Learn Hardcore Turkish: Telefonu sessiz moda alır almaz espri yapmak daha kolay oldu. - As soon as I put the phone on silent mode, making a joke became easier.

It means “as soon as.” It’s formed by repeating the same verb in the aorist (simple present) 3rd person: first affirmative, then negative: V-(A)r V-mez/maz. So alır almaz = “(someone) takes” + “(someone) does not take,” which idiomatically means “no sooner than (someone) takes.” Examples: gelir gelmez (as soon as s/he comes), yazar yazmaz (as soon as s/he writes), başlar başlamaz (as soon as it starts), biter bitmez (as soon as it ends).

Why is it the aorist alır when the main clause is in the past (oldu)?

This construction always uses the aorist in the first part; the tense of the whole event is carried by the main clause. So here the main clause oldu (past) makes the whole sentence past: “As soon as …, it became easier.” For present/future you’d change the main clause: … daha kolay oluyor/olacak.

Does the verb form in alır almaz change with the subject (e.g., “we take”)?

No. The fixed pattern uses 3rd person aorist both times, regardless of the actual subject: alır almaz. You indicate the subject elsewhere in the sentence (with a noun/pronoun or by context): e.g., Biz telefonu … alır almaz ….

What is the -u in telefonu doing?

It’s the accusative ending marking a definite, specific direct object: telefonu = “the phone.” With almak plus a specific object, accusative is expected. Without specificity, you’d typically drop it (e.g., bir telefon), but here it’s clearly a particular phone.

Why sessiz moda and not sessiz modda or sessiz modu?

moda is dative (-a/-e), meaning “into (silent) mode,” i.e., a change of state/target.
modda is locative (-da/-de), “in (silent) mode,” describing location/state, not movement.
modu is “its mode” (3sg possessive), which would require a possessor (e.g., telefonun sessiz modu) and isn’t used in this pattern. Here the intended meaning is “put the phone into silent mode,” so moda is correct.

Is sessize almak more natural than sessiz moda almak?

Both are correct, but sessize almak (“to silence/mute [it]”) is more common and concise in everyday speech. Sessiz moda almak explicitly references “silent mode,” which is also fine, especially in techy contexts.

Who is the subject here? It isn’t stated.

It’s implied by context and is typically the same for both clauses. You can make it explicit: Biz telefonu sessiz moda alır almaz… or Ali telefonu sessiz moda alır almaz…. If you want to change the subject between clauses, just name both: Ali telefonu sessiz moda alır almaz, biz espri yapmaya başladık.

How would I say it if I want the phone to be the subject (passive)?

Use the passive of almak: Telefon sessiz moda alınır alınmaz espri yapmak daha kolay oldu. That’s “As soon as the phone was put into silent mode, making jokes became easier.”

Why use espri yapmak? Could I say şaka yapmak?

Yes. Espri yapmak tends to mean making witty remarks/banter, while şaka yapmak is broader (“to joke,” including pranks). Both work; choose based on nuance.

Could I use the -ma/-me noun form: Espri yapma daha kolay oldu?

Yes, it’s acceptable. -mak (infinitive) is more neutral/“dictionary-like,” while -ma (gerund) sounds a bit more like “the act of joking.” In many cases they’re interchangeable in subject position.

Why daha kolay oldu and not daha kolaydı?

… oldu means “became …,” emphasizing a change at that moment (“it turned easier”). … dı/di simply describes a past state (“it was easier”), without highlighting the transition. Given “as soon as,” the change reading fits better.

Could I say kolaylaştı or daha kolay hale geldi instead?

Yes: Espri yapmak kolaylaştı or … daha kolay hale geldi are both natural. Daha kolay oldu keeps the explicit comparison (“more”), while kolaylaştı focuses on becoming easier in general.

What’s the difference between -ır -maz and -ince/-ınca?

-ır -maz = “as soon as,” stressing immediacy.
-ince/-ınca = “when/once/after,” looser about immediacy.
So Telefonu … alır almaz … is stronger than Telefonu … alınca … for “right away.”

Can I add hemen for emphasis?

Yes: Telefonu sessiz moda alır almaz hemen… or Hemen … alır almaz …. It’s a bit redundant (since -ır -maz already implies immediacy) but common in speech for extra emphasis.

Can I move the alır almaz clause to the end? Do I need commas?

Yes, you can place it after the main clause: Espri yapmak daha kolay oldu, telefonu sessiz moda alır almaz. Commas are optional; many writers add one when the time clause follows or to mark a pause.

How do I say “for us” explicitly?

Add bizim için: Telefonu sessiz moda alır almaz, bizim için espri yapmak daha kolay oldu. You can similarly use onun için/senin için etc.

Is the spelling espri (not “espiri”) correct?

Yes, the standard spelling is espri. You’ll hear “espiri” colloquially, but espri is the correct and widely accepted form.