Ben arkadaşımı istasyonda karşılıyorum.

I am meeting my friend at the station.

Breakdown of Ben arkadaşımı istasyonda karşılıyorum.

• ben: I
• benim: my
• arkadaş: the friend
• istasyon: the station
• karşılamak: to meet

Questions & Answers about Ben arkadaşımı istasyonda karşılıyorum.

What does each component of the sentence "Ben arkadaşımı istasyonda karşılıyorum" mean in English?

• Ben means I.
• Arkadaşımı breaks down into arkadaş (friend), the possessive suffix -ım (my), and the accusative suffix -ı (marking a definite, specific object), so it means my friend.
• Istasyonda comes from istasyon (station) with the locative suffix -da (indicating location), translating to at the station.
• Karşılıyorum is the first-person singular present continuous form of karşılamak, meaning I am meeting/greeting (someone).

Why is the subject pronoun ben included even though the verb already indicates the subject?

Turkish verbs incorporate subject information through their endings (here, -yorum indicates first-person singular). However, ben is often added for emphasis, clarity, or stylistic reasons, especially in contexts where the speaker wants to highlight who is performing the action.

How does the accusative case in arkadaşımı work, and why must it be used here?

In Turkish, definite direct objects require an accusative case marking. Arkadaşımı combines the root arkadaş (friend) with the possessive suffix -ım (my) and the accusative suffix -ı to indicate that the speaker is referring to a specific friend—that is, my friend. Without this case marking, the definiteness of the object would not be clear.

What is the role of the locative suffix in istasyonda, and why is it important?

The locative suffix -da (or -de according to vowel harmony) indicates where an action takes place. In istasyonda, it attaches to istasyon (station) to specify that the meeting occurs at the station. This suffix is essential for conveying spatial relationships in Turkish.

What does the verb karşılıyorum convey, and what nuances does it have in this context?

Karşılıyorum is derived from the verb karşılamak, which can mean to greet, to welcome, or to meet someone. In this sentence, it implies that the speaker is actively meeting or greeting their friend at the station. The present continuous tense suggests that this is either happening right now or is a regular occurrence.

Why is the present continuous tense used in this sentence, and what does it indicate about the action?

The present continuous tense (-yorum in karşılıyorum) is used to describe actions that are either occurring at the moment of speaking or that happen regularly. In this context, it indicates that the act of meeting or greeting the friend is either happening now or is being highlighted as a current event, which aligns naturally with the scenario of meeting someone at a specific location.