Breakdown of Ben raporun bir kopyasını alıyorum.
bir
a
ben
I
almak
to get
rapor
the report
-un
of
kopya
the copy
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Questions & Answers about Ben raporun bir kopyasını alıyorum.
Why is raporun used here instead of rapor or raporu?
raporun is the genitive form of rapor (report), created by adding -un, which means “of the report.” We need the genitive to show possession: you’re talking about a copy belonging to the report. If you used raporu, you’d be marking “the report” itself as the direct object of the verb alıyorum, which changes the meaning.
Why does kopyasını have two suffixes, -sı and -nı?
The first suffix -sı is the third-person singular possessive, meaning “its copy” (i.e. the report’s copy). The second suffix -nı is the accusative case marker, indicating that “one copy of the report” is a definite direct object. The buffer consonant n is inserted because the stem ends in a vowel.
What role does bir play in bir kopyasını? What changes if we omit it?
bir means “one”, specifying that you’re taking a single copy. Without bir, you’d say raporun kopyasını, which translates to “the copy of the report” (as if there’s only one known copy).
Is it necessary to include the pronoun ben at the start of the sentence?
No. Turkish is a pro-drop language, so you can omit ben because the verb ending -yorum already signals first person singular. You include ben only for emphasis or contrast.
Why is the verb in the present continuous tense alıyorum instead of a simple present?
Turkish uses the suffix -iyor to form the present continuous, which covers both ongoing actions (I am taking) and general present (I take). There isn’t a separate bare simple present like English; context determines whether it’s actually continuous or habitual.
Can I change the word order in this sentence?
Yes. Thanks to case endings, Turkish word order is flexible. The default is Subject–Object–Verb (Ben raporun bir kopyasını alıyorum), but you could front another element for emphasis (e.g., Raporun bir kopyasını alıyorum ben), as long as the verb stays at the end.
How would I say “I took a copy of the report” or “I will take a copy of the report”?
For past tense, use aldım:
Raporun bir kopyasını aldım. (I took a copy of the report.)
For future tense, use alacağım:
Raporun bir kopyasını alacağım. (I will take a copy of the report.)