Ben arkadaşımı selamlıyorum.

I am greeting my friend.

Breakdown of Ben arkadaşımı selamlıyorum.

• ben: I
• benim: my
• arkadaş: the friend
• selamlamak: to greet

Questions & Answers about Ben arkadaşımı selamlıyorum.

Why is Ben included when Turkish usually drops subject pronouns?

In Turkish, the verb ending already indicates the subject person. Pronouns like Ben (I) are therefore optional and often omitted. Here Ben is used for emphasis or clarity. Without it, Arkadaşımı selamlıyorum still means “I greet my friend.”

How is arkadaşımı formed?

arkadaşımı consists of three parts:

• arkadaş = “friend”
• -ım = 1st person singular possessive suffix, “my”
• -ı = accusative case marker for a definite direct object
  Put together: arkadaş + ım + ı ⇒ arkadaşımı (“my friend” as the object).

Why does arkadaşımı take the accusative suffix -ı?

Turkish marks definite (specific) direct objects with the accusative suffix -ı/-i/-u/-ü (according to vowel harmony). Since my friend is a specific person, you add -ı. If the object were indefinite/non-specific (“I greet a friend”), you would omit it: Arkadaş selamlıyorum (though that’s less common in everyday speech).

What does the ending -lıyorum in selamlıyorum express?

The verb selamlamak (to greet) conjugates this way:

• selamla- = verb root
• -yor = present continuous tense marker
• -um = 1st person singular ending
  Together: selamla-yor-um ⇒ selamlıyorum, meaning “I am greeting” or simply “I greet.”

Why is the verb placed at the end of the sentence?

Turkish generally follows Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order:

1. Subject: Ben
2. Object: arkadaşımı
3. Verb: selamlıyorum
   You can rearrange elements for emphasis, but the verb typically stays last.

What’s the difference between selamlamak and selamlaşmak?

• selamlamak is transitive: you greet someone.
• selamlaşmak is reciprocal/intransitive: two or more people exchange greetings.

Why is the verb root selamla- rather than just selam-?

In Turkish, many nouns become verbs by adding the suffix -la/-le. Here selam (greeting) + -la yields selamla- (to greet). That is why you see selamla-yor-um rather than selam-yor-um.