Hatalmak

Hatalmak is a Turkish verb that is not part of standard Turkish. It is rarely used and is generally not listed in major dictionaries. The more common way to express the idea of committing an error is to say hata yapmak or hata etmek, meaning “to make a mistake.” When hatalmak does appear, it is usually in informal speech, dialectal varieties, or as a nonstandard coinage derived from the noun hata (error) with the verb-forming suffix -lamak.

Meaning and usage

If interpreted as a verb, hatalmak would be understood as related to erring or producing an error, but its usage is nonstandard and can be ambiguous. In formal writing and education, speakers are advised to use hata yapmak or hata etmek to convey the act of making a mistake. The adjective hatalı is common to describe something faulty or mistaken, as in hatalı bir karar (a faulty decision). Some limited or regional language data may also encounter phrases like hata vermek, but these are not as widespread as hata yapmak.

Etymology and related terms

The potential verb hatalmak would be formed from the noun hata (error) with the Turkish verb suffix -lamak. The standard linguistic relationship remains with hata and the related adjectives and phrases: hatalı (faulty), hata yapmak, hata etmek, and hata vermek. The preferred and widely understood equivalents in Turkish are hata yapmak or hata etmek for “to make a mistake,” and hatalı for “faulty” or “in error.”

See also

Hata, Hatalı, Hata yapmak, Hata etmek, Hatalı olmak.