Ben radyoyu ayarlıyorum.

I am tuning the radio.

Breakdown of Ben radyoyu ayarlıyorum.

• ben: I
• radyo: the radio
• ayarlamak: to tune

Questions & Answers about Ben radyoyu ayarlıyorum.

What is the function of Ben in the sentence?

Ben is the first-person singular pronoun “I.” In Turkish, the verb ending already indicates the subject, so Ben is optional and is used here for emphasis or clarity. You could simply say Radyoyu ayarlıyorum and still mean “I am adjusting the radio.”

Why does radyoyu end with -yu?

The -yu is the accusative case suffix marking a definite direct object. Because radyo ends in a vowel, Turkish inserts a buffer consonant y before the case vowel. Vowel harmony then selects u (a back unrounded vowel) to form radyoyu.

Could you break down ayarlıyorum into its parts?

Yes. ayarlıyorum =
  • ayarla (stem “adjust”)
  • y (buffer consonant, because the stem ends in a vowel)
  • -ıyor (progressive suffix; ı chosen by vowel harmony after a)
  • -um (first-person singular ending)
Put together: ayarla + y + ıyor + um = ayarlıyorum (“I am adjusting/tuning”).

How do you form the present continuous tense in Turkish verbs?

1. Drop -mak/-mek from the infinitive to get the verb stem.
2. Add the progressive suffix -(i)yor, choosing the vowel by vowel harmony:
     - -ıyor after back vowels (a, ı, o, u)
     - -iyor after front unrounded vowels (e, i)
     - -uyor after back rounded (o, u)
     - -üyor after front rounded (ö, ü)
3. Add the personal ending (e.g., -um for “I,” -sun for “you,” -uz for “we,” etc.).
   Example: gelmek → gel
   • iyor
     • um = geliyorum (“I am coming”).

Can Ben be omitted? Why or why not?

Yes. Turkish is a pro-drop language: the verb ending -um in ayarlıyorum already shows “I.” Omitting Ben is more natural in everyday speech: Radyoyu ayarlıyorum. Use Ben only when you want extra emphasis (“It’s me who’s adjusting the radio”).

Why is the word order Ben radyoyu ayarlıyorum instead of English SVO?

Turkish default word order is Subject–Object–Verb (SOV). So you place radyoyu (object) before ayarlıyorum (verb). You could change word order for emphasis, but the neutral order here is SOV.

Why is the progressive suffix written -ıyor and not -iyor in ayarlıyorum?

Vowel harmony: because the last vowel of the stem ayarla is a (a back vowel), you choose ı (the back unrounded vowel) in the suffix -(i)yor, yielding -ıyor. If the stem had a front vowel like e or i, you would use -iyor instead.