Turkish Grammar › Compound Tenses
Dilek Kipinin Hikâyesi (-sAydI)
Past Optative
Level B1Compound Tenses
States wishes and conditions that did not come true: bilseydim gelirdim.
This form states wishes and conditions that DID NOT COME TRUE in the past: «Keşke dün gelseydin.» You did not come; the speaker wishes it, but it can no longer happen.
The form combines two suffixes: the optative «-sA» + the definite past «-(y)dI» + the personal ending. Gel-se-y-di-m.
The conjugation is: gelseydim, gelseydin, gelseydi, gelseydik, gelseydiniz, gelseydiler.
In the negative the negative suffix attaches to the verb: «Keşke o sözü söylemeseydim.», «Bu kadar geç kalmasaydık.»
Its first use is a wish about the past, and it almost always comes with «keşke»: «Keşke daha çok çalışsaydım.», «Keşke o gün seni dinleseydim.»
Its second use is the unreal condition. Such sentences have two parts: the condition with «-sAydI» and the result with the past habitual. «Bilseydim gelirdim.» — I did not know, so I did not come.
Think of this together with the fourth topic: there «-(A/I)rdI» described a habit in the past; here it states a result that did not come about. «Param olsaydı o arabayı alırdım.»
The result part is sometimes built with «-(y)AcAktI» as well: «Erken çıksaydık treni kaçırmayacaktık.»
Its difference from the conditional lies in time and in the chance of happening: «Yarın gelirse görüşürüz.» is a possible condition, while «Dün gelseydi görüşürdük.» can no longer come about.
Do not confuse it with the past necessitative either: «Gelmeliydin.» says coming was necessary and criticises; «Gelseydin.» merely wishes it.
In speech only the condition may be said and the result left out; the tone of voice says the rest: «Ah, bir bilseydin!»
Examples
- Keşke dün bize de gelseydin.If only you had come to us yesterday too.
- Bilseydim sana mutlaka söylerdim.If I had known, I would certainly have told you.
- Param olsaydı o arabayı alırdım.If I had had the money, I would have bought that car.
- Erken çıksaydık treni kaçırmayacaktık.If we had left early, we would not have missed the train.
- Keşke o sözü hiç söylemeseydim.If only I had never said those words.