Learn Hardcore Turkish: Yedekleme tamamlanınca bildirim gelecek. - When the backup is completed, a notification will arrive.

It’s a temporal linker meaning “when/once (after).” It turns a verb into a time clause. So tamamlanınca = “when it is completed/once it’s completed.”

It follows vowel harmony: -ınca/-unca after back vowels (a, ı, o, u), -ince/-ünce after front vowels (e, i, ö, ü).
If the verb stem ends in a vowel, a buffer -y- appears: ara- → arayınca (“when [someone] calls”).

Why is it “tamamlanınca” and not “tamamlayınca”?

Because tamamlan- is the passive (“to be completed”), which matches the idea that the backup finishes by itself/gets completed. Tamamlayınca is active (“when [someone] completes [it]”), implying a doer. Here the focus is on the backup’s state, not on who completes it.

Can I say “tamamlandığında” or “tamamlandıktan sonra” instead? Are they different?

All are correct, with small nuances:

tamamlanınca: “when/once it is completed” (compact, neutral).
tamamlandığında: literally “at the time that it is completed” (slightly more formal/bookish; uses -DIK + 3rd person poss. + locative).
tamamlandıktan sonra: “after it is completed” (explicit “after,” can imply a tiny delay).

Which word makes the sentence future?

Gelecek does. It’s gel- (come) + future suffix -ecek + 3rd person (no extra ending). The -ınca clause itself is tenseless; the main verb sets the time.

Where is the subject in each clause?

Subordinate clause: Yedekleme is the subject of tamamlanınca (“when the backup is completed”).
Main clause: Bildirim is the subject of gelecek (“a notification will come”). Turkish drops pronouns when obvious, so there’s no “it.”

Why is there no “bir” before “bildirim”?

Turkish often omits bir with indefinite singular count nouns when “a/one” isn’t being emphasized. Bir bildirim would stress “one notification (not more),” or introduce it more explicitly. Bildirim alone is natural and generic here.

Could I say “bildirim alacaksınız” instead of “bildirim gelecek”? Does it change the meaning?

Yes: Bildirim alacaksınız = “you will receive a notification.” It directly addresses the user (2nd person). Bildirim gelecek is more neutral/system-centered (“a notification will arrive”). UI texts use both; choose based on tone.

Is the word order fixed? Can I move parts around?

Turkish is flexible, but verb-final is default. A common pattern is putting the time clause first:

Default: Yedekleme tamamlanınca bildirim gelecek. You can also say:
Yedekleme tamamlanınca, bir bildirim gelecek. (comma optional)
Bir bildirim, yedekleme tamamlanınca, gelecek. (adds pauses/emphasis) Core meaning stays; moves change focus/emphasis.

How does vowel harmony affect -ınca/-ince?

After back vowels (a, ı, o, u): -ınca/-unca (e.g., kapanınca, konuşunca).
After front vowels (e, i, ö, ü): -ince/-ünce (e.g., gelince, düşününce).
If the stem ends with a vowel, insert -y-: ara- → arayınca.

Do I need a comma after the dependent clause?

It’s optional. Short clauses often omit it; many writers add a comma for readability: Yedekleme tamamlanınca, bildirim gelecek. Both are acceptable.

What’s the difference between -ınca and -ken?

-ınca/-ince: “when/once (after an event finishes).” It marks a subsequent point in time.
-ken: “while/during.” It marks simultaneity.
So tamamlanırken = “while it is being completed,” which is not the intended meaning here.

Does -ınca carry tense? Could the sentence be in past or present?

-ınca itself is tenseless. The main verb sets the time:

Past: Yedekleme tamamlanınca bildirim geldi. (When it completed, a notification arrived.)
Habitual: Yedekleme tamamlanınca bildirim gelir. (When it completes, a notification comes.)

How do I pronounce the dotless ı in “tamamlanınca”?

Turkish ı is a close, central, unrounded vowel (like the second vowel in English “roses” or “focus” for many speakers). It’s not the same as i. In tamamlanınca, the -ınca has that dotless ı sound.

What’s the morphological breakdown of the words?

Yedek-le-me: yedek (spare/backup) + -le (verbalizer) → yedekle- (to back up) + -me (verbal noun) = “backup (process).”
Tamamla-n-ın-ca: tamamla- (to complete) + -n- (passive: be completed) + -ınca (when/once).
Bildirim: “notification” (derived from bildir- “to inform”).
Gel-ecek: gel- (come) + -ecek (future) [3rd singular, no extra ending].

Could “gelecek” be mistaken for the noun “future”?

Context disambiguates it. Here, gelecek follows a subject (bildirim) and functions as a verb (“will come”). As a noun (“the future”), it typically appears with modifiers or postpositions (e.g., gelecekte “in the future”).

How do I say “as soon as it’s completed”?

Yedekleme tamamlanır tamamlanmaz bildirim gelecek. You can also add hemen for emphasis: … tamamlanınca hemen bildirim gelecek.

Is “Yedekleme tamamlanınca gelecek” okay without “bildirim”?

Grammatically yes, but it’s context-dependent and ambiguous (“it will come”). In isolation it’s unclear what “it” is. Keeping bildirim is clearer.

Are there simpler synonyms for “tamamlanınca”?

Yes:

Bitince (“when it’s finished”) — more colloquial.
Bittiğinde (“when it’s finished”) — slightly more formal.
Sona erdiğinde (“when it comes to an end”) — formal/technical.

How would I negate or form a yes–no question with this pattern?

Negation (main clause): Yedekleme tamamlanınca bildirim gelmeyecek. (A notification will not come.)
Yes–no question: Yedekleme tamamlanınca bildirim gelecek mi? (Will a notification come when the backup completes?)

Can I use “olacak” instead of “gelecek”?

Possible, but slightly different:

… bir bildirim olacak = “there will be a notification” (existence).
… bildirim gelecek = “a notification will arrive/come” (arrival event).
In UI/system messages, bildirim gelecek is the more idiomatic choice.