Demek Conjugation: All Turkish Tenses of 'to say, to mean'
demek means “to say, to mean”. Its stem is de-, so “I am saying” is diyorum, “I said” is dedim and “I will say” is diyeceğim. Below you'll find every form in 10 tenses and moods, with negatives, questions and English meanings.
Quick facts
- Stem
- de-infinitive minus -mek
- Meaning
- to say, to mean
- Vowel harmony
- front unrounded (e / i) — last stem vowel e
- Vowel raising
- de- → di-before y: diyorum, diyeceğim
- Level
- CEFR A1 · #4 of 247 by frequency
At a glance
One form per tense, split into its suffixes. Tap 🔊 to hear it.
- diyorumdi·yor·umPresent Continuous · I am saying
- dedimde·di·mDefinite Past · I said
- demişimde·miş·imReported Past · I apparently said
- diyeceğimdi·yeceğ·imFuture · I will say
- derimde·r·imAorist (Simple Present) · I say
- demeliyimde·meli·yimNecessitative · I must say
- desemde·se·mConditional · if I said
- dedeImperative & Optative · Say!
- diyebilirimdi·yebil·ir·imAbility (can) · I can say
- diyordumdi·yor·du·mPast Continuous · I was saying
Example sentences with demek
Common mistakes with demek
- Bu ne demek?
Demek also means "to mean": "What does this mean?" is Bu ne demek? — and "I mean…" is Demek istiyorum ki…
- Incorrect: deyorumdiyorum
The e of de- turns into i before y: diyorum, diyeceğim, diyemem. Elsewhere it stays e: dedim, der.
- der
Vowel stems simply add -r in the aorist: der, derim. Don't mix up der (habit: "he/she says") with diyor (right now: "he/she is saying"). Learn the rule →
Full conjugation of demek
All 10 tenses and moods × 6 persons, in positive, negative, question and negative-question form. Imperative questions do not exist for sen and siz.
Present ContinuousŞimdiki Zamandiyor
Actions happening right now, ongoing situations and near-future plans. Marker: -(I)yor. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | diyorumI am saying | demiyorumI am not saying | diyor muyumAm I saying? | demiyor muyumAm I not saying? |
| senyou | diyorsunyou are saying | demiyorsunyou are not saying | diyor musunAre you saying? | demiyor musunAre you not saying? |
| ohe/she | diyorhe/she is saying | demiyorhe/she is not saying | diyor muIs he/she saying? | demiyor muIs he/she not saying? |
| bizwe | diyoruzwe are saying | demiyoruzwe are not saying | diyor muyuzAre we saying? | demiyor muyuzAre we not saying? |
| sizyou (pl.) | diyorsunuzyou (pl.) are saying | demiyorsunuzyou (pl.) are not saying | diyor musunuzAre you (pl.) saying? | demiyor musunuzAre you (pl.) not saying? |
| onlarthey | diyorlarthey are saying | demiyorlarthey are not saying | diyorlar mıAre they saying? | demiyorlar mıAre they not saying? |
Definite PastGörülen Geçmiş Zamandedi
Completed past actions the speaker witnessed or is certain about. Marker: -DI. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | dedimI said | demedimI did not say | dedim miDid I say? | demedim miDidn't I say? |
| senyou | dedinyou said | demedinyou did not say | dedin miDid you say? | demedin miDidn't you say? |
| ohe/she | dedihe/she said | demedihe/she did not say | dedi miDid he/she say? | demedi miDidn't he/she say? |
| bizwe | dedikwe said | demedikwe did not say | dedik miDid we say? | demedik miDidn't we say? |
| sizyou (pl.) | dedinizyou (pl.) said | demedinizyou (pl.) did not say | dediniz miDid you (pl.) say? | demediniz miDidn't you (pl.) say? |
| onlarthey | dedilerthey said | demedilerthey did not say | dediler miDid they say? | demediler miDidn't they say? |
Reported PastÖğrenilen Geçmiş Zamandemiş
Past events learned from others, inferred, or noticed with surprise. Marker: -mIş. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | demişimI apparently said | dememişimI apparently did not say | demiş miyimDid I say? (reportedly) | dememiş miyimDidn't I say? (reportedly) |
| senyou | demişsinyou apparently said | dememişsinyou apparently did not say | demiş misinDid you say? (reportedly) | dememiş misinDidn't you say? (reportedly) |
