To express a preference or state that one approach is more fitting than another, Turkish uses the postposition ziyade (rather than / more than).
Using Ziyade with Nouns
When comparing nouns, attach the ablative case ending (-dan / -den / -tan / -ten) to the rejected or less-preferred noun, followed by the word ziyade.
| I like active learning materials rather than just rote memorization. | Sadece ezberden ziyade aktif öğrenme materyallerini seviyorum. |
| Rather than classical theoretical books, we learn critical thinking. | Klasik teorik kitaplardan ziyade eleştirel düşünceyi öğreniyoruz. |
| Rather than classical methods, active learning prevents rote memorization. | Klasik yöntemlerden ziyade aktif öğrenme ezberi önler. |
Using Ziyade with Verbs
To say you prefer doing one action rather than doing another, attach the ablative case to the verb's infinitive form (-mak / -mek). Because infinitives always end in the voiceless consonant k, the ablative suffix will always take its hard form (-tan / -ten).
The resulting pattern is always -maktan ziyade or -mekten ziyade.
| Would you give autonomy to the student rather than imposing rules? | Kuralları dayatmaktan ziyade öğrenciye özerklik verir misiniz? |
| Rather than just listening to the teacher, studying individually brings autonomy. | Sadece öğretmeni dinlemekten ziyade bireysel çalışmak özerklik getirir. |
You can mix and match nouns and verbs in the rest of the sentence, but the word immediately preceding ziyade must always take the ablative case. This structure is highly useful when discussing choices, such as prioritizing independent learning and autonomy over a traditional curriculum.
| I prefer individual study rather than a curriculum they impose on us. | Bize dayattıkları bir müfredattan ziyade bireysel çalışmayı tercih ediyorum. |
| Admittedly, reading by yourself is more beneficial than a classical curriculum. | Gerçi klasik bir müfredattan ziyade kendi kendine okumak daha faydalı. |