Zaman edatları (prepositions of time), bir olayın ne zaman gerçekleştiğini söylememizi sağlayan küçük ama vazgeçilmez kelimelerdir: in, on, at, for, since, by, until, from, to, during gibi. Bir cümlede fiil "ne yaptığını", zaman edatı ise onu bir zaman noktasına ya da aralığına "bağlar". "I have a meeting" (Bir toplantım var) cümlesi tek başına eksiktir; "I have a meeting on Monday at 3 o'clock" dediğimizde artık toplantı bir güne ve bir saate yerleşir.
Türkçede bu işi büyük ölçüde tek bir ek yapar: -de / -da / -te / -ta. "Pazartesi'de", "Temmuz'da", "saat üç'te" — hepsinde aynı ek. İşte tam bu yüzden İngilizce zaman edatları Türk öğrenci için zorlayıcıdır: Türkçedeki tek mantık, İngilizcede en az üç ayrı edata (in / on / at) dağılır. Beynimiz "hepsi -de demek, hangisini seçsem?" diye takılır.
Neden var bu edatlar? Çünkü İngilizce, zamanın "büyüklüğünü" edatla kodlar. Kabaca söylersek: at bir nokta (saat), on bir gün yüzeyi (takvimdeki bir kutu), in ise geniş bir kap/hacim (ay, yıl, mevsim) gibi düşünülür. Bu "büyüklük" sezgisi, üç edatı ayırt etmenin anahtarıdır ve ilerideki bölümlerde tekrar tekrar kullanacağız.
Prepositions of time are the small but indispensable words that let us say when an event happened: in, on, at, for, since, by, until, from, to, during and so on. In a sentence, the verb tells 'what happens', while the preposition of time 'anchors' it to a point or interval in time. The sentence 'I have a meeting' is incomplete on its own; when we say 'I have a meeting on Monday at 3 o'clock', the meeting now settles onto a day and a time.
In Turkish, this job is largely done by a single suffix : -de / -da / -te / -ta. "Pazartesi'de", "Temmuz'da", "saat üç'te' — the same suffix in all of them. That is exactly why English prepositions of time are hard for Turkish learners: the Turkish single logic splits, in English, into at least three separate prepositions (in / on / at). Our brain gets stuck: 'they're all -de, so which one do I choose?'
Why do these prepositions exist? Because English encodes the 'size' of time with the preposition. Roughly speaking: at a point (clock time), on a day surface (a box on the calendar), in is thought of as a wide container/volume container (month, year, season). This intuition of 'size' is the key to telling the three prepositions apart, and we'll use it again and again in later sections.
- at → saat ve kesin nokta-zaman: at 7, at noon, at midnight, at night.
- on → gün ve tarih: on Monday, on 12 May, on my birthday.
- in → ay, yıl, mevsim, günün uzun kısmı: in July, in 2026, in winter, in the morning.
- for → süre uzunluğu (ne kadar?): for two hours, for five years.
- since → başlangıç noktası (ne zamandan beri?): since 2019, since Monday.
- by → en geç o ana kadar (son teslim/sınır): by 6 p.m., by Friday.
- until / till → o ana dek kesintisiz sürer: until midnight.
- from ... to / till → aralık: from 9 to 5.
- ago → geçmişte 'önce': two days ago (ifadenin sonunda).
- in → gelecekte 'sonra': in ten minutes (dikkat: 'içinde' değil, 'sonra').
- Edat KULLANILMAYAN kelimeler: this, next, last, every, today, tomorrow, yesterday, tonight → See you next week (❌ in next week).
- at → clock time and exact point in time: at 7, at noon, at midnight, at night.
- on → day and date: on Monday, on 12 May, on my birthday.
- in → month, year, season, longer part of the day: in July, in 2026, in winter, in the morning.
- for → length of time (how long?): for two hours, for five years.
- since → starting point (since when?): since 2019, since Monday.
- by → by that moment at the latest (deadline/limit): by 6 p.m., by Friday.
- until / till → continues uninterrupted until that moment: until midnight.
- from ... to / till → interval: from 9 to 5.
- ago → 'ago' in the past: two days ago (at the end of the phrase).
- in → 'later' in the future: in ten minutes (note: 'later', not 'within').
- Words that take NO preposition: this, next, last, every, today, tomorrow, yesterday, tonight → See you next week (❌ in next week).
Zaman edatı, cümlede genellikle fiil + nesne öbeğinden sonra, bir zaman ifadesinin başında gelir. Temel kalıp: [özne] + [fiil] + (nesne) + [zaman edatı + zaman ifadesi]. Zaman öbeği çoğu zaman cümlenin başına da alınabilir; başa alınca genellikle virgülle ayrılır.
Olumlu (Affirmative)
Formül: Özne + fiil + ... + at/on/in + zaman.
