Ben staj yapıyorum.

Breakdown of Ben staj yapıyorum.

ben
I
yapmak
to do
staj
the internship
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Questions & Answers about Ben staj yapıyorum.

Do I need to say Ben, or can I just say Staj yapıyorum?
You can drop Ben. The verb ending already shows the subject, so Staj yapıyorum is a complete, natural sentence. Include Ben for emphasis/contrast or when you want to be extra clear (e.g., Ben staj yapıyorum, o çalışıyor.).
Where is the “am” in “I am doing”? Why isn’t there a separate “to be” word?
It’s built into the verb ending. In yapıyorum, the ending -um marks the 1st person singular (“I”). Turkish doesn’t use a separate “to be” with verbs; person and tense are expressed with suffixes.
Why is it staj yapıyorum instead of a single verb like “to intern”?
Turkish often uses a light-verb construction with yapmak (“to do/make”) to express activities: staj yapmak = “to do an internship.” Similar patterns include alışveriş yapmak (to shop) and spor yapmak (to exercise). There isn’t a commonly used simple verb meaning “to intern.”
Can I say staj etmek?
It’s not idiomatic in everyday Turkish. The natural choice is staj yapmak. You may also see staj görmek in some contexts (especially in education/medicine), but staj yapmak is the safest, most common option.
What time/aspect does -yor express here? Is it “right now” or “these days”?

Both are possible, depending on context:

  • Right now: Şu an staj yapıyorum. (I’m interning right now.)
  • A current period: Bu yaz staj yapıyorum. (I’m interning this summer.) Turkish present continuous often covers an ongoing period, not just this very moment.
How is yapıyorum formed?
  • Verb stem: yap- (do/make)
  • Present continuous: -(I)yor-ıyor here (vowel harmony)
  • 1st person singular: -um (again with vowel harmony) So: yap- + ıyor + um → yapıyorum
Why is it -ıyor- and -um (with dotless ı and u)? What’s going on with vowel harmony?

Turkish suffix vowels change to harmonize with the last vowel(s):

  • In yap-, the last vowel is a (back, unrounded), so -(I)yor becomes -ıyor.
  • After -yor, the last vowel you “hear” for harmony is o (back, rounded), so the personal ending becomes -um. Also note: ı is the dotless i (a back, unrounded vowel), different from i.
How do I make the negative and the yes–no question?
  • Negative: insert -ma/-me before -yorStaj yapmıyorum. (I’m not doing an internship.)
  • Yes–no question: attach the question particle mi/mi/mu/mü as a separate word that harmonizes and then add the person ending:
    • 1st person: Staj yapıyor muyum?
    • 2nd person: Staj yapıyor musun? Remember, mi is written separately and follows vowel harmony.
Is the word order fixed? Can I say Staj yapıyorum ben?
Default neutral order is Subject–Object–Verb, so Ben staj yapıyorum (or simply Staj yapıyorum) is normal. You can move elements for emphasis: Staj yapıyorum ben is possible but sounds emphatic or corrective in tone.
Do I need an article like “a/an”? Should I say bir staj yapıyorum?
No article is needed. Turkish doesn’t have articles like English. Bir can mean “one/a,” but you wouldn’t say bir staj yapıyorum in this sentence. Just Staj yapıyorum is natural.
Why doesn’t staj take the accusative () here?
Indefinite direct objects in Turkish are unmarked (no -ı/‑i/‑u/‑ü). This is analogous to kitap okuyorum (I’m reading a book). If you specify a particular internship, you could mark it: O stajı yapıyorum (I’m doing that specific internship), but the unmarked bare staj is the normal, general expression.
How do I say where I’m interning (at a place)?

Use the locative -da/-de (with vowel harmony):

  • Bir şirkette staj yapıyorum. (I’m interning at a company.)
  • Google’da staj yapıyorum.
  • Hastanede staj yapıyorum. With proper nouns, Turkish uses an apostrophe before the suffix in writing: Google’da.
What’s the difference between Staj yapıyorum, Stajdayım, and Stajım var?
  • Staj yapıyorum: I’m doing an internship (engaged in the activity).
  • Stajdayım: I’m at my internship (physically/at that place right now or on duty).
  • Stajım var: I have an internship (I’ve secured one; there is an arrangement/position).
How do I say “I am an intern”?
Use the noun + “to be” suffix: Stajyerim. This states your status/role. Staj yapıyorum emphasizes the activity.
How would I say it in the past or future?
  • Past (completed): Staj yaptım.
  • Past progressive: Staj yapıyordum.
  • Future: Staj yapacağım.
  • Present perfect–like (result now): often still Staj yaptım, with context clarifying recency.
Is there a more formal way to say it?
Yes: Staj yapmaktayım is a formal/register-heavy equivalent of “I am doing an internship,” often seen in official writing. In speech and normal writing, Staj yapıyorum is preferred.
How do I pronounce staj yapıyorum?
  • staj: like “stahzh” (the j is like the s in “measure”: [ʒ]).
  • yapıyorum: roughly “ya-puh-YOR-um.”
    • ı (dotless i) is a back, unrounded vowel (no exact English equivalent; think a relaxed “uh” but farther back).
    • Primary stress falls on -yor in present continuous forms: ya-pı-YOR-um.