-ince/-ınca

When and as Soon as

Level 3

The -(y)IncA suffix is the standard way to say 'when' in Turkish when one action follows another. It connects a subordinate verb to a main verb to show a temporal sequence.

How It Works

The suffix -(y)ince is a converb (an adverbial verb form) that follows 4-way vowel harmony.

1. Formation:
It attaches directly to the verb stem:

  • If the stem ends in a consonant: -ınca, -ince, -unca, -ünce
  • If the stem ends in a vowel: Use the buffer consonant -y- (-yınca, -yince, -yunca, -yünce)

2. Negative Formation:
To express 'when [action] does not happen', add the negative suffix before the ending: -mayınca / -meyince (e.g., gelmeyince - when he didn't come). In the negative, this often carries a causal meaning ('since/because [action] didn't happen') or implies 'until' (e.g., bitirmeyince gitme - don't go until you finish).

3. Usage and Meaning:
It translates to 'when', 'once', or 'as soon as'. It is used for sequential events where the second action is triggered by the first. When the main verb of the sentence is in the aorist tense, the construction can express a habitual 'whenever' or 'every time' meaning (e.g., güneş doğunca çiçekler açar - whenever the sun rises, the flowers bloom). While it can mean 'as soon as', the -ir -mez pattern is more emphatic for 'the very instant' something happens.

4. Tense and Subject:
The suffix itself does not show tense; it takes its time reference from the main verb. Unlike some other converbs, -(y)ince is frequently used with different subjects in each clause (e.g., yağmur yağınca biz eve girdik - when it rained, we went inside). The subject of the -(y)ince clause is indicated by a noun or personal pronoun in the plain form (nominative case).

5. Comparison:
While -diğinde also means 'when', -(y)ince is more focused on the flow and immediate sequence of events. For simultaneous actions ('while'), use -ken instead.

Examples (5)

  1. Eve gelince beni ara.

    Call me when you get home.

    Word by Word: Home to-coming-when me call.

    Here, the action of calling happens immediately after the action of arriving home.

  2. Onu görünce çok şaşırdım.

    I was very surprised when I saw him.

    Word by Word: Him seeing-when very I-was-surprised.

    The surprise was a direct result of the seeing. The past tense is carried by the final verb 'şaşırdım'.

  3. Hava kararınca ışıkları yaktık.

    When it got dark, we turned on the lights.

    Word by Word: Weather darkening-when lights-acc we-burned.

    The sequence is: first it got dark, then we turned on the lights.

  4. Filmi izleyince bana haber ver.

    Let me know once you watch the movie.

    Word by Word: Movie-acc watching-once me news give.

    The buffer -y- is used because 'izle-' ends in a vowel.

  5. Otobüs gelmeyince taksiye bindik.

    When the bus didn't come, we took a taxi.

    Word by Word: Bus coming-not-when taxi-to we-boarded.

    The negative form -(m)ayınca is used here to show that the second action was triggered by the first action not happening.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'ne zaman' to start a 'when' clause.

    Ne zaman eve geldim, beni ara.
    Eve gelince beni ara.

    'Ne zaman' is a question word. To link two actions, you must use a suffix like -(y)IncA.

  • Adding tense suffixes before -(y)IncA.

    Gelecek-ince beni ara.
    Gelince beni ara.

    -(y)IncA attaches directly to the verb stem. It cannot be combined with tense markers like -ecek or -iyor.

  • Using -(y)IncA for simultaneous actions.

    Yemek yiyince televizyon izliyorum.
    Yemek yerken televizyon izliyorum.

    If you are watching TV while eating, use -ken. Using -ince implies you finish eating and then start watching.

How It Connects

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

-ince/-ıncaLevel 3When and as Soon as

Learn This First

To use the '-ince' suffix, you need to understand four-way vowel harmony and how to use the buffer consonant -y- for verbs ending in vowels. Since this pattern functions as an adverbial clause, a solid grasp of basic Turkish word order is also essential.

Words in This Pattern

-ince-ınca