Kazakh grammar for beginners · Definite intentions in {{-мақ / -мек}} and probable futures in {{-ар / -ер / -р}}
In the Simple Present lesson, you saw that the habitual tense in -a / -e / -i (-а / -е / -й) also handles everyday near-future actions. When Kazakh speakers want to make a clear distinction between a firm personal intention and an uncertain future probability, they use two dedicated future tenses.
The Intentional Future (Maqsatty keler şaq (Мақсатты келер шақ)) expresses firm determination, planned decisions, or purpose ("I intend to do", "I will definitely do"). Turkish conveys this with -mak niyetinde / -acak.
The Suppositional Future (Boljaldy keler şaq (Болжалды келер шақ)) expresses probability, predictions, or assumptions ("I will probably do", "perhaps I might do"). Turkish conveys this with the potential sense of Geniş Zaman (-r / -mez).
| The verb stem ends in | Back vowel (a, o, ū, y (а, о, ұ, ы)) | Front vowel (ä, e, ö, ü, ı (ә, е, ө, ү, і)) |
|---|---|---|
| a vowel, i, u (й, у), or a sonorant consonant (l, r (л, р)) | -maq (-мақ) | -mek (-мек) |
| a voiced consonant (j, z (ж, з)) or a nasal (m, n, ñ (м, н, ң)) | -baq (-бақ) | -bek (-бек) |
| a voiceless consonant (k, q, p, s, t, f, h, ş (к, қ, п, с, т, ф, х, ш)), or b, v, g, d (б, в, г, д) | -paq (-пақ) | -pek (-пек) |
These suffixes attach directly to the verb stem, adhering strictly to back-and-front vowel harmony and consonant assimilation.
The intentional future suffix attaches directly to the verb stem. In third-person statements, the stem plus this suffix is already complete without any additional ending.
barmaq бармақ
intends to go / will go · Turkish: gitmek niyetinde (gidecek)
Sonorant stem bar- (бар-) ending in r (р) takes -maq (-мақ).
kelmek келмек
intends to come / will come · Turkish: gelmek niyetinde (gelecek)
Front-vowel sonorant stem kel- (кел-) ending in l (л) takes -mek (-мек).
jazbaq жазбақ
intends to write / will write · Turkish: yazmak niyetinde (yazacak)
Voiced consonant stem jaz- (жаз-) ending in z (з) takes -baq (-бақ).
aitpaq айтпақ
intends to say / will say · Turkish: söylemek niyetinde (söyleyecek)
Voiceless consonant stem ait- (айт-) ending in t (т) takes -paq (-пақ).
kütpek күтпек
intends to wait / will wait · Turkish: beklemek niyetinde (bekleyecek)
Front voiceless stem küt- (күт-) takes -pek (-пек).
| Person | Pronoun | Attached to -maq / -baq / -paq (-мақ / -бақ / -пақ) | Attached to -mek / -bek / -pek (-мек / -бек / -пек) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular ("I") | Men (Мен) | -pyn (-пын) | -pın (-пін) |
| 2nd singular informal ("you") | Sen (Сен) | -syñ (-сың) | -sıñ (-сің) |
| 2nd singular polite ("you") | Sız (Сіз) | -syz (-сыз) | -sız (-сіз) |
| 3rd singular ("he / she / it") | Ol (Ол) | — | — |
| 1st plural ("we") | Bız (Біз) | -pyz (-пыз) | -pız (-піз) |
| 2nd plural informal ("you all") | Sender (Сендер) | -syñdar (-сыңдар) | -sıñder (-сіңдер) |
| 2nd plural polite ("you all") | Sızder (Сіздер) | -syzdar (-сыздар) | -sızder (-сіздер) |
| 3rd plural ("they") | Olar (Олар) | — | — |
Because -maq (-мақ) and -mek (-мек) end in voiceless consonants (q (қ) and k (к)), the first-person endings assimilate to -pyn / -pın (-пын / -пін) and -pyz / -pız (-пыз / -піз).
