Sürmek Conjugation: All Turkish Tenses of 'to drive, to last'
sürmek means “to drive, to last”. Its stem is sür-, so “I am driving” is sürüyorum, “I drove” is sürdüm and “I will drive” is süreceğim. Below you'll find every form in 10 tenses and moods, with negatives, questions and English meanings.
Quick facts
- Stem
- sür-infinitive minus -mek
- Meaning
- to drive, to last
- Vowel harmony
- front rounded (e / ü) — last stem vowel ü
- Level
- CEFR B1 · #113 of 247 by frequency
At a glance
One form per tense, split into its suffixes. Tap 🔊 to hear it.
- sürüyorumsür·üyor·umPresent Continuous · I am driving
- sürdümsür·dü·mDefinite Past · I drove
- sürmüşümsür·müş·ümReported Past · I apparently drove
- süreceğimsür·eceğ·imFuture · I will drive
- sürerimsür·er·imAorist (Simple Present) · I drive
- sürmeliyimsür·meli·yimNecessitative · I must drive
- sürsemsür·se·mConditional · if I drove
- sürsürImperative & Optative · Drive!
- sürebilirimsür·ebil·ir·imAbility (can) · I can drive
- sürüyordumsür·üyor·du·mPast Continuous · I was driving
Example sentences with sürmek
Common mistakes with sürmek
- Araba sürüyorum.
Sürmek means "to drive" and "to last": film iki saat sürdü. Everyday Turkish also says araba kullanmak for driving.
- Incorrect: sürürsürer
One-syllable stems take -Ar in the aorist: sürer, sürerim. Only 13 verbs such as gelir and alır break this rule. Learn the rule →
- Incorrect: sürmezimsürmem
The negative aorist drops its -z in the first person: sürmem ("I do not drive"), sürmeyiz — but sürmez, sürmezsin. Learn the rule →
Full conjugation of sürmek
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 Zamansürüyor
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 | sürüyorumI am driving | sürmüyorumI am not driving | sürüyor muyumAm I driving? | sürmüyor muyumAm I not driving? |
| senyou | sürüyorsunyou are driving | sürmüyorsunyou are not driving | sürüyor musunAre you driving? | sürmüyor musunAre you not driving? |
| ohe/she | sürüyorhe/she is driving | sürmüyorhe/she is not driving | sürüyor muIs he/she driving? | sürmüyor muIs he/she not driving? |
| bizwe | sürüyoruzwe are driving | sürmüyoruzwe are not driving | sürüyor muyuzAre we driving? | sürmüyor muyuzAre we not driving? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürüyorsunuzyou (pl.) are driving | sürmüyorsunuzyou (pl.) are not driving | sürüyor musunuzAre you (pl.) driving? | sürmüyor musunuzAre you (pl.) not driving? |
| onlarthey | sürüyorlarthey are driving | sürmüyorlarthey are not driving | sürüyorlar mıAre they driving? | sürmüyorlar mıAre they not driving? |
Definite PastGörülen Geçmiş Zamansürdü
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 | sürdümI drove | sürmedimI did not drive | sürdüm müDid I drive? | sürmedim miDidn't I drive? |
| senyou | sürdünyou drove | sürmedinyou did not drive | sürdün müDid you drive? | sürmedin miDidn't you drive? |
| ohe/she | sürdühe/she drove | sürmedihe/she did not drive | sürdü müDid he/she drive? | sürmedi miDidn't he/she drive? |
| bizwe | sürdükwe drove | sürmedikwe did not drive | sürdük müDid we drive? | sürmedik miDidn't we drive? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürdünüzyou (pl.) drove | sürmedinizyou (pl.) did not drive | sürdünüz müDid you (pl.) drive? | sürmediniz miDidn't you (pl.) drive? |
| onlarthey | sürdülerthey drove | sürmedilerthey did not drive | sürdüler miDid they drive? | sürmediler miDidn't they drive? |
Reported PastÖğrenilen Geçmiş Zamansürmüş
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 | sürmüşümI apparently drove | sürmemişimI apparently did not drive | sürmüş müyümDid I drive? (reportedly) | sürmemiş miyimDidn't I drive? (reportedly) |
| senyou | sürmüşsünyou apparently drove | sürmemişsinyou apparently did not drive | sürmüş müsünDid you drive? (reportedly) | sürmemiş misinDidn't you drive? (reportedly) |
| ohe/she | sürmüşhe/she apparently drove | sürmemişhe/she apparently did not drive | sürmüş müDid he/she drive? (reportedly) | sürmemiş miDidn't he/she drive? (reportedly) |
