Learn Hardcore Turkish: Bugün özellikle sebzeli sandviç istiyorum. - Today I especially want a vegetable sandwich.

Bugün = today (time adverb)
özellikle = especially (adverb)
sebzeli = with vegetables (adjectival form of sebze “vegetable” + suffix -li “with”)
sandviç = sandwich (noun)
istiyorum = I want (verb) Turkish defaults to Subject–Object–Verb. Adverbs like time and manner typically come before the object and/or the verb, so this order is very natural: [time] [manner] [object] [verb].

Why doesn’t the object have the accusative ending (-i)? Why not sebzeli sandviçi?

Because the object here is indefinite (“a vegetable sandwich”). Indefinite direct objects in Turkish are left unmarked. If you add the accusative (-i/-ı/-u/-ü), you point to a specific, known sandwich: sebzeli sandviçi istiyorum = “I want the/a particular vegetable sandwich.”

What does the suffix -li in sebzeli mean, and how does vowel harmony affect it?

-lı/-li/-lu/-lü means “with/containing; having.” It turns a noun into an adjective.
Vowel harmony picks the form based on the last vowel of the noun: back a/ı → -lı, front e/i → -li, back o/u → -lu, front ö/ü → -lü.
Examples: peynirli (with cheese), sucuklu (with sausage), sarımsaklı (garlicky), sütlü (with milk).
sebze ends in e, so we get sebze + li → sebzeli.

Could I say sebze sandviçi instead of sebzeli sandviç?

You might hear compounds like ton balığı sandviçi (“tuna sandwich”) for a named type, but for the everyday “a sandwich with vegetables,” Turkish strongly prefers the -li form: sebzeli sandviç. Using sebze sandviçi sounds like labeling a fixed product type rather than simply saying it’s “with vegetables.”

Do I need bir (“a/one”) before sebzeli sandviç?

Not required. Indefiniteness is already shown by the lack of accusative. Adding bir (bir sebzeli sandviç) can emphasize quantity (“one”) or make the “a” more explicit, often in counting or when contrasting.

Why istiyorum and not isterim? What’s the difference?

istiyorum (present continuous) expresses a current, concrete desire/decision: “I want (now).”
isterim (aorist) is for general preferences, habitual statements, or a softer, hypothetical “I would like” (often when choosing from options). In a restaurant, you might use either contextually, but many speakers prefer indirect requests (see below) for extra politeness.

How is istiyorum formed morphologically?

Root: iste- (to want)
Present continuous: -(I)yor → after stems ending in -e/-a, that vowel becomes i/ı/u/ü: iste- + -iyor → istiyor-
1st person singular: -um → istiyor + um → istiyorum Parallels: bekle- → bekliyorum, anla- → anlıyorum.

What exactly does özellikle modify here? Can its position change the meaning?

In Bugün özellikle sebzeli sandviç istiyorum, özellikle most naturally scopes over the wanting: “I especially want ... (today).”
Moving it can shift focus:
- Özellikle bugün sebzeli sandviç istiyorum = “It’s especially today that I want it.”
- Bugün sebzeli sandviçi özellikle istiyorum would emphasize that specific sandwich (now definite with -i) as the one you especially want. Turkish uses position and stress to show scope; placing özellikle right before what you want to emphasize is a good rule of thumb.

Can I just drop özellikle? Are there synonyms?

Yes. Bugün sebzeli sandviç istiyorum is the neutral version without “especially.”
Common synonyms: bilhassa (formal-ish), hele (more colloquial, often as hele bugün “especially today”).
özellikle is the safest, most neutral choice.

Any pronunciation tips for the tricky letters?

ö (as in özellikle) = a rounded “e,” like German “ö,” similar to British “fur” but with rounded lips.
ü (as in Bugün) = a front rounded “u,” like German “ü” or French “u.”
ç (as in sandviç) = “ch” in “church.”
v is like English “v”; g in Bugün is a regular hard g. Syllables: Bu-gün | ö-zel-lik-le | seb-ze-li | sand-viç | is-ti-yo-rum.

Can I move Bugün around?

Yes. Time expressions are flexible:

Özellikle bugün sebzeli sandviç istiyorum (focus on “today”).
Sebzeli sandviç istiyorum bugün (colloquial, adds end-focus on “today”). Avoid writing bu gün as two words; it’s the single word bugün.

How do I negate or ask a question with this sentence?

Negative: Bugün özellikle sebzeli sandviç istemiyorum. (root iste-
- negative -me-
  - -yor)
Yes–no question: Bugün özellikle sebzeli sandviç istiyor musun? (question particle mi is separate and takes harmony: mı/mi/mu/mü; person ending attaches to it: musun/misiniz, etc.)

How could I say this more politely when ordering?

Sebzeli sandviç alabilir miyim, lütfen? (Can I get a vegetable sandwich, please?)
Sebzeli sandviç rica edebilir miyim? (May I request a vegetable sandwich?) These are standard, polite request forms in service contexts.