Optative Mood (-AyIm / -AlIm)
A2
Verbs
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1. Function
In everyday Turkish, the optative is mainly used with ben and biz.
With ben, it expresses a decision, intention, offer, or willingness to do something.
With biz, it is commonly used to make suggestions and propose shared actions.
Geleyim. — Let me come. / I think I'll come.
Ben de geleyim mi? — Shall I come too?
Gidelim. — Let's go.
Gidelim mi? — Shall we go?
2. Forms
Ben: -(y)AyIm
gel → geleyim
git → gideyim
oku → okuyayım
bekle → bekleyeyim
Biz: -(y)AlIm
gel → gelelim
git → gidelim
oku → okuyalım
bekle → bekleyelim
3. Buffer Consonant
When the verb ends in a vowel, add -y- before the optative ending.
oku → okuyayım, okuyalım
bekle → bekleyeyim, bekleyelim
4. Stem Change: git- and et-
Before the optative ending, git- and et- become gid- and ed-.
git → gideyim, gidelim
et → edeyim, edelim
5. Key Usage Patterns
Ben, decision or offer
Erken yatayım. — I think I'll go to bed early.
Ben de geleyim mi? — Shall I come too?
Biz, plain suggestion
Gidelim. means "Let's go."
Hava güzel. Biraz yürüyelim. — It's nice out. Let's take a walk.
Biz, question form
Gidelim mi? means "Shall we go?" The question form asks the other person what they think.
Biz, with hadi
Hadi gidelim. — Come on, let's go.
6. Negation
gitmeyeyim — let me not go / I'd better not go
gitmeyelim — let's not go
7. Contrast with the Future
Okuyacağım. — I will read it.
Okuyayım. — Let me read it. / I think I'll read it.
The future describes a future action. The optative can express the speaker's intention, decision, willingness, offer, or suggestion.
Examples:
Bugün erken yatayım. — I think I'll go to bed early today.
Gidelim mi? — Shall we go?
Biraz dinleneyim. — Let me rest a little.
Hadi yemek yapalım. — Come on, let's cook something.
Ona bir mesaj yazayım. — Let me write him/her a message.
Yarın buluşalım mı? — Shall we meet tomorrow?
Gitmeyeyim, yorgunum. — I'd better not go, I'm tired.
Bu konuyu şimdi konuşmayalım. — Let's not talk about this now.
Notes:
The optative is mainly used with ben and biz in everyday Turkish.
Add -y- whenever the stem ends in a vowel.
git- and et- become gid- and ed- before the optative ending.
Gidelim is a plain suggestion; Gidelim mi? asks the other person what they think.
The future and the optative can both talk about future actions, but they work differently. The optative commonly expresses intention, willingness, offers, and suggestions.
Optative Mood (İstek Kipi) – FAQ (A2)
Q: What does the optative mood express in Turkish?
A: It expresses a wish, decision, offer, or suggestion in the first person (ben / biz).
Q: How is the optative formed?
A: Ben takes -(y)AyIm; biz takes -(y)AlIm. Add -y- after a vowel-final stem.
Q: What is the difference between the optative and the future tense?
A: The future describes what will happen. The optative can express the speaker's intention, decision, willingness, offer, or suggestion.
