The question particle mI is used to turn a statement into a simple question that can be answered with "Yes" (Evet) or "No" (Hayır). It is the equivalent of the English word "Is/Are" or "Do/Does" when starting a question.
💡 The Golden Rules of the Question Particle:
Detachment: The question particle is always written separately from the word it follows.
4-Way Vowel Harmony: The vowel in the particle changes to match the last vowel of the preceding word:
Last Vowel of the Word | Correct Question Particle |
a, ı | mı |
e, i | mi |
o, u | mu |
ö, ü | mü |
Practical Examples:
Bu masa mı? (Is this a table?) ← Ends with a.
Defter güzel mi? (Is the notebook beautiful?) ← Ends with e.
Bu okul mu? (Is this a school?) ← Ends with u.
Bu sözlük mü? (Is this a dictionary?) ← Ends with ü.
Conjugation with Personal Pronouns
When asking about a person (I, You, We, etc.), the personal suffix is attached directly to the question particle (except for "They").
Pronoun | Question (Student) | English Translation |
Ben | Öğrenci miyim? | Am I a student? |
Sen | Öğrenci misin? | Are you a student? |
O | Öğrenci mi? | Is he/she a student? |
Biz | Öğrenci miyiz? | Are we students? |
Siz | Öğrenci misiniz? | Are you (plural) students? |
Onlar | Öğrenciler mi? | Are they students? |
Note: For "I" (Ben) and "We" (Biz), we add the buffer letter (y) between the particle and the suffix to prevent two vowels from meeting (miyim / miyiz).
How to Answer
Answers are typically structured using Evet (Yes) for affirmation or Hayır (No) for negation, followed by the word Değil (Not).
Example: Is this a table? (Bu masa mı?)
Affirmative: Evet, bu masa. (Yes, this is a table).
Negative: Hayır, bu masa değil. (No, this is not a table).
Advanced Uses
In more advanced levels, you will learn that mI can also be used for:
Emphasis: (Güzel mi güzel! - Very, very beautiful!).
Conditionals: (Kar yağdı mı dışarı çıkmam - If it snows, I won't go out).
Surprise or Disbelief.
Mastering the question particle is essential for engaging in interactive Turkish conversations. This knowledge is free for all—please feel free to share it while crediting the source. Happy learning!