Ben yemek yaparken özenle tuz ekliyorum.

I carefully add salt while cooking.

Breakdown of Ben yemek yaparken özenle tuz ekliyorum.

• ben: I
• yemek yapmak: to cook
• eklemek: to add
• tuz: the salt
• özenle: carefully

Questions & Answers about Ben yemek yaparken özenle tuz ekliyorum.

What does yemek yaparken mean, and how is it formed?

The phrase yemek yaparken comes from yemek yapmak (to cook). By adding the suffix -ken to the verb yapmak, it turns the verb into a temporal clause meaning "while cooking" or "during cooking." This construction shows that the action in the main clause happens at the same time as cooking.

Why is the subject Ben explicitly stated in this sentence?

Although Turkish is a pro-drop language—meaning that subject pronouns are often omitted because verb endings indicate the subject—Ben (I) is included here for emphasis and clarity. Adding the pronoun can help underline who is performing the action or eliminate any ambiguity.

How does the verb ekliyorum convey its tense and subject information?

The verb ekliyorum comes from eklemek (to add). It breaks down as follows: ek-li-yor-um. The -iyor segment indicates the present continuous tense, and -um is the first-person singular ending, showing that the speaker is talking about an action they are performing. Depending on context, this can be understood either as a continuous action ("I am adding") or as a habitual action ("I add").

What is the role of the adverb özenle in the sentence?

The adverb özenle means "carefully" or "with care." It modifies the verb ekliyorum, explaining the manner in which the salt is added. This highlights that the speaker takes care during the process, adding an extra layer of meaning about the quality of the action.

What does the word order in this sentence tell us about Turkish syntax?

Turkish generally follows a subject–object–verb (SOV) order. In this sentence, you see Ben (I) as the subject, followed by the temporal clause yemek yaparken (while cooking), then the adverb özenle (carefully), the object tuz (salt), and finally the verb ekliyorum (I add). This ordering shows that Turkish allows flexible placement of adverbial and subordinate clauses to provide context or emphasis before the main verb.