Görev kolay değil ama ben çalışıyorum.

The duty is not easy, but I am working.

Breakdown of Görev kolay değil ama ben çalışıyorum.

• olmak: to be
• ben: I
• çalışmak: to work
• ama: but
• kolay: easy
• değil: not
• görev: the duty

Questions & Answers about Görev kolay değil ama ben çalışıyorum.

What does the word görev translate to in English?

The word görev means task or duty, referring to an assignment or responsibility.

Why is there no separate copula (like “is”) in the first clause “Görev kolay değil”?

In Turkish, state or predicate constructions are often expressed without an explicit copula. The phrase "Görev kolay değil" literally combines the subject (görev) with the adjective (kolay) and follows it with the negation (değil), effectively meaning "The task is not easy" without needing an extra word for “is.”

How is negation expressed in “Görev kolay değil”?

Negation in Turkish is frequently applied by following the adjective or predicate with değil. In this sentence, kolay (easy) is negated by adding değil, creating the meaning "not easy."

What role does ama play in this sentence?

The word ama is a conjunction that means "but." It connects the two clauses and introduces a contrast between the difficulty of the task and the speaker’s action in the second clause.

Why is the subject ben explicitly mentioned in “ama ben çalışıyorum” even though Turkish often drops subject pronouns?

While Turkish verb conjugations usually include information about the subject (here, çalışıyorum already indicates “I am working”), ben is used here to emphasize the subject or create a clear contrast with the earlier clause. It highlights that despite the task’s difficulty, I am actively working on it.

What is the tense and structure of the verb çalışıyorum?

Çalışıyorum is in the present continuous tense. It is derived from çalışmak (to work) by removing the infinitive ending and adding the present continuous suffix -ıyor (adjusted for vowel harmony) followed by the first person singular ending -um. This construction indicates "I am working."

Can you summarize the overall meaning and contrast presented in “Görev kolay değil ama ben çalışıyorum”?

Certainly. The sentence first establishes that the task is not easy (Görev kolay değil). It then contrasts that difficulty with the speaker’s effort by stating "but I am working" (ama ben çalışıyorum). This juxtaposition emphasizes that even though the task poses a challenge, the speaker is nonetheless engaged in working on it.