Simple Present (-(A)r)
A1
Verbs
Download Free Turkish Lesson PDF
The simple present expresses habitual actions, general truths, repeated events, and stable characteristics. The tense marker attaches to the verb stem and combines with personal endings.
1. Function / Meaning
The simple present denotes:
Regular or habitual actions.
Timeless facts and definitions.
General tendencies and characteristic behaviour.
It does not describe an action in progress at the exact moment of speaking.
2. Forms
The basic marker is -(A)r.
The vowel A follows two-way vowel harmony:
a, ı, o, u → -ar
e, i, ö, ü → -er
Examples:
gel- → gelir
yap- → yapar
bak- → bakar
bil- → bilir
bekle- → bekler
öğren- → öğrenir
In many verbs, the surface form appears as -Ir, where the vowel follows four-way harmony:
a / ı → ır
e / i → ir
o / u → ur
ö / ü → ür
Examples:
al- → alır
gel- → gelir
gör- → görür
tut- → tutar
dön- → döner
3. Stem Types
a) Consonant-final stems
Most consonant-final stems take -(A)r:
yap → yapar
bak → bakar
çalış → çalışır
otur → oturur
b) Vowel-final stems
Vowel-final stems generally take -r; the stem vowel adjusts regularly:
ye → yer
de → der
dö → döner
These forms are lexical and fixed.
4. Person Marking
Personal endings attach to the simple present form:
1st singular → -(A)rım / im / um / üm
2nd singular → -(A)rsın
3rd singular → -(A)r (no additional ending)
1st plural → -(A)rız / iz / uz / üz
2nd plural → -(A)rsınız / sünüz
3rd plural → -(A)rlar / ler
Examples:
gelirim
gelirsin
gelir
geliriz
gelirsiniz
gelirler
yaparım
yaparsın
yapar
yaparız
yaparsınız
yaparlar
5. Negative and Interrogative
Negative
The negative form uses -mAz after the stem:
stem → -mAz → personal ending
a, ı, o, u → -maz
e, i, ö, ü → -mez
Examples:
gel → gelmez
yap → yapmaz
bil → bilmez
oku → okumaz
Interrogative
The question particle mi follows the verb form and harmonizes independently:
simple present form + personal ending + mi
Examples:
Gelir misin?
Yapar mı?
Gelir miyiz?
Yapmaz mısınız?
Examples
• Her gün erken kalkarım. — I get up early every day.
• Akşamları kitap okur. — He/She reads books in the evenings.
• Hafta sonları spor yaparız. — We do sports on weekends.
• Araba kullanır. — He/She drives a car.
• Kahve içmez. — He/She does not drink coffee.
• Sık sık seyahat ederler. — They travel often.
• Su 100 derecede kaynar. — Water boils at 100 degrees.
• Kuşlar uçar. — Birds fly.
• Bilir misin? — Do you know?
• Gitmezsiniz. — You (plural/honorific) do not go.
Notes
• -(A)r follows two-way vowel harmony (a / e).
• Many verbs show a surface -Ir pattern in accordance with four-way vowel harmony.
• Vowel-final stems typically take -r.
• Negative forms use -mAz with a / e alternation.
• Third person singular has no additional personal ending.
Simple Present – FAQ (A1)
Q: What does the simple present tense express in Turkish?
A: The simple present tense expresses habitual actions, general truths, repeated events, and stable characteristics.
Q: How is the simple present tense formed?
A: It is formed with the verb stem + the marker -(A)r, which follows vowel harmony, and then personal endings.
Q: Is the simple present used for actions happening now?
A: No. The simple present does not describe actions in progress at the moment of speaking.