Stacking Voice Suffixes
You can stack multiple voice suffixes on a single Turkish verb. Combining the reciprocal and causative suffixes creates verbs that mean "to make people do something together."
- Reciprocal (-(i)ş): Indicates an action done together or to each other (e.g., bulmak "to find" -> buluşmak "to meet").
- Causative (-tir): Indicates causing or enabling an action.
Because the reciprocal suffix always ends in the voiceless consonant ş, the causative suffix always starts with t, taking the form -tır, -tir, -tur, or -tür (following 4-way vowel harmony).
Connecting People
This -(i)ştirmek structure is perfect for professional events where you need to make people interact or bond.
| This workshop brings together the sector's most successful experts. | Bu çalıştay, sektörün en başarılı uzmanlarını buluşturuyor. |
| The goal of the cocktail reception is to make the new participants mingle with each other. | Kokteylin amacı, yeni katılımcıları birbirleriyle kaynaştırmak. |
You will frequently use this structure to mediate, introduce guests, or arrange meetings. For example, görüşmek means "to converse," so görüştürmek is "to arrange a meeting." Tanışmak means "to meet for the first time," making tanıştırmak "to introduce."
| I didn't know the boss would arrange for the investors to meet and introduce them. | Patronun yatırımcıları görüştüreceğini ve tanıştıracağını bilmiyordum. |
| The guests that I introduced in the foyer shared their business cards. | Benim fuayede tanıştırdığım misafirler kartvizitlerini paylaştı. |
| Reconciling two rival companies is a very difficult job. | İki rakip şirketi uzlaştırmak çok zor bir iş. |
Idiomatic Uses
Sometimes the literal meaning of "causing to do together" fades, creating a brand-new everyday word. A common example is atıştırmak (to snack). It stems from atmak (to throw), taking on the sense of hastily throwing together small bites of food.
| The guests are snacking on something in the foyer. | Misafirler fuayede bir şeyler atıştırıyor. |