Verbal Nouns

01

The '-me' / '-ma' Verbal Noun

This is the most common and versatile type of verbal noun. It refers to the general act of doing something.

Formation

Remove the final -k from the verb's infinitive form (-mek/-mak).

• yüzmek (to swim) → yüzme (swimming, the act of swimming)
• okumak (to read) → okuma (reading, the act of reading)
• gitmek (to go) → gitme (going, the act of going)

This form behaves like a regular noun, meaning it can take possessive and case endings. This makes it extremely useful in a wide variety of grammatical structures.

As the object of another verb

• Araba kullanmayı sevmiyorum.

  I don't like driving a car.

• Türkçe konuşmayı öğreniyorum.

  I am learning to speak Turkish.

With possessive suffixes to show who is doing the action

• Onun şarkı söylemesi çok güzel.

  His/her singing is very beautiful.

• Senin gelmeni bekliyorum.

  I am waiting for you to come (lit. for your coming).

In constructions of necessity

• Hemen eve gitmem lazım.

  I need to go home immediately.

• Daha fazla su içmen gerek.

  You need to drink more water.

02

The '-mek' / '-mak' Verbal Noun

This form is simply the verb's infinitive. It is used to talk about an action in a more abstract, philosophical, or general sense.

The key difference from the -me/-ma form is that the -mek/-mak form cannot take any case or possessive suffixes. It is often used as the subject of a sentence in general truths or proverbs.

• Öğrenmek hayattır.

  To learn is life.

• Beklemek zordur.

  Waiting is difficult.

• Görmek inanmaktır.

  Seeing is believing.

03

The '-ış' / '-iş' / '-uş' / '-üş' Verbal Noun

This form describes the manner, style, or a specific instance of an action, rather than the action as a general concept.

Formation

Add -ış, -iş, -uş, or -üş to the verb stem, following the rules of vowel harmony.

• bakmak (to look) → bakış (a look, a glance, the way of looking)
• yürümek (to walk) → yürüyüş (a walk, a stroll, the manner of walking)
• gülmek (to laugh) → gülüş (a laugh, the way someone laughs)

Compare the nuance between -me and -ış:

• Onun bakışı beni rahatsız etti.

  His look/glance made me uncomfortable. (Refers to a specific instance or style of looking)

• Onun yürümesi çok yavaş.

  His walking is very slow. (Refers to the general act of walking)

• Bu gülüşü bir yerden tanıyorum.

  I recognize this laugh from somewhere. (Refers to the specific sound or style of the laugh)