How To Express Need
Just like in English, there are a number of ways to express need in Turkish, such as 'I need to.....', 'I have to.....' and 'I must......'.
'Meli' = 'Must'
To make a sentence using this word, such as 'I must go', you must follow this formula;
verb + -meli/mal- + personal 'to be' suffix
Examples
Git + meli + yim = gitmeliyim = I must go
Gel + meli + sin = gelmelisin = You (singular/familiar) must come
Gelmeli = He/she/it must come
Gelmeliyiz = We must come
Gelmelisiniz = You (plural/polite) must come
Gelmeliler = They must come
'Lazım' = 'Have to'
To make a sentence using this word, such as 'i have to go' in Turkish, you must follow this formula;
verb + -me/ma- + personal possessive suffix + 'lazm'
Examples
Git + me + m + lazım = 'Gitmem lazım' = 'I have to go'
Gel + me + n + lazım = 'Gelmen lazım' = 'You have to come'
Kal + ma + mız + lazım = 'Kalmamız lazım' = 'We have to stay'
To make these sentences into negative questions in Turkish, such as 'I don't have to go', add 'değil' after 'lazım'
Examples
Gitmem lazım değil = I don't have to go
Olman lazım değil = You don't have to be
In order to express a need for yourself or someone else, the person or thing who is in need takes the dative suffix '-(y)e/a'.
Examples
Bana araba lazım = I need a car
Sana para lazım = You need money
Sana araba lazım mı? = Do you need a car?
'Gerek' can be used instead of 'lazım' to express a need, however it is used differently than 'Lazım' as it is used in the present continuous tense.
Examples
Gelmem gerekiyor = I have to come
Gelmem gerekmiyor = I don't have to come
Olman gerekiyor = You have to be
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