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Questions & Answers about Ben sebzeli çorba yapıyorum.
Do I have to say "Ben," or can I drop it?
You can drop it. The ending in yapıyorum already shows the subject is “I.” Use Ben only for emphasis or contrast, e.g., Ben yapıyorum, sen değil (I am the one doing it, not you).
What tense is yapıyorum, exactly? Is it only “right now”?
It’s the present continuous (-yor). It most commonly means the action is happening now or around now. It can also express a near-future plan (like English “I’m making … tomorrow”), though the future (yapacağım) is also common for plans. For habits/generics, use the aorist: yaparım (I make).
How is yapıyorum formed?
- Stem: yap- (make/do)
- Present continuous: -(I)yor → -ıyor after a/ı, -iyor after e/i, -uyor after o/u, -üyor after ö/ü. Here: yap + ıyor.
- 1st person singular: -um. After -yor, 1sg is always -um. So: yap- + ıyor + um = yapıyorum.
Why is there no “a” or “the” before çorba? When would I use bir?
Turkish has no articles like “a/the.” Indefinite nouns appear bare: çorba. You can add bir to mean “a/one,” often to single something out: sebzeli bir çorba yapıyorum. If the object is specific/definite (“the soup we talked about”), you mark it with accusative: çorbayı.
Why isn’t çorba marked with -ı/-i (accusative) here?
Because it’s an indefinite direct object (just “soup” as a type), so no accusative. If it’s specific/known, use accusative: Sebzeli çorbayı yapıyorum = I’m making the vegetable soup (that we know about).
What does sebzeli mean, and how is it formed?
Sebzeli = “with vegetables,” from sebze (vegetable) + suffix -li/-lı/-lu/-lü (“with, having”), chosen by vowel harmony. Opposite: sebzesiz (“without vegetables,” with -siz/-sız/-suz/-süz).
Is sebzeli çorba the same as sebze çorbası?
Both mean “vegetable soup.”
- sebzeli çorba = “soup with vegetables” (adjective + noun).
- sebze çorbası = “vegetable soup” (noun compound: sebze
- çorba-sı). Usage overlaps; menus often use sebze çorbası, but sebzeli çorba is also natural.
Can I say sebzeyle çorba yapıyorum?
Yes. -yle/-yla means “with” (instrumental): “I’m making soup with vegetables (as an ingredient).” If you mean the type of soup, sebze çorbası or sebzeli çorba is more idiomatic.
How do I negate it?
Insert the negative -ma/-me before -yor:
- Ben sebzeli çorba yapmıyorum. Forms follow vowel harmony: yapmıyorum / etmiyorum / okumuyorum / görmüyorum, etc.
How do I make a yes/no question?
Use the question particle mi (written separately, harmonized as mi/mı/mu/mü):
- 1sg: Sebzeli çorba yapıyor muyum?
- 2sg: Sebzeli çorba yapıyor musun?
- 3sg: Sebzeli çorba yapıyor mu?
What about word order—can I move things around for emphasis?
Default is S–O–V, with the verb at the end. The element right before the verb is typically in focus. You can front the object/subject for emphasis if it’s definite:
- Sebzeli çorbayı BEN yapıyorum. (I’m the one making the vegetable soup.) Keep the verb at the end in neutral sentences.
How do I pronounce the special letters?
- ç = “ch” in “church”: çorba → “chorba.”
- ı (dotless i) is a back, unrounded vowel (similar to the second vowel in “roses” for many speakers). yapıyorum ≈ “ya-puh-yor-oom” (short, relaxed “uh” for ı).
What’s the difference between yapıyorum and yaparım?
- yapıyorum: present continuous (doing it now/around now or planned near future).
- yaparım: aorist; habits, general truths, capability, or promises. Example: Genelde sebze çorbası yaparım (I generally make vegetable soup).
Is yapmak the best verb here? What about pişirmek?
Both are fine:
- çorba yapmak (to make soup) is very common and idiomatic.
- çorba pişirmek emphasizes the act of cooking/heating. In a kitchen context, either works.
Do nouns/adjectives have gender or agreement in Turkish?
No. Turkish has no grammatical gender, and adjectives don’t change for gender or number. sebzeli çorba / sebzeli çorbalar (plural) uses the same sebzeli.