Learn Hardcore Turkish: Akşam babamla ben balkonda oturup çoğunlukla kedileri izliyoruz. - In the evening my father and I sit on the balcony and mostly watch the cats.

Adding ben in babamla ben explicitly lists the two people and slightly emphasizes “my father and I (as a pair).” It’s stylistic/emphatic, not required.

Can I say babam ve ben instead of babamla ben?

Yes. Babam ve ben (“my father and I”) is a plain coordination with ve “and.”
Babamla ben literally “my father with me” is very common and often feels more natural for “X and I (together).” Both are correct.

What’s the difference between ile, -la/-le, and -yla/-yle?

ile is the separate word “with/and.”
-la/-le is its clitic form attached to the noun: baba + m + la → babamla.
After a vowel, a buffer y appears: aile + yle → aileyle.
Register: -la/-le is a bit more colloquial; ile is a touch more formal. Meaning is the same.

Is the -la in çoğunlukla the same “with” suffix as in babamla?

Historically yes, but çoğunlukla is a fixed adverb meaning “mostly/for the most part.” You don’t parse it productively as “with the majority” in modern usage. In babamla, -la is the ordinary comitative “with.”

Why is it kediler-i (plural + accusative) and not just kediler?

Because the cats are specific. In Turkish, a specific/definite direct object takes the accusative:

kedileri izliyoruz = we watch the (known, specific) cats. If you mean “we watch cats (in general),” drop the accusative and typically use bare singular:
kedi izliyoruz (generic/indefinite; “we watch cats”).
Using bare plural as an indefinite object is rare and usually marked; stick to bare singular for the generic reading.

How would I change it to mean “we usually watch cats (not any specific cats)”?

Make the object indefinite:

Akşam(ları) babamla balkonda oturup çoğunlukla kedi izliyoruz. Here kedi is bare (no accusative), giving a non-specific, generic meaning.

What does oturup do here? Why not just use ve or another verb form?

-ıp/-ip/-up/-üp is a converb that links verbs under the same subject, often “and (then).”
oturup … izliyoruz ≈ “we sit (down) and (then) watch.” It’s concise and avoids repeating person/tense.

Alternatives:

balkonda oturuyoruz ve kedileri izliyoruz (two full clauses, same subject)
balkonda oturup kedileri izliyoruz (more compact)

Note: Don’t mix persons: oturuyor ve izliyoruz is ill-formed because the first verb lacks the 1pl ending.

Does -ip mean “while,” or “and then”? What about -erek/-arak and -ken?

-ip often implies sequence/addition: “and (then).”
-erek/-arak expresses manner/simultaneity: oturarak izliyoruz = “we watch while sitting/by sitting.”
-ken marks “while/when”: otururken izliyoruz = “we watch while (we are) sitting.”

In your sentence, oturup is natural because you first sit and then watch.

Why is izliyoruz used (present continuous) for a habitual action? Shouldn’t it be izleriz (aorist)?

Both can express habits, but with nuances:

izleriz (aorist) = neutral, timeless habit: “we (generally) watch.”
izliyoruz (present continuous) = a current, ongoing routine: “these days/typically we’re watching.”

With adverbs like çoğunlukla, both are common. If you want classic habitual, izleriz is a good choice:

…çoğunlukla kedileri izleriz.

What’s the difference between akşam and akşamları here?

Akşam can mean “in the evening/tonight” or a loose time setting.
Akşamları means “in the evenings (habitually).”

For a clear habitual meaning, Akşamları … izleriz is very natural. With çoğunlukla, both are acceptable; akşamları makes the routine sense explicit.

Where should I put çoğunlukla?

Adverbs are flexible, but placement affects emphasis. Natural options:

Akşam(ları) … çoğunlukla kedileri izliyoruz. (frequency scopes over the object)
Akşam(ları) çoğunlukla … kedileri izliyoruz. (frequency scopes over the whole predicate)

Avoid placing it after the verb. Turkish tends to be verb-final: keep çoğunlukla before the verb.

Why is it balkon-da and not balkon-de/ta/te?

Locative suffix is -DA with vowel harmony and consonant voicing:

Back vowels (a, ı, o, u) → -da/-ta, front (e, i, ö, ü) → -de/-te.
After a voiceless consonant, you typically see t; after a voiced consonant or vowel, d.

Balkon ends with voiced n and has a back vowel, so: balkon + da → balkonda.
Compare: park → parkta, şehir → şehirde.

Could I move words around? What are some equally natural word orders?

Yes, Turkish is flexible. All of these are natural, with small emphasis shifts:

Akşam(ları) babamla balkonda oturup çoğunlukla kedileri izliyoruz.
Akşam(ları) çoğunlukla babamla balkonda oturup kedileri izliyoruz.
Akşam(ları) babamla balkonda çoğunlukla kedileri oturup izliyoruz. (emphasis on “mostly the cats”)

Keep the verb at the end and the object before the verb; move adverbs/adjuncts (time, place, manner) earlier for emphasis.

How is izliyoruz formed from izlemek? Why not “izleyoruz”?

Present continuous is -(I)yor. With stems ending in -e/-a, that vowel raises:

izle- + -(i)yor + -uz → izliyoruz (e → i)
anla- + -(ı)yor + -uz → anlıyoruz (a → ı) With consonant-final stems, no raising: otur- + -uyor + -uz → oturuyoruz.

Do I need the accusative if I use a number or a determiner with “cats”?

If the object is specific/definite, use accusative: o kedileri izliyoruz (“those cats,” known set).
If it’s purely quantified/indefinite, no accusative: üç kedi izliyoruz (“we watch three cats,” not a specific set). Determiners like şu/o tend to make the object definite; numerals typically keep it indefinite unless context makes a particular set salient.

What’s the difference between izlemek and bakmak with cats?

izlemek = “to watch” (sustained, attentive viewing): kedileri izliyoruz.
bakmak = “to look (at)” and takes dative: kedilere bakıyoruz. Choose based on meaning: watching vs just looking.