Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sıradaki oturum kısa sürecek, sonra ara vereceğiz. - The next session will be short, then we will take a break.

Turkish drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows the person/number. In the second clause, vereceğiz encodes “we” (1st person plural future), so there’s no need to say biz. The first clause has an explicit subject, Sıradaki oturum (“the next session”), and its verb sürecek is 3rd person singular future (“it will last”).

How is sıradaki formed, and what does it literally mean?

It’s built from:

sıra = order, line, turn
-da = locative suffix (“in/at/on”)
-ki = a suffix that turns the preceding phrase into an adjective meaning “the one that is in/on/at …” So sıra-da-ki ≈ “the one that is in the order/next in line,” i.e., “the next.” Note: -ki itself does not change with vowel harmony, but -da/-de does (here it’s -da because of the back vowel ı in sıra).

What’s the difference between sıradaki and sonraki?

sıradaki: the next one in a sequence or agenda (“the next session on the schedule”).
sonraki: the next one in time or order more generally (“the later/next one”). In many contexts they overlap, but sıradaki ties more strongly to an ordered list/agenda.

Why is it kısa sürecek instead of something like “shortly” in English?

Turkish expresses “lasting a short time” with the verb sürmek (“to last”) + an adverb/adjective like kısa. So kısa sürecek = “it will last a short time / it will be short in duration.” Don’t use kısaca here: kısaca means “briefly” as in “in brief/briefly speaking.”

Could I say Sıradaki oturum kısa olacak instead?

Yes, it’s grammatical and understandable (“The next session will be short”), but kısa sürecek is more idiomatic when talking about duration. kısa olacak is a bit more general and can sound slightly less natural in this scheduling context.

What verb is sürecek from, and what else can sürmek mean?

It’s from sürmek (“to last”). The future 3rd person singular is sür-ecek. Be aware sürmek is polysemous:

to last (time)
to drive (a vehicle) in casual speech
to apply/spread (e.g., butter, cream) Context tells you which meaning is intended.

How is vereceğiz formed, and why is there a ğ?

Formation: ver- (give) + -ecek (future) + -iz (1pl) → expected “verecekiz,” but Turkish has a consonant change: when a vowel-initial ending follows -ecek/-acak, the final k often softens to ğ. So it becomes vereceğiz. Pronounce the ğ by lengthening the preceding vowel; it’s not a hard “g.”

Why is it “give a break” in Turkish (ara vermek) instead of “take a break”?

It’s a set collocation. ara vermek literally “to give a break” means “to take a break.” Synonyms:

mola vermek (very common)
teneffüse çıkmak (school context, “go out for recess”) Use ara/mola vermek in meetings, classes, events.

What does sonra do here, and do I need ondan sonra?

sonra means “afterwards/then.” On its own, it’s fine: “then we’ll take a break.” You can say ondan sonra (“after that”) for extra clarity or formality, especially if referring back to a specific prior event.

Can I move sonra to other positions?

Yes. Common options:

Sıradaki oturum kısa sürecek, sonra ara vereceğiz. (as given)
Sıradaki oturum kısa sürecek; ara vereceğiz sonra. (colloquial emphasis at the end)
Sonra ara vereceğiz. (as a standalone sentence) Keep sonra near what it modifies; Ara sonra vereceğiz is odd.

Is the comma correct, or should it be a semicolon or “ve”?

A comma is fine in Turkish to separate closely related independent clauses, especially with a connector like sonra. You could also use a semicolon or write: Sıradaki oturum kısa sürecek ve sonra ara vereceğiz. All are acceptable.

What about stress and pronunciation (ğ, ı, ç, ü)?

ğ (yumuşak g): not a hard “g”; it lengthens the previous vowel. vereceğiz ≈ ve-re-CEEZ (with a long “ee”).
ı (dotless i): a back unrounded vowel; like the ‘e’ in “taken” for many English ears. sı- in Sıradaki ≈ “suh-”.
ç: “ch” as in “church” (e.g., sürecek → su-re-CHEK).
ü: French “u”/German “ü”; round your lips while saying “ee”: sü- ≈ “syu-”. Stress in finite verbs is typically on the last syllable: sü-re-CEK; ve-re-ce-ĞİZ (the final syllable carries the main stress).

Why is it -ecek and not -acak in sürecek/vereceğiz?

Vowel harmony. The future suffix is -(y)ecek/-acak:

After a front vowel (e, i, ö, ü) → -ecek: sür- (ü), ver- (e) → sürecek, vereceğiz.
After a back vowel (a, ı, o, u) → -acak: e.g., otur- → oturacağız (“we will sit”).

Could I use the aorist or another tense to make a similar statement?

kısa sürer (aorist) suggests a habitual/general truth (“it tends to be short”), not a specific future plan.
kısa sürecektir (future + -dir) adds certainty/formality: “it will (surely) be short.”
çok sürmeyecek is a natural negative meaning “it won’t take long.”

What’s the difference between oturum, toplantı, ders, and seans?

oturum: a “session” (conference agenda item, court session, symposium panel).
toplantı: “meeting.”
ders: “class/lesson.”
seans: “session” for therapy, cinema showings, medical treatment, etc. Choose based on context; here oturum fits conferences or formal programs.

Is there any trap with saying “a break” (bir ara)?

Be careful: bir ara often means “sometime (later)” in general time, not “a break.” If you want the literal “a break,” say bir ara/mola carefully in context: bir mola vereceğiz is unambiguous. Bir ara vereceğiz can be read as “We’ll take a break at some point” or “We’ll do it sometime.”

How would I negate or ask a question with these verbs?

Negative:
- (Oturum) uzun sürmeyecek = “(The session) won’t take long.”
- Ara vermeyeceğiz = “We won’t take a break.”
Yes–no questions (add mi/mı/mu/mü after the verb, with vowel harmony):
- Kısa sürecek mi? = “Will it be short?”
- Ara verecek miyiz? = “Will we take a break?”