Learn Hardcore Turkish: Öğrenci soruyu çözer çözmez öğretmene gösterdi. - As soon as the student solved the question, he showed it to the teacher.

verb stem + 3rd person singular aorist: çöz-er
the same stem + 3rd person singular negative aorist: çöz-mez Together: çözer çözmez = as soon as (he/she) solves. Common parallels: gelir gelmez (as soon as he/she comes), görür görmez (as soon as he/she sees), yapar yapmaz (as soon as he/she does), olur olmaz (as soon as it happens).

Why is the first verb in aorist (çözer) when the main verb is past (gösterdi)?

In the fixed -er -mez structure, the first verb is always in the 3rd person singular aorist form regardless of who the subject is or what tense the main clause uses. The aorist here doesn’t mean “habitual” by itself; within this construction it contributes the meaning “as soon as.” The main clause carries the actual tense: past in gösterdi.

Could I use -ince/-ınca instead of -er -mez? What’s the difference?

Yes, -ince/-ınca means “when/once,” e.g., Soruyu çözünce öğretmene gösterdi (“When he solved the question, he showed it to the teacher”). However, -er -mez specifically adds the idea of immediacy: “as soon as, immediately after.” So çözer çözmez is stronger and more instantaneous than çözünce. Another near-synonym is çözdüğü gibi, also meaning “as soon as (he) solved.”

Is soruyu the object of çözer or gösterdi?

Primarily of çözer (“solves the question”). For gösterdi (“showed”), the direct object is understood and omitted (implied onu = “it”). You could say Soruyu çözer çözmez onu öğretmene gösterdi to make the object explicit, but it’s not necessary.

Why does soruyu have a -y- in it?

It’s the buffer consonant that appears before a vowel-initial suffix. The accusative ending is -(y)I; because soru ends in a vowel, we insert y: soru + y + u → soruyu.

Why is the vowel u in soruyu? Why not something like soriyı?

Because of 4-way vowel harmony for the accusative -(y)I. The suffix vowel matches the stem’s last vowel in backness and rounding. soru ends with back rounded u, so the accusative surfaces as -u: soruyu. With a stem ending in e/i, you’d get -i; with a/ı, -ı; with o/u, -u; with ö/ü, -ü.

What does the -e in öğretmene do?

It’s the dative case -(y)e / -(y)a, marking the indirect object “to the teacher.” The verb göstermek takes the thing shown as a direct object (here implied “it/onu”) and the recipient in the dative: öğretmen-e = “to the teacher.” Using öğretmeni (accusative) would be wrong here.

Can I move the words around? What are some acceptable orders?

Yes, Turkish word order is flexible for emphasis, with the finite verb typically last. All of these are fine:

Öğrenci, soruyu çözer çözmez, öğretmene gösterdi.
Soruyu çözer çözmez öğrenci öğretmene gösterdi.
Öğrenci öğretmene, soruyu çözer çözmez, gösterdi. The version given is neutral and clear; moving constituents changes focus rather than meaning.

Do I need commas around çözer çözmez?

They’re optional. Many writers add a comma to set off the adverbial time clause: Öğrenci, soruyu çözer çözmez, öğretmene gösterdi. Omitting the comma, as in your sentence, is also common in short clauses.

Does öğrenci mean “the student” or “a student” here?

Bare nouns in Turkish can be definite or indefinite depending on context. Öğrenci could be “the student” (known from context) or “a student” (new information). If you want to force “a student,” add bir: Bir öğrenci… If the student is specific and known, keeping it bare is fine.

How is gender handled? How do I know if it’s “he” or “she”?

Turkish doesn’t mark gender in third person. O means “he/she/it,” and verb endings don’t show gender. In English you choose “he” or “she” based on context; both are equally valid translations.

Pronunciation tips: How do I say öğrenci, çözer, gösterdi?

ö is like German ö/French eu.
ğ in öğrenci lengthens the preceding vowel; it’s not a hard “g.” So öğ sounds like a lengthened ö.
ç is “ch” in “church.”
Syllables: öğ-ren-ci, çö-zer, gös-ter-di. Primary stress is typically on the last syllable: öğrenci, çözer, gösterdi.

Can I add hemen to emphasize immediacy?

Yes. Soruyu çözer çözmez hemen öğretmene gösterdi intensifies the “right away” sense. -er -mez already implies immediacy; hemen adds emphasis.

If the subject changes (I/they), does çözer çözmez change?

No. In this construction the repeated verb stays in 3rd person singular aorist: çözer çözmez for all subjects. Only the main verb changes:

Ben: Soruyu çözer çözmez öğretmene gösterdim.
Onlar: Soruyu çözer çözmez öğretmene gösterdiler.

Can the main clause be in other tenses?

Yes. The -er -mez part stays the same; the main verb carries the tense/aspect:

Future: Soruyu çözer çözmez öğretmene gösterecek.
Present/habitual: Soruyu çözer çözmez öğretmene gösterir.
Progressive plan: Soruyu çözer çözmez öğretmene gösteriyorum.