hələ

Hələ Still or Yet

Level 3

Use hələ to describe actions that are continuing ('still') or actions that haven't happened but are expected ('yet').

How It Works

The particle hələ is a versatile aspectual marker borrowed from Persian. It functions in several primary ways:

1. Positive Polarity (Still): Indicates that a state or action continues into the present.
Example: O, hələ yatır. (He is still sleeping.)

2. Negative Polarity (Yet): Used with negative verbs (like -mır or the perfect negative) to show an expected action hasn't happened.
Example: O hələ gəlməyib. (He hasn't come yet.)

3. Addition (More/Else): Used to suggest adding something to a current state.
Example: Hələ birini də al. (Buy one more too.)

4. Intensifier (Even): Used to emphasize a comparison or a degree.
Example: Bu, hələ harasıdır? (This is nothing yet / This is just the beginning.)

5. Colloquial Warning: Used to express a threat or a 'just you wait' sentiment.
Example: Hələ dayan! (Just you wait!)

6. Temporal Emphasis (Already/While Still): Emphasizes how early something occurred or that it happened while still at a certain stage.
Example: Hələ uşaqkən... (Already as a child / While still a child...)

7. Just/Only Now: When paired with time adverbs like 'indi', it indicates that an action has only just occurred.
Example: O, hələ indi gəlib. (He just arrived.)

8. Moreover / On top of that: A colloquial usage, typically with the particle 'bir', to introduce a surprising or negative addition.
Example: Hələ bir narazılıq da edir. (And on top of that, he is complaining.)

9. First / Before anything else: A colloquial usage to prioritize an action or statement.
Example: Hələ sən de görüm, harada idin? (First, tell me, where were you?)

Common Phrases:

  • Hələ ki: Means 'for now' or 'so far'.
  • Hələ də: Adds emphasis, meaning 'still even now'.
  • Hələlik: Means 'for the time being / for now' or 'Goodbye for now'.

Examples (6)

  1. Mən hələ buradayam.

    I am still here.

    Word by Word: I still here-am.

    In this positive sentence, 'hələ' indicates the continuation of a state.

  2. O, hələ gəlməyib.

    He hasn't come yet.

    Word by Word: He yet come-not-has.

    Used with a negative verb, 'hələ' translates to 'yet' in English.

  3. O, hələ indi gəlib.

    He just arrived.

    Word by Word: He still now come-has.

    When paired with 'indi' (now), 'hələ' emphasizes that the action happened 'just now' or 'only now'.

  4. Hələ bir stəkan çay da içək.

    Let's drink one more glass of tea.

    Word by Word: Still one glass tea also let-us-drink.

    Here 'hələ' functions as an additive particle meaning 'more' or 'else'.

  5. Hələ dayan, mən sənə göstərərəm!

    Just you wait, I'll show you!

    Word by Word: Still wait, I to-you will-show!

    In colloquial speech, 'hələ' can be used as a warning or to build suspense, similar to 'just you wait'.

  6. Hələ ki, hər şey yaxşıdır.

    So far, everything is good.

    Word by Word: Yet that, every thing good-is.

    The phrase 'hələ ki' is a common idiom meaning 'for now' or 'so far'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'hələ' where 'no longer' is meant.

    Different MeaningO hələ burada yaşamır.
    O artıq burada yaşamır.

    This is a good sentence, but hələ with a negative means 'not yet': he does not live here yet. To say 'he no longer lives here', use artıq, as in the right sentence.

  • Using 'hələ' (still) where 'yenə' (again) is meant.

    Different MeaningHələ yağış yağır.
    Yenə yağış yağır.

    This is a good sentence meaning 'It is still raining', so use it if the rain never stopped. Use yenə, as in the right sentence, if it stopped and started again.

How It Connects

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

hələLevel 3Hələ Still or Yet

Learn This First

To use 'hələ' correctly, you need to understand how to form the present tense (for 'still') and how to negate both verbs and nouns (for 'yet').

Words in This Pattern

hələ