Attaching -maq- (-мақ-) and personal endings to the stem bar- (бар-) ("to go"). All eight persons appear in full sequence with their explicit subject pronouns.
Men barmaqpyn Мен бармақпын
I intend to go / I will go · Turkish: Ben gitmek niyetindeyim (gideceğim)
1st person singular: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq- (-мақ-) + -pyn (-пын).
Sen barmaqsyñ Сен бармақсың
you intend to go · Turkish: Sen gitmek niyetindesin (gideceksin)
2nd person singular informal: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq- (-мақ-) + -syñ (-сың).
Sız barmaqsyz Сіз бармақсыз
you intend to go · Turkish: Siz gitmek niyetindesiniz (gideceksiniz)
2nd person singular polite: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq- (-мақ-) + -syz (-сыз).
Ol barmaq Ол бармақ
he intends to go, she intends to go · Turkish: O gitmek niyetinde (gidecek)
3rd person singular: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq (-мақ) (no personal ending).
Bız barmaqpyz Біз бармақпыз
we intend to go · Turkish: Biz gitmek niyetindeyiz (gideceğiz)
1st person plural: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq- (-мақ-) + -pyz (-пыз).
Sender barmaqsyñdar Сендер бармақсыңдар
you all intend to go · Turkish: Siz gitmek niyetindesiniz (gideceksiniz)
2nd person plural informal: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq- (-мақ-) + -syñdar (-сыңдар).
Sızder barmaqsyzdar Сіздер бармақсыздар
you all intend to go · Turkish: Siz gitmek niyetindesiniz (gideceksiniz)
2nd person plural polite: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq- (-мақ-) + -syzdar (-сыздар).
Olar barmaq Олар бармақ
they intend to go · Turkish: Onlar gitmek niyetindeler (gidecekler)
3rd person plural: stem bar- (бар-) + -maq (-мақ).
Attaching -mek- (-мек-) and front-vowel personal endings to the stem kel- (кел-) ("to come").
Men kelmekpın Мен келмекпін
I intend to come / I will come · Turkish: Ben gelmek niyetindeyim (geleceğim)
1st person singular: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek- (-мек-) + -pın (-пін).
Sen kelmeksıñ Сен келмексің
you intend to come · Turkish: Sen gelmek niyetindesin (geleceksin)
2nd person singular informal: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek- (-мек-) + -sıñ (-сің).
Sız kelmeksız Сіз келмексіз
you intend to come · Turkish: Siz gelmek niyetindesiniz (geleceksiniz)
2nd person singular polite: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek- (-мек-) + -sız (-сіз).
Ol kelmek Ол келмек
he intends to come, she intends to come · Turkish: O gelmek niyetinde (gelecek)
3rd person singular: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek (-мек).
Bız kelmekpız Біз келмекпіз
we intend to come · Turkish: Biz gelmek niyetindeyiz (geleceğiz)
1st person plural: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek- (-мек-) + -pız (-піз).
Sender kelmeksıñder Сендер келмексіңдер
you all intend to come · Turkish: Siz gelmek niyetindesiniz (geleceksiniz)
2nd person plural informal: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek- (-мек-) + -sıñder (-сіңдер).
Sızder kelmeksızder Сіздер келмексіздер
you all intend to come · Turkish: Siz gelmek niyetindesiniz (geleceksiniz)
2nd person plural polite: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek- (-мек-) + -sızder (-сіздер).
Olar kelmek Олар келмек
they intend to come · Turkish: Onlar gelmek niyetindeler (gelecekler)
3rd person plural: stem kel- (кел-) + -mek (-мек).
In daily conversational speech, Kazakh very frequently expands -maq / -mek (-мақ / -мек) with the suffix -şy / -şı (-шы / -ші), producing -maqşy / -mekşı (-мақшы / -мекші) (and its voiced and voiceless variants -baqşy / -bekşı (-бақшы / -бекші) and -paqşy / -pekşı (-пақшы / -пекші)).
