Durak kalabalık olunca, ben otobüse değil trene yöneliyorum.

When the stop is crowded, I head to the train instead of the bus.

Breakdown of Durak kalabalık olunca, ben otobüse değil trene yöneliyorum.

• olmak: to be
• ben: I
• otobüs: the bus
• tren: the train
• kalabalık: crowded
• değil: not
• durak: the stop
• -e: to
• -unca: when
• yönelmek: to head

Questions & Answers about Durak kalabalık olunca, ben otobüse değil trene yöneliyorum.

What is the function of the suffix -ınca in kalabalık olunca?

The suffix -ınca (a combination of -in + -ca) turns a verb or adjective into a subordinate clause meaning “when” or “as soon as.” Here, kalabalık ol (“to be crowded”) + -unca = “when it becomes crowded.”

Why do otobüse and trene take the -e ending?

The -e ending is the dative case, used to show direction or movement toward something.
• otobüse = “to the bus”
• trene = “to the train”
This case is required by the verb yönelmek (“to head toward/turn toward”).

How does the negation with değil work in otobüse değil trene?

To say “not to A but to B,” Turkish places değil between the two noun phrases: A değil B. You don’t repeat the case ending separately; both nouns remain in the dative.
So otobüse değil trene literally means “not to the bus but to the train.”

What is the difference between yönelmek and binmek when talking about transport?

• Binmek = “to board/get on” (a vehicle)
• Yönelmek = “to turn toward,” “to head toward,” “to direct oneself to.”
In this sentence, yöneliyorum suggests choosing or heading for the train instead of the bus, though context implies you’ll board it.

Why is ben included before yöneliyorum when Turkish verbs already show the subject?

Subject pronouns are optional in Turkish because verb endings indicate person. Adding ben here adds emphasis or contrast: “I (as for me) head for the train,” perhaps implying others do something different.

Why isn’t there an article like “the” before durak?

Turkish has no definite or indefinite articles. A noun without an article can mean “a,” “an,” or “the” depending on context. Here durak simply means “the stop” (understood from the situation).

What is the literal breakdown of yöneliyorum?

yöne-l-iyor-um = root yöne- (“turn toward”) + continuous tense -iyor + 1st person -um. Together, “I am turning/heading toward.”

What does the overall sentence structure tell us about time and main action?

The subordinate clause Durak kalabalık olunca (“When the stop gets crowded”) comes first, setting the condition. The main clause ben otobüse değil trene yöneliyorum (“I head to the train instead of the bus”) follows. This S-M (subordinate-main) order is typical in Turkish.