Repeated Words as Adverbs

Level 3

In Turkish, repeating a word (like yavaş yavaş) creates an 'ikileme' (reduplication). This pattern is used to describe the manner of an action, often implying it happens gradually, intensely, or repeatedly.

How It Works

The term ikileme refers to word pairs used together to strengthen or change meaning. While identical words are the most common, Turkish uses several types of reduplication.

Key Functions:

  • Intensity & Continuity: Hızlı hızlı means 'very fast' or 'continuously fast.' When used with nouns, like sıcak sıcak ekmekler (piping hot breads), they act as adjectives.
  • Gradualness: Yavaş yavaş often means 'gradually' or 'step by step.'
  • Distribution: Repeating nouns or numbers like teker teker (one by one) shows how items are organized.

Types of Ikileme:

  • Identical: Koşa koşa (runningly/in a hurry).
  • Synonyms: Ses seda (sound/trace).
  • Antonyms: Aşağı yukarı (roughly/up and down).
  • Echoic/Meaningless: Abur cubur (junk food).
  • M-Reduplication: Kitap mitap (books and such). The second word replaces the first letter with 'm' (or adds 'm' if it starts with a vowel) to mean 'and so on' or 'and stuff'.

Grammar Rules:

  • The two words are written separately with a space.
  • No punctuation (like a comma or hyphen) is used between them.
  • The noun following a distributive ikileme remains singular (e.g., kutu kutu lokum).

Note on Nuance: Some pairs change meaning entirely. For example, hemen means 'immediately,' but hemen hemen means 'almost' or 'nearly.'

Examples (6)

  1. Yavaş yavaş alışacaksın.

    You will get used to it little by little.

    Word by Word: Slow slow you-will-get-used-to.

    Here, the repetition of 'yavaş' indicates a gradual process rather than just a slow speed.

  2. Öğrenciler sınıfa teker teker girdiler.

    The students entered the classroom one by one.

    Word by Word: Students to-classroom wheel wheel they-entered.

    'Teker teker' is a fixed expression for 'one by one' or 'individually.'

  3. Sık sık spor yaparım.

    I exercise often.

    Word by Word: Frequent frequent sport I-do.

    'Sık sık' is the standard way to say 'often' in Turkish.

  4. Bütün gün koşa koşa çalıştım.

    I worked in a great rush all day.

    Word by Word: All day running running I-worked.

    This uses the repeated converb form to show the intense manner of working.

  5. Hemen hemen her gün görüşüyoruz.

    We see each other almost every day.

    Word by Word: Immediately immediately every day we-are-seeing-each-other.

    Notice how 'hemen hemen' shifts from 'immediately' to meaning 'almost.'

  6. Akşam kitap mitap okumadım.

    I didn't read books or anything like that in the evening.

    Word by Word: Evening book m-book I-did-not-read.

    This is an example of m-reduplication, where the second word starts with 'm' to mean 'and things like that' or 'and stuff'.

Common Mistakes

  • Pluralizing the noun after a distributive repetition.

    Kutu kutu lokumlar aldık.
    Kutu kutu lokum aldık.

    When you repeat a noun to show quantity (boxes and boxes), the object itself stays singular because the repetition already implies plurality.

  • Confusing the spelling and pronunciation of 'sık sık'.

    Sik sik gel.
    Sık sık gel.

    Be careful with the dotless ı. Using a dotted 'i' creates a vulgar slang word. Always use the dotless 'ı' for 'often'.

How It Connects

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

Repeated Words as AdverbsLevel 3

Learn This First

The 'ikileme' pattern involves the simple repetition of words (like 'yavaş yavaş') to create adverbs or add emphasis. To understand this, a learner should be familiar with basic adjectives and how they describe actions or nouns.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.