In Turkish, each verb works with a different case suffix (valency).

This means Turkish learners must learn verbs with their matching case suffixes.

It’s just like learning the verb look as look at as in:

I look you. ❌

I look at you. ✅

Sen bakıyorum. ❌

Sana bakıyorum. ✅

If I didn’t know look needed at, I wouldn’t sound correct.

The same goes for the Turkish example above.

Bak- needs Dative (-a, -e) and without that, you’ll sound like a tourist.

People will still understand you and there’s nothing wrong with sounding like a tourist.

But if you’re reading this PDF file, that already means you don’t want to sound like a tourist. 😆

👉 Learning the verbs with matching case suffixes is one of the most challenging things to learn for Turkish learners.

💎 This is exactly why I created this list.

👍 I hope you’ll find it helpful.

❤️ If you find it helpful, please give me a follow on Instagram: **@premiumturkish 👀

💊** You will learn a lot on my page.

1. Belirtme Hâli Eki İsteyen Fiiller

Verbs that demand the Accusative Case

⚠️ Now, before listing those verbs, let’s remember how Accusative Case worked.

👉 -I Belirtme Hâli Eki (Accusative Case)

🛠 -ı, -i, -u, -ü

⚙️ Works as THE for definite and direct objects if used with transitive verbs.

⚠️ In order to grasp this subject better search these terms in English or in your native language: direct objects & transitive verbs

What is a transitive verb? 👀

A transitive verb is a verb that uses a direct object, which shows who or what receives the action in a sentence. In the example “She gives a gift”, “give” is a transitive verb and a gift is the direct object.

What is a direct object? 👀

The direct object is the receiver of the action expressed by the verb. It answers the questions What? or Whom? Remember that a direct object follows after the verb it complements.

Here are some examples with direct objects (in bold) and the verbs complemented (italicised).

📚 She always brings an umbrella to work. (The direct object answers what she brings.)

📚 Kate saw him at the festival. (The direct object answers whom Kate saw.)

🔑 Basically in English, if there aren’t any prepositions (in, on, at, from) between the verb and the object then that verb is a transitive verb therefore the object is a direct object.

🗣 Okay hocam, why are you giving me English class now?

🤓 I am not and I can’t. But in order to understand something in another language, we need a good understanding of that subject in our mother language.

🔁 Let’s repeat:

💡 If there aren’t any prepositions (in, on, at, from) between the verb and the object then that verb is a transitive verb therefore the object is a direct object.

How does it work in Turkish? 👀

<aside> ⚙ 🤷 No suffix with indefinite (non-specific) objects

👍 The accusative case suffix with definite (specific) objects

</aside>

Kitap okuyorum.

I’m reading (a) book. (Not a specific book = an indefinite book)

Kitabı okuyorum.

I’m reading the book. (A specific book = a definite book)

Çay içiyorum.

I’m drinking (some) tea. (Not a specific tea = an indefinite tea)

Çayı içiyorum.

I’m drinking the tea. (A specific tea = a definite tea)

Kahve alıyorum.

I’m buying (some) coffee. (Not a specific coffee = an indefinite coffee)

Kahveyi alıyorum.

I’m buying the coffee. (A specific coffee = a definite coffee)

Film izliyorum.

I’m watching (a) movie. (Not a specific movie = an indefinite movie)

Filmi izliyorum.

I’m watching the movie. (A specific movie = a definite movie)

👇 Let’s continue:

Kedi gördüm.

I saw a cat.

Kediyi gördüm.

I saw the cat.

Köpek gördüm.

I saw a dog.

Köpeği gördüm.

I saw the dog.

Kalem buldum.

I found a pen.

Kalemi buldum.

I found the pen.

What else is considered specific? 👀

<aside> 💡 Proper nouns are considered specific.

İstanbul’u seviyorum.

I love Istanbul.

İstanbul’u seviyorum. ✅ İstanbul seviyorum. ❌

</aside>

<aside> 💡 Possessive Suffixes make nouns specific.

Köpeğimi seviyorum. I love my dog.

Köpeğimi gördüm. ✅ Köpeğim gördüm. ❌

I saw my dog.

</aside>

<aside> 💡 Pronouns (ben, sen, o, biz, siz, onlar) are considered specific objects.

O beni tanıyor. ✅ O ben tanıyor. ❌

S/he knows me.

Seni gördüm. ✅ Sen gördüm. ❌

I saw you.

</aside>

<aside> 💡 Demonstrative Pronouns (bu, şu, o) are also considered specific therefore they take the accusative case suffix.

Bunu seviyorum. ✅ Bu seviyorum. ❌

Şunu seviyorum. ✅ Şu seviyorum. ❌

Onu seviyorum. ✅ O seviyorum. ❌

</aside>

<aside> 💡 Ayşe’yi seviyorum.

</aside>

🔁 Let’s repeat wha we’ve learnt:

⚠️ Listen to the mp3 file to download these verbs into your brain while you…

Walk 🚶 Exercise 🏋️ Run 🏃 Bike 🚴 Drive 🚗 Cook 🧑‍🍳 Clean 🧹 Wash the dishes 🧽 Draw ✏️ Paint 🎨 Knit 🧶

Or when you’re… In the car 🚗 On the bus 🚍 On the metro 🚇 On the boat 🛳️

Top 65 Verbs that work with the Accusative Case +I

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Top 27 Verbs that work with the Dative Case +A

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