istemiyorum

Istemiyorum is a Turkish verb form meaning “I do not want.” It is the first-person singular present negative of istemek, which means “to want” or “to wish.” The form combines the verb stem istem- with the negative particle me/ma and the first-person present ending, yielding istemiyorum. In Turkish, negation is typically built into the verb, so istemiyorum can stand alone without an explicit subject pronoun, though ben (I) can be added for emphasis.

Usage and meaning

Istemiyorum is used to express a lack of desire or refusal in everyday speech. It can respond to offers, requests, or propositions, and it often appears in both informal and formal contexts depending on the sentence structure and tone.

Examples

- Bu kahveyi istemiyorum. (I don’t want this coffee.)

- Bu akşam sinemaya gitmek istemiyorum. (I don’t want to go to the cinema tonight.)

- Şeker ister misin? İstemiyorum. (Would you like sugar? I don’t want any.)

Variants and related forms

Istemek has other conjugations to express different persons, numbers, tenses, and moods. For example, isterim means “I would like” or “I want,” while istemezsin means “you don’t want.” The negative form can also appear in compound tenses with additional auxiliary verbs, but istemiyorum specifically conveys a direct, present-tense refusal or lack of desire.

See also

Turkish verb conjugation, Turkish negation pattern, istemek.