The paired conjunctions of argument: ne… ne…, hem… hem…, ya… ya…
In an argument half the work is done by conjunctions, and they have to be set out in pairs. For example: “Ne beni dinledi ne fikrimi sordu” — He neither listened to me nor asked my opinion. A rule from the Turkish course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
In an argument half the work is done by conjunctions, and they have to be set out in pairs.
ne… ne… means neither and nor, and the verb beside it stays positive. Ne beni dinledi ne fikrimi sordu is he neither heard me out nor asked my view. English negates once, Turkish not at all: ne has already done it.
hem… hem de… is both and: Hem haklı hem de kibar konuştu. ya… ya da… is either or: Ya şimdi karar ver ya da sus.
The trap is where a link stands. The pairs go in front of their own halves, ama goes between the parts, and ise clings on second: o ise kalıyor.
Table
| the pair | the meaning | example | what happens to the verb |
|---|---|---|---|
| ne… ne… | neither… nor… | ne o ne ben geldim | the verb stays positive |
| hem… hem de… | both… and… | hem ucuz hem iyi | nothing special |
| ya… ya da… | either… or… | ya sen ya o | nothing special |
| ister… ister… | whether… or… | ister gel ister gelme | the imperative |
| ama / fakat | but | geldi ama geç kaldı | between the clauses |
| oysa / hâlbuki | whereas, when in fact | oysa söz vermişti | introduces a contradiction |
| buna rağmen | despite this | buna rağmen geldi | a concession |
| ise | as for, whereas | o ise kalıyor | stands as the second word |
By example
- Ne beni dinledi ne fikrimi sorduHe neither listened to me nor asked my opinion
- Hem haklı hem de kibar konuştuHe spoke both correctly and politely
- Ya şimdi karar ver ya da susEither decide now or be quiet
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
The paired conjunctions of argument: how does it work in Turkish?
In an argument half the work is done by conjunctions, and they have to be set out in pairs.
What does it look like in an example sentence Turkish?
“Ne beni dinledi ne fikrimi sordu” — He neither listened to me nor asked my opinion. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.