Breakdown of Herkes özgür olmak ister.
istemek
to want / to require / to call for
herkes
everyone
özgür
free
Questions & Answers about Herkes özgür olmak ister.
Since the current lesson is about turning adjectives into nouns, why doesn't özgür get any noun endings here?
Because here özgür isn't acting as a noun meaning "the free (people)". It is just a regular adjective paired with the verb olmak (to be) to form the phrase özgür olmak (to be free). If you wanted to say "The free want peace," then you would substantivize it by adding a plural suffix: Özgürler barış ister.
Herkes means "everyone" (multiple people), so why is the verb singular (ister) instead of plural (isterler)?
Just like in English where "everyone" takes a singular verb (everyone wants), the pronoun herkes is grammatically singular in Turkish. It always takes a 3rd person singular verb ending.
Why is the verb in the aorist tense (ister) instead of the present continuous (istiyor)?
The aorist tense (using the -er or -ir ending) is used for general facts, universal truths, and timeless habits. Since "everyone wants to be free" is a broad statement about human nature rather than a specific action happening right this second, the aorist ister is the most natural choice.
Could I say Herkes özgürlük ister instead?
Yes, but it changes the grammar and meaning slightly. Özgürlük is the abstract noun "freedom" (created with the -lük suffix). So Herkes özgürlük ister means "Everyone wants freedom," whereas our sentence uses the infinitive phrase özgür olmak to mean "to be free."
Learn Herkes özgür olmak ister and more in Turkish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free