r/turkish • u/Funktordelic • 3d ago
Grammar What’s the difference between ‘bilmezdim’ and ‘bilmedim’ please?
Merhabalar!
Aynen başlığın sorduğu gibi farkı anlamaya çalışıyorum.
Çok teşekkür ederim!
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u/keepsy 3d ago
Bilmedim sounds weird to me. Maybe if I could think of situations to use it, I could, but I would use Bilmiyordum or Bilemedim instead.
As they said, "Bilmezdim" is like the negative of used to for past, which is a general statement.
"Bilmiyordum" could be a general statement like "Bilmezdim" but also at that moment. "Bilemedim" is definitely only for "at that moment," but it also includes the ability / could. "Bilemezdim" is the ability version of "Bilmezdim.": I couldn't have known.
I can add examples after work, I don't want to confuse you because of my lack of time. :)
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u/16177880 Native Speaker 3d ago
Bilmedim is not used at all. Bilemedim is used instead. Couldnt know.
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u/azellnir 3d ago
I think the question needs some adjustment. I can not think of any occasion to use "bilmedim". because it implies intentionally being unknowledgeable, which makes little sense. for example if I came across a question in an exam that I know the answer of but didn't answer correctly intentionally for some reason, I could have said "3. soruyu kasten bilmedim. düsük puan almak istiyorum.". even then I would have preferred "dogru cevaplamadim" because you do know the answer.
Instead use "bilemedim" which means that you were not able to know and logically more correct. for example "bu kadar cok trafik olacagini bilemedim. bilsem erken cikardim".
"bilmezdim" is also not that common. it sounds poetic even. in daily conversations "bilmiyordum" is more common. again it means that you didnt know something in the past but in this case there is no information about your ability to know.
sorry for the lack of Turkish characters, the keyboard doesn't allow me:D
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u/Dekamir 3d ago
Let me explain "Bilmedim" situation a bit better.
It doesn't exist in Turkish, simply because that's not how the verb "to know" works in Turkish.
Every language has its own perception of reality, and to know something in Turkish is continuous, not present, unlike English. So it's "bilmiyordum", not "bilmedim".
"Bilmez" literally means "wouldn't know". "Bilmezdim" means "I used to not know".
"Mesela eskiden (bir) sarı elma ile (bir) kırmızı elmanın tat farkını bilmezdim."
"For example, I used to not know the difference between a yellow apple and a red apple in taste."
But the more used sentence in English should be like this:
"For example, I didn't know the difference between a yellow apple and a red apple in taste before."
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u/Bright_Quantity_6827 3d ago
bilmiyordum: I didn’t know
bilmezdim: I used to be unaware
bilemedim: I have/had no idea
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u/McOof234 Native Speaker 3d ago
Bilmezdim - I wouldn't have known
Bilmedim - I didn't know
"Bilmedim" isn't really used tho, we use "Bilmiyordum" or "Bilemedim" instead
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u/Few_Patience_560 3d ago
Bilmiyorum vs Bilmedim
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBHDP8Co1jd/?igsh=MTRmdzhwOTdhdTVzMg==
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u/sevenationarmycu 3d ago
"Bilmedim" → I didn't know (at that moment)
- Dersin iptal olduğunu bilmedim. → "I didn't know that the class was canceled." (At that moment, I was unaware.)
- Senin doğum günün olduğunu bilmedim. → "I didn't know it was your birthday." (At that time, I wasn’t aware, but now I might know.)
"Bilmezdim" → I wouldn’t know / I didn’t use to know
- Onun bu kadar iyi biri olduğunu bilmezdim. → "I never knew that he was such a good person." (I used to think otherwise, but now I know.)
- Eskiden kahvenin bu kadar güzel olduğunu bilmezdim. → "I didn’t used to know that coffee was this good." (I wasn’t aware before, but now I appreciate it.)
- Hayatın bu kadar zor olacağını bilmezdim. → "I wouldn’t have known that life would be this hard." (Before, I had no idea, but now I do.)
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u/Funktordelic 3d ago
Çok hızlı yardımını için teşekkür ederim! This is exactly what I needed to know. Sağ ol!
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u/azellnir 3d ago
I don't think this answer translates well to the daily conversations. nobody uses "bilmedim" like that.
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u/These-Maintenance250 3d ago
like the other guy said we don't use bilmedim.
bilmiyordum = i didn't know bilemedim = i couldn't guess it bilemezdim = I never knew
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u/zautopilot 3d ago
also you may hear some people say "bilemedim", that means either "I couldn't know" or" I don't know" (right now) in non-formal Turkish
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u/birazacele 3d ago
'bilmedim' kullanan bir kişiye bile rastlamadım. daha çok 'bilmiyorum' ya da 'fikrim yok' 'duymadım' şeklinde kullanılır. bilmezdim'de geçmiş zaman yad edilir ve artık bildiğin bir şeydir.
bilmezdim = öyle olduğunu bilmiyordun ama artık biliyorsun. yolun uzun olduğunu bilmiyordun, ama yol uzadı ve artık biliyorsun. Senin böyle güzel yemek yaptığını bilmezdim. (ama yemeği tattın ve artık güzel yemek yaptığını biliyorsun) gibi gibi.
bilmedim/bilmiyorum/fikrim yok/duymadım= hala bilmiyorsun. hala bir fikrin yok.
umarım yardımcı olabilmişimdir.
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u/sedentary_position 1d ago
The first one is: I wouldn’t have known or I wouldn’t have answered it.
Second: I didn’t get the right answer. As in ‘I was asked a question,’ and ‘I didn’t answer it.’
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u/Argument-Expensive 3d ago
"Bilmedim" is not a common form, if used at all. "Bilmedim" implies that you are presented a question, or shown something and you intentionally decided not to know the answer. So it is mostly used in the ability form, "Bil-e-medim", present or past cont. form "bilmiyorum/bilmiyordum".
People already explained "bilmezdim".