-t

Causative with -t

Level 4

The -t suffix is a causative marker used primarily for polysyllabic stems (verbs with two or more syllables) that end in a vowel or the liquids -l and -r. It also appears as a 4-way harmonized -Ut (-ıt, -it, -ut, -üt) suffix for a specific group of monosyllabic consonant stems.

How It Works

The -t causative is used in specific phonological environments, distinct from the more common -dır causative:

  • Polysyllabic Vowel-Final Stems: Verbs with two or more syllables ending in a vowel must use -t. For example, oxumaq (to read) → oxutmaq. Note: Monosyllabic vowel stems like ye- (eat) or de- (say) are exceptions and typically use -dir or complex forms.
  • Polysyllabic Stems in /l/ or /r/: Multi-syllable verbs ending in these liquids take -t. For example, düzəlmək (to be fixed) → düzəltmək (to fix) and oturmaq (to sit) → oturtmaq (to seat).
  • The -Ut Variant: A small group of monosyllabic consonant-ending stems take a harmonized version (-ıt, -it, -ut, -üt). Common examples include qorxmaq (to fear) → qorxutmaq (to frighten) and axmaq (to flow) → axıtmaq (to pour).

When combined with other suffixes, such as the simple past -dı, the -t remains stable, often creating a -tdi cluster (e.g., gözlətdi).

Examples (5)

  1. Müəllim tələbələrə mətni oxutdu.

    The teacher made the students read the text.

    Word by Word: Teacher students-to text-acc read-caus-past.

    The polysyllabic vowel-final stem 'oxu-' (to read) takes the '-t' suffix to become 'oxut-' (to make read).

  2. O, uşağı itlə qorxutdu.

    He frightened the child with the dog.

    Word by Word: He, child-acc dog-with fear-caus-past.

    The monosyllabic consonant stem 'qorx-' (to fear) uses the '-ut' variant of the causative suffix.

  3. Biz qiymətləri bir az azaltdıq.

    We reduced the prices a little.

    Word by Word: We prices-acc a little decrease-caus-past-we.

    'Azalmaq' (to decrease) is a polysyllabic stem ending in 'l', so it takes the '-t' suffix to become transitive.

  4. Məni qapıda çox gözlətmə.

    Don't make me wait at the door for long.

    Word by Word: Me-acc door-loc much wait-caus-neg-imp.

    The polysyllabic verb 'gözləmək' ends in a vowel, so it uses '-t' to form the causative.

  5. Yağış suları küçəyə axıtdı.

    The rain made the water flow into the street.

    Word by Word: Rain waters-acc street-dat flow-caus-past.

    The monosyllabic stem 'ax-' (to flow) takes the '-ıt' variant to form the causative 'axıtmaq' (to pour/drain).

Common Mistakes

  • Using -dir instead of -t on vowel-final stems.

    Mən ona kitabı oxudurdum.
    Mən ona kitabı oxutdum.

    Learners often over-apply the productive '-dir' suffix. However, vowel stems like 'oxu-' strictly require '-t' for the primary causative.

  • Confusing the causative -t with the past tense -di/-ti.

    O mənə gözlədi.
    O məni gözlətdi.

    'Gözlədi' means 'he waited', while 'gözlətdi' means 'he made (someone) wait'. The '-t' is the causative marker, not part of the tense.

How It Connects

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

-tLevel 4Causative with -t

Learn This First

To understand the -t causative, learners must first be familiar with the general causative voice in Azerbaijani (typically introduced via the -dır suffix). Since this suffix attaches to vowel-final verb stems, a solid grasp of vowel harmony and basic verb conjugation (like the simple past) is required to correctly form and interpret these verbs.

Words in This Pattern

-t