Personal Participles

01

Formation with -dık

This form is used for actions in the present or past. The structure is:

Verb Stem + -dık Suffix + Possessive Suffix

1. The -dık Suffix: This suffix changes based on vowel and consonant harmony.

• Vowel Harmony: -dık, -dik, -duk, -dük
• Consonant Harmony: After unvoiced consonants (f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p), the 'd' becomes a 't': -tık, -tik, -tuk, -tük.

2. The Possessive Suffix: This is added to indicate the person performing the action.

• -ım / -im / -um / -üm (I)
• -ın / -in / -un / -ün (you, singular)
• -ı / -i / -u / -ü (he/she/it)
• -ımız / -imiz / -umuz / -ümüz (we)
• -ınız / -iniz / -unuz / -ünüz (you, plural/formal)
• -ları / -leri (they)

3. Consonant Lenition (k → ğ): When a possessive suffix starting with a vowel is added to the -dık suffix, the final 'k' softens to 'ğ'. This happens for all persons except "they" (-ları/leri).

For example, with the verb görmek (to see):

• Verb stem: gör-
• Add participle suffix: gördük
• Add possessive for "I": gördüğüm (that I see/saw)
• Add possessive for "they": gördükleri (that they see/saw) (No 'k' to 'ğ' change)

02

Usage as an Adjective

The most common use is to modify a noun, just like an adjective. The structure is `[Participle] [Noun]`. The subject of the action is often indicated with a genitive pronoun (benim, senin, onun...), but this is frequently omitted as the possessive suffix on the participle already makes it clear.

• Benim okuduğum kitap çok ilginç.

  The book that I read is very interesting.

• Onun sevdiği renk mavidir.

  The color that he likes is blue.

• Dün tanıştığımız insanlar çok nazikti.

  The people that we met yesterday were very kind.

03

Usage as a Noun

When the noun being described is omitted, the participle itself functions as a noun. It can mean "the thing that...", "what...", or "the fact that...". In this form, it can take case endings (-i, -e, -de, -den).

• Söylediğini duymadım.

  I didn't hear what you said.

• Onun geldiğini biliyorum.

  I know that he is coming.

• Senin gittiğine çok üzüldüm.

  I was very sad that you left.

• Yaptığından utanmalısın.

  You should be ashamed of what you did.

04

Future Tense with -acak

To create a relative clause about a future action, the suffix -acak/-ecek is used instead of -dık. The formation rules are the same, including the `k → ğ` consonant lenition.

Verb Stem + -acak/-ecek + Possessive Suffix

• Yarın gideceğimiz yer çok uzak.

  The place that we will go to tomorrow is very far.

• Senin alacağın araba bu mu?

  Is this the car that you will buy?

• Onların yapacağı sunumu merak ediyorum.

  I am curious about the presentation that they will do.

As a noun, it means "what someone will do" or "the fact that someone will do something."

• Ne söyleyeceğini biliyorum.

  I know what you are going to say.

• Toplantıya katılacağına emin misin?

  Are you sure that you will attend the meeting?