Ben başvuru formunu imzalıyorum.

I am signing the application form.

Breakdown of Ben başvuru formunu imzalıyorum.

• ben: I
• imzalamak: to sign
• başvuru formu: the application form

Questions & Answers about Ben başvuru formunu imzalıyorum.

Why is Ben used in the sentence? Can’t we just say Başvuru formunu imzalıyorum without it?

In Turkish, subject pronouns like ben are usually omitted because the verb ending -um already tells you it’s “I.”
• Başvuru formunu imzalıyorum is perfectly correct and actually more common in everyday speech.
• Including ben adds emphasis or contrast (e.g. “I am signing the form, not someone else”).

What does imzalıyorum break down into?

The verb imzalıyorum comes from imzalamak (“to sign”) and consists of:

1. imzala-: verb root (“sign”)
2. -ıyor: present continuous tense marker (“-ing”), with vowel harmony (stem a → ı)
3. -um: first person singular suffix (“I”)
   So imzalıyorum literally = imzala
   • ıyor
     • um = “I am signing.”

Why do we say başvuru formunu instead of başvuru formu?

Here başvuru formu (“application form”) is the base noun. To mark it as a definite direct object, we add the accusative suffix -u again. Since formu ends in a vowel, Turkish inserts a buffer -n- before the new -u:
• base compound: başvuru formu (“application form”)
• add accusative: formu + n + u → formunu
→ başvuru formunu = “the application form” (object).

When do we use the accusative case in Turkish?

You use the accusative -i/-ı/-u/-ü only for definite (specific) direct objects.
Examples:
• Definite: Kitabı okuyorum. (“I am reading the book.”)
• Indefinite: Kitap okuyorum. (“I am reading a book.”)

Are there articles like “the” or “a/an” in Turkish?

No. Turkish has no separate words for “the” or “a/an.” Definiteness is shown by the accusative case on objects (-i/-ı/-u/-ü) or by context. Indefinite objects remain unmarked.

What is the standard word order in Turkish, and is this sentence following it?

The default structure is Subject + Object + Verb (SOV). In Ben başvuru formunu imzalıyorum:
• Subject: Ben (I)
• Object: başvuru formunu (the application form)
• Verb: imzalıyorum (am signing)
You can rearrange elements for emphasis, but the verb typically comes last.

Could we use the simple present tense instead of the present continuous here?

Yes, but the meaning changes:
• Başvuru formunu imzalıyorum. = “I am signing the application form” (right now).
• Başvuru formunu imzalarım. = “I sign the application form” (habitually or generally), which sounds odd unless you mean you sign it regularly.

Why is the progressive suffix written as -ıyor (-yo r) and not something like -uyo r or -e yor?

The suffix is -yor with a variable vowel (i/ı/u/ü) to match the last vowel of the verb stem by vowel harmony. The consonant y is always present. Since imzala- ends in a (a back, unrounded vowel), the suffix becomes -ıyor:
imzala +­ ıyor +­ um → imzalıyorum