Conjunctions are important to learn if you want to speak properly Turkish. Turkish conjunctions help you connect words, phrases, and sentences, enabling smoother, more natural communication. In this post, we will cover all the essential Turkish conjunctions, their meanings, and give you examples to help you understand how to use them in daily conversations. Iyi okumalar!
Table of Contents
1. Basic Conjunctions
Ve (And)
“Ve” is one of the most commonly used conjunctions, equivalent to “and” in English. It connects words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance.
Example:
- Ayşe ve Mehmet sinemaya gitti. (Ayşe and Mehmet went to the cinema.)
İle (With / And)
“İle” is often used to mean “with” but can also act as a conjunction similar to “and.” It can be written separately or as a suffix “-le/-la.”
Example:
- Çay ile kahve içtik. (We drank tea and coffee.)
- Peynirli sandviç yedim. (I ate a sandwitch with cheese)
- Arabayla geldik. (We came by car.)
De (And / Too / But)
“De” is a flexible conjunction and particle in Turkish, used to mean “and,” “too/also,” or “but,” depending on the context. It can connect phrases, express similarity, or introduce a contrast. It is usually written separately but follows vowel harmony rules.
Examples:
- Çay içelim dedi, ben de kabul ettim. (He said “let’s drink tea,” and I agreed.)
- Benim de kedim var. (I also have a cat / I have a cat too.)
- Gitmek istiyorum da zamanım yok. (I want to go but I don’t have time.)
Ya da / Veya (Or)
“Ya da” and “veya” are both used to mean “or” in Turkish, and they can be used interchangeably. They offer a choice between two or more options.
Examples:
- Çay ya da kahve ister misin? (Would you like tea or coffee?)
- Sinemaya gidelim veya evde film izleyelim. (Let’s go to the cinema or watch a movie at home.)
2. Adversative Conjunctions
Ama, Fakat (But)
“Ama” is used to contrast two ideas, similar to “but” in English.
Example:
- Gitmek istiyorum ama param yok. (I want to go, but I don’t have money.)
Fakat (But / However)
“Fakat” is similar to “ama,”, meaning “but”. It is often used in more formal contexts.
Example:
- Yorgunum fakat çalışmam gerekiyor. (I am tired, but I need to work.)
- Açım fakat yemek yiyemiyorum. (I am hungry but I can’t eat.)
Lakin (But / However)
“Lakin” is a conjunction similar to “but” or “however” in English. It is a more formal and literary alternative to “ama” or “fakat.” You will often see it in written texts, poetry, or formal speeches.
Example:
- Gitmek istiyorum, lakin işlerim bitmedi. (I want to go, but my work isn’t finished.)
- O çok zeki, lakin biraz tembel. (He is very smart, but a bit lazy.)
Ancak (However / But)
“Ancak” can be used similarly to “but” or “however,” often introducing a restriction or contrast.
Example:
- Yemek çok lezzetliydi ancak porsiyon küçüktü. (The food was delicious, however, the portion was small.)
3. Causal Conjunctions
Çünkü (Because)
“Çünkü” is used to explain reasons or causes, translating to “because.”
Example:
- Uyumadım çünkü çok işim vardı. (I didn’t sleep because I had a lot of work.)
Zira (Because / Since)
“Zira” is a more formal version of “çünkü,” often seen in written language.
Example:
- Erken çıkmalıyız, zira trafik yoğun olacak. (We should leave early, because the traffic will be heavy.)
4. Conditional Conjunctions
Eğer (If)
“Eğer” introduces conditional statements, equivalent to “if” in English. It pairs with the suffixes “sa/se” to form an hypothesis.
Example:
- Eğer yarın hava güzel olursa, pikniğe gideriz. (If the weather is nice tomorrow, we will go for a picnic.)
Şayet (If, In case)
“Şayet” is a more formal way to express conditions, similar to “eğer.”, meaning “if” or “in case”.
Example:
- Şayet kabul ederseniz, birlikte çalışabiliriz. (In case you accept, we can work together.)
5. Purpose Conjunctions
Diye (So That / In Order To)
“Diye” is used to indicate purpose, often translating to “so that.” It’s laso used to form the direct speech in Turkish.
