Evidential Past (Rivayet Geçmiş Zaman)
The evidential past (rivayet geçmiş zaman) in Turkish expresses past actions not witnessed directly by the speaker, but heard about, inferred, or discovered later.
It is formed with the suffix -miş (with vowel harmony: -mış, -muş, -müş).
It corresponds roughly to “apparently,” “it seems,” or “I heard that” in English.
Mood:
- Evidential mood = indirect or reported knowledge about the past.
Aspect:
- Perfect (completed) — refers to actions that have already happened, often with a result still relevant.
Voice:
- Active voice is the default.
Passive and causative forms are possible, but the evidential meaning stays the same.
Formation
The evidential past is formed by adding -miş (or its vowel-harmony variants) to the verb stem, followed by personal endings.
Example verb: gelmek (“to come”)
| Person | Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben (I) | gelmişim | Ben gelmişim. | Apparently I came |
| Sen (you sg.) | gelmişsin | Sen gelmişsin. | Apparently you came |
| O (he/she/it) | gelmiş | O gel*miş.* | Apparently he/she came |
| Biz (we) | gelmişiz | Biz gelmişiz. | Apparently we came |
| Siz (you pl./formal) | gelmişsiniz | Siz gelmişsiniz. | Apparently you came |
| Onlar (they) | gelmişler | Onlar gelmişler. | Apparently they came |
Usage
Reported or hearsay past
- Ali gelmiş. (Ali came, I heard.)
Inference based on evidence
- Yemek bitmiş. (The food is gone — it seems they ate.)
Realization or surprise
- Ne kadar yorulmuşum! (Oh, I’ve gotten so tired!)
Polite or softened tone
- İyileşmişsiniz! (You’ve recovered — said politely.)
Examples
- Affirmative: Evden çıkmışım. (Apparently I left the house.)
- Negative: Evden çıkmamış**ım. (Apparently I didn’t leave the house.)
- Interrogative: Evden çıkmış mıyım? (Did I apparently leave the house?)
Notes
- Vowel harmony:
- -mış (a, ı), -miş (e, i), -muş (o, u), -müş (ö, ü).
- The meaning depends on the speaker’s awareness, not time order — it’s always past.
- Negation: insert -me / -ma before -miş:
- gelmemişim (Apparently I didn’t come).
- Questions: use mi / mı / mu / mü:
- Gelmiş mi? (Has he apparently come?)
- It often appears in narratives, gossip, or polite conversation.
Common Expressions
| Expression | Example |
|---|---|
| duyduğuma göre (I heard that) | Duyduğuma göre o evlenmiş. (I heard he got married.) |
| galiba (apparently, it seems) | Galiba o gitmiş. (Apparently he left.) |
| meğerse (turns out) | Meğerse o da bilmiş. (Turns out he knew too.) |
| sanki (as if) | Sanki hasta olmuş. (As if he were sick.) |
Irregular / Notable Verbs
There are no true irregulars, but some stems shorten or change slightly:
- etmek → edmişim
- demek → demişim
- yemek → yemişim
