Kazakh grammar for beginners · Expressing "can" and "cannot" using converbs in {{-а / -е / -й}} and {{алу}}
To express physical ability, learned skill, or possibility ("I can speak", "he can write"), Kazakh forms a compound verb construction.
The main verb takes the converb suffix -a / -e / -i (-а / -е / -й) (the same converb used in the simple present tense). It is immediately followed by the auxiliary verb alu (алу) ("to take / be able to"), which carries the tense and personal endings.
In the positive, the auxiliary appears as ala- (ала-) with personal endings (jaza alamyn (жаза аламын) "I can write"). In the negative, alu (алу) takes the negative converb shape almai- (алмай-) with personal endings (jaza almaimyn (жаза алмаймын) "I cannot write").
| Stem environment | Converb suffix | Example verb stem | Converb shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| a consonant (back vowel: a, o, ū, y (а, о, ұ, ы)) | -a (-а) | bar- (бар-) ("to go") | bara (бара) |
| a consonant (front vowel: ä, e, ö, ü, ı (ә, е, ө, ү, і)) | -e (-е) | kel- (кел-) ("to come") | kele (келе) |
| a vowel (any vowel) | -i (-й) | söile- (сөйле-) ("to speak") | söilei (сөйлей) |
The converb suffix attaches directly to the main verb stem before the auxiliary verb alu (алу).
Pairing the converb form of the main verb with the infinitive auxiliary alu (алу) ("to be able to").
bara alu бара алу
to be able to go · Turkish: gidebilmek (varabilmek)
Back-vowel consonant stem bar- (бар-) takes converb -a (-а) before alu (алу).
kele alu келе алу
to be able to come · Turkish: gelebilmek
Front-vowel consonant stem kel- (кел-) takes converb -e (-е) before alu (алу).
jaza alu жаза алу
to be able to write · Turkish: yazabilmek
Back-vowel consonant stem jaz- (жаз-) takes converb -a (-а) before alu (алу).
oqi alu оқи алу
to be able to read · Turkish: okuyabilmek
Vowel stem oqy- (оқы-) (written oqi- (оқи-)) takes converb -i (-й) before alu (алу).
söilei alu сөйлей алу
to be able to speak · Turkish: konuşabilmek (söyleyebilmek)
Vowel stem söile- (сөйле-) takes converb -i (-й) before alu (алу).
| Person | Subject pronoun | Formula with stem bar- (бар-) ("to go") | Conjugated form | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular ("I") | Men (Мен) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -myn (-мын) | Men bara alamyn (Мен бара аламын) | "I can go" |
| 2nd singular informal ("you") | Sen (Сен) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -syñ (-сың) | Sen bara alasyñ (Сен бара аласың) | "you can go" |
| 2nd singular polite ("you") | Sız (Сіз) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -syz (-сыз) | Sız bara alasyz (Сіз бара аласыз) | "you can go" |
| 3rd singular ("he / she / it") | Ol (Ол) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -dy (-ды) | Ol bara alady (Ол бара алады) | "he / she can go" |
| 1st plural ("we") | Bız (Біз) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -myz (-мыз) | Bız bara alamyz (Біз бара аламыз) | "we can go" |
| 2nd plural informal ("you all") | Sender (Сендер) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -syñdar (-сыңдар) | Sender bara alasyñdar (Сендер бара аласыңдар) | "you all can go" |
| 2nd plural polite ("you all") | Sızder (Сіздер) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -syzdar (-сыздар) | Sızder bara alasyzdar (Сіздер бара аласыздар) | "you all can go" |
| 3rd plural ("they") | Olar (Олар) | bar- (бар-) + -a (-а) + ala- (ала-) + -dy (-ды) | Olar bara alady (Олар бара алады) | "they can go" |
Because the auxiliary stem ala- (ала-) ends in the back vowel a (а), personal endings strictly use back-vowel variants -myn (-мын), -myz (-мыз), -syñ (-сың), and -dy (-ды) across all persons.
