Learn Hardcore Turkish: Öğrenciler tartışıyor.

In Turkish, plurality is usually marked on the noun rather than the verb. The noun öğrenciler already indicates “students” (plural), so the verb tartışıyor remains unchanged regardless of whether its subject is singular or plural.

How is the present continuous tense formed in the verb tartışıyor?

Turkish forms the present continuous by adding the suffix -iyor to the verb stem. Here, from the base verb tartışmak, you remove the ending and attach -ıyor to indicate an ongoing action, meaning “are arguing/discussing” in English.

What does the noun öğrenciler tell us about the subject of the sentence?

The noun öğrenciler is the plural form of öğrenci, which means “student.” The suffix -ler is added to öğrenci to indicate more than one student, clearly showing that the subject is plural.

How would you change the sentence to express a past action?

To express a past action, you modify the verb to include the past tense suffix. For example, Öğrenciler tartıştı translates to “The students argued.” The suffix -tı (or its vowel-harmonized form) marks the verb as past tense.

Can this sentence structure be used for negative or interrogative forms?