Olumsuz (Negative)
Zaman edatının kendisi olumsuz olmaz; olumsuzluk fiildedir (don't/doesn't/isn't...). Edat aynı kalır.
Soru (Question)
Zaman sormanın en tipik yolu When...? veya What time...?. Cevapta uygun edat geri döner. "What time..." ile genellikle 'at' cevabı beklenir.
| Soru | Kısa cevap | Not |
|---|---|---|
| When? (gün) | On Friday. | Gün → on |
| When? (ay/yıl) | In May. / In 2025. | Büyük dilim → in |
| What time? | At 9. | Saat → at |
| How long? | For a week. | Süre → for |
| Since when? | Since Monday. | Başlangıç → since |
In a sentence, a preposition of time usually comes after the verb + object phrase, at the beginning of a time expression. The basic pattern: [subject] + [verb] + (object) + [preposition of time + time expression]. The time phrase can often be moved to the front of the sentence; when fronted, it's usually set off with a comma.
Affirmative
Formula: Subject + verb + ... + at/on/in + time.
Negative
The preposition of time itself doesn't become negative; negation is on the verb (don't/doesn't/isn't...). The preposition stays the same.
Question
The most typical way to ask about time is When...? or What time...?. The appropriate preposition comes back in the answer. With 'What time...' an 'at' answer is usually expected.
| Question | Short answer | Note |
|---|---|---|
| When? (day) | On Friday. | Day → on |
| When? (month/year) | In May. / In 2025. | Large span → in |
| What time? | At 9. | Clock time → at |
| How long? | For a week. | Duration → for |
| Since when? | Since Monday. | Start → since |
Aşağıda en yaygından daha özele doğru, her edatın kullanım alanını bol örnekle veriyoruz. Örnekleri günlük, iş, akademik ve seyahat bağlamlarından seçtik ki edatı farklı yerlerde tanıyabilesin.
at
Nokta-zaman (saat, an): at 3 o'clock, at noon, at night.
on
Gün ve tarih: on Monday, on 5 May, on my birthday.
in
Daha uzun dönem: in July, in 2020, in the morning.
1) at — saat ve kesin nokta-zaman
at, zamanın tek bir noktasını gösterir: saatler, öğle/gece yarısı gibi günün kesin anları, öğün/yemek anları ve bazı sabit kalıplar. Ayrıca ilginç bir şekilde at night (geceleyin) ve tatil dönemleri (at Christmas, at Easter) de 'at' ister.
2) on — gün ve tarih
on, takvimdeki belirli bir gün veya tarih içindir: haftanın günleri, tarihli günler, özel günler (birthday, anniversary) ve belirli bir günün bir bölümü (on Monday morning).
3) in — ay, yıl, mevsim, uzun dilim
in, geniş bir zaman kabını gösterir: aylar, yıllar, mevsimler, yüzyıllar, on yıllar ve günün genel kısımları (in the morning/afternoon/evening). Ayrıca gelecekte 'ne kadar sonra' anlamı da 'in' ile verilir (aşağıda 5. maddede).
4) for — süre uzunluğu
for, bir eylemin ne kadar sürdüğünü (uzunluğunu) verir. 'How long?' sorusunun klasik cevabıdır. Bir zaman miktarı ile kullanılır: for two hours, for a week, for ages.
5) in — gelecekte 'ne kadar sonra'
Bu 'in', Türkçeye çoğu zaman 'sonra' diye çevrilir, 'içinde' değil. "in ten minutes" = 'on dakika sonra'. Şu andan itibaren geleceğe bakar.
6) since — başlangıç noktası
since, bir eylemin başladığı anı verir: bir tarih, bir saat, bir olay. 'for' süre uzunluğunu, 'since' başlangıç noktasını söyler. Genellikle Present Perfect ile gelir.
7) by / until — son sınır ve süregelen bitiş
by = 'en geç o ana kadar' (bir noktada tamamlanma sınırı). until/till = 'o ana kadar kesintisiz sürme'. Bu ikisi Türk öğrencinin en çok karıştırdığı çifttir (ayrıntı için 'incelikler' ve 'benzer konular').
8) from ... to / till — aralık
Bir zaman aralığının hem başını hem sonunu verir: from A to B (ya da from A till B).
9) during — bir olayın/dönemin içinde
during bir isim ile gelir (during the film, during the war) ve o olayın/sürenin içinde bir noktada ya da boyunca anlamını verir. 'for' bir sayı-süre ister (for two hours), 'during' bir olay-ismi ister (during the meeting).
Below, from the most common to the more specific, we give each preposition's area of use with plenty of examples. We chose examples from everyday, work, academic and travel contexts so you can recognize the preposition in different places.
at
Point in time (clock time, moment): at 3 o'clock, at noon, at night.
on
Day and date: on Monday, on 5 May, on my birthday.
in
Longer period: in July, in 2020, in the morning.