Because this form ends in the vowel y / ı (ы / і), the first-person endings revert to their standard nasal shapes -myn / -mın (-мын / -мін) and -myz / -mız (-мыз / -міз).
barmaqşymyn бармақшымын
I intend to go / I plan to go · Turkish: gitmek niyetindeyim (gideceğim)
Stem bar- (бар-) + -maqşy- (-мақшы-) + 1st person -myn (-мын).
kelmekşımız келмекшіміз
we intend to come / we plan to come · Turkish: gelmek niyetindeyiz (geleceğiz)
Stem kel- (кел-) + -mekşı- (-мекші-) + 1st person plural -mız (-міз).
jazbaqşysyzdar жазбақшысыздар
you all plan to write · Turkish: yazmak niyetindesiniz (yazacaksınız)
Voiced stem jaz- (жаз-) + -baqşy- (-бақшы-) + polite plural -syzdar (-сыздар).
aitpaqşy айтпақшы
he intends to say / by the way · Turkish: söylemek niyetinde (aklıma gelmişken)
Voiceless stem ait- (айт-) + -paqşy (-пақшы) without personal ending. In conversation, this word also serves as an adverb meaning "by the way".
Subject pronouns can be dropped because the personal endings identify the speaker, addressee, or group.
Men jazbaqpyn → jazbaqpyn Мен жазбақпын → жазбақпын
I intend to write → intend to write · Turkish: Ben yazmak niyetindeyim → yazmak niyetindeyim
1st person singular with pronoun dropped.
Bız kezdespekpız → kezdespekpız Біз кездеспекпіз → кездеспекпіз
we plan to meet → plan to meet · Turkish: Biz buluşmak niyetindeyiz → buluşmak niyetindeyiz
1st person plural with pronoun dropped.
Sız söilespeksız → söilespeksız Сіз сөйлеспексіз → сөйлеспексіз
you plan to speak → plan to speak · Turkish: Siz konuşmak niyetindesiniz → konuşmak niyetindesiniz
2nd person polite with pronoun dropped.
Unlike simple tenses which insert a negative suffix directly into the verb stem, the Intentional Future forms its negative using the standalone negative particle emes (емес) ("is not").
The personal endings attach directly to emes (емес) rather than to the main verb.
Men barmaq emespın Мен бармақ емеспін
I do not intend to go / I will not go · Turkish: Ben gitmek niyetinde değilim (gitmeyeceğim)
1st person singular: barmaq (бармақ) + emes- (емес-) + -pın (-пін).
Sen kelmek emessıñ Сен келмек емессің
you do not intend to come · Turkish: Sen gelmek niyetinde değilsin (gelmeyeceksin)
2nd person singular informal: kelmek (келмек) + emes- (емес-) + -sıñ (-сің).
Sız jazbaq emessız Сіз жазбақ емессіз
you do not intend to write · Turkish: Siz yazmak niyetinde değilsiniz (yazmayacaksınız)
2nd person singular polite: jazbaq (жазбақ) + emes- (емес-) + -sız (-сіз).
Ol barmaq emes Ол бармақ емес
he does not intend to go, she does not intend to go · Turkish: O gitmek niyetinde değil (gitmeyecek)
3rd person singular: barmaq (бармақ) + emes (емес) (no personal ending).
Bız kelmek emespız Біз келмек емеспіз
we do not intend to come · Turkish: Biz gelmek niyetinde değiliz (gelmeyeceğiz)
1st person plural: kelmek (келмек) + emes- (емес-) + -pız (-піз).
Sender jazbaq emessıñder Сендер жазбақ емессіңдер
you all do not intend to write · Turkish: Siz yazmak niyetinde değilsiniz (yazmayacaksınız)
2nd person plural informal: jazbaq (жазбақ) + emes- (емес-) + -sıñder (-сіңдер).
Sızder kelmek emessızder Сіздер келмек емессіздер
you all do not intend to come · Turkish: Siz gelmek niyetinde değilsiniz (gelmeyeceksiniz)
2nd person plural polite: kelmek (келмек) + emes- (емес-) + -sızder (-сіздер).
