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### Creating Verbal Nouns

To turn a verb into a conceptual noun—similar to English gerunds ending in "-ing" (like "reading" or "writing")—you add the suffix *-ma* or *-me* to the verb stem, following 2-way vowel harmony. These are often called "short infinitives."

### Verbal Nouns in Compounds

Verbal nouns are frequently used as modifiers to create compound nouns. Just like standard noun compounds, the first noun (the verbal noun) remains bare, and the second noun takes a possessive suffix.

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You will see this structure often when discussing the arts and creative processes, such as the art of "taking photos" (*fotoğraf çekme sanatı*) or the practice of "playing piano" (*piyano çalma pratiği*).

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### Verbal Nouns as Direct Objects

When a verbal noun is the specific direct object of a verb like *sevmek* (to love) or *öğrenmek* (to learn), it must take the accusative case suffix. Because verbal nouns always end in a vowel (*-a* or *-e*), you must insert the buffer letter *y*, resulting in *-mayı* or *-meyi*.

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### Full Infinitives for Purpose

While the short infinitive (*-ma* / *-me*) acts as a noun, the full dictionary infinitive (*-mak* / *-mek*) is used alongside the word *için* to express purpose (meaning "in order to").

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### Discussing Events and Locations

When talking about directing action toward events or locations, remember to use the dative case (*-e* / *-a*, meaning "to"). If you are adding the dative case to a compound noun—like *sanat sergisi* (art exhibition) or *tiyatro kursu* (theater course)—you must add the buffer letter *n* before the dative suffix.

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Verbal nouns (-mA / -mE)

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 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)

First person plural optative (-(y)AlIm)

Question	Answer
course	kurs
This is a reading and writing course.	Bu bir okuma ve yazma kursu.
There is no waiting room here.	Burada bekleme odası yok.
photograph	fotoğraf
to take (a photo)	çekmek
art	sanat
The art of taking photos is very difficult.	Fotoğraf çekme sanatı çok zor.
talent	yetenek
He has a talent for drawing pictures.	Onun resim çizme yeteneği var.
piano	piyano
practice	pratik
Piano playing practice is very fun.	Piyano çalma pratiği çok eğlenceli.
I love taking photos in the forest.	Ormanda fotoğraf çekmeyi seviyorum.
to improve	geliştirmek
I want to improve both reading and writing.	Hem okumayı hem de yazmayı geliştirmek istiyorum.
I am not learning to play the piano.	Piyano çalmayı öğrenmiyorum.
Practice is necessary to improve your talent.	Yeteneğini geliştirmek için pratik gerekli.
theater	tiyatro
exhibition	sergi
Are you going to the theater course or the art exhibition?	Tiyatro kursuna veya sanat sergisine gidiyor musun?
I am not going to the art exhibition because I am tired.	Sanat sergisine gitmiyorum çünkü yorgunum.
I love going to the theater.	Tiyatroya gitmeyi seviyorum.