Ben süpürge alıyorum.

I am buying a vacuum cleaner.

Breakdown of Ben süpürge alıyorum.

• ben: I
• almak: to buy
• süpürge: the vacuum cleaner

Questions & Answers about Ben süpürge alıyorum.

Why is there no article like “a” or “the” before süpürge in Ben süpürge alıyorum?

Turkish does not have definite or indefinite articles equivalent to English “a” or “the.” A noun without any suffix generally means “a/an” or “some.” If you want to emphasize “one” of something you can use bir, but it’s optional:

• Ben bir süpürge alıyorum = “I’m buying one vacuum.”

Why doesn’t süpürge take the accusative suffix -yi/-yı here (i.e. süpürgeyi)?

In Turkish, only definite direct objects take the accusative suffix -(n)i.

• Indefinite object (something non‐specific): süpürge alıyorum (“I’m buying a vacuum [not a particular one]”).
• Definite object (a specific vacuum): süpürgeyi alıyorum (“I’m buying the vacuum that we talked about”).

Is Ben necessary in this sentence?

No. The personal ending -um on alıyor-um already shows that the subject is “I.” Native speakers often drop Ben unless they want to add emphasis or contrast:

• Süpürge alıyorum. (neutral)
• Ben süpürge alıyorum. (emphatic “I am the one buying…”)

How is the verb alıyorum formed?

It’s the present‐continuous form of almak (“to take/buy”), built in three steps:

1. al (stem)
2. • progressive suffix -(i)yor → alıyor (vowel harmony: a (back) → ı in -iyor)
3. • first‐person singular ending -um (vowel harmony: o (back, rounded) → u) → alıyorum

Why does almak mean “to buy” when it literally means “to take”?

In Turkish, many verbs have extended or idiomatic meanings. Almak primarily means “to take,” but in commercial contexts it also means “to purchase.” Context tells you which sense is meant.

Can I say Ben bir süpürge alıyorum to mean “I’m buying a vacuum”?

Yes, you can. Adding bir makes the “one‐ness” explicit, but it’s not required. Often learners leave it out because indefinite nouns are already bare.

How would I turn Ben süpürge alıyorum into a question like “Are you buying a vacuum?”

Use the question particle -mı/-mi/-mu/-mü (vowel‐harmonized) after the verb and the appropriate personal ending:

• Süpürge alıyor musun? = “Are you buying a vacuum?” (2nd person singular)
• Süpürge alıyor muyum? = “Am I buying a vacuum?” (1st person singular—rarely used)

What’s the default word order in this sentence?

Turkish is typically Subject-Object-Verb (S-O-V):

• Ben (Subject)
• süpürge (Object)
• alıyorum (Verb)
  You can move elements around for emphasis, but the verb usually comes last.