Example:
- Konuşabilelim diye erken geldim. (I came early so that we can talk.)
Bu yüzden / Bu nedenle / Bu sebeple (Therefore / For this reason)
These phrases are commonly used to express a reason-result relationship, similar to “so,” “therefore” or “because of that” in English.
Examples:
- Hava çok soğuktu, bu yüzden dışarı çıkmadık. (It was very cold, so we didn’t go outside.)
- Yolda trafik vardı, bu nedenle geç kaldım. (There was traffic on the road, so I was late.)
- Uykusuzum, bu sebeple biraz dinlenmek istiyorum. (I’m sleep-deprived, so I want to rest a bit.)
6. Correlative Conjunctions
Ne… Ne… (Neither… Nor…)
This phrase is used to deny two possibilities.
Example:
- Ne çay ne kahve içiyorum. (I drink neither tea nor coffee.)
Hem… Hem… (Both… And…)
Used to emphasize two positive aspects.
Example:
- Hem tatlı hem de kahve aldım. (I got both dessert and coffee.)
Madem / Madem ki (Since / As long as / Given that)
These conjunctions are used to express a reason or condition, similar to “since” or “given that” in English. They often introduce a premise for what follows.
Examples:
- Madem ki buradasın, konuşalım. (Since you are here, let’s talk.)
- Madem öyle, yapacak bir şey yok. (If that’s the case, there’s nothing we can do.)
7. Temporal Conjunctions
Ve Sonra (And Then / Afterwards)
“Ve sonra” is used to connect actions in a sequence.
Example:
- Yemek yedik ve sonra sinemaya gittik. (We ate dinner and then went to the cinema.)
Önce… Sonra… (First… Then…)
“Önce” and “sonra” are often used together to indicate the order of events.
Example:
- Önce kahvaltı yaptık, sonra yürüyüşe çıktık. (First, we had breakfast, then we went for a walk.)
8. Alternative/Comparative Conjunctions
Kadar (As… As)
“Kadar” can be used in comparisons to mean “as… as.”
Example:
- Ali kadar hızlı koşabiliyorum. (I can run as fast as Ali.)
Yoksa (Or else / Otherwise)
“Yoksa” is used to introduce an alternative outcome, often implying a warning or consequence.
Example:
- Acele et, yoksa geç kalacağız. (Hurry up, or else we will be late.)
Ya … Ya (da) … (Either … or …)
This structure is used to present two options, equivalent to “either … or …” in English. “Ya da” can also be used on its own as a simpler form of “or.”
Example:
- Ya sen gel, ya da ben geleyim. (Either you come, or I will come.)
İster … İster(se) … (Either … or …)
Similar to “ya … ya (da) …,” this phrase also offers two possibilities or alternatives.
Example:
- İster kahve iç, ister çay. (Either drink coffee, or drink tea.)
Ne … Ne … Ne … (Neither … nor … nor …)
Use “ne … ne …,” to express “neither” or “nor” in a negative sentence. It is used to deny two or more options.
Example:
- Ne tatlı, ne tuzlu, ne acı yedi. (He ate neither sweet, nor salty, nor spicy food.)
List of Turkish Conjunctions
| Turkish | English |
| Ve | And |
| İle | With / And |
| De | And / Too / But |
| Ya da / Veya | Or |
| Ama | But |
| Fakat | But / However |
| Lakin | But / However |
| Ancak | However / But |
| Çünkü | Because |
| Zira | Because / Since |
| Eğer | If |
| Şayet | If / In case |
| Diye | So That / In Order To |
| Bu yüzden / Bu nedenle / Bu sebeple | Therefore / For this reason |
| Ne… Ne… | Neither… Nor… |
| Hem… Hem… | Both… And… |
| Madem / Madem ki | Since / As long as / Given that |
| Ve Sonra | And Then / Afterwards |
| Önce… Sonra… | First… Then… |
| Kadar | As… As |
| Yoksa | Or else / Otherwise |
| Ya … Ya (da) … | Either… or… |
| İster … İster(se) … | Either… or… |
| Ne … Ne … Ne … | Neither… nor… nor… |