-erek/-arak

By Doing or While Doing

Level 3

The suffix -erek / -arak connects two actions performed by the same person. It explains how the main action is done (manner) or what method was used to achieve it (means).

How It Works

The -erek / -arak suffix is a versatile tool in Turkish for creating complex sentences. Its primary roles are:

  • Manner: Describing the state or behavior of the subject during the main action. (e.g., 'He came running').
  • Means/Instrument: Explaining the method used to complete the main action. (e.g., 'I learned Turkish by listening to music').

Lexicalized Forms:
Some verbs with this suffix have become fixed adverbs that you should memorize:
1. Olarak: Means 'as' or 'being' (e.g., doktor olarak - as a doctor).
2. Giderek: Means 'gradually' or 'increasingly'.
3. Bilerek: Means 'intentionally' or 'on purpose'.
4. İsteyerek / İstemeyerek: Means 'willingly' and 'unintentionally'.

Grammar Rules:
1. Vowel Harmony: Use -erek for front vowels and -arak for back vowels.
2. Buffer Consonant: If the verb ends in a vowel, add -y- before the suffix (e.g., oku-y-arak).
3. Consonant Softening: Only a few verb stems ending in t, such as git- and et-, change the t to d before this suffix (e.g., giderek, ederek). Most other verbs keep the t (e.g., atarak, satarak). This follows the Consonant Softening rule.
4. Negation: To say 'without doing,' you can use the -me/-ma suffix (e.g., durmayarak). However, -meden is the standard way to express 'without' in general contexts.
5. Tense and Position: The -erek clause does not carry its own tense; it inherits the tense and aspect of the main verb. It almost always appears before the main verb.
6. Reduplication: While repeating the same verb is unnatural, you can pair two different but related verbs (e.g., gülerek oynayarak) to emphasize a continuous state. For repeating the same verb to show intensity, the -e -e pattern (e.g., koşa koşa) is used instead.
7. Subject Constraint: The person doing the first action must be the same person doing the second action.

Examples (6)

  1. Koşarak eve gittim.

    I went home by running.

    Word by Word: Running home I-went.

    Here, 'koşarak' describes the manner in which the subject went home.

  2. Kitap okuyarak yeni kelimeler öğreniyorum.

    I am learning new words by reading books.

    Word by Word: Book by-reading new words I-am-learning.

    In this case, reading is the 'means' or method used to learn words. Note the buffer -y- in 'okuyarak'.

  3. Müzik dinleyerek ödevimi bitirdim.

    I finished my homework by listening to music.

    Word by Word: Music by-listening my-homework I-finished.

    This shows the means of completing the action. The buffer -y- is used because 'dinle-' ends in a vowel.

  4. Dikkat ederek bardağı masaya koydu.

    He put the glass on the table by being careful.

    Word by Word: Attention by-doing the-glass to-the-table he-put.

    This example shows one of the few verbs that soften: the 't' in 'et-' becomes 'd' in 'ederek'. It describes the manner of the action.

  5. Hava giderek soğuyor.

    The weather is gradually getting colder.

    Word by Word: Weather going-ly is-getting-cold.

    'Giderek' is a common lexicalized adverb meaning 'gradually' or 'increasingly'.

  6. İstemeyerek kalbini kırdım.

    I broke your heart unintentionally.

    Word by Word: Unintentionally your-heart I-broke.

    'İstemeyerek' means 'unintentionally' or 'unwillingly'. For physical accidents like dropping a glass, 'yanlışlıkla' is more common.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the buffer 'y' after a vowel.

    Annesini beklearak yoruldu.
    Annesini bekleyerek yoruldu.

    Since 'bekle-' ends in a vowel, you must use the buffer 'y' before adding -erek.

  • Using -erek for simple sequential actions.

    Eve giderek yemek yedim.
    Eve gidip yemek yedim.

    If you just mean 'I went home and then ate,' use -ip. Using -erek implies you ate by means of going home, which sounds unnatural.

How It Connects

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

-erek/-arakLevel 3By Doing or While Doing

Learn This First

To use the -erek/-arak pattern, you need to understand two-way vowel harmony for suffix selection and how to use the buffer consonant -y- for verb stems ending in vowels. Familiarity with other converbs like -ip/-ıp helps in understanding how Turkish links actions together.

Words in This Pattern

-erek-arak