Turkish: A Comprehensive Grammar

In future contexts the question of actualization does not arise. The combination of
(im)possibility marking with the future marker -(y)AcAK simply indicates that a
possibility (or the lack of it) is or was regarded as certain to occur at some time in the
future:
(97) Yeni evimizden işime bisikletle gidemeyeceğim.
‘From our new house I shan’t be able to go to work by bicycle.’
The form -(y)Abiliyor can additionally be used to express the fact that a situation tends to
occur from time to time:
(98) Plastik parçalar zamanla aşınabiliyor.
‘The parts made of plastic can/tend to erode with time.’
Speaker-generated possibility
Speaker-generated possibility (as distinct from objective possibility) is of two types:
permissive and speculative.
(i) Permissive possibility:
The granting of permission by the speaker to the hearer(s) or to a third party is
expressed by -(y)Abilir:
(99) Bilgisayarımı [ne zaman istersen] kullan-abil-ir-sin.
use-PSB-AOR-2SG
‘You can use my computer [whenever you like].’ (I give you permission to do
so.)
Prohibition is expressed by -(y)AmAz:
Turkish: A comprehensive grammar 302
(100) Burada otur-a-maz-sınız.
sit-PSB-NEG.AOR-2PL
‘You can’t sit here.’ (I/We don’t allow it.)
Requests for permission are expressed with the 1st person interrogative of the above
forms:
(101) Bir şey sorabilir miyim?
‘Can/May I ask something?’
(ii) Speculative possibility:
A statement of speculative possibility expresses a judgement about the possibility of
some event occurring. It is usually expressed with -(y)Abilir:
(102) Bugün yağmur yağabilir.
‘It may/could rain today.’
Occasionally, speculative possibility is expressed with -(y)AbileceK. The use of this form
effectively neutralizes the distinction between objective and speculative possibility, and
gives a greater sense of authority to a statement about the possible occurrence of a future
event: