Duyulan gecmis zaman
Turkish Reported Past Tense
Use the Turkish reported past tense when the speaker did not directly witness the event, or when the event is presented as heard, inferred, or newly realized. This tense usually uses -mis plus a person ending.
Example
Turkish
Ben gelmisim.
English: Apparently, I came.
Meaning
What this tense means
The reported past tense describes past events that are not presented as direct, witnessed facts.
It can mean: I heard that, apparently, it seems that, or I realized that.
The exact translation depends on context.
Use cue words like apparently, it seems, or I heard to make the reported meaning clear.
Use
When to use it
Choose the situation first, then build the ending.
1. Something you heard from someone else
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| O dun gelmis. | Apparently, he/she came yesterday. |
| Onlar erken gitmisler. | I heard they left early. |
2. Something you infer from evidence
You may see wet streets, but you did not see the rain happen.
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Yagmur yagmis. | It must have rained. / Apparently, it rained. |
3. Something you newly realize
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Ben uyumusum. | Apparently, I fell asleep. |
4. Storytelling or indirect information
This form appears often in stories and reported information.
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Bir varmis, bir yokmus. | Once upon a time... |
Build
How to form positive statements
verb stem + -mIs + person ending
Pattern
verb stem + -mIs + person ending
Use this pattern:
- The vowel changes by vowel harmony: -mis, -mis, -mus, -mus.
| Infinitive | Verb stem | Reported past |
|---|---|---|
| gelmek | gel | gelmisim |
| gitmek | git | gitmisim |
| okumak | oku | okumusum |
| calismak | calis | calismisim |
Forms by person
See how this tense looks with the same verb across all persons.
| Person | Turkish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ben | gelmişim | Apparently, I came |
| Sen | gelmişsin | Apparently, you came |
| O | gelmiş | Apparently, he/she/it came |
| Biz | gelmişiz | Apparently, we came |
| Siz | gelmişsiniz | Apparently, you came |
| Onlar | gelmişler | Apparently, they came |
Examples
Examples in real sentences
Read these examples for context. You do not need to memorize every word.
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Kargo sabah gelmis. | Apparently, the package came this morning. |
| Toplanti erken bitmis. | It seems the meeting ended early. |
| Telefonum cantamda kalmis. | Apparently, my phone was left in my bag. |
| O yeni ise baslamis. | I heard he/she started a new job. |
| Biz yanlis duraga inmisiz. | Apparently, we got off at the wrong stop. |
| Kahve dokulmus. | Looks like the coffee spilled. |
| Anahtar masada kalmis. | Apparently, the key was left on the table. |
| Cocuklar cok yorulmuslar. | Apparently, the children got very tired. |
| Yemek biraz yanmis. | Looks like the food burned a little. |
| Ben kanepede uyumusum. | Apparently, I fell asleep on the couch. |
Watch out
Common mistakes
These mistakes show up often during practice.
Mistake 1: Using reported past for directly witnessed events
If you directly saw or experienced the event, simple past is usually the better choice.
| Meaning | Turkish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | Ben geldim. | I came. |
| Reported/inferred | Ben gelmisim. | Apparently, I came. |
Mistake 2: Translating -mis as one fixed English tense
-mis does not have one perfect English or German equivalent. Depending on context, it can mean apparently, I heard, it seems, or I realized.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the person ending
Incorrect: Ben gelmis.
Correct: Ben gelmisim.
Practice
Mini practice
Try it: choose the correct Turkish form.
| Prompt | Correct Turkish |
|---|---|
| Apparently, the package came this morning. | Kargo sabah gelmis. |
| Apparently, we got off at the wrong stop. | Biz yanlis duraga inmisiz. |
| Looks like the food burned a little. | Yemek biraz yanmis. |
Related topics
Practice
Practice reported past forms
Start with positive statement forms and immediate feedback.