To ´express need´ in english we use, ´need´, ´have to´, ´must´, in turkish we use the suffix meli/malı. For example: gitmeliyim ´I must go´. When making an ´express need´ sentence in turkish just remember this formula:

verb + meli/malı + personal suffix

The Personal suffixes for this suffix are:

I must + im

You must + sin

He/she/it must + no personal ending

we must + iz

you must + siniz

They must + ler

Let´s do an example

I must come

gel + meli + yim

gelmeliyim

Before we move on take a look at the ´y´ at the end of the turkish sentence. If you don´t know what the ´y´ is then in turkish this is called the ´buffer letter´. A buffer letter basically separates two vowels from sitting together. We will have a separate lesson on the ´buffer letter´ another time so won´t go in to detail about it now but just wanted to point this out to you.

Let´s do another example

I must take

al + malı + yım

almalıyım

Now with the sentence above can you see that there are no dots above the ´i´´s. Take a look at the verb

al

the turkish vowels are

e i ö ü 

a ı o u 

I say the ´e i ö ü´ are the ´front´ vowels

and

the ´a ı o u´ are the ´back´ vowels

In this suffix:

If the last letter of the verb is ´e i ö ü´ then the (y)im/sin/iz/siniz/ler would be used

If you last letter of the verb is ´a ı o u´ then the (y)ım/sın/ız/lar would be used

SO

git + meli + yim

(in the verb is the vowel ´i´ + so the suffix would be ´meli´ + and then the personal suffix would be ´(y)im´)

al + malı + yım

(in the verb is the vowel ´a´ + so the suffix would be ´malı´ + and then the personal suffix would be ´(y)ım)

Here are a few examples to make use with the ´front´ vowels:

I must give - ver + meli + yim - vermeliyim

You must go - git + meli + sin - gitmelisin

He must watch - izle + meli - izlemeli

We must come - gel + meli + yiz - gelmeliyiz

You must see - gör + meli + siniz - görmelisiniz

They must send - gönder + meli + ler - göndermeliler

Here are a few examples to make use with the ´back´ vowels:

I must stay - kal + malı + yım - kalmalıyım

You must take - al + malı + sın - almalısın

He must believe - inan + malı - inanmalı

We must be - ol + malı + yız - olmalıyız

You must do - yap + malı + sınız - yapmalısınız

They must put - koy + malı + lar - koymalılar

Try making up your own examples and seeing how you get on. Keep going over the lesson until you feel confident that you know this suffix.