Optative Mood (-e/-a)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The Optative Mood uses the suffixes -e/-a to express suggestions, wishes, or intentions, primarily in the first person.
- Use -e after front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) and -a after back vowels (a, ı, o, u).
- Add a buffer 'y' if the verb root ends in a vowel, like 'bekle-y-elim'.
- The 1st person plural (-elim/-alım) is the most common way to say 'Let's'.
Meanings
A verb mood used to express a wish, a suggestion, or a desire for an action to happen.
Suggestions (1st Person Plural)
Used to propose an action to a group, equivalent to 'Let's' in English.
“Sinemaya gidelim mi?”
“Biraz dinlenelim.”
Offers/Intentions (1st Person Singular)
Used to offer help or state a personal intention, equivalent to 'Shall I' or 'Let me'.
“Sana yardım edeyim.”
“Kapıyı açayım mı?”
Formal Wishes (2nd/3rd Person)
Used in formal or archaic contexts to express a wish for someone else.
“Kolay gele!”
“Rast gele!”
Conjugation of 'Gitmek' (To Go) in Optative Mood
| Person | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben (I) | Gideyim | Gitmeyeyim | Gideyim mi? |
| Sen (You) | Gidesin | Gitmeyesin | Gidesin mi? |
| O (He/She/It) | Gide | Gitmeye | Gide mi? |
| Biz (We) | Gidelim | Gitmeyelim | Gidelim mi? |
| Siz (You all) | Gidesiniz | Gitmeyesiniz | Gidesiniz mi? |
| Onlar (They) | Gideler | Gitmeyeler | Gideler mi? |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative (1st Plural) | Root + (y)elim/alım | Koşalım (Let's run) |
| Negative (1st Plural) | Root + mayalım/meyelim | Koşmayalım (Let's not run) |
| Question (1st Plural) | Root + (y)elim/alım mı/mi? | Koşalım mı? (Shall we run?) |
| Affirmative (1st Singular) | Root + (y)eyim/ayım | Koşayım (Let me run) |
| Negative (1st Singular) | Root + mayayım/meyeyim | Koşmayayım (Let me not run) |
| Question (1st Singular) | Root + (y)eyim/ayım mı/mi? | Koşayım mı? (Shall I run?) |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Gidilmesi rica olunur. (Leaving a place)
Gidelim. (Leaving a place)
Hadi kaçalım. (Leaving a place)
Yallah gidelim. (Leaving a place)
Functions of the Optative Mood
Suggestions
- Gidelim Let's go
Offers
- Yardım edeyim Let me help
Wishes
- Kolay gele May it come easy
Optative vs. Imperative
Choosing the Suffix
Does the root end in a vowel?
Is the last vowel back (a, ı, o, u)?
Common Optative Phrases
Social
- • Buluşalım
- • Konuşalım
- • İçelim
Help
- • Bakayım
- • Vereyim
- • Açayım
Examples by Level
Çay içelim.
Let's drink tea.
Hadi gidelim!
Let's go!
Yarın buluşalım mı?
Shall we meet tomorrow?
Sana yardım edeyim.
Let me help you.
Bu akşam dışarı çıkmayalım, evde oturalım.
Let's not go out tonight, let's stay at home.
Pencereyi açayım mı? Hava çok sıcak.
Shall I open the window? The weather is very hot.
Herkes şunu iyi bilsin ki, biz asla pes etmeyeceğiz.
Let everyone know this well, we will never give up.
Oraya varmadan önce bir plan yapalım.
Let's make a plan before we arrive there.
Gele de göresin ne halde olduğumu.
May you come so that you see what state I am in.
Allah zihin açıklığı vere.
May God give clarity of mind.
Ferman devletin ise, dağlar bizim ola!
If the decree belongs to the state, let the mountains be ours!
Bu böylece biline.
Let this be known as such.
Easily Confused
Both can refer to future actions. Learners use future for suggestions.
The 3rd person singular imperative 'Gitsin' is often confused with the rare optative 'Gide'.
Both express wishes. 'Keşke' usually takes the conditional.
자주 하는 실수
Biz git.
Gidelim.
Çay içe.
Çay içelim.
Bekleelim.
Bekleyelim.
Gitmeelim.
Gitmeyelim.
Gidelim mi değil?
Gitmeyelim mi?
Ben gidek.
Ben gideyim.
Yarın sinemaya gideceğiz mi?
Yarın sinemaya gidelim mi?
