what is it?
Turkish has two distinct suffix-based constructions for linking events in time. The suffix -DIkçA attaches to a verb stem and expresses either a proportional relationship («the more you do X, the more Y happens») or a repeated condition («whenever X happens»). The fixed frame -Ar…-mAz — the positive aorist followed immediately by the negative aorist of the same verb — expresses tight temporal sequence: «the moment / as soon as X happens». The two constructions are not interchangeable: -DIkçA describes a gradual or recurring relationship, while -Ar…-mAz pins an event to a single instant.
when to use it
-DIkçA — scalar / proportional: Use it when an increase (or continuation) in one action drives a corresponding change in another. English equivalents: «the more … the more», «the longer … the more».
-DIkçA — iterative / habitual: Use it when the main clause holds true every time the subordinate action occurs. English equivalent: «whenever», «each time».
-Ar…-mAz — immediate sequence: Use it when the main clause follows with zero delay the moment the subordinate action is complete. English equivalents: «as soon as», «the moment», «no sooner … than».
subject freedom: With -DIkçA the subject of the subordinate clause may differ from that of the main clause. With -Ar…-mAz the subject is typically the same as the main clause, but a different subject is also possible when context is clear.
formation
-DIkçA is formed by adding the suffix to the bare verb stem. The vowel in the suffix follows four-way vowel harmony (D = t/d, I = ı/i/u/ü). No person ending is added — the subject is understood from context or expressed by a separate pronoun.
| stem | -DIkçA form | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| oku- | okudukça | the more (one) reads / whenever (one) reads |
| gör- | gördükçe | the more (one) sees / whenever (one) sees |
| koş- | koştukça | the more (one) runs / whenever (one) runs |
| büyü- | büyüdükçe | the more (one) grows / whenever (one) grows |
-Ar…-mAz is a fixed two-word frame. The first word is the positive aorist (3rd person singular, no personal ending beyond the aorist marker). The second word is the negative aorist of the same verb (stem + -mAz). No person endings are added to either word. The frame is invariable for person and number.
| stem | positive aorist | negative aorist | full frame | meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gel- | gelir | gelmez | gelir gelmez | as soon as (someone) comes |
| gör- | görür | görmez | görür görmez | as soon as (someone) sees |
| kayna- | kaynar | kaynamaz | kaynar kaynamaz | as soon as (something) boils |
| çık- | çıkar | çıkmaz | çıkar çıkmaz | as soon as (someone) leaves / goes out |
The aorist marker for most consonant-final stems is -Ir/-Ur/-Ür (vowel-harmonic). Stems ending in a vowel take -r directly (e.g. kayna-r). A small set of monosyllabic consonant-final stems take -Ar (e.g. gel-ir is regular; var-ır is also regular). Consult your aorist reference for the irregular group.
examples in context
common pitfalls
Breaking the positive + negative aorist pattern. The -Ar…-mAz frame is fixed: the first word must be the positive aorist and the second must be the negative aorist of the same verb. Forms like gelir gelir (both positive) or geldi gitmez (past tense + different verb) are ungrammatical in this construction.
Adding person endings to -Ar…-mAz. Because the aorist normally takes person suffixes, learners write gelirim gelmezim or gelirsin gelmezsin. In the -Ar…-mAz frame, both words are locked at the bare 3rd-person-singular aorist form. Person is never marked.
Confusing -DIkçA with -Ar…-mAz. -DIkçA describes a gradual, scalar, or recurring relationship; it cannot express a single instantaneous trigger. -Ar…-mAz expresses only immediate sequence — it cannot convey «the more». Saying okur okumaz daha çok öğreniyorum is wrong because there is no single instant of reading that triggers learning — it is a proportional process, which requires okudukça.