The Verb

Abstract The stem. The form of the verb cited in the dictionaries is the infinitive in -mek, e.g. bilmek ‘to know’, bulmak ‘to find’, görmek ‘to see’, anlamak ‘to understand’. When one is describing the conjugation of the verb it is more convenient to omit this ending and cite only the stem: bil-, bul-, gör-, anla-. The verb ‘to be’. We shall first deal with those parts of the anomalous and defective verb ‘to be’ which are used as auxiliaries in the conjugation of all verbs. In the oldest texts the infinitive ‘to be’ was ermek, but the stem er-, abraded in the course of time, now appears as i-. Some grammarians consequently speak of ‘the verb imek’, but no such form ever existed.