Gitmeliyim

Gitmeliyim is a Turkish verb form meaning “I should go” or “I ought to go.” It is built from the infinitive gitmek (to go) together with the obligation suffix -meli/-malı and the first-person singular ending -im/-ım, yielding gitmeliyim. The form expresses personal obligation, recommendation, or intention from the speaker’s perspective.

In Turkish, -meli/-malı marks necessity or obligation and changes to agree with the subject and the surrounding phonology. For the first person singular, the ending attaches to the verb stem with a linking element to maintain smooth pronunciation, resulting in forms such as gitmeliyim. Related forms exist for other persons and numbers, for example gitmelisin (you should go), gitmeliyiz (we should go), and gitmelidir (he/she/it should go). The exact vowel harmony and linking consonants follow standard Turkish patterns.

Usage notes: gitmeliyim is typically used to express something the speaker believes is necessary or appropriate to do. It can convey personal obligation, a self-imposed guideline, or a recommendation in discussions about plans or decisions. It is not a command directed at another person; it reflects the speaker’s stance.

Related forms include gitmeliydim (I should have gone) for reflecting on past obligations, and other person forms that adapt the subject. While the phrase is straightforward, Turkish uses a variety of mood and tense constructions to express nuances of necessity, possibility, or obligation beyond gitmeliyim.

See also: Turkish grammar, -meli/-malı suffix, gitmek.