-meyen
Negative -en Participle
The -meyen pattern creates a negative relative clause where the noun being described is the subject of the action. It translates to 'who does not', 'which is not', or 'that didn't'.
How It Works
In Turkish, relative clauses are 'packaged' into participles that act like adjectives. When you want to describe a person or thing that is not doing something, you use -meyen or -mayan.
1. Formation:
The structure follows two-way vowel harmony:
- Verb Stem + me + y + en (for front vowels: e, i, ö, ü)
- Verb Stem + ma + y + an (for back vowels: a, ı, o, u)
Note: Unlike the negative present continuous, the 'e' or 'a' in the negative suffix does not narrow. For example, it is always gelmeyen, never gelmiyen.
2. Usage and Subjecthood:
This pattern is primarily used when the noun being modified is the subject of the sub-clause (e.g., 'the man who doesn't speak'). However, it is also used in possessive relative clauses where the head noun is the possessor of the subject.
Example: Babası gelmeyen çocuk (The child whose father is not coming).
If the noun were the direct object (e.g., 'the book I don't read'), you would generally use the -en / -diği selection rules to determine if the -dik participle is required instead.
3. Tense Coverage:
This participle covers past, present, and habitual actions. However, for specific future events the usual choice is the future participle, such as the -ecek olan construction.
Example: Dün gelmeyen çocuk (The boy who did not come yesterday) vs. Gelmeyecek olan yolcu (The passenger who will not come).
4. Substantive Use (Headless Relative Clauses):
These participles can also function as nouns. In this case, the noun being described is omitted, and suffixes like the plural suffix or case endings are attached directly to the participle.
Example: Gelmeyenler (Those who are not coming / The ones who didn't come).
Examples (4)
- Soruya cevap vermeyen öğrenciler dışarı çıksın.
The students who do not answer the question should go outside.
Word by Word: To-the-question answer not-giving students outside let-them-go.
Here, 'vermeyen' describes the students (the subjects) who are not performing the action of answering.
- Beni anlamayan birine hiçbir şey anlatmak istemiyorum.
I don't want to explain anything to someone who doesn't understand me.
Word by Word: Me not-understanding to-someone nothing thing to-explain I-do-not-want.
The participle 'anlamayan' modifies 'birine' (someone), who is the subject of the 'not understanding' action.
- Çalışmayan saat tamir edilmeli.
The clock that isn't working must be repaired.
Word by Word: Not-working clock repair must-be-done.
In this case, the clock is the subject that is 'not working'.
- Süt içmeyen kedi çok zayıf.
The cat that doesn't drink milk is very thin.
Word by Word: Milk not-drinking cat very thin.
The cat is the subject of the negative action 'not drinking'.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting the buffer 'y' between the negative suffix and the participle.
Gelmeen adam.Gelmeyen adam.In Turkish, two vowels cannot sit next to each other in this construction. You must use the buffer 'y' between -me/-ma and -en/-an.
Using -meyen for an object relative clause.
Okumayan kitap çok sıkıcı.Okumadığım kitap çok sıkıcı.'Okumayan kitap' literally means 'the book that does not read.' If you mean 'the book I don't read,' you must use the -dik participle because the book is the object, not the subject.
Confusing -meyen with the negative aorist participle -mez.
Gülmez bebek çok tatlı.Gülmeyen bebek çok tatlı.'Gülmez bebek' is also correct, but it means a baby who never laughs. Use -mez for permanent characteristics (like a 'dead-end' street). Use -meyen for specific or ongoing states, like a baby who isn't laughing right now.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand the negative participle -meyen, you first need to know how the standard -en participle works to turn verbs into adjectives. You also need to be familiar with the standard negative suffix -me/-ma and how the buffer consonant -y- is used to separate the two vowels that occur when these suffixes are combined.
- -(y)en/-(y)anThe -en Participle
The negative participle -meyen is the negative form of the -en participle; understanding how the base participle functions as an adjective is essential.
Level 4 - -me/-ma (olumsuzluk eki)The Negative Suffix
The -me/-ma suffix is the core component used to negate the verb stem before the participle ending is attached.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- -en / -diğiChoosing -en or -diği
Explains how to choose between the subject participle (-en) and the object participle (-dik).
Level 4 - -y-Buffer Consonant -y-
The buffer letter required to separate the negative suffix from the participle suffix.
Level 1 - -mez/-mazNegative Aorist
The negative aorist participle, used for permanent qualities rather than specific actions.
Level 3 - -meyecekNegative Future
The negative future participle, used when the action specifically refers to the future.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice -meyen in Bubblegum
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