Learn Hardcore Turkish: Ben çamaşırları katlıyorum.

Breakdown of Ben çamaşırları katlıyorum.

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What are the pieces of the sentence, morphologically?

Ben = I (subject pronoun; optional)
çamaşır-lar-ı = laundry + plural -lar + accusative -ı (definite direct object: “the laundry/clothes”)
katla-yor-um = fold + present continuous -(I)yor + 1st person singular -um → katlıyorum

Do I need to say Ben, or is it optional?

It’s optional. The ending -um on katlıyorum already shows “I.”
Include Ben for emphasis or contrast: Ben çamaşırları katlıyorum (as opposed to someone else), or when starting a new topic.

Why does çamaşırları have -ı on it?

-ı is the accusative case used for a definite direct object (something specific/known).
With a non-specific/indefinite object, you leave it bare: çamaşır katlıyorum = “I’m folding laundry (some).”
Because the last vowel of çamaşır is back and unrounded, the accusative uses -ı (vowel harmony), giving çamaşır-ı; with plural: çamaşır-lar-ı.

Could çamaşırları mean “their laundry”?

In isolation, çamaşırları can mean “their laundry” (3rd person possessive), but in this sentence it’s functioning as plural + accusative (“the laundry/clothes”).
To unambiguously say “their laundry” as a definite object, you’d use the genitive + possessed + accusative chain: Onların çamaşırlarını katlıyorum. Notice the extra -n- before accusative after a possessive: çamaşırları-nı.

Why is it katlıyorum and not katlayorum?

The present continuous is -(I)yor. When the verb stem ends in -a/-e (here: katla-), that final a/e drops and the high vowel of the suffix appears by vowel harmony:
- katla- + -(ı)yor → katlıyor- → katlıyorum
- Compare: bekle- → bekliyorum, oyna- → oynuyorum, anla- → anlıyorum.
So you never write “-ayor/-eyor”; it’s “-ıyor/-iyor/-uyor/-üyor.”

How is katlıyorum formed exactly?

What’s the difference between katlıyorum and katlarım?

katlıyorum = present continuous (right now / currently / around this time).
katlarım = aorist/simple present (habitual/general truth: “I (usually) fold,” “I fold [as a rule]”).
English often uses simple present for habits; Turkish uses the aorist for that.

Can I change the word order?

Neutral Turkish order is Subject–Object–Verb: (Ben) çamaşırları katlıyorum.
You can move elements for emphasis:
- Çamaşırları ben katlıyorum. (It’s me who folds the laundry.)
- Ben çamaşırları katlıyorum (emphasis on “I”).
Putting the object after the verb (… katlıyorum çamaşırları) is marked and used only for special focus or in some conversational afterthoughts. Stick to object-before-verb as the default.

Why plural çamaşırları? Could I say çamaşırı or just çamaşır?

çamaşırları (plural + accusative): specific set of items (“the clothes/laundry”).
çamaşırı (singular + accusative): a single specific item (less common with “laundry”).
çamaşır (bare singular): non-specific/mass reading (“some laundry / laundry in general”).
In practice, for house chores, plural definite is most natural when referring to a batch you’re folding.

How do I pronounce the tricky sounds?

ç = “ch” in “church”
ş = “sh” in “shoe”
ı (dotless i) = a back, unrounded vowel; say something like the “e” in “taken” but further back; not like English “i”
-yor- = always spelled with o: yor, not yur or yör

How do I make the negative and the yes/no question?

Negative: insert -ma/-me before -yor with harmony:
- katlamıyorum = I’m not folding (note it’s from katla- → katla-ma-yor-um → vowel harmony → katlamıyorum).
Yes/no question: add the separate question particle mi/ mı/ mu/ mü after the verb (with harmony):
- Katlıyor muyum? = Am I folding?
- Answer patterns: Evet, katlıyorum. / Hayır, katlamıyorum.

Is there a difference between katlamak, katmak, and katlanmak?

katlamak = to fold (clothes, paper). That’s the verb you want here.
katmak = to add/join/mix in (e.g., yemeğe tuz katmak = add salt to food). So katıyorum would mean “I’m adding,” not “I’m folding.”
katlanmak = to be folded; also “to put up with/endure” in figurative use.

Could I use a different noun like kıyafetleri?

Yes. kıyafetleri = “the clothes.” It emphasizes garments rather than “laundry” as a chore.
çamaşır is the usual word in the context of washing/folding laundry; kıyafet is more general “clothing.”

Why is it -ı and not -i/-u/-ü in çamaşırları?

Accusative follows four-way vowel harmony: -ı/-i/-u/-ü depends on the last vowel of the stem.
Last vowel in çamaşır is a (back, unrounded) → choose -ı: çamaşır-ı; with plural: çamaşır-lar-ı.