yine / tekrar

Again

Level 2

Turkish has several ways to say "again": yine, gene, and tekrar. While they are mostly interchangeable, yine and gene are native Turkic synonyms, whereas tekrar is a loanword that also functions as a noun meaning "repetition."

How It Works

In Turkish, there are several ways to express repetition, each with specific nuances:

  • Yine / Gene: These are native synonyms. Yine is the Istanbul standard and preferred in writing. Gene is very common in speech and is the standard dialectal form in regions like Southwest Anatolia. Both are used in the idiom yine de / gene de (anyway).
  • Tekrar: An Arabic loanword used as an adverb. It forms the compound verb tekrar etmek. However, the single verb tekrarlamak is arguably the most frequent way to say "to repeat" in daily conversation.
  • Bir daha: Literally "one more," this is the standard choice for "again" in casual speech. Crucially, when paired with a negative verb, it means "never again" (e.g., Bir daha yapma! - Don't do it again!).
  • Tekrardan: A colloquial form using the ablative case. It emphasizes doing something "from the top" or "anew," though it is often criticized as redundant in formal writing.
  • Yeniden: Formed from yeni (new), this specifically means "starting over from scratch."

Examples (6)

  1. Yine kar yağıyor.

    It is snowing again.

    Word by Word: Again snow is-falling.

    In this context, 'yine' indicates a recurring event. While 'tekrar' is also possible, 'yine' is very common for natural phenomena.

  2. Lütfen tekrar söyler misin?

    Could you please say it again?

    Word by Word: Please again say-you [question]?

    Here 'tekrar' is used for the repetition of an action. In daily speech, 'yine' could also be used here without changing the meaning.

  3. Bir daha geç kalma!

    Don't be late again!

    Word by Word: One more late stay-not!

    When used with a negative command, 'bir daha' means 'never again' or 'not anymore'.

  4. Bu konuyu tekrarlamalıyız.

    We must repeat this subject.

    Word by Word: This subject-acc repeat-must-we.

    The verb 'tekrarlamak' is the most common way to say 'to repeat' in daily life, often preferred over the compound verb 'tekrar etmek'.

  5. Hava soğuk ama yine de dışarı çıktık.

    The weather was cold, but we went out anyway.

    Word by Word: Weather cold but again even outside we-went.

    The phrase 'yine de' is a fixed idiom meaning 'nevertheless'. Note that you cannot say 'tekrar de' in this context.

  6. Ödevimi tekrardan yaptım.

    I did my homework all over again.

    Word by Word: My-homework-acc again-from I-did.

    'Tekrardan' is a colloquial form used to emphasize doing something 'from the top'. Some language purists consider it redundant.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'yine' to form the compound verb 'to repeat'.

    Lütfen kelimeyi yine et.
    Lütfen kelimeyi tekrar et.

    The usual compound verb for 'to repeat' is 'tekrar etmek' (or the single verb 'tekrarlamak'). The verb 'yinelemek' also exists, but 'yine' cannot be used with 'etmek'.

  • Using 'gene' in formal writing.

    Gene bekliyoruz.
    Yine bekliyoruz.

    'Gene' is a colloquial variant. In formal emails, essays, or business contexts, 'yine' is the preferred standard form.

  • Confusing 'yine' with 'yeniden'.

    Yine başladım.
    Yeniden başladım.

    'Yine başladım' is correct, but it means 'I started again, as before'. 'Yeniden' often implies 'anew' or 'from the beginning'. Use 'yeniden' when starting a process over from scratch.

How It Connects

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yine / tekrarLevel 2Again

Learn This First

The words 'yine' and 'tekrar' function as adverbs meaning 'again'. To use them effectively, you should be comfortable with basic Turkish sentence structure, including both verbal sentences (like the present continuous) and non-verbal sentences (ad cümlesi).

Words in This Pattern

yinetekrar