-diğini bilmek

Object Clauses with -dik

Level 5

Use -diğini bilmek to say 'I know that [something happened/is happening].' It turns a sentence into a noun so it can be the object of the verb 'to know'.

How It Works

The pattern -diğini bilmek is essential for reporting facts. It follows a specific morphological structure:

[Subject + Genitive] + [Verb Stem] + [-DIK] + [Possessive Suffix] + [(n)] + [Accusative Case]

  • Genitive Subject: The subject of the sub-clause must take the genitive case (e.g., benim, Ali'nin).
  • -DIK: This suffix changes based on four-way vowel harmony (-dık, -dik, -duk, -dük) and consonant assimilation (-tık, -tik, -tuk, -tük).
  • Consonant Softening: The final 'k' in -dik becomes 'ğ' (consonant softening) when followed by a possessive suffix starting with a vowel (e.g., geldiğim). However, the 'k' remains if followed by the 3rd person plural suffix -leri/-ları (e.g., geldiklerini).
  • Possessive Suffix: This identifies who performed the action in the sub-clause (my coming, your coming, etc.).
  • Buffer -n-: If the subject is 3rd person (he/she/it/they), you must use the buffer -n- before the case marker (e.g., geldiğini).
  • Tense: In this context, -dik is non-future. It covers both past and present actions.

Examples (4)

  1. Onun dürüst bir insan olduğunu biliyorum.

    I know that he is an honest person.

    Word by Word: His honest one person being-his-(acc) I-know.

    Here, 'olduğunu' (that he is) acts as the object of 'biliyorum'.

  2. Dün akşam bize geldiğini biliyordum.

    I knew that you came to us yesterday evening.

    Word by Word: Yesterday evening to-us coming-your-(acc) I-was-knowing.

    This shows a past event ('you came') reported as a fact.

  3. Nereye gittiğini biliyor musun?

    Do you know where he went?

    Word by Word: To-where going-his-(acc) know-question you?

    The -dik pattern is also used for 'wh-' questions like 'where' or 'what'.

  4. Seni sevdiğimi biliyorsun.

    You know that I love you.

    Word by Word: You loving-my-(acc) you-know.

    This demonstrates the present-tense use of the -dik suffix.

Common Mistakes

  • Missing the pronominal 'n' buffer for 3rd person subjects.

    Onun geldiğii biliyorum.
    Onun geldiğini biliyorum.

    When the possessive suffix is 3rd person (-ı/-i/-u/-ü), you must insert an 'n' before the accusative case marker.

  • Using the nominative case for the subject of the sub-clause.

    Ayşe geldiğini biliyorum.
    Ayşe'nin geldiğini biliyorum.

    The subject of a -dik clause must take the genitive case to show the relationship with the nominalized verb.

  • Using the infinitive (-mek) instead of the nominalized clause.

    Sen gelmek biliyorum.
    Senin geldiğini biliyorum.

    Turkish requires a nominalized verb with a possessive suffix to show 'that someone did something.' The infinitive cannot take an object clause role here.

How It Connects

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

-diğini bilmekLevel 5Object Clauses with -dik

Learn This First

To understand '-diğini bilmek', you first need to know how the '-dik' participle functions to create object clauses. You must also understand how possessive suffixes are attached to these clauses to show who is performing the action, and how the accusative case suffix is then added to link the entire clause to the main verb 'bilmek' (to know).

Words in This Pattern

-dikbilmek