SUBORDINATE CLAUSES

We use subordinate clauses all the time in everyday speech:

  • "The cat that I see “

  • "... because he constantly works"

  • "The girl who reads"

To master Turkish properly, it's essential to understand the different types of subordinate clauses.

There are various ways to form subordinate clauses, but the most commonly used structure involves the -dik suffix.

-DIK

-EN

-DIKTEN SONRA

-DIKÇE

-DIK FORM

  • Add -dik to the verb’s root + the possessif ending

    • -dik follows the vocal harmony and becomes -duk, -dük

    • -dik + possessive often becomes -diğ, -duğ, -düğ because of the consonant harmony with the possessive ending.

  • For instance: izle-mek (to watch) => izle + dik + im (that I watch)

Izlediğim film çok ilginçti => The movie that I watch was very interesting.

Look at the following:

  • gördüğün kuş - the bird that you see.

  • yaşadığım sokak - the street where I live.

  • sohbet ettiğim adam - the man with whom I’m speaking.

  • geçtiğiniz şehir - the city through which you pass

  • uğruna savaştığım sebep - The cause for which I am fighting.

The -dik form can translate relations such as "“that“, “where“, “with whom“, “through which”, “for which“, almost all relations except “who” that can only be translated with -an/-en.

Turkish only translates the relationship between an object and a subject performing an action on that object. It is unnecessary to specify how the action is carried out; it is automatically inferred.

There are specific structures:

“It is unnecessary to specify how the action is carried out; it is automatically inferred.”
verb + -dik + possessive + zaman when
verb + -dik + possessive + gibi as, as well as, such as
verb + -dik + possessive + için because, as
verb + -dik + possessive + halde Although, even though
verb + -dik + possessive + kadar As much as, as many as

  • Odaya girdiğimiz zaman, pençere kapatıldı - When we entered the room, the window was closed.

  • Çok yumurta aldığını gibi menemeni yapabilirsin - As you bought a lot of eggs and tomatos, you can make a menemen.

  • Adam, devamlı çalıştığı için, Ankara dışına pek çıkmadı - As the man continuously worked, he could not leave Ankara.

  • Paris çok güzel bir şehir olduğu halde, burada mutsuzum - Even though Paris is a beautiful city, I am not happy here.

  • Yarın yemeğin için isteğınız kadar elma getirin - For tomorrow’s meal, bring as many apple as you want.

verb + -dik + possessive + -den + beri since

  • Istanbul’a vardığıdan beri pek evden çıkmadı - Since he arrives in Istanbul, he didn’t go out much.

  • Yeni bir köpek ? kendimi daha mutlu hissediyorum - Since I have a dog, I feel happier

  • Gazeteleri okuduğumden beri ben daha kültürlüyüm - Since I read the news I am more cultured.