Learn Hardcore Turkish: Filtre ekleyince gereksiz bildirimler azalıyor. - When you add a filter, unnecessary notifications decrease.

It forms a time/condition clause meaning “when/whenever/as soon as.” It’s non-finite (no tense/person on the suffix itself) and is chosen by vowel harmony:

After last vowel a/ı → -ınca
e/i → -ince
o/u → -unca
ö/ü → -ünce Here, ekle- ends in e, so we get ekle-y-ince → “when (someone) adds.”

Why is there a y in ekleyince?

It’s a buffer consonant to prevent two vowels from touching. The verb stem ekle- ends in a vowel and the suffix starts with a vowel, so Turkish inserts y: ekle + (y)ince → ekleyince.

Who is the understood subject of ekleyince? Is it “you,” “I,” or “we”?

With -ince, the subject is often generic/implicit (like English “when you/one/we”). The specific person isn’t marked. Context supplies it. If you want to specify the subject, use a different form (see next Q).

How can I make the subject explicit (e.g., “when I/you/we add”)?

Use the -DIĞIndA pattern (nominalization + possessive + locative):

“when I add” → eklediğimde
“when you (sg) add” → eklediğinde
“when we add” → eklediğimizde
“when they add” → eklediklerinde These agree for person and are more explicit than -ince.

Why is filtre not marked with the accusative (-i)?

Because it’s an indefinite, non-specific direct object (“a filter/filters in general”). In Turkish, only specific/definite direct objects take the accusative. You could optionally add bir: Bir filtre ekleyince… for “when you add a filter (one filter),” but the bare form also works for a general statement.

Why is it gereksiz bildirimler (nominative) and not gereksiz bildirimleri?

Here gereksiz bildirimler is the subject of the main clause (the thing that decreases), so it stays in the nominative. The accusative -i is only for definite direct objects, not for subjects.

The subject is plural (bildirimler). Why isn’t the verb plural (why not azalıyorlar)?

In Turkish, verbs typically don’t take plural agreement with third-person plural subjects unless they’re human or you want to emphasize plurality. The default is singular: bildirimler azalıyor. Using azalıyorlar here sounds odd.

Why use -iyor (azalıyor) instead of the aorist -ir (azalır)?

Both are possible, but they differ in nuance:

azalıyor: observed/ongoing or characteristic pattern you’ve noticed (“they decrease (when that condition occurs)”).
azalır: general, gnomic, rule-like statement (“they (tend to) decrease”). The sentence with azalıyor sounds like a real, observed effect. Azalır makes it sound more like a general rule.

Can I change the word order, e.g., Gereksiz bildirimler filtre ekleyince azalıyor?

Yes. Both are natural. Starting with Filtre ekleyince foregrounds the condition; starting with Gereksiz bildirimler foregrounds the subject. The verb typically stays at the end of the main clause.

Do I need a comma after ekleyince?

Optional. Many writers insert one to mark the adverbial clause: Filtre ekleyince, …. Without the comma is also acceptable in short sentences like this.

Is -ince the same as -ken (e.g., “while adding”)?

No:

-ince = “when/once/whenever” (event boundary; something happens after that).
-ken = “while (doing)” (simultaneous action). So ekleyince ≠ eklerken.

Could -ince ever mean “since (because)”?

Yes, in colloquial speech -ince can be understood as causal (“since/because”), but here it’s clearly temporal (“when/whenever”).

Is eklemek the best verb for software filters? What about uygulamak?

Both appear in tech contexts:

filtre eklemek = “to add a filter” (e.g., adding it to a list or enabling it).
filtre uygulamak = “to apply a filter” (to data/images/notifications). Choose based on what the UI action really is.

What’s the difference between azalmak and azaltmak?

azalmak = intransitive “to decrease” (no object): bildirimler azalıyor.
azaltmak = transitive “to reduce (something)” (takes an object): Filtre ekleyince gereksiz bildirimleri azaltıyoruz (“we reduce unnecessary notifications”).

How does vowel harmony pick -ince here, and how is -iyor chosen in azalıyor?

-ince: last vowel of ekle- is front unrounded e, so the front form -ince is used (with buffer y).
-iyor: the continuous -(I)yor harmonizes with the last vowel of the stem. azal- ends in a, so it takes -ıyor → azal + ıyor.

Any pronunciation tips?

ekleyince: syllables ek-le-yin-ce; the c is like English “j” in “jam.”
azalıyor: a-za-lı-yor; the ı is the Turkish close back unrounded vowel (no exact English equivalent).