çökmeye

Çökmeye is a Turkish grammatical form derived from the verb çökmek, meaning to collapse or sink. In Turkish, çökmeye functions as a non-finite verb form—an infinitive-like construction formed with the suffix -meye. It is used to introduce subordinate verbal clauses and can act as a verbal noun in various syntactic roles. For example, in the sentence Duvarlar çökmeye başladı, the phrase çökmeye expresses the action of collapsing in a non-finite clause linked to başladı (began).

Morphology and function play a central role in its use. The form is created by attaching -meye to the verb stem, producing a non-finite clause that can link to auxiliary verbs or appear as the subject or object of another clause. It is closely related to other Turkish non-finite forms such as çökmek in its infinitive sense and to noun-formations like çökmek (collapse) and çökmeler (collapses, a plural noun form). In practice, çökmeye appears in constructions that express beginning, continuation, intention, or obligation of the collapsing action, often with verbs like başlamak, devam etmek, veya karar vermek.

Examples and usage notes illustrate its versatility. Common constructions include çökmeye başlamak (to begin to collapse) and çökmeye devam etmek (to continue to collapse). It is distinct from the nominal form çökmE (collapse as a noun), though both share the same root. See also çökm e, as well as related verbal-noun forms in Turkish grammar.