1) at — clock time and exact point in time
at, shows a single point in time : clock times, exact moments of the day like noon/midnight, meal times, and some fixed expressions. Also, interestingly, at night and holiday periods also take (at Christmas, at Easter) also take 'at'.
2) on — day and date
on, is for a specific day or date on the calendar: days of the week, dated days, special days (birthday, anniversary) and a part of a specific day (on Monday morning).
3) in — month, year, season, long span
in, shows a wide time container : months, years, seasons, centuries, decades and the general parts of the day (in the morning/afternoon/evening). Also, the future 'how long from now' meaning is given with 'in' (see item 5 below).
4) for — length of time
for, gives how long an action lasts (its length). It's the classic answer to 'How long?'. It's used with an amount of time : for two hours, for a week, for ages.
5) in — 'how long from now' in the future
This 'in' is usually rendered in Turkish as 'later' , not 'within' . 'in ten minutes' = 'ten minutes later'. It looks forward from the present moment.
6) since — starting point
since, gives the moment an action began : a date, a time, an event. 'for' tells the length of time, 'since' tells the starting point. It usually comes with the Present Perfect.
7) by / until — final limit and continuous end
by = 'by that moment at the latest' (a completion limit at some point). until/till = 'continuing uninterrupted up to that moment'. These two are the pair Turkish learners confuse most (for detail, see 'nuances' and 'related topics').
8) from ... to / till — interval
Gives both the start and the end of a time interval: from A to B (or from A till B).
9) during — within an event/period
during comes with a noun (during the film, during the war) and means, within that event/period, at a point inside it or throughout it . 'for' needs a number + duration (for two hours), 'during' needs an event noun (during the meeting).
Aşağıdaki tablo, hangi tür zaman ifadesinin hangi edatı çektiğini toplu gösterir. Bu bir 'harita'dır; ama unutma, kelime tek başına her zaman edatı garanti etmez (uyarıya bak).
| Edat | Ne ile? | Örnekler |
|---|---|---|
| at | saat, öğün anı, night, tatil dönemi, kalıplar | at 6, at noon, at midnight, at night, at Christmas, at the weekend (BrE), at the moment |
| on | gün, tarih, özel gün, belirli günün bölümü | on Sunday, on 1 Jan, on my birthday, on Monday morning, on New Year's Day |
| in | ay, yıl, mevsim, yüzyıl, günün kısmı, gelecekte-sonra | in April, in 2030, in spring, in the 1990s, in the evening, in two weeks |
| for | süre miktarı | for ten minutes, for a while, for years |
| since | başlangıç anı | since 8 o'clock, since March, since last week |
| by | son sınır | by tomorrow, by the end of May |
| until/till | süregelen bitiş | until dawn, till the weekend |
| during | olay/dönem ismi | during the break, during summer |
| ago | geçmiş 'önce' (sonda) | an hour ago, long ago |
The table below shows, all together, which type of time expression takes which preposition. It's a 'map'; but remember, a word alone doesn't always guarantee the preposition (see the warning).
| Preposition | With what? | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| at | clock time, meal moment, night, holiday period, fixed expressions | at 6, at noon, at midnight, at night, at Christmas, at the weekend (BrE), at the moment |
| on | day, date, special day, part of a specific day | on Sunday, on 1 Jan, on my birthday, on Monday morning, on New Year's Day |
| in | month, year, season, century, part of the day, later-in-the-future | in April, in 2030, in spring, in the 1990s, in the evening, in two weeks |
| for | amount of time | for ten minutes, for a while, for years |
| since | starting moment | since 8 o'clock, since March, since last week |
| by | final limit | by tomorrow, by the end of May |
| until/till | continuous end | until dawn, till the weekend |
| during | event/period noun | during the break, during summer |
| ago | past 'ago' (at the end) | an hour ago, long ago |
Aynı olayı farklı edatlarla anlatmak, mesajı değiştirir. Burada anlam farkı yaratan en kritik incelikleri açıyoruz. Bunlar B1'de öğrenciyi 'doğru ama tuhaf' cümlelerden kurtaran ayrımlardır.
by vs until — 'sınır' mı 'süregelen bitiş' mi?
by tek bir anda tamamlanacak bir eylemin son sınırını verir: Finish it by 5. (5'ten önce herhangi bir anda bitir). until ise eylemin o ana kadar sürdüğünü söyler: Work until 5. (5'e kadar durmadan çalış). 'Bekle, çalış, kal, aç kalmak' gibi süregelen eylemler until; 'bitir, teslim et, gel, öde' gibi tek-seferlik/tamamlanan eylemler by ile daha doğaldır.
in vs within — 'sonra' mı 'içinde' mi?
