Bu akşam çalışasım var, yarın dinlenirim.

I feel like working this evening; I’ll rest tomorrow.

Breakdown of Bu akşam çalışasım var, yarın dinlenirim.

• dinlenmek: to rest
• yarın: tomorrow
• bu akşam: this evening
• çalışasım var: to feel like working

Questions & Answers about Bu akşam çalışasım var, yarın dinlenirim.

What exactly does çalışasım mean, and how is it built?

It’s a colloquial noun phrase meaning “my urge/feel-like to work.” Morphology:

• çalış- = “work”
• -(y)ası/-esi = a desiderative nominalizer meaning “urge/inclination to V” (old participial suffix)
• -m = 1st person possessive “my” Then var = “there is/exist(s)” So çalış-a-sı-m var literally means “my urge to work exists” → “I feel like working.”

Why do we need var here?

Because çalışasım is a possessed noun (“my urge to work”). Turkish typically states existence with var (there is) or yok (there isn’t). So:

• Çalışasım var = I feel like working.
• Çalışasım yok = I don’t feel like working.

Can I just say çalışmak istiyorum instead? What’s the nuance difference?

• Çalışmak istiyorum is neutral and standard: “I want to work.”
• Çalışasım var is more colloquial and emotional, focusing on a spontaneous mood/urge, not a firm decision. It can sound casual or even playful.

Is the positive form çalışasım var common, or is the negative more usual?

Both are used, but learners often encounter the negative more: …asım yok (“I don’t feel like…”). The positive …asım var is perfectly fine and heard, just a bit less frequent in everyday talk.

What’s the difference between çalışasım var and çalışasım geldi?

• Çalışasım var: you currently have that urge; it’s present/ongoing.
• Çalışasım geldi: the urge has (just) come to you; it emphasizes the onset or a sudden feeling. Past forms are possible too: çalışasım vardı (“I had the urge”).

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

• Negation: Bu akşam çalışasım yok.
• Yes–no question: Bu akşam çalışasın var mı? (to “you”) / Bu akşam çalışasım var mı? (self-question, rhetorical).
• Wh-questions are unusual with this fixed expression; you typically vary the verb instead.

Can I use this -(y)ası/-esi pattern with other verbs?

Yes, especially with common, everyday actions. Examples:

• Gidesim var (I feel like going)
• Yiyesim var (I feel like eating)
• İçesim var (I feel like drinking)
• Gülesim var (I feel like laughing)
• Ağlayasım var (I feel like crying) Vowel harmony applies: -ası/-esi depends on the last vowel of the stem.

Do I always keep var/yok, or can I drop it?

Keep it. …asım var/yok is the natural shell. Dropping var/yok (e.g., Çalışasım) sounds fragmentary unless you’re doing stylistic ellipsis in very informal speech or texting.

Why does yarın use the aorist dinlenirim to talk about the future?

Turkish often uses the aorist (-r) for planned/expected future when a time word clarifies it. Yarın dinlenirim means “I’ll rest tomorrow” with a calm, matter-of-fact tone (a resolution or plan), not a dramatic promise.

What’s the difference between yarın dinlenirim and yarın dinleneceğim?

• Yarın dinlenirim (aorist): intention/plan, slightly less forceful; sounds calm or routine.
• Yarın dinleneceğim (future -ecek): more definite, committed, sometimes with a firmer or more determined tone. Both are correct here.

Could I say yarın dinleneyim instead?

Yes. Yarın dinleneyim (optative) is like “Let me rest tomorrow / I should rest tomorrow.” It’s a self-suggestion or softly stated intention.

Where can I place time words like bu akşam and yarın?

They’re flexible:

• Bu akşam çalışasım var, yarın dinlenirim.
• Bu akşam, çalışasım var; yarın dinlenirim.
• Çalışasım bu akşam var, yarın dinlenirim. (less common but possible) Time adverbs typically sit near the clause they modify, often at the beginning for emphasis.

Do I need the subject pronoun ben anywhere?

No. Person is clear from -m in çalışasım and -im in dinlenirim. You’d add ben only for contrast/emphasis: Ben bu akşam çalışasım var, başkaları değil.

Is the punctuation with a comma okay, or should I use a connector?

A comma is fine between two short main clauses in Turkish. You can also add a connector for clarity:

• Contrast: …, ama yarın dinlenirim.
• Sequence: …, sonra yarın dinlenirim.
• Additive: …, yarın da dinlenirim.

How would I say this more formally?

• Bu akşam çalışmak istiyorum; yarın dinleneceğim.
• Bu akşam çalışmayı düşünüyorum; yarın dinlenmeyi planlıyorum. You could also say, more literally but formal-sounding: Bu akşam çalışma isteğim var; yarın dinleneceğim.

Can I use it for other persons (you/he/she)?

Yes, by changing the possessive:

• 1sg: çalışasım (my)
• 2sg: çalışasın (your): Senin çalışasın yok mu?
• 3sg: çalışası (his/her): Onun çalışası yok. Plural possessives exist but are less commonly used in this idiom.

Any tips on pronunciation and stress in çalışasım?

Default Turkish word stress is on the last syllable, so çalışasım is typically stressed as ca-lı-şa-SIM. In fast speech, the whole phrase çalışasım var often carries phrase-level stress on -sım or on var for emphasis.

Could dinlenirim be understood as a habitual present?

Yes. Without a time adverb, the aorist is usually habitual: Genelde pazar günleri dinlenirim = “I (usually) rest on Sundays.” With yarın, it reads as future intention.

Is there any subtle difference between bu akşam and akşam?

• Bu akşam = specifically “tonight/this evening.”
• Akşam alone can mean “in the evening” more generally or “this evening” from context. Bu akşam is clearer and more specific.