lazım / gerek
Something Is Needed
Turkish uses the words lazım and gerek to say 'need to' or 'necessary.' They follow a verb or a noun to show practical requirements.
How It Works
The words lazım and gerek are the most common ways to express necessity in Turkish. While they are often interchangeable, lazım is more common in casual speech, while gerek is slightly more formal.
1. General Necessity (Impersonal)
When you want to say 'It is necessary to...' or 'One must...', use the full infinitive:
- Verb + -mek/-mak + lazım/gerek
- Spor yapmak lazım. (It is necessary to do sports.)
2. Personal Necessity (Specific Person)
When a specific person needs to do something, you must attach a possessive suffix to the verb:
- Verb + -ma/-me + [Possessive] + lazım/gerek
- Gitmem lazım. (I need to go / My going is necessary.)
- Çalışman gerek. (You need to work.)
3. Needing Objects
You can use lazım with nouns to say you need an item. The person who needs it usually takes the dative case. Note that for objects, gerekiyor is preferred over the plain word gerek:
- Bana kalem lazım. (I need a pen.)
- Bana kalem gerekiyor. (I need a pen / A pen is becoming necessary for me.)
4. Tense Changes
To express necessity in the past or future, you add suffixes to these words. Lazım acts like a noun, while gerek often functions as a verb (gerekmek):
- Past: Gitmem lazımdı. (I needed to go.) / Gitmem gerekti. (I had to go.)
- Future: Gitmem gerekecek. (I will need to go.)
5. Negation ('No need to')
To say there is no need, the most natural way is using gerek yok with the dative case on the verb:
- Git-me-ye gerek yok. (There is no need to go.)
Examples (5)
- Bugün markete gitmem lazım.
I need to go to the market today.
Word by Word: Today market-to my-going necessary.
Uses the short infinitive 'gitme' with the 1st person possessive '-m' to show personal necessity.
- Sağlıklı olmak için sebze yemek gerek.
It is necessary to eat vegetables to be healthy.
Word by Word: Healthy to-be for vegetable to-eat necessary.
Uses the full infinitive 'yemek' for a general, impersonal statement.
- Bize yeni bir araba lazım.
We need a new car.
Word by Word: To-us new a car necessary.
Shows how 'lazım' is used with a noun to express needing an object.
- Acele etmene gerek yok.
There is no need for you to hurry.
Word by Word: Hurry your-doing-to necessity there-is-not.
Uses 'gerek yok' with the dative case to express that an action is not necessary.
- Ödevini bitirmen lazım.
You need to finish your homework.
Word by Word: Your-homework your-finishing necessary.
Uses the 2nd person possessive '-n' to tell someone else what they need to do.
Common Mistakes
Adding personal endings to the word 'lazım' itself.
Gitmek lazımım.Gitmem lazım.Lazım is a predicate noun, not a verb. The person who 'needs' must be marked on the action (the verb) using possessive suffixes, not on 'lazım'.
Using the full infinitive (-mAk) for personal needs.
Ben gitmek lazım.Gitmem lazım.'Gitmek lazım' is correct for a general 'One must go' or 'We should go'. To say that I must go, use the possessive form: 'Gitmem lazım'. Putting 'Ben' before the bare infinitive, as in 'Ben gitmek lazım', is not correct.
Using 'lazım değil' where 'gerek yok' is more natural.
Gitmen lazım değil.Gitmene gerek yok.'Gitmen lazım değil' is understood and heard, but 'gerek yok' is the more natural way to say 'no need to do something', as in 'gitmene gerek yok'.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'lazım / gerek', you need to know how to form the infinitive (-mek/-mak) because it acts as the subject of the necessity. Additionally, understanding non-verbal sentences (ad cümlesi) is important as these words function as predicates, and knowing the dative case for pronouns is necessary to specify who needs the item or action.
- -mek/-makThe Infinitive
The pattern 'lazım / gerek' is commonly used with the infinitive form of verbs to express necessity.
Level 1 - Sentences Without a Verb
Sentences using 'lazım' or 'gerek' function as non-verbal sentences where the necessity is the predicate.
Level 1 - bana / sana / onaPronouns in the Dative
When expressing to whom something is necessary, the person is often marked with the dative case.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- -meli/-malıMust and Should
While 'lazım' is for practical needs, '-meli' is used for moral obligations or strong advice (should/must).
Level 3 - -mek zorundaHave to
This is a much stronger form of necessity, meaning 'obligated' or 'forced to'.
Level 4 - -me/-ma (olumsuz emir)Negative Commands
The short infinitive suffix -ma/-me is the base used to attach possessive endings before 'lazım' or 'gerek'.
Level 1 - yokThere Is Not
Used in the phrase 'gerek yok' to express that something is not necessary.
Level 1 - -(y)e (yönelme hâli)Dative Case
The dative case is required on the verb when using the 'gerek yok' (no need) construction.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice lazım / gerek in Bubblegum
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