Conjugating positive ability for all eight persons with the stem bar- (бар-) ("to go"). All eight persons appear in full sequence with their explicit subject pronouns.
Men bara alamyn Мен бара аламын
I can go · Turkish: Ben gidebilirim (varabilirim)
1st person singular: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -myn (-мын).
Sen bara alasyñ Сен бара аласың
you can go · Turkish: Sen gidebilirsin (varabilirsin)
2nd person singular informal: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -syñ (-сың).
Sız bara alasyz Сіз бара аласыз
you can go · Turkish: Siz gidebilirsiniz (varabilirsiniz)
2nd person singular polite: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -syz (-сыз).
Ol bara alady Ол бара алады
he can go, she can go · Turkish: O gidebilir (varabilir)
3rd person singular: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -dy (-ды).
Bız bara alamyz Біз бара аламыз
we can go · Turkish: Biz gidebiliriz (varabiliriz)
1st person plural: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -myz (-мыз).
Sender bara alasyñdar Сендер бара аласыңдар
you all can go · Turkish: Siz gidebilirsiniz (varabilirsiniz)
2nd person plural informal: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -syñdar (-сыңдар).
Sızder bara alasyzdar Сіздер бара аласыздар
you all can go · Turkish: Siz gidebilirsiniz (varabilirsiniz)
2nd person plural polite: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -syzdar (-сыздар).
Olar bara alady Олар бара алады
they can go · Turkish: Onlar gidebilirler (varabilirler)
3rd person plural: stem bar- (бар-) + converb -a (-а) + auxiliary ala- (ала-) + personal ending -dy (-ды).
Subject pronouns can be dropped freely because the personal endings on alu (алу) clearly identify the person and number.
Men bara alamyn → bara alamyn Мен бара аламын → бара аламын
I can go → can go · Turkish: Ben gidebilirim → gidebilirim
1st person singular with subject pronoun dropped.
Bız jaza alamyz → jaza alamyz Біз жаза аламыз → жаза аламыз
we can write → can write · Turkish: Biz yazabiliriz → yazabiliriz
1st person plural with subject pronoun dropped.
Sız söilei alasyz → söilei alasyz Сіз сөйлей аласыз → сөйлей аласыз
you can speak → can speak · Turkish: Siz konuşabilirsiniz → konuşabilirsiniz
2nd person polite with subject pronoun dropped.
| Person | Subject pronoun | Formula with stem kel- (кел-) ("to come") | Conjugated form | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular ("I") | Men (Мен) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -myn (-мын) | Men kele almaimyn (Мен келе алмаймын) | "I cannot come" |
| 2nd singular informal ("you") | Sen (Сен) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -syñ (-сың) | Sen kele almaisyñ (Сен келе алмайсың) | "you cannot come" |
| 2nd singular polite ("you") | Sız (Сіз) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -syz (-сыз) | Sız kele almaisyz (Сіз келе алмайсыз) | "you cannot come" |
| 3rd singular ("he / she / it") | Ol (Ол) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -dy (-ды) | Ol kele almaidy (Ол келе алмайды) | "he / she cannot come" |
| 1st plural ("we") | Bız (Біз) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -myz (-мыз) | Bız kele almaimyz (Біз келе алмаймыз) | "we cannot come" |
| 2nd plural informal ("you all") | Sender (Сендер) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -syñdar (-сыңдар) | Sender kele almaisyñdar (Сендер келе алмайсыңдар) | "you all cannot come" |
| 2nd plural polite ("you all") | Sızder (Сіздер) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -syzdar (-сыздар) | Sızder kele almaisyzdar (Сіздер келе алмайсыздар) | "you all cannot come" |
| 3rd plural ("they") | Olar (Олар) | kel- (кел-) + -e (-е) + almai- (алмай-) + -dy (-ды) | Olar kele almaidy (Олар келе алмайды) | "they cannot come" |
Inability negates the auxiliary verb alu (алу) rather than the main verb. The main verb stays in its converb form kele (келе).