Olar barmaq emes Олар бармақ емес
they do not intend to go · Turkish: Onlar gitmek niyetinde değiller (gitmeyecekler)
3rd person plural: barmaq (бармақ) + emes (емес).
| The verb stem ends in | Back vowel (a, o, ū, y (а, о, ұ, ы)) | Front vowel (ä, e, ö, ü, ı (ә, е, ө, ү, і)) |
|---|---|---|
| a consonant | -ar (-ар) | -er (-ер) |
| a vowel | -r (-р) | -r (-р) |
When the stem ends in a vowel, the suffix is invariant -r (-р) across all stems.
Attaching -er- (-ер-) and personal endings to the stem kel- (кел-) ("to come"). This tense expresses actions that are probable, expected, or assumed to happen ("perhaps I will come", "I might come").
Men kelermın Мен келермін
perhaps I will come / I might come · Turkish: Ben gelirim (belki gelirim)
1st person singular: stem kel- (кел-) + -er- (-ер-) + -mın (-мін).
Sen kelersıñ Сен келерсің
perhaps you will come · Turkish: Sen gelirsin (belki gelirsin)
2nd person singular informal: stem kel- (кел-) + -er- (-ер-) + -sıñ (-сің).
Sız kelersız Сіз келерсіз
perhaps you will come · Turkish: Siz gelirsiniz (belki gelirsiniz)
2nd person singular polite: stem kel- (кел-) + -er- (-ер-) + -sız (-сіз).
Ol keler Ол келер
perhaps he will come, perhaps she will come · Turkish: O gelir (belki gelir)
3rd person singular: stem kel- (кел-) + -er (-ер) (no personal ending).
Bız kelermız Біз келерміз
perhaps we will come · Turkish: Biz geliriz (belki geliriz)
1st person plural: stem kel- (кел-) + -er- (-ер-) + -mız (-міз).
Sender kelersıñder Сендер келерсіңдер
perhaps you all will come · Turkish: Siz gelirsiniz (belki gelirsiniz)
2nd person plural informal: stem kel- (кел-) + -er- (-ер-) + -sıñder (-сіңдер).
Sızder kelersızder Сіздер келерсіздер
perhaps you all will come · Turkish: Siz gelirsiniz (belki gelirsiniz)
2nd person plural polite: stem kel- (кел-) + -er- (-ер-) + -sızder (-сіздер).
Olar keler Олар келер
perhaps they will come · Turkish: Onlar gelirler (belki gelirler)
3rd person plural: stem kel- (кел-) + -er (-ер).
The negative suppositional future attaches the negative suffix -mas / -mes / -bas / -bes / -pas / -pes (-мас / -мес / -бас / -бес / -пас / -пес) directly to the verb stem, followed by personal endings.
This matches the Turkish negative Geniş Zaman (-maz / -mez).
Men barmaspyn Мен бармаспын
perhaps I will not go / I probably will not go · Turkish: Ben gitmem (herhalde gitmem)
Sonorant stem bar- (бар-) + -mas- (-мас-) + 1st person -pyn (-пын).
Sen kelmessıñ Сен келмессің
perhaps you will not come · Turkish: Sen gelmezsin (herhalde gelmezsin)
Front stem kel- (кел-) + -mes- (-мес-) + 2nd person -sıñ (-сің).
Sız kelmessız Сіз келмессіз
perhaps you will not come · Turkish: Siz gelmezsiniz (herhalde gelmezsiniz)
Front stem kel- (кел-) + -mes- (-мес-) + polite -sız (-сіз).
Ol aitpas Ол айтпас
perhaps he will not say · Turkish: O söylemez (herhalde söylemez)
Voiceless stem ait- (айт-) + -pas (-пас) (no personal ending).
