neden

Neden is a Turkish word with two primary senses: as an interrogative adverb meaning "why" and as a noun meaning "reason" or "motive." It is common in both spoken and written Turkish and appears in questions as well as in statements about causes.

Etymology and meanings: Neden is derived from ne (what) plus den (from), literally "from what [reason]." In its interrogative use, neden introduces questions about cause or justification, as in Neden bu kararı verdin? (Why did you make this decision?). As a noun, neden denotes a reason or cause, as in Bu olayın nedeni nedir? (What is the reason for this event?). Turkish also uses synonyms like niye, which has a similar meaning but can carry a softer or more informal tone.

Usage and grammar: When asking questions, neden typically appears at the beginning of the clause, but it can occur in other positions within a sentence. It governs the verb tense by the surrounding context, so you can ask in past, present, or future tenses: Neden gelmedin? (Why didn't you come?); Neden bu kadar geç oldu? (Why is this so late?). As a noun, nedeni can be used with the verb to be for identification of the reason, e.g., Bu olayın nedeni bu mu? (Is this the reason for the event?). It also forms part of expressions like neden dolayı and nedeniyle meaning "due to" or "because of," and is used in phrases about cause-and-effect relationships (neden-sonuç ilişkisi).

See also: niye; neden-sonuç ilişkisi; nedeniyle.