Yağmur yağdığında, ben evde kalıyorum.

the house

Breakdown of Yağmur yağdığında, ben evde kalıyorum.

• ben: I
• kalmak: to stay
• yağmur: the rain

Questions & Answers about Yağmur yağdığında, ben evde kalıyorum.

What does yağmur yağdığında mean, and how is it structured?

Yağmur means rain, and yağdığında is formed from the verb yağmak (to rain) by adding the temporal clause suffix -dığında. This construction translates to “when it rains” or “whenever it rains”. The suffix attaches to the verb’s root (with a past-tense appearance) to create a time-dependent clause that sets the condition for the main action.

Why is the verb in the subordinate clause (yağdığında) in a form that looks like the past tense, while the main clause uses the present continuous (kalıyorum)?

In Turkish, temporal clauses that express general or habitual conditions often use a form that resembles the past tense. Although yağdığında appears past in form, it functions to mean “when/whenever”, referring to a recurring condition. Meanwhile, kalıyorum (I am staying) uses the present continuous to indicate a habitual action—implying that every time it rains, the speaker stays home.

Why is the pronoun ben explicitly included in the main clause, given that Turkish often drops subject pronouns?

Even though Turkish is a pro-drop language where the subject can be implied by the verb ending, including ben (meaning I) provides extra clarity and emphasis. For learners, explicitly stating the subject can make the sentence easier to understand and reinforces who is performing the action.

What role does the comma play in this sentence?