2.0 The Case System

Like Russian or German, Turkic languages have a system of grammatical cases. Cases are defined by changes that occur to a word when it is placed in different grammatical context. English has cases for personal prounouns. For example: "I see him", "He sees me". Not: "Me sees he", "Him sees I". Turkmen, however, has six cases, and these cases are used for all words, not just personal prounouns. The six Turkmen cases are: the nominative, used for the subject of the sentence; the possessive, similar to English possessives; the dative, used to show directed action; the accusative, which is similar to the English "direct object"; the time/place, which shows locality; and the instrumental, which is used to show origin.

While six cases might seem a bit overwhelming at first, it should be noted that the case suffixes simply replace our English prepositions such as "from," "at," "with," "in," "on," and "to". Also, the rules for their use are remarkably simple and inflexible, unlike those of the Russian cases.

2.1 Cases of Pronouns

These follow fairly straightforwardly from the regular case endings. The only unusual exceptions being the mutation of ol to on in all cases, and the dative pronouns maňa, saňa, and oňa.

Nomnative	men I	sen you (singular informal)	ol he, she, it	biz we	siz you (plural or formal)	olar they
Poss.	meniň my	seniň your	onyň his, her, its	biziň our	siziň your	olaryň their
Dative	maňa ˜to me	saňa ˜to you	oňa ˜to him, her, it	bize ˜to us	size ˜to you	olara ˜to them
Accus.	meni ˜ me	seni ˜ you	ony ˜ him, her, it	bizi ˜ us	sizi ˜ you	olary ˜ them
T/Place	mende ˜ upon me	sende ˜ upon you	onda ˜ upon him, her, it	bizde ˜ upon us	sizde ˜ upon you	olarda ˜ upon them
Instrum.	menden ˜ from me	senden ˜ from you	ondan ˜ from him, her, it	bizden ˜ from us	sizden ˜ from you	olardan ˜ from them

3.0 Verbs

Like English, Turkmen has a great variety of verb tenses. Verbs in Turkmen are conjugated in plural and singular for first, second, and third persons. As in Romance languages and Russian, the subject of a sentence is often not spoken if it is obvious.

Following is a selection of verb tenses and forms. All verbs are conjugated on the model of ýazmak, to write.

3.1a- Present Comprehensive, long form

Translates to the English Present Simple or Present Progressive

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazýaryn I write/I am writing. stem +(ýar)yn +(ýär)in

Sen ýazýarysyň You write/You are writing. stem +(ýar)syň +(ýär)siň

Ol ýazýar He writes/He is writing. stem +(ýar) +(ýär)

Biz ýazýarys We write/We are writing stem +(ýar)ys +(ýär)is

Siz ýazýarsyňyz You write/You are writing. stem +(ýar)syňyz +(ýär)siňiz

Olar ýazýarlar They write/They are writing. stem +(ýar)lar +(ýär)ler

To form the negative, add -ma or -me after the stem:

Men ýazmaýaryn = I am not writing. I don't write.

Men iýmeýärin = I am not eating. I don't eat.

3.1b - Present Comprehensive, short form

Translates to the English Present Simple or Present Progressive

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazýan I write/I am writing. stem +ýan +ýän

Sen ýazýaň You write/You are writing. stem +ýaň +ýäň

Ol ýazýar He writes/He is writing. stem +ýar +ýär

Biz ýazýas We write/We are writing. stem +ýas +ýäs

Siz ýazýaňyz You write/You are writing. stem +ýaňyz +ýäňiz

Olar ýazýarlar They write/They are writing. stem +ýarlar +ýärler

To form the negative, add -ma or -me after the stem:

Men ýazmaýan = I am not writing. I don't write.

Men içmeýän = I am not drinking. I don't drink.

3.2a - Present Perfect

Translates to the English Present Perfect.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazypdyrym I have written. stem +(yp)dyrym (ip)dirim

Sen ýazypsyň You have written. stem +(yp)syň (ip)siň

Ol ýazypdyr He/she has written. stem +(yp)dyr (ip)dir

Biz ýazypdyrys We have written. stem +(ypdyrys (ip)diris

Siz ýazypsyňyz You have written. stem +(yp)syňyz (ip)siňiz

Olar ýazypdyrlar They have written. stem +(yp)dyrlar (ip)dirler

To form the negative, insert -man or -män in place of the -yp or -ip after the stem in the above endings:

Ol ýazmandyr = He/she has not written.

Olar gelmänderler = They have not come.

3.2b - Present Perfect (neg.)/Habitual Present (neg.)

Translates to the negative English Present Perfect (or to a negative form of a "Habitual Present Tense")*, as such:

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazamok I have not written. stem +(a)mok +(e)mok

Sen ýazaňok You haven't written. stem +(a)ňok +(e)ňok

Ol ýazanok He hasn't written. stem +(a)nok +(e)nok

Biz ýazamzok We haven't written. stem +(a)mzok +(e)mzok

Siz ýazaňzok You haven't written. stem +(a)ňzok +(e)ňzok

Olar ýazanoklar They haven't written. stem +(a)noklar +(e)noklar

*These forms can also indicate that a certain activity is generally not performed by the speaker:

Men ýazamok = I don't write. (as a habit)

Men çilim çekemok = I don't smoke. (as a habit)

3.3 - Future Certain

Translates to the English Future Simple with the tone of certainty.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazjak I will write. stem +jak +jek

Sen ýazjak You will write. stem +jak +jek

Ol ýazjak He will write. stem +jak +jek

Biz ýazjak We will write. stem +jak +jek

Siz ýazjak You will write. stem +jak +jek

Olar ýazjak They will write. stem +jak +jek

To form the negative, add -däl after the verb:

Men ýazjak däl = I will not write.