| ohe/she | demişhe/she apparently said | dememişhe/she apparently did not say | demiş miDid he/she say? (reportedly) | dememiş miDidn't he/she say? (reportedly) |
| bizwe | demişizwe apparently said | dememişizwe apparently did not say | demiş miyizDid we say? (reportedly) | dememiş miyizDidn't we say? (reportedly) |
| sizyou (pl.) | demişsinizyou (pl.) apparently said | dememişsinizyou (pl.) apparently did not say | demiş misinizDid you (pl.) say? (reportedly) | dememiş misinizDidn't you (pl.) say? (reportedly) |
| onlarthey | demişlerthey apparently said | dememişlerthey apparently did not say | demişler miDid they say? (reportedly) | dememişler miDidn't they say? (reportedly) |
FutureGelecek Zamandiyecek
Plans, predictions and decisions about the future. Marker: -(y)AcAk. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | diyeceğimI will say | demeyeceğimI will not say | diyecek miyimWill I say? | demeyecek miyimWon't I say? |
| senyou | diyeceksinyou will say | demeyeceksinyou will not say | diyecek misinWill you say? | demeyecek misinWon't you say? |
| ohe/she | diyecekhe/she will say | demeyecekhe/she will not say | diyecek miWill he/she say? | demeyecek miWon't he/she say? |
| bizwe | diyeceğizwe will say | demeyeceğizwe will not say | diyecek miyizWill we say? | demeyecek miyizWon't we say? |
| sizyou (pl.) | diyeceksinizyou (pl.) will say | demeyeceksinizyou (pl.) will not say | diyecek misinizWill you (pl.) say? | demeyecek misinizWon't you (pl.) say? |
| onlarthey | diyeceklerthey will say | demeyeceklerthey will not say | diyecekler miWill they say? | demeyecekler miWon't they say? |
Aorist (Simple Present)Geniş Zamander
Habits, general truths, willingness and polite requests. Marker: -r / -Ar / -Ir (neg. -mAz). Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | derimI say | dememI do not say | der miyimDo I say? | demez miyimDon't I say? |
| senyou | dersinyou say | demezsinyou do not say | der misinDo you say? | demez misinDon't you say? |
| ohe/she | derhe/she says | demezhe/she does not say | der miDoes he/she say? | demez miDoesn't he/she say? |
| bizwe | derizwe say | demeyizwe do not say | der miyizDo we say? | demez miyizDon't we say? |
| sizyou (pl.) | dersinizyou (pl.) say | demezsinizyou (pl.) do not say | der misinizDo you (pl.) say? | demez misinizDon't you (pl.) say? |
| onlarthey | derlerthey say | demezlerthey do not say | derler miDo they say? | demezler miDon't they say? |
NecessitativeGereklilik Kipidemeli
Obligation and advice: must, should, ought to. Marker: -mAlI. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | demeliyimI must say | dememeliyimI must not say | demeli miyimMust I say? | dememeli miyimMustn't I say? |
| senyou | demelisinyou must say | dememelisinyou must not say | demeli misinMust you say? | dememeli misinMustn't you say? |
| ohe/she | demelihe/she must say | dememelihe/she must not say | demeli miMust he/she say? | dememeli miMustn't he/she say? |
| bizwe | demeliyizwe must say | dememeliyizwe must not say | demeli miyizMust we say? | dememeli miyizMustn't we say? |
| sizyou (pl.) | demelisinizyou (pl.) must say | dememelisinizyou (pl.) must not say | demeli misinizMust you (pl.) say? | dememeli misinizMustn't you (pl.) say? |
| onlarthey | demelilerthey must say | dememelilerthey must not say | demeliler miMust they say? | dememeliler miMustn't they say? |
ConditionalDilek-Şart Kipidese
Conditions and wishes: "if I…", "if only…", "what if I…?". Marker: -sA. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | desemif I said | demesemif I did not say | desem miShould I say? | demesem miShould I not say? |
| senyou | desenif you said | demesenif you did not say | desen miShould you say? | demesen miShould you not say? |
| ohe/she | deseif he/she said | demeseif he/she did not say | dese miShould he/she say? | demese miShould he/she not say? |
