Learning how to express likes and dislikes is an essential part of mastering any language. In Turkish, just as in English, there are various ways to convey your preferences, whether you love something, dislike it, or are indifferent. This article will guide you through the fundamental structures and vocabulary you need to express likes and dislikes in Turkish, making your conversations more vivid and engaging.
Basic Vocabulary for Likes and Dislikes
To start, let’s look at some basic vocabulary that will be useful when discussing likes and dislikes.
Likes:
– Sevmek: to like, to love
– Hoşlanmak: to like, to enjoy
– Bayılmak: to adore, to be crazy about
Dislikes:
– Sevmemek: to dislike
– Hoşlanmamak: to not like
– Nefret etmek: to hate
Using “Sevmek”
The verb sevmek is commonly used to express likes and loves. It is a versatile verb that can be used in many different contexts.
Examples:
– Ben çikolatayı seviyorum. (I like chocolate.)
– O, müziği seviyor. (He/She likes music.)
– Biz futbolu seviyoruz. (We like football.)
When using sevmek in the negative form, the structure changes slightly:
Examples:
– Ben çikolatayı sevmiyorum. (I don’t like chocolate.)
– O, müziği sevmiyor. (He/She doesn’t like music.)
– Biz futbolu sevmiyoruz. (We don’t like football.)
Using “Hoşlanmak”
The verb hoşlanmak is another way to express that you like or enjoy something. This verb is often used with the ablative case, which involves adding the suffix -den/-dan to the noun.
Examples:
– Ben müzikten hoşlanıyorum. (I like music.)
– O, spordan hoşlanıyor. (He/She likes sports.)
– Biz kitaplardan hoşlanıyoruz. (We like books.)
In the negative form:
Examples:
– Ben müzikten hoşlanmıyorum. (I don’t like music.)
– O, spordan hoşlanmıyor. (He/She doesn’t like sports.)
– Biz kitaplardan hoşlanmıyoruz. (We don’t like books.)
Using “Bayılmak”
The verb bayılmak is used to express a stronger liking, akin to adoring or being crazy about something. It is usually used with the dative case, adding the suffix -e/-a to the noun.
Examples:
– Ben çikolataya bayılıyorum. (I adore chocolate.)
– O, müziğe bayılıyor. (He/She adores music.)
– Biz filme bayılıyoruz. (We are crazy about the movie.)
In the negative form:
Examples:
– Ben çikolataya bayılmıyorum. (I don’t adore chocolate.)
– O, müziğe bayılmıyor. (He/She doesn’t adore music.)
– Biz filme bayılmıyoruz. (We are not crazy about the movie.)
Expressing Dislikes
When it comes to expressing dislikes, the verbs sevmemek, hoşlanmamak, and nefret etmek are commonly used.
Using “Sevmemek”
The verb sevmemek is simply the negative form of sevmek.
Examples:
– Ben sebzeleri sevmem. (I don’t like vegetables.)
– O, kış mevsimini sevmiyor. (He/She doesn’t like the winter season.)
– Biz matematiği sevmiyoruz. (We don’t like math.)
Using “Hoşlanmamak”
The verb hoşlanmamak is the negative form of hoşlanmak and is used in similar contexts.
Examples:
– Ben denizden hoşlanmıyorum. (I don’t like the sea.)
– O, kalabalıktan hoşlanmıyor. (He/She doesn’t like crowds.)
– Biz uzun yolculuklardan hoşlanmıyoruz. (We don’t like long journeys.)
Using “Nefret Etmek”
The verb nefret etmek is a stronger term used to express hatred or intense dislike. It is often used with the ablative case.
Examples:
– Ben yalandan nefret ediyorum. (I hate lies.)
– O, böceklerden nefret ediyor. (He/She hates insects.)
– Biz haksızlıktan nefret ediyoruz. (We hate injustice.)
Combining Likes and Dislikes
To make your conversations richer and more nuanced, you can combine expressions of likes and dislikes in a single sentence.
Examples:
– Ben çikolatayı seviyorum ama kahveyi sevmiyorum. (I like chocolate, but I don’t like coffee.)
– O, müzikten hoşlanıyor, fakat dans etmekten hoşlanmıyor. (He/She likes music but doesn’t like dancing.)
– Biz sinemaya gitmeyi seviyoruz, ancak tiyatrodan nefret ediyoruz. (We like going to the cinema, but we hate theater.)
Expressing Preferences
Sometimes, you might want to express a preference between two or more things. In Turkish, you can use the structure “tercih etmek” (to prefer) or “daha çok sevmek” (to like more).
Examples:
– Ben çayı kahveden daha çok seviyorum. (I like tea more than coffee.)
– O, yaz mevsimini kıştan tercih ediyor. (He/She prefers summer over winter.)
– Biz şehir hayatını kırsaldan daha çok seviyoruz. (We like city life more than the countryside.)
Using Adverbs to Modify Likes and Dislikes
To add more detail to your expressions of likes and dislikes, you can use adverbs such as çok (very), az (a little), pek (not much), or hiç (not at all).
Examples:
– Ben çikolatayı çok seviyorum. (I like chocolate very much.)
– O, müziği pek sevmiyor. (He/She doesn’t like music much.)
– Biz futboldan hiç hoşlanmıyoruz. (We don’t like football at all.)
– Ben çaydan az hoşlanıyorum. (I like tea a little.)
Expressing Likes and Dislikes in Different Tenses
Being able to express likes and dislikes in different tenses will add depth to your conversations. Here are some examples in the past, present, and future tenses.
Present Tense:
– Ben dondurmayı seviyorum. (I like ice cream.)
– O, kitap okumaktan hoşlanıyor. (He/She likes reading books.)
Past Tense:
– Ben dondurmayı seviyordum. (I liked ice cream.)
– O, kitap okumaktan hoşlanıyordu. (He/She liked reading books.)
Future Tense:
– Ben dondurmayı seveceğim. (I will like ice cream.)
– O, kitap okumaktan hoşlanacak. (He/She will like reading books.)
Common Phrases and Expressions
To help you sound more natural and fluent, here are some common Turkish phrases and expressions related to likes and dislikes:
– Bu tam benlik! (This is totally my thing!)
– Buna bayıldım! (I loved it!)
– Hiç hoşuma gitmedi. (I didn’t like it at all.)
– İlgimi çekmiyor. (It doesn’t interest me.)
– Bu bana göre değil. (This is not for me.)
Practice Exercises
To solidify your understanding, try these practice exercises:
Translate the following sentences into Turkish:
1. I love coffee, but I don’t like tea.
2. She enjoys swimming, but she hates running.
3. We prefer sunny weather over rainy weather.
4. They don’t like spicy food at all.
5. I used to like reading books, but now I prefer watching movies.
Create sentences in Turkish using the following words:
1. Müzik (music)
2. Spor (sports)
3. Sinema (cinema)
4. Yemek (food)
5. Kitap (book)
By learning and practicing these structures and vocabulary, you will be well-equipped to express your likes and dislikes in Turkish, making your conversations more engaging and authentic. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t hesitate to use these expressions in your daily interactions. Happy learning!
