çalmazlar

Çalmazlar is a Turkish verb form describing the present simple negative in the third person plural. It derives from the verb çalmak, which has multiple senses, including to play (an instrument), to steal, or to ring/strike, among others. The form çalmazlar literally means “they do not play,” “they do not steal,” or more generally “they do not perform the action of çalmak” in the present tense, depending on context.

Morphology and syntax

The word is built from the root çal- with two suffixes: the negation suffix -maz and the plural suffix -lar. Turkish negation uses -maz/-mez with vowel harmony, and in this case the root vowel a leads to -maz. The full form is then combined with the plural suffix to indicate a plural subject: çalmazlar. The predicate may stand alone as Çalmazlar. or appear in a clause with an explicit subject, such as Onlar çalmazlar.

Meaning and ambiguity

Because çal- covers several meanings, çalmazlar can express different actions negated in the present tense, depending on context: they do not play (an instrument), they do not steal, they do not ring, etc. Context usually clarifies the intended sense.

Usage notes

Çalmazlar is a neutral, declarative form appropriate for everyday speech and written Turkish. It functions as a simple present-tense negative with a plural subject and does not, by itself, indicate tense beyond present time.

See also: Turkish verb conjugation, negation in Turkish, çalmak.