Question Formation in Turkish
Soru Eki
To turn a statement into a yes/no question in Turkish, we use the question particle -mi, which follows vowel harmony and is always written as a separate word.
The Question Particle (-mi)
The particle -mi changes according to the four-fold vowel harmony rule, but it never attaches to the word (it is a separate word).
| Last Vowel | Particle Form |
|---|---|
| a, ı | mı |
| e, i | mi |
| o, u | mu |
| ö, ü | mü |
Combining with Verbs
When used with verbs, the personal suffix often moves to the question particle itself.
| Person | Turkish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ben | Gidiyor muyum? | Am I going? |
| Sen | Gidiyor musun? | Are you going? |
| O | Gidiyor mu? | Is he/she going? |
| Biz | Gidiyor muyuz? | Are we going? |
| Siz | Gidiyor musunuz? | Are you going? |
| Onlar | Gidiyorlar mı? | Are they going? |
Example Sentences
Bu araba yeni mi?Is this car new?
Ders çalışıyor musunuz?Are you (plural) studying?
Dün evde miydin?Were you at home yesterday?
Yemek hazır mı?Is the food ready?
Placement Rules
The particle usually comes after the word being questioned or at the end of the sentence.
| Type | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Question | Bu bir kalem mi? | Is this a pen? |
| Emphasis | Sen mi geldin? | Was it YOU who came? |
| Verb Question | Geliyor musun? | Are you coming? |