen commerce or law. | Şimdi çok pişmanım, keşke ticaret veya hukuk seçseydim. |
Negative Regrets
If you are reflecting on a choice and want to say "I wish I had not done that," simply insert the negative marker (-ma / -me) immediately after the verb stem, right before the conditional suffix.
| The boss was telling lies about me, I wish I had not left that job. | Patron benim hakkımda yalan söylüyordu, keşke o işi bırakmasaydım. |
| I wanted to be an entrepreneur, I wish I had not gotten that diploma. | Girişimci olmak istiyordum, keşke o diplomayı almasaydım. |
Wishing You Had Something (Olsaydı)
Sometimes you do not regret an action, but rather a circumstance or a lack of something—like wishing you had possessed a specific skill or trait. To say "I wish I had [something]," combine the item you wanted with the possessive structure and olsaydı (the conditional past of olmak, to be / to become).
| I wish I had more courage in my youth and had started commerce. | Keşke gençliğimde daha çok cesaretim olsaydı ve ticarete başlasaydım. |
| She is a successful entrepreneur, I wish I also had this courage. | O başarılı bir girişimci, keşke bende de bu cesaret olsaydı. |