Reciprocity

Reciprocity in Tatar is expressed by reciprocal verbs and reciprocal pronouns governed by transitive verbs or postpositions.

Reciprocal pronouns

🢠🢡  The reciprocal pronouns are formed by reduplication of the numeral ber: ber-ber, plus the possessive suffixes: 

ber-berebez – each other (we)

ber-beregez – each other (you)

ber-bere, ber-berse, ber-berləre – each other (they)

The various case endings required by the verb or postposition governing the reciprocal pronoun are joined to the possessive suffixes (e.g. ber-berebezne).

🢠🢡 The reciprocal pronouns are primarily used:

a) With verbs which in Tatar cannot be made into true reciprocal verbs: 

uqu (to read)

Duslar ozaq yıllar küreşməgən, ber-bersen sağınğannar, ... (Şamil Bikçurin, “Tirən qatlam”) 

The friends had not seen each other for long years, they had missed each other, ...

b) With verbs the reciprocal form of which has a different meaning. 

belü (to know) – beleşü (to ask, make inquiries)

bülü (to divide / interrupt) – büleşü (to divide, to share)

Alar ber-beren belmilər ide, alar Tahirnı ğına belələr ide. (Xəsən Saryan, “Ətkəm hönəre”)

They did not know each other, they only knew Tahir.

Reciprocal Verbs

🢠🢡 Reciprocal verbs are created by adding -ş- to verb stems that end in a vowel (excluding -u-, -i-), as well as -ış- and -eş- to stems ending in a consonant or in the vowels -u-, -i-. This suffix can be attached to transitive and intransitive verb stems in their basic form, reflexive verb stems formed by the suffixes -n-, -ın-, -en-, and verb stems ending in -l-, -ıl-, -el-, whether reflexive or intransitive. Additionally, it can be used with factitive verbs. The reciprocal suffix cannot be added to passive verb stems.

qoçaqla (hug) – qoçaqlaş (hug each other)

oçra (to get encountered) – oçraş (meet each other)

yaz (write) – yazış (text/write each other)

üp (kiss) – übeş (kiss each other)

ayır (separate, detach) – ayırıl (part with) – ayırılış (part from each other, get divorced)

Sin anıñ belən yazışasıñmı? – Do you text each other?

More meanings of reciprocal verbs

🢠🢡 Apart from reciprocity, the reciprocal verbs can express:

1) A joint execution of an action:

biye (dance) – biyeş (dance together, dance with each other)

utır (sit) – utırış (sit down together) 

di (say) – diyeş (say jointly)

maqtan (boast, praise oneself) – maqtanışalar (they boast, praise themselves to each other)

cıyıl (assemble, gather) – cıyılış (assemble, gather, meet each other)

…şawlaşa-şawlaşa qapqa töbenə cıyılıştıq. (Mirsəy Əmir, “Par kügərçen”)

…making a lot of noise, we gathered at the gate.

2) Assistance in carrying out an action:

cıy (gather, collect) – cıyış (help gather, collect)

yu (wash) – yuwış (help wash)

Dus qızına dəres əzerləşergə kitkən. (Ğabdraxman Minskiy, “Qənəfer çəçəge”) 

She had gone to her friend to help prepare a lesson.

3) Competition in the execution of an action:

…qaytışlıy bolında yögereştelər… (Ğömər Bəşirov, “Tañ belengəç”)

On their way back … they raced one another in the meadow.

4) Repetition or intensification of an action:

Rəxim institut xəlləren soraşa başladı. (Atilla Rasix, “İke buydaq”)

Rəxim began to ask about conditions at the institute.

💡 The rather frequently used reciprocal verbs:

añlaşılu – to understand each other , to come to an understanding 

söyləşü – to speak, talk to somebody

kileşü – to agree, consent

💡 Some (few) verbs have -ş- / -ış- / -eş- is an inseparable part of their stem:

almaş – exchange, barter (for)

könləş – be jealous of 

körəş – fight, wrestle

qatnaş – participate, join

qatış – mix, blend, interfere 

tırış – try hard, endeavor

urnaş – find room, fit in

uqmaş – crumple, curdle

ızğış – quarrel

💡 Some verbs take on a different meaning when -ş- / -ış- / -eş- is joined to them. For example: 

kür (see) – küreş (greet each other, meet/visit each other)

al (take) – alış (take jointly, exchange, barter)

cit (suffice, be sufficient, get to, arrive at) – citeş (ripen, have enough time to do something)

tart (pull, draw) – tartış (quarrel)