Conjugating inability ("cannot") for all eight persons with the stem kel- (кел-) ("to come"). The negative auxiliary stem almai- (алмай-) takes personal endings.
Men kele almaimyn Мен келе алмаймын
I cannot come · Turkish: Ben gelemem (gelemiyorum)
1st person singular negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -myn (-мын).
Sen kele almaisyñ Сен келе алмайсың
you cannot come · Turkish: Sen gelemezsin (gelemiyorsun)
2nd person singular informal negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -syñ (-сың).
Sız kele almaisyz Сіз келе алмайсыз
you cannot come · Turkish: Siz gelemezsiniz (gelemiyorsunuz)
2nd person singular polite negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -syz (-сыз).
Ol kele almaidy Ол келе алмайды
he cannot come, she cannot come · Turkish: O gelemez (gelemiyor)
3rd person singular negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -dy (-ды).
Bız kele almaimyz Біз келе алмаймыз
we cannot come · Turkish: Biz gelemeyiz (gelemiyoruz)
1st person plural negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -myz (-мыз).
Sender kele almaisyñdar Сендер келе алмайсыңдар
you all cannot come · Turkish: Siz gelemezsiniz (gelemiyorsunuz)
2nd person plural informal negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -syñdar (-сыңдар).
Sızder kele almaisyzdar Сіздер келе алмайсыздар
you all cannot come · Turkish: Siz gelemezsiniz (gelemiyorsunuz)
2nd person plural polite negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -syzdar (-сыздар).
Olar kele almaidy Олар келе алмайды
they cannot come · Turkish: Onlar gelemezler (gelemiyorlar)
3rd person plural negative: stem kel- (кел-) + converb -e (-е) + auxiliary almai- (алмай-) + personal ending -dy (-ды).
Tauğa bara alasyñ ba? Тауға бара аласың ба?
Can you go to the mountains? · Turkish: Dağa gidebilir misin (varabilir misin)?
Question particle ba (ба) follows the conjugated ability verb bara alasyñ (бара аласың).
Tauğa bara almaimyn. Тауға бара алмаймын.
I cannot go to the mountains. · Turkish: Dağa gidemem (varamam).
Inability statement with negative auxiliary verb bara almaimyn (бара алмаймын).
Sız qazaqşa söilei alasyz ba? Сіз қазақша сөйлей аласыз ба?
Can you speak Kazakh? · Turkish: Kazakça konuşabilir misiniz (söyleyebilir misiniz)?
Polite 2nd-person question with converb söilei (сөйлей) and auxiliary alasyz (аласыз).
Men kömektese alamyn. Мен көмектесе аламын.
I can help. · Turkish: Yardım edebilirim (kömekleşebilirim).
Stem kömektes- (көмектес-) takes converb -e (-е) before alamyn (аламын).
Sender söilese alasyñdar. Сендер сөйлесе аласыңдар.
You all can speak. · Turkish: Konuşabilirsiniz (söyleşebilirsiniz).
2nd person plural informal with reciprocal stem söiles- (сөйлес-).
Modern Turkish forms ability by attaching the suffix -ebilmek / -abilmek directly to the verb stem (gidebilirim, yazabilirim). Kazakh expresses this through a compound verb structure: the main verb takes a converb in -a / -e / -i (-а / -е / -й), followed by the auxiliary verb alu (алу) ("to take / be able to") inflected in the present tense (bara alamyn (бара аламын), jaza alamyn (жаза аламын)).
In the negative, Turkish replaces -ebil- with the potential negative suffix -eme- / -ama- (gidemem, gelemem, yazamam). Kazakh negates the auxiliary verb alu (алу) into almau (алмау) (bara almaimyn (бара алмаймын), kele almaimyn (келе алмаймын)). Both languages share the underlying converb structure (gel-e-mem and kel-e almaimyn (кел-е алмаймын)).
The auxiliary verb alu (алу) is the direct Proto-Turkic cognate of Turkish almak.
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