Rules and usage
Geniş Zaman is the simple present or habitual past tense in Turkish, used to express actions that happen regularly, statements of general fact, or past habitual actions. It is marked by the suffix -r, -ar, or -ir (chosen by vowel harmony), and is one of the first tenses you will encounter when learning Turkish. Understanding its forms and proper use is essential for everyday conversation.
When Geniş Zaman is Used
- For repeated or habitual actions in the present: Her gün yürüyüş yaparım. (I walk every day.)
- For general truths or facts: Kedi bağımsız bir hayvandır. (A cat is an independent animal.)
- For habitual or characteristic actions in the past: Çocukken oyun oynardık. (When we were children, we used to play.)
- For actions that are not tied to a specific moment: Kahveyi severim. (I like coffee.)
✅ Positive sentence examples
| Turkish | English |
|---|
| Sabah erkenden kalkıyorum. | I wake up early in the morning. |
| O her gün spor yapar. | He does sports every day. |
⛔ Negative sentence examples
| Turkish | English |
|---|
| Ben kahve içmem. | I don't drink coffee. |
| O ayakkabı giymez. | He doesn't wear shoes. |
❓ Question sentence examples
| Turkish | English |
|---|
| Siz ne zaman gelirsiniz? | When do you come? |
| O burada mı oturur? | Does he live here? |