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### Substitution: "Instead of" (-mak yerine)

To express doing one action instead of another, Turkish uses the full infinitive of the verb (`-mak` or `-mek`) followed by the postposition `yerine` (literally "in its place").

- *tartışmak yerine* (instead of arguing)
- *imzalamak yerine* (instead of signing)

### Indirect Commands and Reactions

When expressing feelings, reactions, or giving permission for *someone else's* action, Turkish turns that action into a noun phrase. 

First, add the short verbal noun suffix (`-ma` or `-me`) to the verb stem. Next, add a possessive suffix to show who is performing the action. Finally, add the dative case (`-a` / `-e` or `-ya` / `-ye`) because verbs like *izin vermek* (to allow), *kızmak* (to get angry at), or *şaşırmak* (to be surprised at) require their objects to take the dative.

| Verb Stem | Short Noun | Possessive | Dative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| başla- | başlama | başlamamız | başlamamıza | to our starting |
| çekil- | çekilme | çekilmemiz | çekilmemize | to our withdrawing |
| ver- | verme | vermesi | vermesine | to his/her giving |

If you explicitly name the person or group performing the action, they take the genitive case (`-ın` / `-in`), acting grammatically as the "owner" of the action.

- *heyet* (delegation) -> *heyetin... vermesine* (to the delegation's giving...)
- *askerler* (soldiers) -> *askerlerin... vermelerine* (to the soldiers' giving...)

### Diplomacy in Action

Now let's bring the substitution conjunction and these indirect actions together in the context of peace negotiations.

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{{item:830725}}

{{item:830729}}

This structure is highly versatile. You can pair it with other dative-requiring verbs like *neden olmak* (to cause) or *yardımcı olmak* (to help) to map out complex causes and compromises.

{{item:830727}}

{{item:830728}}

Substitution conjunction (-mak yerine)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

postposition

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstrative pronouns (bu, şu, o)

Basic question words (kim, ne)

Plural nouns (-lar, -ler)

I am and you are (-(y)ım, -sın)

We, you, and they are (-(y)ız, -sınız)

Negative statements (değil)

Yes and no questions (mı, mi, mu, mü)

Questions with 'to be' (mısın, mıyım)

Numbers 1 to 10 (bir, iki, üç)

Numbers 11 to 20 (on bir, on iki)

Numbers by tens to 100 (otuz, kırk...)

Counting objects (tane)

The locative case (-da, -de)

Consonant assimilation (-ta, -te)

Asking where (nerede)

There is / there are (var)

There is not / there are not (yok)

Asking how many (kaç)

Infinitive verbs (-mak, -mek)

Informal commands (git, gel)

Negative commands (-ma, -me)

Polite and plural commands (-In, -InIz)

Basic word order

Present continuous for consonant roots (-iyor)

Present continuous for vowel roots (-iyor)

Present continuous personal suffixes (-iyorum)

Negative present continuous (-miyor)

Present continuous questions (-iyor mu)

Future plans with present continuous

The dative case (-(y)a, -(y)e)

Consonant mutation (k, t, p, ç to ğ, d, b, c)

From or out of (-dan / -den)

Directional question words (nereye, nereden)

First and second person possessives (-(i)m, -(i)n)

Third person possessive (-(s)i)

Plural possessives (-imiz, -iniz, -leri)

The genitive case (-(n)in)

Definite noun compounds (-nin ... -si)

Indefinite noun compounds (bare noun + -(s)i)

Possessive buffer letter (n)

Spatial postpositions (içinde, üstünde)

The definite direct object (-(y)ı, -(y)i)

Object question words (kimi, neyi)

Adjectives modifying nouns

Manner and choice questions (nasıl, hangi)

Basic degree modifiers (çok, biraz)

Comparisons (daha, en)

Days of the week

Months of the year

The time question word (ne zaman)

Telling time (saat, buçuk)

Asking the time (saat kaç, saat kaçta)

Basic conjunctions (ve, ama, veya)

Causality conjunction (çünkü)

Means and accompaniment (ile, -(y)lA)

Purpose and beneficiaries (için)

Expressing desire (-mak istemek)

The past copula (-(y)DI)

The direct past tense (-DI)

Past tense personal suffixes (-DIm, -DIn)

Past tense negative (-mAdI)

Past tense questions (-DI mI)

Ordinal numbers (-(I)ncI)

Greetings and politeness

Saying 'too' (de, da)

Conversation fillers (şey, yani, hadi)

Conversational essentials

Reflexive pronouns (kendim, kendin)

Reciprocal pronouns (birbiri)

Indefinite pronouns for people (herkes, kimse)

Indefinite pronouns for things and places (her şey, hiçbir şey)

Conjunctions of consequence (bu yüzden, bu nedenle)

Correlative conjunctions (hem... hem, ne... ne)

Verbs taking the dative case (-e / -a)

Verbs taking the ablative case (-den / -dan)

Time origin (beri)

Time duration (-DIr)

Comparisons of similarity (gibi)

Comparisons of equality (kadar)

Perspectives (göre)

Verbal nouns (-mA / -mE)

Verbal nouns as objects (-mAyI / -mEyI)

Verbal nouns with the dative (-mAyA / -mEyA)

General necessity (lazım / gerek)

Personal necessity (-mAm lazım)

Third-person commands (-sIn / -sInlAr)

First person singular optative (-(y)AyIm)

Question	Answer
ambassador	büyükelçi
negotiation	müzakere
The ambassador allowed us to start negotiations instead of arguing.	Büyükelçi, tartışmak yerine müzakerelere başlamamıza izin verdi.
delegation	heyet
treaty	antlaşma
to withdraw	çekilmek
The delegation got angry at our withdrawing from there instead of signing the treaty.	Heyet, antlaşmayı imzalamak yerine oradan çekilmemize kızdı.
diplomat	diplomat
to make concessions	taviz vermek
ceasefire	ateşkes
to threaten	tehdit etmek
The diplomat threatened to end the ceasefire instead of making concessions.	Diplomat, taviz vermek yerine ateşkesi bitirmekle tehdit etti.
to reach a consensus	uzlaşmak
The ambassador allowed the diplomat to reach a consensus with the enemy instead of speaking with us.	Büyükelçi, diplomatın bizimle konuşmak yerine düşmanla uzlaşmasına izin verdi.
The president was surprised at the delegation making concessions instead of accepting the treaty.	Başkan, heyetin antlaşmayı kabul etmek yerine taviz vermesine şaşırdı.
Instead of reaching a consensus, they decided to withdraw from the negotiations that we started.	Uzlaşmak yerine, başladığımız müzakerelerden çekilmeye karar verdiler.
The treaty that the diplomat wrote helped them to reach a consensus instead of fighting.	Diplomatın yazdığı antlaşma, kavga etmek yerine uzlaşmalarına yardımcı oldu.
The ceasefire that the delegation rejected caused them to threaten us instead of reaching a consensus.	Heyetin reddettiği ateşkes, uzlaşmak yerine bizi tehdit etmelerine neden oldu.
The commander allowed the soldiers to make concessions instead of withdrawing.	Komutan, askerlerin çekilmek yerine taviz vermelerine izin verdi.
The ambassador allowed the delegation to sign a ceasefire instead of waiting.	Büyükelçi, heyetin beklemek yerine ateşkes imzalamasına izin verdi.