Gelecek için in genellikle 'o kadar zaman sonra' demektir: in an hour = bir saat sonra. Eğer 'o süre içinde bir noktada' demek istiyorsan within daha nettir: within an hour = bir saat içinde (dolmadan).
for vs during vs in — süre, olay, dilim
for + sayı-süre (for two weeks), during + olay/dönem ismi (during the holidays), in + genel dilim (in August). "I was in Rome during the summer" = yaz boyunca ya da yaz içinde bir dönem; "for the summer" = yazın tamamı boyunca kalış vurgusu.
Describing the same event with different prepositions changes the message. Here we unpack the most critical nuances that create a difference in meaning. These are the distinctions that, at B1, save a learner from 'correct but odd' sentences.
by vs until — a 'limit' or a 'continuous end'?
by gives the final limit of an action to be completed at a single moment: Finish it by 5. (finish at any moment before 5). until says the action continues up to that moment: Work until 5. (work nonstop until 5). Ongoing actions such as 'wait, work, stay, stay open' are continuous and take until; one-off actions such as 'finish, submit, come, pay' are single-instance/completed and are more natural with by.
in vs within — 'later' or 'within'?
For the future, in usually means 'that much time later': in an hour = an hour later. If you want to say 'at a point within that span', then within is clearer: within an hour = within an hour (before it runs out).
for vs during vs in — duration, event, span
for + number-duration (for two weeks), during + event/period noun (during the holidays), in + general span (in August). 'I was in Rome during the summer' = throughout the summer or for a period within summer; 'for the summer' = emphasis on staying for the whole summer.
Zihinsel merdiven: at bir noktaya (saat), on bir güne/yüzeye, in bir kutuya (ay, yıl, mevsim) oturur. Zaman ne kadar "büyükse" edat da o kadar "geniş" olur.
Türkçenin zaman mantığı İngilizceden köklü biçimde farklıdır ve bu fark, hataların ana kaynağıdır. Türkçede zaman çoğunlukla -de/-da bulunma eki ile ifade edilir ve bu ek zamanın büyüklüğüne göre değişmez: 'saat üçte', 'Pazartesi'de', 'Temmuz'da', '2020'de' — hepsi aynı ek. İngilizce ise bu tek eki at / on / in olarak üçe böler.
- Türkçede tek ek (-de/-da) → İngilizcede at/on/in üçlüsü. En büyük tuzak bu.
- Türkçede 'önce' kelimesi (iki gün önce) → İngilizcede 'ago' ama ifadenin sonunda: two days ago.
- Türkçede '...-den beri' (2019'dan beri) → İngilizcede 'since'; '... boyunca / ...-dir' (iki yıldır) → 'for'. Türkçede ikisi de benzer eklerle çıkabildiği için karışır.
- Türkçede edat isimden SONRA (ek olarak) gelir: 'Pazartesi-de'. İngilizcede edat isimden ÖNCE: 'on Monday'. Sıralama tam ters.
Mental ladder: at sits on a point (clock time), on on a day/surface, in in a box (month, year, season). The 'bigger' the time, the 'wider' the preposition.
Turkish's logic of time is radically different from English's, and this difference is the main source of mistakes. In Turkish, time is mostly expressed with the -de/-da locative suffix and this suffix doesn't change with the size of the time: 'saat üçte', 'Pazartesi'de', 'Temmuz'da', '2020'de' — all use the same suffix. English, however, divides this single suffix at / on / in into three as at/on/in.
- One suffix in Turkish (-de/-da) → the at/on/in trio in English. This is the biggest trap.
- The Turkish word 'önce' (two days ago) → 'ago' in English, but 'ago' comes at the end of the phrase: two days ago.
- Turkish '...-den beri' (since 2019) → 'since' in English; '... boyunca / ...-dir' (for two years) → 'for'. Because both can appear with similar suffixes in Turkish, they get confused.
- In Turkish the preposition comes AFTER the noun (as a suffix): 'Pazartesi-de'. In English the preposition comes BEFORE the noun: 'on Monday'. The order is completely reversed.