Men gitjek däl = I will not go.

3.4 - Future Indefinite

Translates to English Future Simple with a tone of probability.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazaryn I (probably) will write. stem +(ar)yn +(er)in

Sen ýazarsyň You (probably) will write. stem +(ar)syň +(er)siň

Ol ýazar He (probably) will write. stem +(ar) +(er)

Biz ýazarys We (probably) will write. stem +(ar)ys +(er)is

Siz ýazarsyňyz You (probably) will write. stem +(ar)syňyz +(er)siňiz

Olar ýazarlar They (probably) will write. stem +(ar)lar +(er)ler

To negate, add -m after the stem, except in the third person, where -maz is used.

Men ýazmaryn = I (probably) won't write. Ol ýazmaz = He (probably) won't write.

Men gitmerin = I (probably) won't go. Olar gitmezler = They (probably) won't go.

3.5 - Conditional

Expresses hypothetical situations, used like the English "if". Usually followed by a statement in the Future Indefinite tense.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazsam If I write... stem +(sa)m +(se)m

Sen ýazsaň If you write... stem +(sa)ň +(se)ň

Ol ýazsa If he writes... stem +(sa) +(se)

Biz ýazsak If we write... stem +(sa)k +(se)k

Siz ýazsaňyz If you write... stem +(sa)ňyz +(se)ňiz

Olar ýazsalar If they write... stem +(sa)lar +(se)ler

To form the negative, add -ma or -me after the verb stem.

Men ýazmasam = If I do not write...

Men gitmesem = If I do not go.

3.6 - Past Definite

Translates to the English Past Simple.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazdym I wrote. stem +(dy)m +(di)m

Sen ýazdyň You wrote. stem +(dy)ň +(di)ň

Ol ýazdy He wrote. stem +(dy) +(di)

Biz ýazdyk We wrote. stem +(dy)k +(di)k

Siz ýazdyňyz You wrote. stem +(dy)ňyz +(di)ňiz

Olar ýazdylar They wrote. stem +(dy)lar +(di)ler

To form the negative, add -ma or -me after the stem.

Men ýazmadym = I didn't write.

Men gitmedim = I didn't go.

3.7 - Obligatory Form

Translates to English "must," "should," or "ought to" with a verb.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazmaly I must write. stem +maly +meli

Sen ýazmaly You must write. stem +maly +meli

Ol ýazmaly He must write. stem +maly +meli

Biz ýazmaly We must write. stem +maly +meli

Siz ýazmaly You must write. stem +maly +meli

Olar ýazmaly They must write. stem +maly +meli

To form the negative, add -däl after the verb.

Men ýazmaly däl = I must (should) not write.

Men gitmeli däl = I must (should) not go.

3.8 - Imperative Forms

In the singular and plural "you" forms, the verbs are simply rendered as commands, with the varying levels of politeness as noted below. Note that the personal pronouns are parenthetical, indicating that they are not spoken as part of the command form, but indicate to whom the command is being delivered.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEKverbs

(Sen) ýaz! Write! stem

(Sen) ýazyň! Write! stem +yň +iň

(Sen) ýazsana! Write, please! (polite) stem +sana +sene

(Siz) ýazyň Write! stem +yň +iň

(Siz) ýazsaňyzlaň Write, please! (polite) stem +saňyzlaň +seňizläň

The first person singular and plural forms translate not as commands, but more as expressions of "I'm going to," "may I," "let me," or "let us." The personal pronouns are necessary here.

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazaýyn. May I write. stem +aýyn +eýin

Men geçeýin. Let me pass.

Biz ýazalyň Let's write!. stem +alyň* +eliň*

Biz gideliň Let's go!

*In colloquial speech, the endings are sometimes shortened to -aly and -ely.

To form the plural negative, add -ma or -me after the stem:

Hat ýazmalyň = Let's not write a letter.

Bazara gitmeliň = Let's not go to the bazaar.

The third person forms are also not commands as much as they are urges or wishes, translated roughly as "let..." or "would that..."

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Ol ýazsyn Let him write. stem +syn +sin

Ol geçsin Let him pass.

Olar ýazsynlar Let them write! stem +synlar +sinler

Olar geçsinler Let them pass!

To form the negatives for all the above forms, add -ma or -me after the stems, according to vowel harmony:

Ol ýazmasyn = May he not write.

Olar gitmesinler = May they not go.

3.9 - Intentional Form

Translates to the English "intend to."

Verb Form Translation Form w/ MAK verbs MEK verbs

Men ýazmakçy I intend to write. stem +makçy mekçi

Sen ýazmakçy You intend to write. stem +makçy mekçi

Ol ýazmakçy He/she intends to write. stem +makçy mekçi

Biz ýazmakçy We intend to write. stem +makçy mekçi

Siz ýazmakçy You intend to write. stem +makçy mekçi

Olar ýazmakçy They intend to write. stem +makçy mekçi

To form the negative, add after the verb.

Men ýazmakçy däl = I do not intend to write.

Men gitmekçi däl = I do not intend to go.