| bizwe | desekif we said | demesekif we did not say | desek miShould we say? | demesek miShould we not say? |
| sizyou (pl.) | desenizif you (pl.) said | demesenizif you (pl.) did not say | deseniz miShould you (pl.) say? | demeseniz miShould you (pl.) not say? |
| onlarthey | deselerif they said | demeselerif they did not say | deseler miShould they say? | demeseler miShould they not say? |
Imperative & OptativeEmir ve İstek Kipide
Commands ("Go!") and suggestions ("Let me…", "Let's…"). Marker: Ø / -sIn / -(y)In; -(y)AyIm / -(y)AlIm. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | diyeyimlet me say | demeyeyimlet me not say | diyeyim miShall I say? | demeyeyim miShall I not say? |
| senyou | deSay! | demeDon't say! | — | — |
| ohe/she | desinlet him/her say | demesinlet him/her not say | desin miShall he/she say? | demesin miShall he/she not say? |
| bizwe | diyelimlet's say | demeyelimlet's not say | diyelim miShall we say? | demeyelim miShall we not say? |
| sizyou (pl.) | deyinSay! (pl./polite) | demeyinDon't say! (pl./polite) | — | — |
| onlarthey | desinlerlet them say | demesinlerlet them not say | desinler miShall they say? | demesinler miShall they not say? |
Ability (can)Yeterlilikdiyebilir
What someone can or cannot do, and permission. Marker: -(y)Abil- + aorist (neg. -(y)AmA-). Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | diyebilirimI can say | diyememI cannot say | diyebilir miyimCan I say? | diyemez miyimCan't I say? |
| senyou | diyebilirsinyou can say | diyemezsinyou cannot say | diyebilir misinCan you say? | diyemez misinCan't you say? |
| ohe/she | diyebilirhe/she can say | diyemezhe/she cannot say | diyebilir miCan he/she say? | diyemez miCan't he/she say? |
| bizwe | diyebilirizwe can say | diyemeyizwe cannot say | diyebilir miyizCan we say? | diyemez miyizCan't we say? |
| sizyou (pl.) | diyebilirsinizyou (pl.) can say | diyemezsinizyou (pl.) cannot say | diyebilir misinizCan you (pl.) say? | diyemez misinizCan't you (pl.) say? |
| onlarthey | diyebilirlerthey can say | diyemezlerthey cannot say | diyebilirler miCan they say? | diyemezler miCan't they say? |
Past ContinuousŞimdiki Zamanın Hikâyesidiyordu
What was happening at a moment in the past. Marker: -(I)yordu. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | diyordumI was saying | demiyordumI was not saying | diyor muydumWas I saying? | demiyor muydumWas I not saying? |
| senyou | diyordunyou were saying | demiyordunyou were not saying | diyor muydunWere you saying? | demiyor muydunWere you not saying? |
| ohe/she | diyorduhe/she was saying | demiyorduhe/she was not saying | diyor muyduWas he/she saying? | demiyor muyduWas he/she not saying? |
| bizwe | diyordukwe were saying | demiyordukwe were not saying | diyor muydukWere we saying? | demiyor muydukWere we not saying? |
| sizyou (pl.) | diyordunuzyou (pl.) were saying | demiyordunuzyou (pl.) were not saying | diyor muydunuzWere you (pl.) saying? | demiyor muydunuzWere you (pl.) not saying? |
| onlarthey | diyorlardıthey were saying | demiyorlardıthey were not saying | diyorlar mıydıWere they saying? | demiyorlar mıydıWere they not saying? |
Related verbs
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of demek?
The definite past (-DI) of demek is dedim (I said), dedin, dedi, dedik, dediniz, dediler. The negative is demedim (I did not say), and the reported past is demiş (he/she apparently said).
Is demek irregular?
Almost regular: the e of de- turns into i before y (diyorum, diyeceğim) but stays e elsewhere (dedim, der). Only yemek and demek do this.
How do you say "I will say" in Turkish?
"I will say" is diyeceğim. "I won't say" is demeyeceğim, and "Will you say?" is diyecek misin? For plans you have already made, Turkish also uses the present continuous: diyorum.
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