Ben toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyorum.

During the meeting, I put my phone on silent.

Breakdown of Ben toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyorum.

• ben: I
• benim: my
• telefon: the phone
• toplantı: the meeting
• -da: in
• sessize almak: to put on silent

Questions & Answers about Ben toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyorum.

Can you break the sentence down morphologically?

• Ben — I
• toplantıda — toplantı (meeting) + -da (locative: in/at)
• telefonumu — telefon (phone) + -um (my) + -u (accusative: specific object)
• sessize — sessiz (silent) + -e (dative: to/into)
• alıyorum — al- (take) + -ıyor (present progressive) + -um (1st person singular)

Why is it telefonumu (with -u) and not just telefonum?

Because the phone is a specific, definite object (“my phone”), Turkish marks it with the accusative. Compare:

• Kahve içiyorum. = I’m drinking coffee. (indefinite object → no accusative)
• Kahveyi içiyorum. = I’m drinking the coffee. (specific/definite → accusative) With possessed objects like “my phone,” the object is inherently specific, so you say telefonumu, not telefonum.

What does the -e in sessize do? Why not just sessiz?

The -e is the dative case, used here to mark a target state: “into silent mode.” Turkish often uses “object (accusative) + target (dative) + verb” to express a change of state or conversion:

• Dosyayı PDF’e çeviriyorum. (I’m converting the file to PDF.) Likewise, telefonumu sessize alıyorum = “I’m taking my phone to silent (mode).”

Why use almak (“to take”) here? Is sessize almak a set phrase?

Yes. Sessize almak is a very common collocation meaning “to put (a device) on silent/mute.” It’s a “light-verb” construction: a general verb (almak) combines with a complement (sessize) to express a specific action. Alternatives you’ll hear:

• telefonu susturmak (to silence/mute the phone; “susturmak” can also mean “shut someone up”)
• sessize çekmek, sessize ayarlamak, sessiz moda almak (also used, but sessize almak is extremely common)

What tense/aspect is alıyorum, and how would meaning change with other tenses?

Alıyorum is present progressive (-yor): “I am (right now/these days) putting [it] on silent.”

• Alırım (aorist/simple present): habitual/general truth → “I (usually) put it on silent.”
• Aldım: past, completed → “I put it on silent.”
• Alacağım: future → “I will put it on silent.”

Do I need the subject pronoun Ben?

No. The verb ending -um already shows 1st-person singular. Ben is optional and adds emphasis/contrast (“I, as opposed to others”):

• Toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyorum. (natural)
• Ben toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyorum. (I do, me specifically)

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Turkish is flexible, but neutral is:

• Toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyorum. Other acceptable orders shift emphasis:
• Telefonumu toplantıda sessize alıyorum. (emphasis on “my phone” or on the location)
• Ben toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyorum. (emphasis on “I”) Keep [object + target state + verb] together when possible; splitting telefonumu and sessize is less natural.

Does toplantıda mean “in the meeting” or “during the meeting”? Are there alternatives?

Toplantıda literally means “in/at the meeting,” but in context it often equals “during the meeting.” Alternatives:

• Toplantı sırasında / toplantı esnasında = during the meeting (more formal)
• Toplantıdayken = while (I’m) at the meeting (explicit “while”-sense)

Why is it -da in toplantıda and not -ta?

The locative suffix is -DA and follows two rules:

• Vowel harmony: back vowel → -da, front vowel → -de.
• Voicing: after a voiceless consonant, it becomes -ta/-te. Toplantı ends with a vowel, so you get -da. Examples: parkta (park + ta), derste (ders + te).

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• ı (dotless i) in toplantıda, alıyorum is like the “uh” in “sofa.”
• The progressive -yor is stressed: a-lı-YOR-um → alıyorum.
• sessize: say “ses-SEE-zeh” (with a clear z).

How do I make the negative or ask a yes/no question?

• Negative: Toplantıda telefonumu sessize almıyorum. (I’m not putting my phone on silent in the meeting.)
• Yes/no question: Toplantıda telefonumu sessize alıyor muyum?
  The question particle mi/mı/mu/mü follows vowel harmony and is written separately.

How do I say it as a habit/rule (not right now)?

Use the aorist and often a plural or frequency word:

• Toplantılarda telefonumu sessize alırım. (In meetings, I put my phone on silent.)
• Her toplantıda telefonumu sessize alırım. (In every meeting, I put my phone on silent.)

Could I just say Sessize alıyorum and leave out telefonumu?

Only if context makes the object obvious (e.g., you’re holding your phone). Otherwise, it’s vague. You can also use a pronoun if already mentioned: Onu sessize alıyorum (“I’m putting it on silent”).

Is saying sessize koyuyorum or sessiz yapıyorum okay?

They’re not idiomatic for this meaning. Native speakers say telefonumu sessize alıyorum (most common), or sometimes telefonu susturuyorum / sessize çekiyorum / sessize ayarlıyorum.