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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 -yor → Staj 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 (-ı) 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.