Verbs are the foundation of fluency. In this guide, we will cover the basic rules of the "infinitive" form and provide a comprehensive list of the most commonly used verbs.
💡 The Infinitive Rule (Mak / Mek)
In Turkish, the infinitive (the "to" form of a verb) always ends in either Mek or Mak. The choice depends on the last vowel of the verb stem:
Light Vowels (e, i, ö, ü): Use the suffix Mek.
Heavy Vowels (a, ı, o, u): Use the suffix Mak.
How to conjugate?
To use a verb in a specific tense (past, present, future), you must drop the suffix (Mak/Mek) and add the appropriate tense and person markers.
Example: To write is Yazmak → Drop mak → Add future tense → Yazacağım (I will write).
Comprehensive Verb List
Note: Many Turkish verbs (especially those of Arabic or foreign origin) are compound verbs that use auxiliary verbs like (Etmek, Olmak, Vermek, Almak).
English | Türkçe | English | Türkçe |
To answer | Cevap vermek | To come / Came | Gelmek |
To arrive / reach | Ulaşmak | To continue | Devam etmek |
To ask | Sormak | To cry | Ağlamak |
To be / become | Olmak | To cut / divide | Kesmek |
To start / begin | Başlamak | To die | Ölmek |
To believe | Inanmak | To do / make | Yapmak |
To break | Kırmak | To drink | İçmek |
To bring | Getirmek | To eat | Yemek |
To build | İnşa etmek | To finish / end | Bitirmek |
To buy | Satın almak | To enter | Girmek |
To call / shout | Çağrımak | To clarify | Açıklamak |
To call / search | Aramak | To explain / tell | Anlatmak |
To catch / hold | Yakalamak | To fall | Düşmek |
To change | Değiştirmek | To feel | Hissetmek |
To close | Kapatmak | To fight (war) | Savaşmak |
To fight (scuffle) | Kavga etmek | To find | Bulmak |
To take / get | Almak | To give | Vermek |
To go | Gitmek | To grow | Yetişmek |
To own / possess | Sahip olmak | To hear | Duymak |
To listen | Dinlemek | To help | Yardım etmek |
To hold / carry | Tutmak | To harm / hurt | Zarar vermek |
To protect | Korumak | To know | Bilmek |
To laugh | Gülmek | To learn | Öğrenmek |
To leave / depart | Ayrılmak | To permit / allow | İzin vermek |
To love | Sevmek | To live | Yaشamak |
To look | Bakmak | To lose | Kaybetmek |
To meet | Buluşmak | To move | Hareket etmek |
To need | İhtiyacı olmak | To open | Açmak |
To pay money | Ödemek | To plan | Plan yapmak |
To put / place | Koymak | To rain | Yağmak |
To read / study | Okumak | To ride / climb | Binmek |
To run | Koşmak | To say / tell | Söylemek |
To see | Görmek | To sell | Satmak |
To send | Göndermek | To sit / reside | Oturmak |
To sleep | Uyumak | To speak / talk | Konuşmak |
To stand / stop | Durmak | To stay / remain | Kalmak |
To work / study | Çalışmak | To take (away) | Götürmek |
To teach | Öğretmek | To think | Düşünmek |
To touch | Dokunmak | To try / attempt | Denemek |
To use | Kullanmak | To wait | Beklemek |
To walk | Yürümek | To want | İstemek |
To wash | Yıkamak | To watch | İzlemek |
To write | Yazmak | To visit | Ziyaret etmek |