Sana yardım etmek isteyim.
Sana yardım edeyim.
Onlar gidesin.
Gitsinler.
Keşke gidelim.
Keşke gitsek.
Böyle bilesin.
Böyle bilesiniz.
Gele de gör.
Gele de göresin.
Sentence Patterns
Hadi ___ -elim/alım.
İstersen ___ -eyim/ayım.
___ -elim mi, yoksa ___ -elim mi?
Real World Usage
Akşam bize gelsene, film izleyelim.
Gündem maddelerini inceleyelim.
Ben bir İskender alayım.
Size deneyimlerimden bahsedeyim.
The 'Let's' Shortcut
Vowel Clashes
Polite Offers
Smart Tips
Use the -eyim/-ayım form. It sounds much more helpful and polite than the present tense.
Always use 'Hadi' + Optative. It creates a friendly, inviting tone.
Pause and remember the 'y'. It's the most common spelling mistake in this mood.
발음
The 'y' Glide
The buffer 'y' should be pronounced smoothly, almost like a 'y' in 'yes', connecting the two vowels without a glottal stop.
Stress
In the optative, the stress usually falls on the syllable immediately before the personal ending.
Rising Question Intonation
Gidelim mi? ↗
Conveys a polite suggestion or seeking approval.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of the 'E' in 'Let's Eat' for the -e/-a suffix.
Visual Association
Imagine a group of friends standing in a circle, all pointing towards a cafe. They are all saying 'Gidelim!' (Let's go). The 'y' buffer is like a bridge connecting two vowel islands.
Rhyme
A or E, a wish it will be; add a Y if a vowel you see!
Story
Ali wants to help Ayşe. He says 'Ben yapayım' (Let me do it). Ayşe agrees and says 'Beraber yapalım' (Let's do it together). They both use the Optative to turn a solo offer into a team plan.
Word Web
챌린지
Write down 3 things you want to do with a friend today using the '-elim/-alım' form.
문화 노트
Turkish culture is highly collective. Using 'Gidelim' (Let's go) instead of 'Gidiyorum' (I am going) is a way to show politeness and inclusion, even if you are the one leading.
In some rural areas, you might hear '-ek/-ak' instead of '-elim/-alım' (e.g., 'Gidek' instead of 'Gidelim'). While common in folk songs, it is considered non-standard in Istanbul Turkish.
Derived from the Old Turkic suffix '-ga/-ge', which evolved into '-a/-e' in Oghuz Turkish.
Conversation Starters
Bu hafta sonu ne yapalım?
Sana bir kahve ısmarlayayım mı?
Sence bu sorunu nasıl çözelim?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Hadi bir film ___.
Lütfen acele et, ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ben sana kapıyı açalım.
Shall we drink coffee?
Answer starts with: Kah...
Score: /4
연습 문제
4 exercisesHadi bir film ___.
Lütfen acele et, ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ben sana kapıyı açalım.
Shall we drink coffee?
Score: /4
자주 묻는 질문 (6)
Technically yes (e.g., `gidesin`), but it sounds very old-fashioned or poetic. In modern Turkish, use the Imperative (`gitsin`) or Conditional (`gitsen`) instead.
`Gidelim mi?` is a suggestion ('Shall we go?'). `Gidecek miyiz?` is a question about a future fact ('Are we going to go?').
Turkish doesn't allow two vowels to sit next to each other in a suffix. Since `bekle` ends in 'e' and the suffix starts with 'e', we insert a buffer `y`.
Not always, but it's very common. `Hadi` (Come on/Let's) naturally complements the suggestion-based nature of the Optative.
Use the negative suffix `-ma/-me` followed by the buffer `y` and the optative suffix. Example: `Yapmayalım` (Let's not do it).
Yes, especially in the 1st person plural to propose actions or conclusions in reports and articles.
In Other Languages
Subjuntivo (Presente)
Turkish has a specific 'let's' suffix (-elim), while Spanish uses the 'nosotros' subjunctive form.
Impératif (1st Plural)
Turkish has a distinct singular form (Shall I?) which French usually handles with 'Je peux?' or 'On y va?'.
Konjunktiv I / Imperativ mit 'wir'
Turkish doesn't need an auxiliary like 'lassen' (let).
Volitional form (-ou/-you)
Japanese volitional is also used for 'I think I will...', which Turkish often uses the future tense for.
Lam al-Amr + Jussive
Turkish optative is more common in daily speech than the formal Arabic jussive suggestion.