Zaman edatları, hem yer/hareket edatlarıyla hem de zaman bağlaçlarıyla karışabilir. Aşağıdaki tablo en sık karıştırılan komşuları ayırır.
| Yapı | Ne için? | Örnek / Fark |
|---|---|---|
| in/on/at (zaman) | NE ZAMAN | at 5, on Monday, in May — bu konu |
| in/on/at (yer) — bkz. Yer Edatları | NEREDE | in the box, on the table, at the door — aynı üç edat, yer anlamıyla |
| to/into/onto — bkz. Yön Edatları | NEREYE (hareket) | go to school, into the room — zaman değil yön |
| by (zaman) vs until | son sınır vs süregelen bitiş | by 5 (o ana kadar bitir) vs until 5 (o ana dek sür) |
| for vs since | süre uzunluğu vs başlangıç | for two years vs since 2024 |
| when/while/before/after — bkz. Bağlaçlar | zaman BAĞLACI (cümle bağlar) | when I arrived (fiil ister), during my arrival (isim ister) |
Prepositions of time can be confused with both place/movement prepositions and time conjunctions. The table below separates the most commonly confused neighbours.
| Structure | For what? | Example / Difference |
|---|---|---|
| in/on/at (time) | WHEN | at 5, on Monday, in May — this topic |
| in/on/at (place) — see Prepositions of Place | WHERE | in the box, on the table, at the door — the same three prepositions, with a place meaning |
| to/into/onto — see Prepositions of Movement | WHERE TO (movement) | go to school, into the room — direction, not time |
| by (time) vs until | final limit vs continuous end | by 5 (finish by then) vs until 5 (continue until then) |
| for vs since | length of time vs start | for two years vs since 2024 |
| when/while/before/after — see Conjunctions | time CONJUNCTION (joins clauses) | when I arrived (needs a verb), during my arrival (needs a noun) |
Kalıcı kural küçükten büyüğe: at → on → in. Nokta-zaman için at, gün/tarih için on, ay/yıl/uzun dönem için in kullan; Türkçedeki tek ekin rahatlığı seni bu ayrımı atlamaya itmesin.
The lasting rule, from small to large: at → on → in. Use at for a point in time, on for day/date, in for month/year/long period; don't let the comfort of Turkish's single suffix make you skip this distinction.
Kuralların yanında ezberlenmesi gereken sabit kalıplar ve istisnalar vardır. Bunlar 'mantık' değil 'alışkanlık'tır; tekrarla oturur.
- at night (in değil) ama in the morning / afternoon / evening.
- at the weekend (BrE) / on the weekend (AmE).
- at Christmas / at Easter (dönem) ama on Christmas Day (gün).
- on time = tam zamanında; in time = tam vaktinde yetişerek — anlamları farklı!
- at the moment = şu anda; in a moment = birazdan.
- this/next/last/every + zaman → edat YOK: last night, next Friday, every day, this morning.
- today, tomorrow, yesterday, tonight → edat YOK.
Alongside the rules there are fixed expressions and exceptions that must be memorized. These are 'habit', not 'logic'; they settle in with repetition.
- at night (not in) but in the morning / afternoon / evening.
- at the weekend (BrE) / on the weekend (AmE).
- at Christmas / at Easter (a period) but on Christmas Day (a day).
- on time = exactly on schedule; in time = just in time — different meanings!
- at the moment = right now; in a moment = in a moment.
- this/next/last/every + time → NO preposition: last night, next Friday, every day, this morning.
- today, tomorrow, yesterday, tonight → NO preposition.
Akademik ve resmi yazıda zaman edatları daha kesin ve ölçülü kullanılır. Tarih, dönem ve veri aralıkları sık geçtiği için 'in', 'from...to', 'by', 'during' özellikle önemlidir. Resmi yazıda 'till' yerine until, konuşmadaki 'in a bit' gibi belirsiz ifadeler yerine kesin süreler (within 30 days) tercih edilir.
- 'in Turkey' yer, 'in 2015/in the spring' zaman — aynı edat iki işlevde.
- 'between 2015 and 2024' aralık ifadesi (from...to'nun akademik alternatifi).
- 'during the winter / during the lockdown period' → during + dönem ismi.
- 'by the end of 2024' → by = son sınır (o ana kadar tamamlanma).
- 'for about forty minutes' → for + süre miktarı.
- 'in the evening' → günün kısmı; 'at what time' → nokta-zaman sorusu.
- 'By 2024' cümle başında sınır ifadesi olarak virgülle ayrılır.
In academic and formal writing, prepositions of time are used more precisely and carefully. Because dates, periods and data ranges appear often, 'in', 'from...to', 'by', 'during' are especially important. In formal writing, instead of 'till', untilis preferred, and instead of vague spoken expressions like 'in a bit', precise durations (within 30 days) are used.
- 'in Turkey' is place, 'in 2015/in the spring' is time — the same preposition in two functions.
- 'between 2015 and 2024' is an interval expression (an academic alternative to from...to).
- 'during the winter / during the lockdown period' → during + period noun.
- 'by the end of 2024' → by = final limit (completion by that point).
- 'for about forty minutes' → for + amount of time.
- 'in the evening' → part of the day; 'at what time' → a point-in-time question.
- 'By 2024' at the start of a sentence is set off with a comma as a limit expression.
- 'On Monday' gün → on; 'at nine o'clock' saat → at; 'in the morning' günün kısmı → in: üç edat bir cümlede.
