kâh ... kâh

Now ... Now (Literary)

Level 6

The pattern kâh ... kâh is a formal, literary way to describe a subject that rapidly or unpredictably shifts between two different states, moods, or actions. It is the sophisticated equivalent of the English 'now... now' or 'sometimes... sometimes'.

How It Works

The expression kâh ... kâh (pronounced with a soft 'k' as in kyah) is an advanced stylistic tool in Turkish. While it functions similarly to bir ... bir or the common phrase bazen ... bazen, it carries a much more formal and rhythmic tone. A variant form, gâh ... gâh, is the original Persian version and can still be found in classical or Ottoman-style literature.

1. Usage with Verbs:
When linking actions, the verbs are usually conjugated in the same tense and person. It is frequently used with the Aorist tense to describe habitual alternating behaviors. Note that no comma should be placed between the clauses.
Example: Kâh güler kâh ağlar. (Now he laughs, now he cries.)

2. Usage with Adjectives/Nouns:
When linking descriptive states, the copula (to be) or past tense suffixes like -(y)di are typically attached only to the final element, though they apply to both.
Example: Kâh neşeli kâh kederliydi. (He was now cheerful, now sorrowful.)

3. Orthography:
The circumflex (^) on the 'â' is mandatory. It indicates both the length of the vowel and the palatalization (softening) of the preceding 'k'. Writing it as 'kah' is considered a spelling error in this context.

4. Register:
This is a Level 6 structure. You will encounter it in classical literature, high-level journalism, and formal speeches. In daily conversation, speakers prefer bir ... bir.

Examples (4)

  1. Kâh güleriz kâh ağlarız acıklı kaderimize.

    Now we laugh, now we weep for our sorrowful fate.

    Word by Word: Now we laugh, now we cry [to] our sorrowful fate.

    This shows a classic literary use where the subject alternates between two emotional extremes. Note that no comma is used between the repeated conjunctions.

  2. Hava bugün çok kararsız; kâh güneş açıyor kâh yağmur yağıyor.

    The weather is very unstable today; now the sun comes out, now it rains.

    Word by Word: Weather today very unstable; now sun opening, now rain raining.

    Used here to describe the unpredictable and shifting nature of the weather.

  3. Müdür kâh ketum kâh gevezedir.

    The manager is at times secretive, at times talkative.

    Word by Word: Manager now secretive now talkative-is.

    Note how the copula suffix -dir is only attached to the second adjective but applies to both.

  4. Kâh yürüyor kâh durup dinleniyor.

    He is now walking, now stopping to rest.

    Word by Word: Now walking, now stopping rest-doing.

    This demonstrates that the states don't have to be direct opposites, just alternating actions.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a comma between the two parts of the conjunction.

    Kâh gülüyor, kâh ağlıyor.
    Kâh gülüyor kâh ağlıyor.

    Many Turkish punctuation guides say no comma goes between repeated conjunctions like ya... ya or hem... hem, and kâh... kâh is usually written the same way, without a comma.

  • Omitting the circumflex (^) on the letter 'a'.

    kah gülüyor kah ağlıyor
    kâh gülüyor kâh ağlıyor

    The circumflex is required to ensure the correct 'soft k' pronunciation and to follow standard Turkish orthography for this Persian loanword.

  • Confusing it with 'hem ... hem'.

    Kâh çalışıyor kâh müzik dinliyor. (If meant simultaneously)
    Hem çalışıyor hem müzik dinliyor.

    'Hem ... hem' means both things are happening at the same time. 'Kâh ... kâh' means they are alternating—first one, then the other.

How It Connects

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

kâh ... kâhLevel 6Now ... Now (Literary)

Learn This First

The pattern 'kâh ... kâh' is a literary correlative conjunction used to describe alternating states or actions (e.g., 'now laughing, now crying'). To understand it, you should be familiar with more common paired conjunctions like 'hem ... hem' or 'ya ... ya', as they share the same syntactic structure. Since it is often used with verbs, a solid grasp of basic verb conjugations is also assumed.