tutabilir

Tutabilir is a Turkish verb form derived from the verb tutmak, meaning to hold, keep, or grasp. It expresses possibility or capability and belongs to the Turkish mood of potentiality, formed with the suffix -ebilir/-abilir. The suffix attaches to the verb stem, so from tut- you get tutabilir, meaning can hold or may hold. The third-person singular form is tutabilir; corresponding plural forms include tutabilirler for “they can hold.” The form can appear in questions as well, such as tutabilir misin? meaning “can you hold [it]?”

Usage and nuance

Tutabilir is used to talk about something’s ability to hold or support something else, or to indicate that holding is possible in a given situation. It does not by itself indicate a specific past or future tense; time is inferred from context or additional auxiliary verbs. Examples illustrate its meaning: Bu ip bu ağırlığı tutabilir. (This rope can hold this weight.) O bu kutuyu tutabilir mi? (Can he hold this box?) İnsanlar bu malzemeyi tutabilirler. (People can hold this material.)

Relation to other forms

Turkish expresses modality with -ebilir/-abilir across many verbs, not only tutmak. The form contrasts with the present tense (tutar, tutuyor) that states a fact about holding, and with potential forms in other verbs that use different stems or suffixes. Practically, tutabilir is a common, everyday way to express possibility or capability in Turkish.

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