Learn Hardcore Turkish: Toplantıda gereksizce konuşmak istemiyorum. - I do not want to talk unnecessarily in the meeting.

All of those are possible in English. Toplantıda is toplantı (meeting) + locative suffix -(d)a, which often corresponds to “in/at/during” depending on context. So it naturally covers “at the meeting,” “in the meeting,” or “during the meeting.”

Why is it -da (as in Toplantıda) and not -de, -ta, or -te?

Two rules:

Vowel harmony chooses a/e: the last vowel in toplantı is back (ı), so choose -a.
Voicing decides d/t: after a vowel or voiced consonant, use d; after a voiceless consonant, use t. Since toplantı ends in a vowel, you get -da → Toplantıda. Compare: parkta, evde.

Why is there no word for “the” in Toplantıda?

Turkish has no definite article like “the.” Definiteness is usually clear from context. If you needed “in a meeting,” you could say bir toplantıda, but “in/at the meeting” is simply Toplantıda.

How is gereksizce formed, and what does it mean exactly?

gerek = need/necessity
gereksiz = unnecessary (root + suffix -siz “without”)
gereksizce = unnecessarily (adverbial -ce “-ly”) It means “needlessly/unnecessarily.” Near-synonyms: gereksiz yere, boşuna, boş yere (each with slightly different nuance).

Is gereksizce the most natural choice? Can I say gereksiz instead?

You can hear both. Gereksizce konuşmak explicitly uses the adverbial -ce (“unnecessarily”). Gereksiz konuşmak is also common in speech; many adjectives can function adverbially. Alternatives: gereksiz yere konuşmak (“for no good reason”), boşuna konuşmak (“in vain/pointlessly”).

What role does konuşmak play in this sentence?

Konuşmak is the infinitive (“to speak/talk”). In Turkish, verbs like istemek (“to want”) take a verb in the -mak/-mek form as their complement: konuşmak istemiyorum = “I don’t want to speak.”

Could I say konuşmayı istemiyorum instead of konuşmak istemiyorum?

It’s grammatical but much less common. Konuşmayı is the verbal noun konuşma (“speaking/speech”) in accusative, so it can sound like “I don’t want the act of speaking (that specific one).” The neutral, most idiomatic way to express “I don’t want to talk” is konuşmak istemiyorum.

Why is it istemiyorum (present continuous) and not istemem (aorist)?

Turkish uses the present continuous (-yor) with istemek to express a current, immediate desire/intention: istemiyorum = “I don’t want (right now).” The aorist istemem is more about general tendencies or polite refusals (“I wouldn’t want / I generally don’t want”).

How is istemiyorum built morphologically?

Verb root: iste- (want)
Negation: -me- → iste-me-
Present continuous: -(I)yor; with -me it fuses to -miyor by vowel harmony
1st person singular: -um Result: iste-me-iyor-um → isteme–yor–um → istemiyorum (vowel changes yield the standard form).

Why isn’t the subject Ben written?

Turkish is pro-drop: the subject is encoded in the verb ending (-um = “I”). Ben is optional and adds emphasis/contrast: Ben toplantıda… istemiyorum (“I, for my part, don’t want…”).

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Turkish word order is flexible. The neutral, natural flow is:

[Toplantıda] [gereksizce] [konuşmak] [istemiyorum]. You can front elements for emphasis (e.g., Gereksizce at the start), but keeping the adverb near the verb it modifies and the infinitive before istemiyorum is the safest.

Is there a difference between konuşmak istemiyorum and konuşmamak istiyorum?

Both can translate as “I don’t want to speak,” but the focus differs:

Konuşmak istemiyorum negates the wanting: “I do not want (to speak).” This is the default.
Konuşmamak istiyorum affirms a desire for the negative action: “I want to not speak.” It’s used for emphasis on keeping silent or when contrasting with another option.

How do I pronounce the special letters here?

ı (dotless i): like the vowel in “sofa” or a relaxed “uh,” but short and central/back: toh-plahn-tuh-dah for Toplantıda (approx.).
ş: like “sh” in “she” → konuşmak ≈ “konushmak.”

How would I say “I also don’t want to talk unnecessarily at the meeting”?

Add the additive clitic de/da (written separately) to the element you want to mark as “also,” commonly the subject:

Ben de toplantıda gereksizce konuşmak istemiyorum. Note: this de/da is different from the locative suffix -de/-da; it’s a separate word and doesn’t attach to the noun.