Mümkün

Mümkün is a Turkish adjective meaning “possible” or “feasible,” used to describe things that can happen, be done, or be true. It is one of the most common terms for expressing possibility in Turkish and appears across everyday and formal language.

Etymology and history: The word derives from Arabic mumkin (ممكن), meaning “possible” or “permitted,” and entered Turkish through Ottoman Turkish. The current spelling mümkün reflects Turkish vowel harmony and phonology, including the umlaut on the first syllable.

Usage and forms: Mümkün functions as a predicative adjective, as in Bu mümkün. It can also modify a noun in a noun phrase, though Turkish often prefers aliases such as olası, which carries a similar meaning, for certain contexts (olası bir çözüm, possible solution). The noun form is mümkünlük, denoting a “possibility” or “likelihood.” The adverbial form mümkünse means “if possible.” The negation is formed with mümkün değildir or with the synonym imkânsız (“not possible”). Common expressions include “bu durum mümkün” (this situation is possible) and “mümkün olan her şey” (everything that is possible).