- 'for six' (alarmı altıya kurmak) → set an alarm for; 'for a short while' süre → for.
- 'by twenty past eight' → by = en geç o ana kadar (son sınır), evden çıkma tek-seferlik eylem.
- 'at eight' saat; 'until seven' süregelen bitiş (uyumak yediye kadar sürer) → until.
- 'in time' = vaktinde yetişerek (on time'dan farkı bilerek kullanıldı).
- 'for years' süre; 'During the lunch break' olay ismi → during; 'on Fridays' düzenli gün → on.
- 'from two until half past three' → aralık; from başlangıç, until süregelen bitiş.
- 'By the end of the week' son sınır → by; 'within the first month' → within = süre penceresi içinde (in değil).
- 'ten years ago' geçmiş 'önce' → ago (sonda); 'for the first few weeks' süre → for.
- 'since March' başlangıç → since (Present Perfect ile); 'In two days' gelecekte sonra → in; 'by next month' sınır → by; 'at first' kalıp; 'in a few weeks' gelecekte sonra → in.
- 'On Monday' day → on; 'at nine o'clock' clock time → at; 'in the morning' part of the day → in: three prepositions in one sentence.
- 'for six' (setting the alarm for six) → set an alarm for; 'for a short while' duration → for.
- 'by twenty past eight' → by = by that moment at the latest (final limit); leaving home is a one-off action.
- 'at eight' clock time; 'until seven' continuous end (sleeping lasts until seven) → until.
- 'in time' = arriving in time (used deliberately, differing from on time).
- 'for years' duration; 'During the lunch break' event noun → during; 'on Fridays' regular day → on.
- 'from two until half past three' → interval; from = start, until = continuous end.
- 'By the end of the week' final limit → by; 'within the first month' → within = inside the time window (not in).
- 'ten years ago' past 'ago' → ago (at the end); 'for the first few weeks' duration → for.
- 'since March' start → since (with the Present Perfect); 'In two days' later in the future → in; 'by next month' limit → by; 'at first' a fixed expression; 'in a few weeks' later in the future → in.
Temel (A1)
Orta (A2)
İleri (B1)
Basic (A1)
Intermediate (A2)
Advanced (B1)
Bu sorular kuralı değil anlamı yoklar. Cümlenin bize ne söylediğini düşün, sonra cevabı aç.
- "Finish it by Friday" ile "Work until Friday" arasında ne fark var?'by Friday' = en geç Cuma'ya kadar bir noktada bitir (tek seferlik tamamlanma sınırı). 'until Friday' = Cuma'ya kadar kesintisiz çalışmaya devam et (süregelen eylem). İlki bir son tarih, ikincisi bir sürenin uzunluğu.
- "I'll be there in ten minutes" cümlesinde 'in' 'içinde' mi demek?Hayır. Burada 'in ten minutes' = 'on dakika SONRA' demektir (süre dolunca orada olurum). 'İçinde' demek isteseydik 'within ten minutes' derdik.
- "She has worked here since 2020" mü yoksa "for 2020" mi doğru? Neden?'since 2020' doğru. 2020 bir başlangıç NOKTASIDIR → since. 'for' bir süre miktarı ister (for four years), tek bir yıl değil.
- Neden 'at night' ama 'in the morning' deriz?'night' bu kalıpta bir istisnadır ve 'at' alır; morning/afternoon/evening ise 'in the' ile gelir. Mantıktan çok yerleşik kalıp meselesidir, ezberlenir.
- "We arrived on time" ile "We arrived in time" aynı mı?Hayır. 'on time' = programa göre tam saatinde (ne erken ne geç). 'in time' = bir şeye yetişecek kadar erken, son anda kaçırmadan. Farklı mesajlar.
These questions probe not the rule but meaning . Think about what the sentence tells us, then reveal the answer.
- What's the difference between 'Finish it by Friday' and 'Work until Friday'?'by Friday' = finish at some point by Friday at the latest (a one-off completion limit). 'until Friday' = keep working continuously up to Friday (a continuous action). The first is a deadline, the second is the length of a duration.
- In the sentence 'I'll be there in ten minutes', does 'in' mean 'within'?No. Here 'in ten minutes' means 'ten minutes LATER' (I'll be there once the time is up). If we meant 'within', we'd say 'within ten minutes'.
- Is 'She has worked here since 2020' or 'for 2020' correct? Why?'since 2020' is correct. 2020 is a starting POINT → since. 'for' needs an amount of time (for four years), not a single year.
- Why do we say 'at night' but 'in the morning'?'night' is an exception in this pattern and takes 'at'; morning/afternoon/evening come with 'in the'. It's more a matter of an established expression than logic, and is memorized.
