Istemekten

Istemekten is a Turkish grammatical form built from the verb istemek, meaning “to want.” It is the ablative form of the infinitive, expressed as -maktan (with vowel harmony, written as istemekten). The literal meaning is “from wanting” or “by wanting,” and it functions as a non-finite verbal form.

In use, istemekten typically forms non-finite clauses that can modify a main clause by indicating cause, motive, or source of action. Such clauses often express why something happens or what motivates an action. Because it is a non-finite construction, the clause with istemekten does not carry its own finite tense; it relies on the surrounding sentence for time and modality.

Commonly, istemekten appears in combinations like istemekten dolayı or istemekten ötürü, meaning “due to wanting” or “because of wanting,” to express a reason or motivation for a decision or action. It can be found in formal or written Turkish, and it is part of the broader Turkish system of verbal nouns and non-finite clauses formed with infinitives and ablative suffixes.

Examples (illustrative, non-exhaustive):

- İstemekten dolayı kararımızı değiştirdik. (We changed our decision due to wanting it.)

- Bu adımları istemekten ötürü attık. (We took these steps because of wanting it.)

Relation to other forms: istemekten is one of several non-finite verb forms in Turkish that connect clauses without a finite predicate. It shares the same infinitive base as istemek but carries an ablative case meaning that marks source or cause.

See also: Turkish grammar, verbal nouns, non-finite clauses, ablative suffixes.