what is it?
Turkish has two ways to express a duration that started in the past and continues up to now. -DEn beri attaches the ablative suffix -DEn to a time word and adds the postposition beri; it can mean both "since" (a fixed point in time) and "for" (a span of time). -DIr is a suffix added directly to a period noun (e.g. iki saat → iki saattir) and always means "for" a span. Both constructions pair with an ongoing verb in the present continuous (-iyor) or a present-state predicate.
when to use it
Since a fixed point in time — use -DEn beri with a clock time, date, year, or named moment: sabahtan beri (since morning), 2020'den beri (since 2020).
For a span of time — option 1 — use -DEn beri with a period noun: iki günden beri (for two days). This is interchangeable with -DIr in meaning.
For a span of time — option 2 — use -DIr suffixed directly to the period noun: iki saattir (for two hours), üç gündür (for three days).
The predicate is always ongoing — the action or state described is still in progress at the moment of speaking. Use the present continuous (-iyor) for actions, or a copula/adjective for states.
formation
-DEn beri: The ablative suffix -DEn follows vowel harmony (-den or -dan) and consonant mutation (-ten / -tan after voiceless consonants). The postposition beri is invariable and follows the time phrase.
| time word | -DEn beri form | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sabah | sabahtan beri | since / for the morning |
| 2020 | 2020'den beri | since 2020 |
| iki gün | iki günden beri | for two days |
| bir yıl | bir yıldan beri | for one year |
-DIr: The suffix follows four-way vowel harmony — -dir, -dır, -dur, -dür (or -tir/-tır/-tur/-tür after voiceless consonants). It attaches to the end of the full period phrase.
| period phrase | -DIr form | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| iki saat | iki saattir | for two hours |
| üç gün | üç gündür | for three days |
| bir hafta | bir haftadır | for one week |
| beş yıl | beş yıldır | for five years |
For a span of time, iki günden beri and iki gündür are interchangeable. Both mean "for two days". The -DIr form is slightly more compact; -DEn beri is the only option when the reference is a fixed point (e.g. a year or a named time).
examples in context
common pitfalls
Mixing up -DEn beri and -DIr for spans — both can express "for" a duration, but they are built differently. Sabahtan beri uses the ablative + postposition on a time word; iki saattir fuses the suffix directly onto the period phrase. Do not write iki saaten beri — the ablative of saat is saattan, giving iki saattan beri — which is valid but less common than iki saattir.
Thinking beri only means "since" — -DEn beri also expresses "for" when attached to a period noun. Üç günden beri means "for three days", not "since three days" (which is not a natural English phrase either). The key is that the action is still ongoing.
Using için for elapsed duration — için means "for" in the sense of purpose or intended benefit, not elapsed time. Do not say iki saat için bekliyorum to mean "I have been waiting for two hours". Use iki saattir bekliyorum or iki saattan beri bekliyorum instead.