Ben aileme zaman ayırıyorum.

I am making time for my family.

Breakdown of Ben aileme zaman ayırıyorum.

• ben: I
• benim: my
• aile: the family
• zaman ayırmak: to make time

Questions & Answers about Ben aileme zaman ayırıyorum.

What does the ending in aileme mean?

• Aileme = aile (family) + -m (my) + -e (dative “to/toward”).
• So it literally means “to my family.” The dative marks the recipient/beneficiary of the action here.

Why is it aileme and not ailemi?

• Aileme uses the dative (-e) and fits the expression zaman ayırmak (birine) “to spare/allocate time for someone.”
• Ailemi is accusative (-i) and would make it a direct object: ailemi ayırıyorum would mean “I am separating/dividing my family,” which is not what you want.

Could I say ailemle instead of aileme?

• Ailemle = “with my family” (comitative -le/-la).
• Aileme zaman ayırıyorum = “I allocate time to my family” (focus on dedicating time for their sake).
• Ailemle zaman geçiriyorum = “I spend time with my family” (focus on actually being together). Different meaning.

Can I say Ailem için zaman ayırıyorum?

• Yes. … için means “for (the sake of).”
• Both are fine:
  • Aileme zaman ayırıyorum (more idiomatic with this verb; beneficiary in dative).
  • Ailem için zaman ayırıyorum (emphasizes the purpose/benefit: “for my family”).
• Everyday Turkish accepts both, but the dative with this verb is the default pattern.

Is the subject pronoun Ben necessary?

• No. The verb ending already shows the subject. Aileme zaman ayırıyorum is fully natural.
• Use Ben for emphasis/contrast or clarity: Ben aileme zaman ayırıyorum (“I, as opposed to others…”).

What tense/aspect is ayırıyorum?

• It’s the present continuous: -yor (here as -ıyor due to vowel harmony) + -um (1st person singular).
• It can mean “I am [right now] allocating” or a current/habitual action depending on context.

Should I use the aorist (ayırırım) for habits?

• The aorist (-r/-ır/-ir/-ur/-ür) marks general truths/habits: aileme zaman ayırırım = “I (generally) make time for my family.”
• In everyday speech, -yor is also often used for ongoing or near-habitual routines. Both can be correct, with nuance:
  • Ayırırım = characteristic habit.
  • Ayırıyorum = current routine/ongoing practice.

Does zaman ayırmak mean the same as “to spend time with”?

• Not exactly.
  • Zaman ayırmak = “to set aside/allocate time (for someone/something)” (intention/decision to make time).
  • Zaman geçirmek (biriyle) = “to spend time (with someone)” (being together/doing activities).
• So: Aileme zaman ayırıyorum vs Ailemle zaman geçiriyorum differ in focus.

Can I use vakit instead of zaman?

• Yes. Vakit and zaman are near-synonyms. The collocation vakit ayırmak is very common; zaman ayırmak is also widely used.
• Slight nuance: vakit can feel a bit more colloquial; zaman more neutral/standard. Both are fine here.

How is aileme formed exactly?

• Base noun: aile.
• 1st person singular possessive after a vowel is just -m (no extra vowel): aile → ailem (“my family”).
• Dative case adds -e/-a according to vowel harmony; last vowel in ailem is front (e), so use -e: aileme.

How is ayırıyorum formed?

• Verb root: ayır- (“separate/allocate”).
• Present continuous: -yor, whose preceding vowel harmonizes as -ıyor/-iyor/-uyor/-üyor. After the last vowel ı in ayır, we get -ıyor: ayır-ıyor-um → ayırıyorum.

How do I pronounce aileme and ayırıyorum?

• Aileme: three syllables [a-i-le-me]; in fast speech it may sound like “ay-le-me.”
• Ayırıyorum: five syllables [a-yı-rı-yo-rum]; the dotted/undotted i’s matter:
  • ı is the undotted back vowel [ɯ], not like English i.
  • i is the dotted front vowel [i].

Can I change the word order?

• Yes, Turkish allows flexible order for emphasis:
  • Neutral: Aileme zaman ayırıyorum.
  • Emphasizing the beneficiary: Zaman ayırıyorum aileme.
  • Contrasting the subject: Aileme ben zaman ayırıyorum.
• The verb typically stays at the end; moving elements to the front highlights them.

How do I make it negative or a question?

• Negative: Aileme zaman ayırmıyorum. (“I’m not making time for my family.”)
• Yes–no question: Aileme zaman ayırıyor muyum? (Note that the question particle mi/ mı/ mu/ mü is separate and harmonizes.)
• Negative question: Aileme zaman ayırmıyor muyum?

How would I emphasize “my own family”?

• Add kendi: Kendi aileme zaman ayırıyorum. (“I’m making time for my own family.”)
• You can also stress the pronoun: Ben kendi aileme… for extra contrast.

Do I need an article before zaman? Can I say “some time”?

• Turkish has no articles like “a/the.”
• Bare zaman works as a general/unspecified “time.”
• To say “some time,” add a quantifier:
  • Biraz zaman ayırıyorum. (“I’m setting aside a bit of time.”)
  • For possessive emphasis: Vaktimi aileme ayırıyorum. (“I’m dedicating my time to my family.”)