Learn Hardcore Turkish: Bu sırada yalnız çalışmak bana iyi geldi.

It’s idiomatic. X bana iyi geldi means “X did me good / was good for me / had a beneficial effect on me.” It’s commonly used with things like rest, fresh air, tea, vacation, medicine, a massage, etc. The literal “came good to me” is not how it’s understood.

Why is it bana (dative) and not beni (accusative)?

Because iyi gelmek selects the dative for the experiencer. You talk about something “coming good to” someone, so you mark the person with dative: bana, sana, ona, bize, size, onlara. Using beni would be ungrammatical here.

What is the subject of the sentence? Why is the verb 3rd person singular (geldi) and not agreeing with “me”?

The subject is the infinitive phrase yalnız çalışmak (“working alone”), which functions as a noun phrase. Verbs agree with the subject, not the dative experiencer, so you get 3rd person singular: iyi geldi.

Could I say Yalnız çalışmam bana iyi geldi or Benim yalnız çalışmam bana iyi geldi? What’s the difference?

Yes. With -mA + possessive (e.g., yalnız çalışmam), you present it as a specific, concrete event (“my working alone”). The infinitive yalnız çalışmak can sound a bit more generic or activity-like. Both are fine; the -mA + possessive version is often a touch more explicit or formal.

What’s the nuance of bu sırada? How is it different from bu arada, bu sıralar, or o sırada?

Bu sırada: “during this (particular) time / meanwhile (in this period we’re talking about).”
Bu arada: “meanwhile,” and also “by the way” as a discourse marker.
Bu sıralar/şu sıralar: “these days / lately.”
O sırada: “at that time (then).” Use bu sırada when referring to a specific stretch of time already in focus.

How is sırada formed? Is -da a suffix?

Yes. It’s sıra (“turn, order, time/point”) + locative -DA = sırada (“at that time/point”). The consonant is d (not t) because the stem ends in a vowel; in Turkish the locative alternates as -da/-de/-ta/-te based on vowel harmony and consonant voicing.

Does yalnız here mean “alone” or “only”? Could it be ambiguous?

Here it means “alone.” Yalnız can also mean “only/merely,” but in this sentence yalnız çalışmak clearly means “to work alone.” If you wanted “only,” sadece or yalnızca are less ambiguous.

How do I say “by myself” more explicitly than yalnız?

Use tek başıma or kendi başıma: Tek başıma/kendi başıma çalışmak bana iyi geldi. You can also say yalnız başıma, which is common in speech.

Could I say iyi oldu instead of iyi geldi?

Different nuance. İyi oldu = “it turned out well / it was good (that it happened).” İyi geldi = “it did (someone) good / was beneficial to (someone).” For effects on your well-being, prefer iyi geldi.

What about other tenses: iyi geliyor, iyi geliyordu, iyi gelir?

iyi geliyor: “is doing me good / has been good (lately)” (ongoing).
iyi geliyordu: “was doing me good” (past progressive/background).
iyi gelir: habitual or predictive (“generally does me good / would do me good”).
Future: iyi gelecek (“will do me good”).

Can I rearrange the word order?

Yes, Turkish is flexible. Common options:

Bu sırada yalnız çalışmak bana iyi geldi. (neutral)
Yalnız çalışmak bu sırada bana iyi geldi. (slight focus on the time phrase)
Bana yalnız çalışmak bu sırada iyi geldi. (focus on “to me”) The constituent right before the verb tends to get emphasis; shifting elements changes what you highlight.

How do I negate or ask a question with this structure?

Negation: Bu sırada yalnız çalışmak bana iyi gelmedi.
Yes/no question: Bu sırada yalnız çalışmak bana iyi geldi mi?
With degree: Gerçekten bana iyi geldi mi?; Hiç iyi gelmedi.

Is yalnız ever a conjunction meaning “but/however”? Could that confuse things?

Yes, sentence-initial Yalnız, … can mean “However, …”. Here it’s not a conjunction because it directly modifies çalışmak (“to work”). If you wrote Yalnız, bu sırada…, then it would be “However, during this time…”.

Any pronunciation tips for words like yalnız, çalışmak, and sırada?

ı is a back, unrounded vowel (no exact English equivalent); keep your lips unrounded: yalnız ≈ “yahl-nuz,” çalışmak ≈ “cha-lush-mak,” sırada ≈ “suh-rah-dah.”
ç = “ch” in “church”; ş = “sh” in “shoe.”
Stress usually falls near the end: çalışmák, sıradá; yálnız often has initial stress in careful speech, but keep the ı sound distinct.

Could I replace bu sırada with something like bu süreçte or bu dönem?

Yes, depending on nuance:

Bu süreçte: “in this process/period” (more formal).
Bu dönemde: “in this period/term.”
Bu zamanda is rarer for “meanwhile” and can sound like “in this era.” Choose the time phrase that fits the scope you mean.