13.1 THE PASSIVE
The passive is formed with the suffixes -il- and -in-. Both suffixes follow complex vowel harmony, meaning they can take on the forms
-ıl-, -il-, -ul-, and -ül-.
This applies to -in- as well:
-ın-, -in-, -un-, and -ün-.
For all verb stems with a consonant ending, -il- is used – unless the verb stem ends in l (L). In this case, -in- is used.
Examples in the infinitive (basic verb form):
yapmak = to do – yapılmak = to be done
kapatmak = to close – kapatılmak = to be closed
vermek = to give – verilmek = to be given
görmek = to see – görülmek = to be seen
For verb stems with an l ending:
bulmak = to find – bulunmak = to be found
almak = to take – alınmak = to be taken
13.1.2 Vowel endings
If the verb stem ends with a vowel, only -n- is used:
yemek = to eat – yenmek = to be eaten
beklemek = to expect – beklenmek = to be expected
13.1.3 Passive in different tenses
With these basic passive forms, you can now “play” in various tenses.
Sample sentences:
iyor present: Pencere açılıyor. = The window is being opened.
ir present: Pencere açılır. = The window is opened.
di past: Pencere açıldı. = The window was opened.
miş past: Pencere açılmış. = The window was opened. (reportedly)
Future: Pencere açılacak. = The window will be opened.
Conditional: Pencere açılıyor. = If the window is opened.
13.2 PASSIVE IN CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE
If you’d like to express that a person is performing an action, you connect the passive with tarafından (= by):
Bu mektup Mehmet tarafından gönderildi. = The letter was sent by Mehmet.
Kitap Yaşar Kemal tarafından yazıldı. = The book was written by Yaşar Kemal.
13.3 NEGATING THE PASSIVE FORM
To negate the passive, -me / -ma is added to the passive suffix (simple vowel harmony):
yapılmamak = not to be done
verilmemek = not to be given
görülmemek = not to be seen
bulunmamak = not to be found
yenmemek = not to be eaten
Sample sentences:
Pencere açılmıyor. = The window is not being opened.
Pencere açılmaz. = The window is not opened. (also: … can’t be opened.)
Pencere açılmadı. = The window wasn’t opened.
Pencere açılmamış. = The window wasn’t opened. (reportedly)
Pencere açılmayacak. = The window will not be opened.
Pencere açılmazsa. = If the window isn’t opened.
13.4 PASSIVE AS REFLEXIVE
At the same time, the passive suffix -in is also the suffix for forming the reflexive, meaning verbs that, in English, are followed by oneself / myself / yourself / himself / herself / itself / ourselves / themselves.
Examples:
yıkamak = to wash – yıkanmak = to wash oneself
bulmak = to find – bulunmak = to find oneself, but also passive: to be found
görmek = to see – görünmek = to see oneself, but also: to appear
Vocabulary for Lesson 13:
dayamak = to support; demek = to say; göndermek = to send; görmek = to see; kir = dirt, dirty; pis = filthy, nasty; pislik = filth, nastiness, mess; satmak = to sell; silmek = to erase; temizlemek = to clean; yıkamak = to wash