Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sana rastladım; tesadüf bu ya, ben de tam seni arayacaktım. - I ran into you; what a coincidence, I was just about to call you.

In Turkish, the verb rastlamak (to run into) takes the dative case (-e/-a). So you say birine rastlamak → sana rastladım. By contrast, aramak (to call/search) takes a direct object in the accusative, so it’s seni aramak. That’s why the same sentence has both sana (to you) and seni (you, as object).

What tense is arayacaktım, and what nuance does it have?

Arayacaktım is the “future-in-the-past” (prospective past): “I was going to call.” It’s formed as ara-y-acak-tı-m (stem + buffer y + future -AcAk + past of “to be” -tı + 1sg -m). It often implies an intention that existed at that time, whether or not it happened.

What does tam add to ben de tam seni arayacaktım?

Tam means “exactly/just.” Here it gives the sense “I was just about to call you.” You can also hear tam da, which adds a bit more emphasis: Ben de tam da seni arayacaktım. Without tam, it’s simply “I was going to call you,” with less “right-that-moment” feel.

Could I say tam seni arıyordum instead of tam seni arayacaktım?

Yes, but the nuance shifts. Tam seni arıyordum = “I was in the middle of calling you (right then).” Tam seni arayacaktım = “I was just about to call you (imminent intention).” Both are natural; choose based on whether you mean ongoing action vs. imminent plan.

What does the idiom tesadüf bu ya mean and how is it used?

It’s a colloquial, set phrase meaning roughly “as luck would have it / what a coincidence.” Literally it looks like “coincidence, this is,” but don’t translate it literally; treat it as a fixed discourse marker used to introduce a coincidental twist.

What is the role of ya in tesadüf bu ya?

Ya is a discourse particle that adds an informal, conversational tone and emphasis. It doesn’t mean “or” here. You’ll see it in similar idiomatic frames like kader bu ya / kısmet bu ya.

Is the semicolon after Sana rastladım necessary? Could I use something else?

It’s optional. A semicolon neatly links two closely related independent clauses. You could also write a period (Sana rastladım. Tesadüf bu ya, …) or a dash (Sana rastladım — tesadüf bu ya, …) depending on style. The comma after ya is standard because the phrase is parenthetical.

Why is it ben de and not bende?

Ben de (separate word) is the clitic de/da meaning “too/also,” so Ben de = “I too.” Bende (one word) is the locative “on me/with me,” as in Bende yok (“I don’t have it”). In the sentence, you need the “also” meaning, so it’s ben de.

Can I change the word order, e.g., Ben de seni tam arayacaktım or Arayacaktım seni?

Yes. Turkish word order is flexible for emphasis. The neutral order is object-before-verb: Ben de tam seni arayacaktım. Moving seni or tam changes focus slightly: Ben de seni tam arayacaktım highlights “you” a bit more; Arayacaktım seni is colloquial and puts end-focus on seni.

What’s the difference between rastlamak, karşılaşmak, and denk gelmek?

Rastlamak (dative): chance encounter with someone/something. Sana rastladım.
Karşılaşmak (with -le/ile): meet/encounter each other (often symmetrical). Onunla karşılaştım.
Denk gelmek (often dative): to coincide/run into by chance. Sana denk geldim. It’s similar to rastlamak, slightly more colloquial.

Is tesadüf bu ya formal? What are more neutral alternatives?

It’s colloquial. Neutral/formal alternatives include:

Ne tesadüf ki, …
Tesadüfen/tesadüf eseri, …
Tam o sırada, … All convey coincidence without the conversational particle ya.

Any pronunciation tips for arayacaktım and rastladım?

Arayacaktım: a-ra-ya-CAK-tım. The y is a buffer glide between vowels; stress typically falls near the tense marker: a-ra-ya-CAK-tım.
Rastladım: rast-la-dım. In fast speech many say something like “rasladım” (the t can soften), but the standard spelling is with t.

Could I say size rastladım and sizi arayacaktım to be polite?

Yes. Sen/sana/seni is informal singular. The polite or plural form is siz/size/sizi. So: Size rastladım; … ben de tam sizi arayacaktım.

What’s the negative or question form of arayacaktım?

Negative: aramayacaktım (I wasn’t going to call).
Yes–no question: Arayacak mıydım? (Was I going to call?).
Combined with tam: Tam seni aramayacaktım is unusual pragmatically; more natural is Seni aramayacaktım without tam unless you’re emphasizing exact timing.