Breakdown of Ben bilgisayarda film izliyorum.
ben
I
film
the film
izlemek
to watch
bilgisayarda
on the computer
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Questions & Answers about Ben bilgisayarda film izliyorum.
Why do we add -da to bilgisayar, making it bilgisayarda?
That -da is the locative case suffix, equivalent to English “on/at.” Turkish marks location by attaching -de/-da to the noun (with vowel harmony). Since bilgisayar ends in the back vowel a, we use -da, giving bilgisayarda (“on the computer”).
Why isn't there an article like a or the before bilgisayar or film?
Turkish has no definite or indefinite articles. Nouns appear without a, an or the, so bilgisayarda can mean “on a computer” or “on the computer” depending on context.
Why isn’t film marked with the accusative suffix -i even though it’s the object?
In Turkish, only definite direct objects take the accusative suffix (-ı/-i/-u/-ü). Here film is indefinite (“a film”/“some film”), so it remains unmarked. If you meant “the film,” you’d say filmi.
How does izliyorum form the present continuous tense?
It breaks down as:
• Verb root izle- (to watch)
• Progressive suffix -iyor (am/is/are …-ing)
• First-person singular ending -um (I)
Combined with slight sound changes: izle + -iyor → izliyor, then + -um → izliyorum, meaning “I am watching.”
Why do we include ben when the verb already indicates “I”?
Turkish verb endings already show the subject, so pronouns are optional. Ben is used here for emphasis or clarity. In everyday speech you can drop it: Bilgisayarda film izliyorum.
Can word order change? Why is it Ben bilgisayarda film izliyorum instead of Ben film bilgisayarda izliyorum?
The neutral word order is Subject–(Adverbial)–Object–Verb (S-ADJ-O-V).
• Ben (S)
• bilgisayarda (adverbial “on the computer”)
• film (O)
• izliyorum (V)
You can move elements for emphasis, but the verb normally stays at the end.
How can I tell this da is the locative suffix and not the conjunction da (“also”)?
The locative -de/-da is a suffix attached directly (no space) to a noun. The conjunction da/de (“also/too”) is a separate word (written with a space, often preceded by a comma). In bilgisayarda there’s no space, so it’s the locative case marker meaning “on.”