Yemek hazır olunca, ben çay içerim.

When the food is ready, I drink tea.

Breakdown of Yemek hazır olunca, ben çay içerim.

• olmak: to be
• içmek: to drink
• ben: I
• çay: the tea
• yemek: the food
• hazır: ready
• -unca: when

Questions & Answers about Yemek hazır olunca, ben çay içerim.

What is the overall structure of the sentence, and how does the conditional clause work?

The sentence is structured as a conditional statement. The first part, Yemek hazır olunca, is a dependent (temporal) clause meaning “when the food is ready.” It is followed by the main clause, ben çay içerim, which means “I drink tea.” In Turkish, it’s common to place the condition at the beginning of the sentence, and a comma is used to separate the clauses for clarity.

What does the suffix -olunca mean, and how is it formed?

The suffix -olunca is attached to adjectives or noun phrases to express a temporal condition. It comes from the verb olmak (“to be” or “to become”) and, when combined with an adjective as in hazır (ready), it creates a clause meaning “when [it is] ready” or “once it becomes ready.”

Why is the subject pronoun ben included in the main clause even though Turkish verbs already indicate the subject?

While Turkish verbs do convey subject information through their conjugation—making the use of subject pronouns optional—ben (“I”) is included here for emphasis or clarity. This helps stress who is performing the action, which can be particularly helpful in contrast or for highlighting the speaker’s role.

Why is the present simple form içerim used in this sentence even though it refers to a future occurrence?

In Turkish, the simple present tense can represent both habitual actions and future events under certain conditions. In this sentence, içerim (“I drink”) implies that the action will take place once the specified condition (the meal being ready) is met.

Can you break down the key words in the sentence and explain their meanings?

Certainly.
• Yemek means “meal” or “food.”
• Hazır means “ready.”
• Olunca means “when” or “once” (indicating a temporal condition).
• Ben means “I.”
• Çay means “tea.”
• İçerim means “I drink” (with a nuance that can imply a habitual or future action).

What is the role of the comma in this sentence?

The comma is used to separate the conditional clause (Yemek hazır olunca) from the main clause (ben çay içerim). This punctuation mark makes the sentence easier to read by clearly indicating the boundary between the condition (“when the food is ready”) and the resulting action (“I drink tea”).