Ben telefonumu şarj ediyorum.

I am charging my phone.

Breakdown of Ben telefonumu şarj ediyorum.

• ben: I
• benim: my
• telefon: the phone
• şarj etmek: to charge

Questions & Answers about Ben telefonumu şarj ediyorum.

Why is the pronoun ben optional in this sentence?

Turkish is a “pro-drop” language, which means that subject pronouns like ben (“I”) can be omitted because the verb ending already encodes person and number. In şarj ediyorum, the suffix -um tells you the subject is “I.” You would only include ben for extra emphasis or contrast (e.g. Ben telefonumu şarj ediyorum = “It’s me who is charging my phone”).

What do the suffixes -um and -u do in telefonumu?

Start with the noun telefon (“phone”): • -um is the 1st-person-singular possessive suffix → telefon + -um = telefonum (“my phone”).
• -u is the accusative (definite direct-object) case suffix, harmonized to -u by the last vowel o → telefonum + -u = telefonumu (“my phone” as a specific object of the verb).

When do I need the accusative suffix -u on a direct object?

You add the accusative case suffix to a direct object when it is definite or specific (e.g. “my phone,” “the book,” “that apple”). If the object is indefinite—“a phone” in general—you omit it (Telefon şarj ediyorum = “I’m charging a phone” in general).

How is the verb şarj ediyorum constructed?

1. şarj = loanword noun “charge.”
2. etmek = “to do/make,” used to turn many nouns into verbs.
3. Present-continuous suffix -iyor (with vowel harmony): et
   • -iyor → etiyor
4. 1st-person-singular suffix -um: etiyor
   • -um → ediyorum
     Putting it together: şarj
     • ediyorum = “I am charging.”

Why does etmek become ediyor instead of etiyor?

In Turkish phonology, a t between vowels voices to d. So when you attach -iyor to the stem et-, the t becomes d:
et + iyor → e(t→d)iyor = ediyor.

Why is the verb at the very end of the sentence? Can I change the word order?

Turkish is head-final with a default Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, so şarj ediyorum comes last. You can move elements around for emphasis, but the verb almost always stays at the end in neutral statements.

Why do we use etmek with şarj? Are there alternative verbs?

Many loanword nouns form verbs with etmek (“to do”): şarj etmek is the standard dictionary form. Colloquially, speakers also say şarjlamak (adding the Turkish verb-forming suffix -la(mak)) or even şarj yapmak (“to make/do a charge”), and you’ll be understood. However, in formal or written Turkish, şarj etmek remains the norm.