-ar/-ər (şəxs sonluqları)

Personal Endings on the Aorist

Level 3

The Aorist (Qeyri-qəti gələcək zaman) is used for actions that happen generally, habitually, or might happen in the future. It is formed by adding -ar/-ər to the verb stem, followed by personal endings.

How It Works

The aorist is one of the most versatile tenses in Azerbaijani. It is constructed as follows:

1. Formation:

  • After consonants: -ar / -ər (e.g., yaz-ar, gəl-ər)
  • After vowels: -yar / -yər (e.g., oxu-yar, gözlə-yər)

2. Personal Endings:
The personal endings follow vowel harmony rules. Since the last vowel of the aorist suffix (-ar/-ər) is unrounded, only unrounded personal endings are used:

  • Mən: -am / -əm (gələrəm)
  • Sən: -san / -sən (gələrsən)
  • O: Ø (gələr)
  • Biz: -ıq / -ik (gələrik)
  • Siz: -sınız / -siniz (gələrsiniz)
  • Onlar: -lar / -lər (gələrlər)

3. Usage Scenarios:

  • Habits: Actions performed regularly (e.g., 'I drink tea every morning').
  • General Truths: Scientific facts or proverbs.
  • Indefinite Future: Expressing a possibility or a non-fixed plan ('I'll call you later').
  • Polite Requests: Using the second person to ask for a favor ('Would you help me?').

Note on Negation: The negative form of the aorist is irregular. While most persons use the suffix -maz/-məz, the 'z' changes to 'r' in the first person singular and plural (e.g., gəlmərəm, gəlmərik).

Examples (5)

  1. Biz hər yay kəndə gedərik.

    We go to the village every summer.

    Word by Word: We every summer village-to go-aorist-we.

    This demonstrates a habitual action using the first person plural ending -ik.

  2. Sabah sənə zəng edərəm.

    I'll call you tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow you-to bell do-aorist-I.

    Here, the aorist expresses a future intention or willingness rather than a fixed, definite plan.

  3. Zəhmət olmasa, qapını açarsınız?

    Would you open the door, please?

    Word by Word: Trouble if-not-be, door-the open-aorist-you?

    The aorist is the standard way to make polite requests in Azerbaijani.

  4. Su yüz dərəcədə qaynar.

    Water boils at one hundred degrees.

    Word by Word: Water hundred degree-at boil-aorist.

    The aorist is used for general scientific truths that are always valid.

  5. O, həmişə bizə kömək edər.

    He always helps us.

    Word by Word: He, always us-to help do-aorist.

    The third person singular takes no personal ending after the -ar/-ər suffix.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the 3rd person negative suffix for the 1st person.

    Mən gəlməzəm.
    Mən gəlmərəm.

    In the negative aorist, the 1st person (singular and plural) uses -mar/-mər, while other persons use -maz/-məz.

  • Using the definite future when you mean to offer help.

    Different MeaningSənə kömək edəcəyəm?
    Sənə kömək edərəm?

    The future form is a real question about a plan ('Am I going to help you?'). To offer help, the aorist is the natural choice.

How It Connects

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-ar/-ər (şəxs sonluqları)Level 3Personal Endings on the Aorist

Learn This First

To conjugate the aorist tense, learners must first understand the aorist suffix (-ar/-ər) itself and how it functions as a base. Additionally, they need to be familiar with the standard set of personal endings used for future and present tenses in Azerbaijani, as well as the rules of vowel harmony to ensure the suffixes match the verb stem.

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Words in This Pattern

-ar-ər