Unreal conditions: -se, -seydi (gelsem, gelseydim)
Unreal conditions (“if I were / had …”) put -se directly on the stem, and -seydi for the past: Zengin olsam dünyayı gezerdim (If I were rich, I would travel the world). The main clause uses -irdi, like English “would”.
| Time | If clause | Main clause | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| present | stem + -se: gelsem | aorist + -di: gelirdim | if I came, I would … |
| past | stem + -seydi: gelseydim | gelirdim | if I had come, I would have … |
| with nouns | olsa: zengin olsam | alırdım | if I were rich, I would buy |
Real or unreal?
- Real (possible): aorist + -se: *Gelirsen …* (If you come …). Unreal: stem + -se: *Gelsen …* (If you came …).
- Personal endings as in the -di past: gelsem, gelsen, gelse, gelsek, gelseniz, gelseler.
- The main clause is aorist + -di, like English “would”: *gelirdim, yapardık*.
- With nouns and adjectives use olsa: *Zamanım olsa* (If I had time).
Examples
- Zamanım olsa seninle gelirdim.If I had time, I would come with you.
- Kanatlarım olsa uçardım.If I had wings, I would fly.
- Yerinde olsam gitmezdim.If I were you, I wouldn't go.
- Daha dikkatli olsaydın düşmezdin.If you had been more careful, you wouldn't have fallen.
- Bilseydim söylerdim.If I had known, I would have told you.
Common mistakes
- ✗ Zengin olsam dünyayı gezeceğim.✓ Zengin olsam dünyayı gezerdim.English “would” is not the future; the main clause of an unreal condition is aorist + -di: gezerdim.
- ✗ Param olursa araba alırdım. (= if I had money)✓ Param olsa araba alırdım. (= if I had money)English “if I had” is unreal; that is olsa, while olursa means “if I have”.
- ✗ Daha önce bilsem söylerdim. (= if I had known)✓ Daha önce bilseydim söylerdim. (= if I had known)English “if I had known” refers to the past; that needs -seydi: bilseydim.
- ✗ Erken yatseydık yorgun olmazdık.✓ Erken yatsaydık yorgun olmazdık.The suffix follows 2-way harmony: after the a in yat- it is -saydık.
- ✗ Arabam olsam seni götürürdüm.✓ Arabam olsa seni götürürdüm.With olsa the person is already on the noun (arabam); olsa itself stays in the third person.