- Are 'We arrived on time' and 'We arrived in time' the same?No. 'on time' = exactly on schedule (neither early nor late). 'in time' = early enough to catch something, without missing it at the last moment. Different messages.
- The concert is ___ 8 o'clock.at
- I was born ___ 2001.in
- We have a meeting ___ Wednesday.on
- It's very cold here ___ winter.in
- She always calls me ___ night.at
- The exam is ___ 12th June.on
- I feel sleepy ___ the afternoon.in
- Let's meet ___ noon.at
- I've lived here ___ 2018.since
- We waited ___ midnight, but she didn't come.until
- Please reply ___ tomorrow morning.by
- He slept ___ ten hours.for
- The shop stays open ___ 9 p.m.until
- You must finish the test ___ 3 o'clock.by
- See you in Monday.See you on Monday. (gün → on)
- The train leaves in 9 o'clock.The train leaves at 9 o'clock. (saat → at)
- I have known him since ten years.I have known him for ten years. (süre miktarı → for)
- I'll be ready until 5, so we can leave then.I'll be ready by 5, so we can leave then. (tamamlanma sınırı → by)
- She phoned me before an hour.She phoned me an hour ago. (geçmiş 'önce' → ago, sonda)
- See you in next week.See you next week. (next ile edat yok)
- Pazartesi saat üçte bir toplantım var.I have a meeting on Monday at three (o'clock).
- İki yıldır burada çalışıyorum.I have worked / I've been working here for two years.
- 2019'dan beri onu görmedim.I haven't seen him/her since 2019.
- Otobüs beş dakika sonra kalkıyor.The bus leaves in five minutes.
- Lütfen ödevi en geç Cuma'ya kadar teslim et.Please hand in the homework by Friday.
- born / in / She / was / summer / theShe was born in the summer.
- at / We / arrived / airport / the / midnight / atWe arrived at the airport at midnight.
- for / waited / an / We / hour / bus / the / forWe waited for the bus for an hour.
- on / birthday / My / is / May / 5thMy birthday is on 5th May.
- The concert is ___ 8 o'clock.at
- I was born ___ 2001.in
- We have a meeting ___ Wednesday.on
- It's very cold here ___ winter.in
- She always calls me ___ night.at
- The exam is ___ 12th June.on
- I feel sleepy ___ the afternoon.in
- Let's meet ___ noon.at
- I've lived here ___ 2018.since
- We waited ___ midnight, but she didn't come.until
- Please reply ___ tomorrow morning.by
- He slept ___ ten hours.for
- The shop stays open ___ 9 p.m.until
- You must finish the test ___ 3 o'clock.by
- See you in Monday.See you on Monday. (day → on)
- The train leaves in 9 o'clock.The train leaves at 9 o'clock. (clock time → at)
- I have known him since ten years.I have known him for ten years. (amount of time → for)
- I'll be ready until 5, so we can leave then.I'll be ready by 5, so we can leave then. (completion limit → by)
- She phoned me before an hour.She phoned me an hour ago. (past 'ago' → ago, at the end)
- See you in next week.See you next week. (no preposition with next)
- Pazartesi saat üçte bir toplantım var.I have a meeting on Monday at three (o'clock).
- İki yıldır burada çalışıyorum.I have worked / I've been working here for two years.
- 2019'dan beri onu görmedim.I haven't seen him/her since 2019.
- Otobüs beş dakika sonra kalkıyor.The bus leaves in five minutes.
- Lütfen ödevi en geç Cuma'ya kadar teslim et.Please hand in the homework by Friday.
- born / in / She / was / summer / theShe was born in the summer.
- at / We / arrived / airport / the / midnight / atWe arrived at the airport at midnight.
- for / waited / an / We / hour / bus / the / forWe waited for the bus for an hour.
- on / birthday / My / is / May / 5thMy birthday is on 5th May.
Görev: Tipik bir haftanı anlatan 6-8 cümlelik bir paragraf yaz. Amacın en az altı farklı zaman edatını doğal biçimde kullanmak: in, on, at, for, since, by/until.
- Rehber soru 1: Hafta içi kaçta kalkıyorsun? (at + saat)
- Rehber soru 2: Hangi gün(ler) ne yapıyorsun? (on + gün)
- Rehber soru 3: Ne zamandan beri bu rutini sürdürüyorsun? (since)
- Rehber soru 4: Bir şeyi ne kadar süre yapıyorsun? (for)
- Rehber soru 5: Bir şeyi en geç ne zamana kadar bitirmen gerekiyor? (by / until)
- Rehber soru 6: Hafta sonu / akşam ne yapıyorsun? (at the weekend / in the evening)
- Örnek cevap:On weekdays I get up at half past six. I've had this routine since September, and I usually study for two hours in the morning before class. On Mondays and Thursdays I go to the gym at seven in the evening. I try to finish all my homework by Friday, so that at the weekend I can relax. On Saturday night I often meet my friends, and we sometimes talk until midnight. I've known most of them for years, so it never feels boring.
