Verb Negation (-ma/-me)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To make a verb negative in Kazakh, simply add -ma, -me, -pa, or -pe to the verb root before adding the tense suffix.
- Use -ma/-me after consonants (e.g., kel-me-di).
- Use -pa/-pe after vowels or voiced consonants (e.g., oqy-ma-dy).
- The negative suffix always comes immediately after the verb root.
2. Negative Conjugation (Present)
| Person | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
Baramyn
|
Barmaymyn
|
|
You (inf)
|
Barasyn
|
Barmaysyn
|
|
You (form)
|
Barasyz
|
Barmaysyz
|
|
He/She/It
|
Barady
|
Barmaydy
|
|
We
|
Baramyz
|
Barmaymyz
|
|
They
|
Barady
|
Barmaydy
|
Meanings
The negative suffix transforms an affirmative verb into its opposite, indicating that an action is not happening or did not happen.
Simple Negation
Denying an action in present, past, or future.
“Men kelmeymin.”
“Ol oqymady.”
Prohibitive
Used in imperative forms to tell someone not to do something.
“Kelme!”
“Oqymanyz!”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Root + Tense
|
Barady
|
|
Negative
|
Root + ma/me + Tense
|
Barmaydy
|
|
Question
|
Root + Tense + Question Particle
|
Barady ma?
|
|
Negative Question
|
Root + ma/me + Tense + Question Particle
|
Barmaydy ma?
|
|
Imperative
|
Root + ma/me
|
Barma!
|
|
Polite Imperative
|
Root + ma/me + nyz
|
Barmanyz!
|
طیف رسمیت
Men barmaymyn. (General)
Men barmaymyn. (General)
Barmaymyn. (General)
Barmaim. (General)
Negation Map
Suffix
- -ma Back Vowel
- -me Front Vowel
مثالها بر اساس سطح
Men barmaymyn.
I am not going.
Ol kelmeydi.
He/she is not coming.
Biz oqymaymyz.
We are not reading.
Sen jemeytin.
You are not eating.
Men búgin jumysqa barmaymyn.
I am not going to work today.
Olar kinogha kelmeydi.
They are not coming to the cinema.
Sen nege oqymaysyn?
Why are you not reading?
Biz ony bilmeymiz.
We don't know it.
Men bul jerde turmaymyn.
I don't live here.
Ol bizge aytpaydy.
He doesn't tell us.
Biz esh nárse kórmeymiz.
We don't see anything.
Sen ony istep jatqan joqsyn.
You are not doing it.
Men oghan senbeytinimdi ayttym.
I said that I don't believe him.
Olar bizdi kútpey-aq qoydy.
They didn't bother waiting for us.
Bul jerde eshkim júrmeydi.
Nobody walks here.
Biz oghan kelispeymiz.
We do not agree with that.
Ol ózining qatelikterin moyyndamaydy.
He does not admit his mistakes.
Biz mundaı jaǵdaıǵa jol bermeymiz.
We will not allow such a situation.
Olar ózara kelispey qaldy.
They failed to reach an agreement.
Men muny kútpegen edim.
I had not expected this.
Ol óziniń ustanymyn ózgertpeýge bel buýdy.
He resolved not to change his position.
Biz bul máselede ymyraǵa kelmeymiz.
We will not compromise on this issue.
Olar ózderiniń qylyqtaryna uyaılmaıdy.
They are not ashamed of their behavior.
Men munyń sebebin túsindire almaımyn.
I cannot explain the reason for this.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners use 'joq' for everything.
Mixing up -ma and -di.
Forgetting the negative suffix in commands.
اشتباهات رایج
Bar joq
Barmaymyn
Kelma
Kelme
Bardi-me
Barmady
Oqymay
Oqymaymyn
Jemeydi
Jemeydi
Barmay
Barmaymyn
Kelmeyin
Kelmeymin
Barmay jatyr
Barmay jatqan joq
Kelgen joq
Kelgen joq
Aytpaydi
Aytpaydy
Kelmeytin boldy
Kelmeytin boldy
Barmay-aq qoydy
Barmay-aq qoydy
Jemey-aq
Jemey-aq
الگوهای جملهسازی
Men ___ ___.
Ol ___ ___.
Biz ___ ___.
Sen ___ ___.
Real World Usage
Barmaymyn.
Et jemeymin.
Men ony bilmeymin.
Tusinbeymin.
Men barmaymyn.
Oqymaymyn.
Check the Vowel
Don't use 'joq'
Practice Suffixes
Be Direct
Smart Tips
Look at the root's last vowel.
Add -nyz to the negative command.
Use 'joq' with the participle.
Avoid slang forms.
تلفظ
Vowel Harmony
The suffix vowel must match the root vowel.
Statement
Men barmaymyn ↓
Falling intonation for facts.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Remember 'MA-ME' as 'MA-ME' (Mommy) says NO! So when you see 'MA-ME', it means NO.
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a big red 'X' over a verb. The 'X' is shaped like the letters M and A.
Rhyme
If you want to say no, add -ma or -me, it's the way to go!
Story
A little boy named Arman wants to eat cake. His mother says 'Jeme!' (Don't eat!). He tries to go outside, she says 'Barma!' (Don't go!). He tries to read, she says 'Oqyma!' (Don't read!).
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Write 5 things you are NOT doing right now using the negative suffix.
نکات فرهنگی
Using the negative is direct. In some contexts, adding '-aq' softens the refusal.
The negative suffix is Proto-Turkic in origin.
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Búgin jumysqa barasyz ba?
Siz et jemeyisiz be?
Olar kelmeydi me?
Siz bul jerde turmayyn deysiz be?
موضوعات نگارش
اشتباهات رایج
Test Yourself
Men barmay___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Men barma.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I am not reading.
Answer starts with: Men...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Kel
Ol / kelmeydi / búgin
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesMen barmay___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Men barma.
barmaymyn / men / búgin
I am not reading.
Bar -> ?
Kel
Ol / kelmeydi / búgin
Score: /8
سوالات متداول (8)
Check the last vowel of the verb root. If it's a, o, u, use -ma. If it's e, i, ö, ü, use -me.
No, 'joq' is for existence. Use the negative suffix for verbs.
Yes, it's always -ma/-me/-pa/-pe depending on the root.
Just add -ma/-me to the root. E.g., 'Barma!'
No, it stays the same.
Kazakh verbs must agree with the subject.
Yes, it is standard in all registers.
The rule still applies. E.g., 'Oqy' -> 'Oqyma'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
-ma/-me
Vowel harmony is slightly more consistent in Turkish.
-nai
Japanese is not agglutinative in the same way.
no
Kazakh is internal, Spanish is external.
nicht
Kazakh is internal, German is external.
la
Kazakh is a suffix, Arabic is a prefix.
bu
Kazakh is internal, Chinese is external.
