ne zaman
When
Ne zaman is the Turkish word for 'when'. It is used to ask about general time (days, months) or specific moments.
How It Works
In Turkish, ne zaman is the primary way to inquire about time.
1. Usage in Questions:
It usually appears before the verb or at the beginning of the sentence. Because it is already a question word, you do not need to add the question particle mı/mi/mu/mü at the end of the sentence.
2. Case Endings:
You can add case suffixes to ne zaman to change its meaning:
- Ne zamana kadar?: Until when? / By what time? (Uses the dative case)
- Ne zamandan beri?: Since when? (Uses the ablative case)
- Ne zamandır?: For how long? (Uses the duration suffix)
3. Important Distinction:
Do not confuse ne zaman with saat kaç. Use ne zaman for general time (e.g., 'tomorrow', 'next week') and saat kaçta when you want a specific clock time (e.g., 'at 5:00').
Examples (5)
- Ne zaman geliyorsun?
When are you coming?
Word by Word: What time you are coming?
A standard question using the present continuous tense.
- Tatil ne zaman başlayacak?
When will the holiday start?
Word by Word: Holiday what time will start?
Using 'ne zaman' with the future tense to ask about a scheduled event.
- Ne zamandan beri buradasın?
Since when have you been here?
Word by Word: What time-from since here-you-are?
The ablative case suffix '-dan' combined with 'beri' creates 'since when'.
- Film ne zaman bitti?
When did the movie end?
Word by Word: Movie what time ended?
Using 'ne zaman' with the past tense.
- Ne zamana kadar çalışıyorsun?
Until when are you working?
Word by Word: What time-to until you are working?
The dative case suffix '-a' combined with 'kadar' means 'until when'.
Common Mistakes
Using 'ne zaman' as a conjunction (like 'When I go...').
Ne zaman eve geldim, yemek yedim.Eve gelince yemek yedim.In Turkish, 'ne zaman' mainly asks a question; it does not usually start a time clause. To say 'When I [verb]', you must use suffixes like -ince or -diği zaman.
Adding the question particle 'mu' to a 'ne zaman' sentence.
Ne zaman geliyorsun mu?Ne zaman geliyorsun?If a sentence already contains a question word like 'ne zaman', 'kim', or 'nasıl', you do not use the mı/mi/mu/mü particle.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'ne zaman' (when), a learner needs to be familiar with the basic question word 'ne' (what) and how question words are positioned within the standard Turkish SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) sentence structure.
Related Patterns
- saat kaçTelling the Time
Used for asking specific clock times rather than general time periods.
Level 2 - -ince/-ıncaWhen and as Soon as
The suffix used to translate the English conjunction 'when' in statements.
Level 3 - -den beriSince
Often attached to 'ne zaman' to ask 'since when'.
Level 2 - -e kadarUntil and as Far as
Often attached to 'ne zaman' to ask 'until when'.
Level 3 - bugün / yarın / şimdiEveryday Time Words
Common time vocabulary used to answer 'ne zaman' questions.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice ne zaman in Bubblegum
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