-dıqca/-dikcə

As-or-whenever Clause

Level 4

The suffix -dıqca (and its variants) links two actions. It translates to 'as', 'the more... the more', or 'whenever'. It emphasizes that the main action is tied to the progression or repetition of the first action.

How It Works

The -dıqca/-dikcə/-duqca/-dükcə pattern is essential for expressing dynamic relationships between two events. It follows 4-way vowel harmony and functions in several ways:

  • Proportionality: It shows that as action A increases or continues, action B changes accordingly ('the more... the more'). For example: Oxuduqca öyrənirəm (The more I read, the more I learn).
  • Iterativity: It indicates that every time action A happens, action B follows ('whenever'). For example: Səni gördükcə sevinirəm (Whenever I see you, I feel happy).
  • Duration & Condition: It can mean 'as long as'. In the negative form (-madıqca / -mədikcə), it means 'as long as [action] does not happen' or 'unless'.
  • Lexicalized Adverb: The verb olmaq (to be/become) combined with this suffix creates olduqca, which means 'quite', 'very', or 'extremely'.

Unlike the simple -anda/-əndə, which marks a specific point in time, this pattern focuses on the ongoing link or repetition between the two verbs.

Examples (5)

  1. Yaşlandıqca müdrikləşir.

    As he gets older, he gets wiser.

    Word by Word: Aged-as wise-becomes.

    Shows a proportional relationship: wisdom increases as age increases.

  2. Səni gördükcə uşaqlığımı xatırlayıram.

    Whenever I see you, I remember my childhood.

    Word by Word: You-acc see-whenever childhood-my-acc remember-I-am.

    Shows iterativity: the memory is triggered every single time the person is seen.

  3. Gəlmədikcə narahat oluram.

    As long as he doesn't come, I get worried.

    Word by Word: Come-not-as worried I-become.

    Uses the negative form -mədikcə to express a state that continues as long as an action does not occur.

  4. Bu, olduqca maraqlı bir kitabdır.

    This is a quite interesting book.

    Word by Word: This, being-as interesting one book-is.

    Demonstrates the lexicalized adverb 'olduqca', meaning 'quite' or 'extremely'.

  5. Sən belə etdikcə heç nə düzəlməyəcək.

    As long as you act like this, nothing will improve.

    Word by Word: You so do-as nothing will-not-fix.

    Shows the 'as long as' conditional nuance of the pattern.

Common Mistakes

  • This sentence is fine, but -dikcə means 'every time' or 'as', not one moment.

    Different MeaningDünən evə gəldikcə yemək yedim.
    Dünən evə gələndə yemək yedim.

    -dıqca/-dikcə means 'whenever' or 'the more... the more'. The sentence says that every time yesterday you came home, you ate. For one specific moment ('when I came home') use -anda/-əndə, as in the right sentence.

  • Adding personal endings to the suffix.

    Mən oxuduqcam öyrənirəm.
    Mən oxuduqca öyrənirəm.

    Converbs like -dıqca are invariant. The person is already indicated by the main verb (öyrənirəm) or the pronoun (mən).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-dıqca/-dikcəLevel 4As-or-whenever Clause

Learn This First

To understand the -dıqca suffix, learners must be comfortable with four-way vowel harmony and the formation of verbal suffixes starting with 'd'. It is also helpful to have experience with other temporal converbs (like -anda) to understand how Azerbaijani uses suffixes instead of conjunctions to create 'as' or 'whenever' clauses.