Formation of the Positive Potential Mood

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This Mood (tense) indicates - ability - "to be able. . . can. . . etc. " - or - disposition - "may. . . might. . . "

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Verb Stems ending in a Consonant

The suffix-ebil- or -abil- is affixed to the positive verb stems which end in a consonant, whilst -yebil or -yabil is used if the verb stem ends in a vowel.

1. gelmek - to come
2. gelebilmek - to be able to come

1. yazmak - to write
2. yazabilmek - to be able to write

Verb Stems ending in a vowel use -yebil- - (buffer letter -y-)

1. yürümek -to walk
2. yürüyebilmek - to be able to walk

1. taşımak - to carry
2. taşıyabilmek - to be able to carry

The various tenses can be formed as normal after dropping -mek or -mak - which are replaced by -e- or -a- to which the verb bilmek - to know - is affixed - thus forming -ebil- or -abil- as the Potential Mood Suffix

Note: As stated above that this Potential Mood uses the addition of bİlmek - to know - to form its sense of meaning.
Therefore it always takes the form with a dotted İ - and is not subject to vowel harmony as bİlmek is a word in its own right.

This is similar to the Scottish use of - ken - can, be able to. . - where they can say - "Do you ken the swimming?" - "Do you know how to swim?"

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Potential Mood - Some Examples

Potential Mood -Present Continuous Tense

1. gelebiliyorum - I can come. . I am able to come. . I may come. . I might come. .

Potential Mood - Present Simple Tense

1. gelebilirim - I can come. . I am able to come. . I may come. . I might come. .

Potential Mood - Future Tense

1. gidebileceksiniz - you will be able to go. . etc.

Potential Mood - Past Tense

1. başlayabildik - we could have started. . etc.

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Examples of Conjugation: Present Continuous

görmek - to see - becomes in the Potential Form - görebilmek - to be able to see

1. görebiliyorum - I can see, I am able to see etc.
2. görebiliyorsun - you can see, you are able to see etc
3. görebiliyor - he can see, he is able to see etc.
4. görebiliyoruz - we can see, we are able to see etc.
5. görebiliyorsunuz - you can see, you are am able to see etc. .
6. görebiliyorlar - they can see, they are able to see etc

The Interrogative is formed in a similar manner as the Basic Verb by using the correct question tag according to the number of the personal pronoun

Present Continuous Interrogative

1. gelebiliyor muyum?- Can I come? etc.
2. gelebiliyor musunuz? - Can you come? etc

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Future Tense Potential Mood

kalmak to stay, remain - becomes in the Future Potential Form - kalabilmek to be able to stay

1. kalabileceğim - I will be able to stay
2. kalabileceksin - you will be able to stay
3. kalabilecek - he will be able to stay
4. kalabileceğiz - we will be able to stay
5. kalabileceksiniz - you will be able to stay
6. kalabilecekler - they will be able to stay

Future Interrogative

1. gidebilecek misiniz? - will you be able to go?

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Past Definite Tense

beklemek to wait - becomes in the Past Definite Potential Form - bekleyebilmek to be able to wait

1. bekleyebildim - I could have waited
2. bekleyebildin - you could have waited
3. bekleyebildi - he could have waited
4. bekleyebildik - we could have waited
5. bekleyebildiniz - you could have waited
6. bekleyebildiler - they could have waited

Past Interrogative

1. bekleyebildi mi? - could he have waited?

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Past Continuous Tense Imperfect

yapmak to do - becomes in the Imperfect Past Potential Form - yapabilmek to be able to do

1. yapabiliyordum - I was able to do
2. yapabiliyordun - you were able to do
3. yapabiliyordu - he was able to do
4. yapabiliyorduk - we were able to do
5. yapabiliyordunuz - you were able to do
6. yapabiliyorlardı - they were able to do

Imperfect Interrogative

1. durabiliyorlardı mı? - were they able to stop, halt ?

We can see clearly in this example where the verb - bilmek - to know - keeps its dotted i - as it is not subject to vowel harmony rules.