| bizwe | sürmüşüzwe apparently drove | sürmemişizwe apparently did not drive | sürmüş müyüzDid we drive? (reportedly) | sürmemiş miyizDidn't we drive? (reportedly) |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürmüşsünüzyou (pl.) apparently drove | sürmemişsinizyou (pl.) apparently did not drive | sürmüş müsünüzDid you (pl.) drive? (reportedly) | sürmemiş misinizDidn't you (pl.) drive? (reportedly) |
| onlarthey | sürmüşlerthey apparently drove | sürmemişlerthey apparently did not drive | sürmüşler miDid they drive? (reportedly) | sürmemişler miDidn't they drive? (reportedly) |
FutureGelecek Zamansürecek
Plans, predictions and decisions about the future. Marker: -(y)AcAk. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | süreceğimI will drive | sürmeyeceğimI will not drive | sürecek miyimWill I drive? | sürmeyecek miyimWon't I drive? |
| senyou | süreceksinyou will drive | sürmeyeceksinyou will not drive | sürecek misinWill you drive? | sürmeyecek misinWon't you drive? |
| ohe/she | sürecekhe/she will drive | sürmeyecekhe/she will not drive | sürecek miWill he/she drive? | sürmeyecek miWon't he/she drive? |
| bizwe | süreceğizwe will drive | sürmeyeceğizwe will not drive | sürecek miyizWill we drive? | sürmeyecek miyizWon't we drive? |
| sizyou (pl.) | süreceksinizyou (pl.) will drive | sürmeyeceksinizyou (pl.) will not drive | sürecek misinizWill you (pl.) drive? | sürmeyecek misinizWon't you (pl.) drive? |
| onlarthey | süreceklerthey will drive | sürmeyeceklerthey will not drive | sürecekler miWill they drive? | sürmeyecekler miWon't they drive? |
Aorist (Simple Present)Geniş Zamansürer
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 | sürerimI drive | sürmemI do not drive | sürer miyimDo I drive? | sürmez miyimDon't I drive? |
| senyou | sürersinyou drive | sürmezsinyou do not drive | sürer misinDo you drive? | sürmez misinDon't you drive? |
| ohe/she | sürerhe/she drives | sürmezhe/she does not drive | sürer miDoes he/she drive? | sürmez miDoesn't he/she drive? |
| bizwe | sürerizwe drive | sürmeyizwe do not drive | sürer miyizDo we drive? | sürmez miyizDon't we drive? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürersinizyou (pl.) drive | sürmezsinizyou (pl.) do not drive | sürer misinizDo you (pl.) drive? | sürmez misinizDon't you (pl.) drive? |
| onlarthey | sürerlerthey drive | sürmezlerthey do not drive | sürerler miDo they drive? | sürmezler miDon't they drive? |
NecessitativeGereklilik Kipisürmeli
Obligation and advice: must, should, ought to. Marker: -mAlI. Grammar guide · Open in the conjugator
| Person | Positive | Negative | Question | Negative question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| benI | sürmeliyimI must drive | sürmemeliyimI must not drive | sürmeli miyimMust I drive? | sürmemeli miyimMustn't I drive? |
| senyou | sürmelisinyou must drive | sürmemelisinyou must not drive | sürmeli misinMust you drive? | sürmemeli misinMustn't you drive? |
| ohe/she | sürmelihe/she must drive | sürmemelihe/she must not drive | sürmeli miMust he/she drive? | sürmemeli miMustn't he/she drive? |
| bizwe | sürmeliyizwe must drive | sürmemeliyizwe must not drive | sürmeli miyizMust we drive? | sürmemeli miyizMustn't we drive? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürmelisinizyou (pl.) must drive | sürmemelisinizyou (pl.) must not drive | sürmeli misinizMust you (pl.) drive? | sürmemeli misinizMustn't you (pl.) drive? |
| onlarthey | sürmelilerthey must drive | sürmemelilerthey must not drive | sürmeliler miMust they drive? | sürmemeliler miMustn't they drive? |
ConditionalDilek-Şart Kipisürse
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 | sürsemif I drove | sürmesemif I did not drive | sürsem miShould I drive? | sürmesem miShould I not drive? |
| senyou | sürsenif you drove | sürmesenif you did not drive | sürsen miShould you drive? | sürmesen miShould you not drive? |
