Log inSign up

Ben her hafta sonu kütüphanede gönüllü olmak istiyorum.

Ben her hafta sonu kütüphanede gönüllü olmak istiyorum.
I want to volunteer at the library every weekend.
FromLesson 67inHardcore Turkish
……

Breakdown of Ben her hafta sonu kütüphanede gönüllü olmak istiyorum.

ben
I
istemek
to want
her
every
kütüphane
the library
hafta sonu
the weekend
-de
in
gönüllü olmak
to volunteer

Questions & Answers about Ben her hafta sonu kütüphanede gönüllü olmak istiyorum.

Why is Ben used at the beginning? Can I drop it?

In Turkish, subject pronouns like ben (I) are optional because the verb ending -yorum already tells you it’s first person singular. You can say
Her hafta sonu kütüphanede gönüllü olmak istiyorum.
without ben, and it will still mean “I want….”. Including ben adds emphasis or clarity.

What’s the word order in this sentence?

Turkish typically follows Subject–Time–Place–Object–Verb order. Here:
• Subject: Ben (optional)
• Time: her hafta sonu (every weekend)
• Place: kütüphanede (at the library)
• Verb phrase: gönüllü olmak istiyorum (I want to volunteer)

Why is it her hafta sonu and not her hafta sonları or her haftada sonu?

• Her (“each/every”) always pairs with a singular noun, so you say her hafta (every week) and her hafta sonu (every weekend).
• Hafta sonu is the fixed phrase for “weekend.”
• Her hafta sonları would sound like “every weekends” (ungrammatical), and her haftada sonu misplaces the time expression.

What is the role of -de in kütüphanede?
-de is the locative suffix meaning “in/at.” When you attach it to kütüphane (library), you get kütüphanede, meaning “at the library.” Vowel harmony gives -de rather than -da because kütüphane ends in -e, a front vowel.
Why isn’t there a space between kütüphane and de?
Locative suffixes in Turkish attach directly to the noun without a space. So you write kütüphanede, not kütüphane de (that second word de would mean “also”).
What does gönüllü olmak literally mean, and why is it used here?
Gönüllü is a noun/adjective meaning “volunteer” or “willing.” Olmak means “to become” or “to be.” Together, gönüllü olmak means “to volunteer” (literally “to be a volunteer”). It’s the natural way to say “to volunteer” in Turkish.
How does istemek work with other verbs like olmak here?

İstemek means “to want.” When you want to combine it with another action, you put the second verb in its infinitive form (mainly -mak/-mek) and then conjugate istemek. For example:
• gitmek istiyorum (“I want to go”)
• yemek istiyorum (“I want to eat”)
• gönüllü olmak istiyorum (“I want to volunteer”)

Can I express “once a week” instead of “every weekend”? How?

Yes. If you want “once a week,” you can say haftada bir. So:
Haftada bir kütüphanede gönüllü olmak istiyorum.
This means “I want to volunteer at the library once a week.” It’s different from her hafta sonu, which specifically means “every weekend.”

More from this lesson

tolerans aralığıTest sırasında tolerans aralığını ölçüyoruz.sağlamakTolerans aralığını genişletmek bazen mekanizmanın sorunsuz çalışmasını sağlar.test sonuçlarına dayanarakTest sonuçlarına dayanarak doktor tedavi planı yaptı.değerlendirilmekSunumdan önce rapor değerlendirilmek üzere müdüre teslim edildi.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Turkish grammar?”
Turkish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Turkish

Master Turkish — from Ben her hafta sonu kütüphanede gönüllü olmak istiyorum to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Turkish freeBrowse the full course