Bız barmaspyz Біз бармаспыз
perhaps we will not go · Turkish: Biz gitmeyiz (herhalde gitmeyiz)
Sonorant stem bar- (бар-) + -mas- (-мас-) + 1st person plural -pyz (-пыз).
Sender jazbassyñdar Сендер жазбассыңдар
perhaps you all will not write · Turkish: Siz yazmazsınız (herhalde yazmazsınız)
Voiced stem jaz- (жаз-) + -bas- (-бас-) + 2nd person plural informal -syñdar (-сыңдар).
Sızder kelmessızder Сіздер келмессіздер
perhaps you all will not come · Turkish: Siz gelmezsiniz (herhalde gelmezsiniz)
Front stem kel- (кел-) + -mes- (-мес-) + 2nd person plural polite -sızder (-сіздер).
Olar aitpas Олар айтпас
perhaps they will not say · Turkish: Onlar söylemezler (herhalde söylemezler)
Voiceless stem ait- (айт-) + -pas (-пас).
erteñ ертең
tomorrow · Turkish: yarın
Kazakh erteñ (ертең) is cognate with Turkish er ("early, dawn") and erken.
erteñ tañerteñ ертең таңертең
tomorrow morning · Turkish: yarın sabah
Compound from tañ (таң) ("dawn") and erteñ (ертең) ("tomorrow").
erteñ keşke ертең кешке
tomorrow evening · Turkish: yarın akşam
Time noun keş (кеш) ("evening", cognate with Turkish geç) carrying the dative ending -ke (-ке).
kelesı apta келесі апта
next week · Turkish: gelecek hafta
kelesı (келесі) ("next, upcoming") precedes the noun apta (апта) ("week", loanword from Persian *hafta*).
kelesı ai келесі ай
next month · Turkish: gelecek ay
kelesı (келесі) ("next") with ai (ай) ("month / moon").
kelesı jyl келесі жыл
next year · Turkish: gelecek yıl
kelesı (келесі) ("next") with jyl (жыл) ("year", cognate with Turkish yıl).
Bız erteñ kezdespekpız. Біз ертең кездеспекпіз.
We plan to meet tomorrow. · Turkish: Biz yarın buluşmak niyetindeyiz (buluşacağız).
Subject Bız (Біз), time adverb erteñ (ертең), and intentional future verb kezdespekpız (кездеспекпіз).
Men erteñ demalmaqpyn. Мен ертең демалмақпын.
I intend to rest tomorrow. · Turkish: Ben yarın dinlenmek niyetindeyim (dinleneceğim).
Compound verb dem alu (дем алу) ("to rest", literally "to take breath") in the intentional future.
Ol erteñ keler. Ол ертең келер.
He will probably come tomorrow. · Turkish: O yarın gelir (herhalde gelir).
Subject Ol (Ол) with suppositional future verb keler (келер).
Sen erteñ barmaqsyñ ba? Сен ертең бармақсың ба?
do you intend to go tomorrow? · Turkish: Sen yarın gitmek niyetinde misin (gidecek misin)?
Question particle ba (ба) follows the intentional future verb barmaqsyñ (бармақсың).
Modern Turkish combines future intention and general future prediction into a single primary tense suffix -acak / -ecek (gideceğim, gelecek). Kazakh keeps them distinct:
1. Firm intention and planned goals use -maq / -mek (-мақ / -мек) and -maqşy / -mekşı (-мақшы / -мекші) (Men barmaqpyn (Мен бармақпын), matching Turkish Ben gitmek niyetindeyim / gideceğim).
2. Probable assumptions and suppositions use -ar / -er / -r (-ар / -ер / -р) (Ol keler (Ол келер), matching Turkish O gelir / herhalde gelir).
In the negative, Kazakh suppositional -mas / -mes (-мас / -мес) directly preserves the Proto-Turkic negative marker that modern Turkish uses in Geniş Zaman (-maz / -mez, such as aitpas (айтпас) matching Turkish söylemez / demez).
← The Present Continuous Tense · Desires, Intentions and Optatives →
Home · Grammar courses · About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · Contact