Task: Write a 6-8 sentence paragraph describing a typical week of yours. Your aim is to use at least six different prepositions of time naturally: in, on, at, for, since, by/until.
- Guiding question 1: What time do you get up on weekdays? (at + clock time)
- Guiding question 2: What do you do on which day(s)? (on + day)
- Guiding question 3: Since when have you kept this routine? (since)
- Guiding question 4: How long do you do something for? (for)
- Guiding question 5: By when at the latest must you finish something? (by / until)
- Guiding question 6: What do you do at the weekend / in the evening? (at the weekend / in the evening)
- Sample answer:On weekdays I get up at half past six. I've had this routine since September, and I usually study for two hours in the morning before class. On Mondays and Thursdays I go to the gym at seven in the evening. I try to finish all my homework by Friday, so that at the weekend I can relax. On Saturday night I often meet my friends, and we sometimes talk until midnight. I've known most of them for years, so it never feels boring.
Kavram kontrolü için sor: 'Is 8 o'clock a point or a period?' (nokta → at). 'Is Monday a day or a month?' (gün → on). Bu ikili sorular, öğrenciyi kuralı ezberlemeden mantığa yönlendirir. Sonra 'in Monday' gibi tipik hatayı tahtaya yaz ve öğrenciye düzelttir; kendi düzeltmesi kalıcı olur.
Etkinlik önerisi: 'Time line' oyunu — öğrencilere kartlar dağıt (7 o'clock, Monday, July, 2020, two hours, since March...). Her kart için doğru edatı söyleyip tahtadaki üç kutuya (at / on / in) veya süre-panosuna yapıştırsınlar. by/until için ikili durum kartları: 'Finish the test ___' vs 'Wait ___ I come back' — hangisi by, hangisi until? Fiilin süregelen mi tamamlanan mı olduğunu tartıştır.
For concept checking, ask: 'Is 8 o'clock a point or a period?' (point → at). 'Is Monday a day or a month?' (day → on). These paired questions guide the learner toward logic without memorizing the rule. Then write a typical mistake like 'in Monday' on the board and have the learner correct it; their own correction sticks.
Activity suggestion: 'Time line' game — hand out cards to learners (7 o'clock, Monday, July, 2020, two hours, since March...). For each card, they say the correct preposition and stick it in one of the three boxes on the board (at / on / in) or on the duration panel. For by/until, use paired situation cards: 'Finish the test ___' vs 'Wait ___ I come back' — which is by, which is until? Have them discuss whether the verb is continuous or completed.
- Zaman büyüklüğüne göre: in (ay/yıl/mevsim) → on (gün/tarih) → at (saat/nokta). Büyükten küçüğe.
- for = süre uzunluğu (for two hours); since = başlangıç noktası (since 2020). 'How long?' → for, 'Since when?' → since.
- by = en geç o ana kadar (tamamlanma sınırı); until/till = o ana dek kesintisiz sürer (süregelen eylem).
- from ... to/till = aralık; during + olay ismi; within = süre içinde (pencere).
- Gelecekte in = 'sonra' (in ten minutes); geçmişte ago = 'önce' ve cümle sonunda (two hours ago).
- İstisna kalıplar: at night, at the weekend (BrE), on time vs in time, at Christmas vs on Christmas Day.
- this/next/last/every + zaman ve today/tomorrow/yesterday/tonight → edat KULLANILMAZ.
- En büyük Türkçe tuzağı: tek '-de/-da' ekini in/on/at olarak üçe bölmek; ve 'üç yıldır' için since değil for demek.
- İlgili konular: yer edatları Yer Edatları, hareket edatları Yön Edatları, zaman bağlaçları Bağlaçlar.
- By size of time: in (month/year/season) → on (day/date) → at (clock time/point). From big to small.
- for = length of time (for two hours); since = starting point (since 2020). 'How long?' → for, 'Since when?' → since.
- by = by that moment at the latest (completion limit); until/till = continues uninterrupted up to that moment (continuous action).
- from ... to/till = interval; during + event noun; within = within the time (window).
- In the future, in = 'later' (in ten minutes); in the past, ago = 'ago' and at the end of the sentence (two hours ago).
- Exceptional expressions: at night, at the weekend (BrE), on time vs in time, at Christmas vs on Christmas Day.
- this/next/last/every + time, and today/tomorrow/yesterday/tonight → take NO preposition.
- The biggest Turkish trap: splitting the single '-de/-da' suffix into three as in/on/at; and for 'three years' saying for, not since for .
- Related topics: prepositions of place Prepositions of Place, prepositions of movement Prepositions of Movement, time conjunctions Conjunctions.