Hidden Plurals — Turkish Grammar

In the 3rd person plural, the verb does not always need to take the plural suffix /. If the subject of the sentence is explicitly plural, either through a plural noun (e.g., - children) or the pronoun (they), the verb can remain in its singular form. This is a significant difference from English, where the verb must always agree with the plural subject.

Both singular and plural verb forms can be correct, but their usage depends on the nature of the subject and the context.

Öğrenciler kütüphanede ders çalışıyor.
The students are studying in the library.
Öğrenciler kütüphanede ders çalışıyorlar.
The students are studying in the library.

Human Subjects

When the subject refers to people, using either the singular or plural verb form is acceptable and common. The singular verb form is very frequent in everyday, spoken language. Using the plural verb suffix / can add a degree of formality, respect, or emphasis.

Onlar yarın gelecek.
They will come tomorrow.
Onlar yarın gelecekler.
They will come tomorrow. (Slightly more formal or emphatic)

This principle also applies when multiple singular subjects are joined by (and), which together form a plural subject.

Ahmet ve Zeynep sinemaya gitti.
Ahmet and Zeynep went to the cinema.
Ahmet ve Zeynep sinemaya gittiler.
Ahmet and Zeynep went to the cinema.

Non-Human Subjects

A crucial distinction exists for non-human subjects, such as animals, objects, or abstract concepts. When these subjects are plural, the verb is almost always in the singular form.

Using the plural verb suffix / with non-human subjects is grammatically possible but rare in standard usage. It tends to sound unnatural or poetic, as if you are personifying the subject (treating it as if it were human). For clear and natural communication, the singular verb is the standard choice.

Köpekler bahçede oynuyor.
The dogs are playing in the garden.
Arabalar çok hızlı gidiyordu.
The cars were going very fast.
Bu fikirler kulağa hoş geliyor.
These ideas sound good.

Using the plural form, as in , would imply the dogs are playing in a coordinated, human-like manner, which is not the typical intended meaning.

Summary of Usage

Use the singular verb form as the default for all 3rd person plural subjects. It is the most common form in casual conversation and the standard, expected form for all non-human subjects.
Use the plural verb form (/) with human subjects to convey formality, respect, or to emphasize that each individual in the group performed the action. Avoid it for non-human subjects unless you specifically intend to personify them, such as in literature or storytelling.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Turkish course

10 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 13. A few of them, with the words “Hidden Plurals” is about in bold:

Onları seviyorum, onlar da beni seviyor.
I love them and they love me.
Lesson 32

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