-eceği

The Future Participle

Level 4

The -eceği pattern (future participle + possessive) creates relative clauses for things that will happen. It is used when the noun being described is the object, location, or time of the action, rather than the doer.

How It Works

The -eceği pattern is the standard way to describe a noun using a future action where the noun itself is not the subject, or to create 'that' clauses about the future.

1. Formation:
The pattern consists of the verb stem + the future suffix -(y)ecek/-(y)acak + a mandatory possessive suffix.

  • Negation: To negate the action, add the -me/-ma suffix to the verb stem, followed by the buffer -y- (e.g., gel-me-y-eceği).
  • If the verb stem ends in a vowel, use the buffer -y- (e.g., oku-y-acak).
  • The final -k undergoes consonant softening to -ğ only when the possessive suffix starts with a vowel (e.g., gideceğim). It remains a hard -k before the 3rd person plural suffix -leri/-ları (e.g., gidecekleri).

2. The Genitive Subject:
If the subject of the action is explicitly mentioned, it must be in the genitive case. For example: Benim yapacağım iş (The work I will do).

3. Usage:

  • Relative Clauses: Modifying a noun that is not the subject. Kalacağımız otel (The hotel we will stay at).
  • Noun Clauses (Nominalization): Creating 'that' clauses. When used as an object, the participle takes the appropriate case suffix. For example, in Geleceğini biliyorum (I know that you will come), the accusative case -i is added. Note that the buffer -n- (pronominal n) is required between the 3rd-person possessive suffix and the case suffix.
  • Frozen Nouns: Some words formed with this suffix have become independent nouns, such as yiyecek (food), içecek (drink), and gelecek (the future).

Examples (5)

  1. Yarın yapacağımız toplantı çok önemli.

    The meeting we will have tomorrow is very important.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow our-will-do meeting very important.

    Here, 'toplantı' (meeting) is the object of the action 'yapmak' (to do/make). The '-ımız' suffix shows that 'we' are the ones doing it.

  2. Söyleyeceğin her kelimeye dikkat etmelisin.

    You must be careful with every word you (will) say.

    Word by Word: Your-will-say every word-to attention you-must-do.

    The buffer '-y-' is used because 'söyle-' ends in a vowel. The '-in' suffix indicates 'you' are the speaker.

  3. Kalacağımız oteli henüz seçmedik.

    We haven't chosen the hotel we will stay at yet.

    Word by Word: Our-will-stay hotel-accusative yet we-did-not-choose.

    This shows the pattern modifying a location (the hotel) rather than a direct object.

  4. Okuyacağın kitabı bana da ödünç verir misin?

    Will you lend me the book you are going to read too?

    Word by Word: Your-will-read book-accusative me-to also lend give-aorist you-question?

    The participle 'okuyacağın' describes the specific book in the future.

  5. Yiyecek ve içecek almayı unutma.

    Don't forget to buy food and drinks.

    Word by Word: Will-eat and will-drink buy-to forget-not.

    Words like 'yiyecek' (food) and 'içecek' (drink) are 'frozen' nouns derived from this future participle pattern.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the possessive suffix when you need to name who is going.

    Gidecek yer çok uzak. (meaning 'The place I will go is far')
    Gideceğim yer çok uzak.

    Without the possessive suffix, 'gidecek yer' means 'a place to go' and does not say who is going. Add the possessive to show who is going.

  • Forgetting consonant softening (k to ğ).

    *Yapacakım işler bitmedi.
    Yapacağım işler bitmedi.

    When a vowel-starting suffix (like -ım) follows -ecek, the 'k' must change to 'ğ'. Note that this does not happen with the 3rd person plural (-leri) because it starts with a consonant.

  • Using the plain form for the subject of the clause.

    *Ahmet geleceği günü biliyorum.
    Ahmet'in geleceği günü biliyorum.

    When the subject of the participle is explicitly named, it must take the genitive case suffix -(n)in.

How It Connects

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

-eceğiLevel 4The Future Participle

Learn This First

The future participle (-eceği) is a complex structure used to create relative clauses for future actions. To understand it, you must first be familiar with the future tense marker, how possessive suffixes are attached to nouns or nominalized verbs to show who is performing the action, and the consonant softening rule that changes the 'k' in -ecek to a 'ğ'.

Words in This Pattern

-ecek