nasıl
How
Nasıl is the Turkish word for 'how'. It is used to ask about the way something is done (manner) or the condition of a person or object (state). When placed before a noun, it means 'what kind of'.
How It Works
1. Asking About State (Adjectival Use)
To ask 'How are you?' or 'How is it?', nasıl takes personal suffixes. Most of these suffixes follow Four-Way Vowel Harmony using the ı variant, but the plural suffix follows Two-Way Vowel Harmony.
- Nasıl-ım? (How am I?)
- Nasıl-sın? (How are you?)
- Nasıl? (How is he/she/it? - The Third person takes no ending in the singular)
- Nasıl-ız? (How are we?)
- Nasıl-sınız? (How are you? - Plural/Polite)
- Nasıl-lar? (How are they? - Uses the Plural Suffix)
2. Asking About Manner (Adverbial Use)
When asking how an action is performed, nasıl usually sits in the focus position immediately before the verb.
Example: Bunu nasıl yaptın? (How did you do this?)
3. Asking 'What Kind Of'
When nasıl is followed by bir and a noun, it asks about the quality or type of something.
Example: Nasıl bir araba istiyorsun? (What kind of car do you want?)
4. Important Rule: No Question Particle
In Turkish, you cannot use both a question word like nasıl and the question particle mı/mi in the same clause. One is enough to make the sentence a question.
Examples (5)
- Nasılsın?
How are you? (Informal)
Word by Word: How-are-you?
This uses the second person singular suffix -sın attached to 'nasıl'.
- Nasılsınız?
How are you? (Formal/Plural)
Word by Word: How-are-you-plural?
This uses the polite/plural suffix -sınız.
- Okula nasıl gidiyorsun?
How do you go to school?
Word by Word: To-school how you-are-going?
Here, 'nasıl' acts as an adverb asking about the manner of travel.
- Nasıl bir film izlemek istersin?
What kind of movie would you like to watch?
Word by Word: How a movie to-watch you-want?
Using 'nasıl bir' is the standard way to ask 'what kind of' or 'what sort of'.
- Yemek nasıl?
How is the food?
Word by Word: Food how?
A simple way to ask about the state or quality of something.
Common Mistakes
Using the question particle 'mi' with 'nasıl'.
Nasıl gidiyor mu?Nasıl gidiyor?You should never use the question particle 'mı/mi' if the sentence already has a question word like 'nasıl', 'ne', or 'kim'.
Placing 'nasıl' at the very beginning of every sentence.
Nasıl sen bunu yaptın?Bunu nasıl yaptın?While not strictly ungrammatical, Turkish naturally places the question word right before the verb to emphasize it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'nasıl' (how) effectively, you need to understand how Turkish forms basic sentences without verbs (nominal sentences) and how to attach personal endings to words to ask questions like 'How are you?'.
- Sentences Without a Verb
The word 'nasıl' is primarily used as a predicate in non-verbal sentences to ask about the state or quality of a subject.
Level 1 - bu / şu / oDemonstratives
Demonstratives are commonly used with 'nasıl' to ask about specific objects or situations (e.g., 'Bu nasıl?').
Level 1 - -sinYou Are
To understand the common greeting 'Nasılsın?', the learner must understand how personal endings are attached to nouns or question words in the second person.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- neWhat
Another fundamental question word meaning 'what'.
Level 1 - mı/mi/mu/müThe Question Word
The general question particle, which cannot be used in the same clause as 'nasıl'.
Level 1 - -(y)imI Am
The personal ending for 'I am', which can be attached to 'nasıl' (Nasılım?).
Level 1 - birThe Word Bir
Used with 'nasıl' to form the phrase 'nasıl bir' (what kind of).
Level 1 - The Focus Position
The rule governing where 'nasıl' is placed for emphasis in a sentence.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice nasıl in Bubblegum
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