| ohe/she | sürseif he/she drove | sürmeseif he/she did not drive | sürse miShould he/she drive? | sürmese miShould he/she not drive? |
| bizwe | sürsekif we drove | sürmesekif we did not drive | sürsek miShould we drive? | sürmesek miShould we not drive? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürsenizif you (pl.) drove | sürmesenizif you (pl.) did not drive | sürseniz miShould you (pl.) drive? | sürmeseniz miShould you (pl.) not drive? |
| onlarthey | sürselerif they drove | sürmeselerif they did not drive | sürseler miShould they drive? | sürmeseler miShould they not drive? |
Imperative & OptativeEmir ve İstek Kipisür
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 | süreyimlet me drive | sürmeyeyimlet me not drive | süreyim miShall I drive? | sürmeyeyim miShall I not drive? |
| senyou | sürDrive! | sürmeDon't drive! | — | — |
| ohe/she | sürsünlet him/her drive | sürmesinlet him/her not drive | sürsün müShall he/she drive? | sürmesin miShall he/she not drive? |
| bizwe | sürelimlet's drive | sürmeyelimlet's not drive | sürelim miShall we drive? | sürmeyelim miShall we not drive? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürünDrive! (pl./polite) | sürmeyinDon't drive! (pl./polite) | — | — |
| onlarthey | sürsünlerlet them drive | sürmesinlerlet them not drive | sürsünler miShall they drive? | sürmesinler miShall they not drive? |
Ability (can)Yeterliliksürebilir
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 | sürebilirimI can drive | sürememI cannot drive | sürebilir miyimCan I drive? | süremez miyimCan't I drive? |
| senyou | sürebilirsinyou can drive | süremezsinyou cannot drive | sürebilir misinCan you drive? | süremez misinCan't you drive? |
| ohe/she | sürebilirhe/she can drive | süremezhe/she cannot drive | sürebilir miCan he/she drive? | süremez miCan't he/she drive? |
| bizwe | sürebilirizwe can drive | süremeyizwe cannot drive | sürebilir miyizCan we drive? | süremez miyizCan't we drive? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürebilirsinizyou (pl.) can drive | süremezsinizyou (pl.) cannot drive | sürebilir misinizCan you (pl.) drive? | süremez misinizCan't you (pl.) drive? |
| onlarthey | sürebilirlerthey can drive | süremezlerthey cannot drive | sürebilirler miCan they drive? | süremezler miCan't they drive? |
Past ContinuousŞimdiki Zamanın Hikâyesisürüyordu
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 | sürüyordumI was driving | sürmüyordumI was not driving | sürüyor muydumWas I driving? | sürmüyor muydumWas I not driving? |
| senyou | sürüyordunyou were driving | sürmüyordunyou were not driving | sürüyor muydunWere you driving? | sürmüyor muydunWere you not driving? |
| ohe/she | sürüyorduhe/she was driving | sürmüyorduhe/she was not driving | sürüyor muyduWas he/she driving? | sürmüyor muyduWas he/she not driving? |
| bizwe | sürüyordukwe were driving | sürmüyordukwe were not driving | sürüyor muydukWere we driving? | sürmüyor muydukWere we not driving? |
| sizyou (pl.) | sürüyordunuzyou (pl.) were driving | sürmüyordunuzyou (pl.) were not driving | sürüyor muydunuzWere you (pl.) driving? | sürmüyor muydunuzWere you (pl.) not driving? |
| onlarthey | sürüyorlardıthey were driving | sürmüyorlardıthey were not driving | sürüyorlar mıydıWere they driving? | sürmüyorlar mıydıWere they not driving? |
Related verbs
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of sürmek?
The definite past (-DI) of sürmek is sürdüm (I drove), sürdün, sürdü, sürdük, sürdünüz, sürdüler. The negative is sürmedim (I did not drive), and the reported past is sürmüş (he/she apparently drove).
Is sürmek irregular?
No, sürmek is a regular verb. Every tense is built from the stem sür- with the standard suffixes: sürüyorum, sürdüm, süreceğim, and its aorist sürer follows the rule.
How do you say "I will drive" in Turkish?
"I will drive" is süreceğim. "I won't drive" is sürmeyeceğim, and "Will you drive?" is sürecek misin? For plans you have already made, Turkish also uses the present continuous: sürüyorum.
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