Learn Hardcore Turkish: O, aynı soruyu sorup duruyor; nazikçe yanıtladım. - She keeps asking the same question; I answered politely.

It’s the pattern V-ıp durmak, which means “to keep V‑ing; to go on V‑ing,” often with a hint of persistence or mild annoyance. Here, sorup duruyor ≈ “(he/she) keeps asking (and won’t stop).” The verb durmak is an auxiliary here; it doesn’t mean “to stand” literally.

Why is it sorup, not sormaya?

sorup duruyor uses the converb -ıp/-ip/-up/-üp to chain the action to durmak: “ask-and keep (at it).”
sormaya devam ediyor uses a verbal noun plus devam etmek: “continues to ask,” which is more neutral. Don’t mix them: “sormaya duruyor” and “sorup devam ediyor” are ungrammatical for this meaning.

Why is it aynı soruyu with accusative case?

Because the direct object is specific/definite: “the same question.” In Turkish, definite direct objects take the accusative -(y)ı/-(y)i/-(y)u/-(y)ü. So we say aynı soruyu. Without the accusative here, it sounds wrong to most ears.

Where does the extra y in soru-yu come from?

It’s the buffer letter y (kaynaştırma harfi). Since soru ends in a vowel and the accusative suffix also starts with a vowel, y is inserted: soru + (y)u → soruyu. Vowel harmony selects -u because the last vowel of sor- is back and rounded.

Could I say aynı soru soruyor without the accusative?

That’s not natural here. Aynı (“same”) makes the noun definite, so the object should be marked: aynı soruyu soruyor. Leaving the case off sounds ungrammatical or at best nonstandard.

Is the comma after O necessary?

No. You can write it without a comma: O aynı soruyu sorup duruyor… The comma can mark a topicalizing pause (“As for him/her, …”), but it isn’t required and is often omitted in neutral prose.

Do we need the subject pronoun O at all?

No. Turkish drops subject pronouns when the verb ending shows the person. Sorup duruyor already implies “he/she/it.” Keeping O adds emphasis or contrast (e.g., “He, on the other hand…”).

Why is there a semicolon, and could I use something else?

The semicolon links two closely related independent clauses. You could use a period instead: … sorup duruyor. Nazikçe yanıtladım. If you want an explicit relation, add a connector: Ama/yine de nazikçe yanıtladım (“But/still, I answered politely”).

Is it okay to mix tenses: duruyor (present continuous) and yanıtladım (simple past)?

Yes. The first clause states an ongoing pattern (“keeps asking”); the second reports your single action (“I answered politely”). If both are simultaneous: …; nazikçe yanıtlıyorum. If both are in the past: … sorup duruyordu; nazikçe yanıtladım.

What does nazikçe mean morphologically, and are there alternatives?

nazik (polite) + adverbial suffix -çe/-ça → nazikçe (“politely”). Common alternatives:

kibarca
nazik bir şekilde / kibar bir şekilde Using bare nazik before a verb is not the usual way to form an adverb here.

What’s the difference between yanıtladım, cevap verdim, and similar options?

(S)oruyu yanıtladım = “I answered the question” (transitive verb yanıtlamak).
Soruya cevap verdim/yanıt verdim = “I gave an answer to the question” (dative + vermek).
(S)oruyu cevapladım/cevaplandırdım = also acceptable; cevaplandırmak is a bit more formal/bureaucratic. Note: yanıt is a native Turkish word; cevap is of Arabic origin. Both are common.

Could I say Onu nazikçe yanıtladım to mean “I replied to him/her politely”?

It’s heard (especially in tech/email UIs), but the more idiomatic phrasing is:

Ona yanıt verdim / Ona cevap verdim (“I replied to him/her”). Use yanıtlamak with things like questions or messages: Soruyu/mesajını yanıtladım.

Why is it sorup and not sorip/sorıp/sorüp?

The converb -Ip obeys vowel harmony. The last vowel in sor- is o (back, rounded), so the suffix uses u: sor-up. If the stem had a front unrounded vowel (e.g., gel-), you’d get gelip; with back unrounded (bak-), bakıp; with front rounded (sür-), sürüp.

How can I strongly say “He won’t stop asking”?

Use:

Sormayı bir türlü bırakmıyor.
Sormaktan vazgeçmiyor.
Durmadan/Habire hep aynı soruyu soruyor. Avoid trying to negate the idiom as sorup durmuyor; that reads as “doesn’t keep asking,” not “won’t stop asking.”

Can I change the word order to shift emphasis?

Yes. Turkish word order is flexible for focus:

Aynı soruyu o sorup duruyor (emphasis on “he/she”).
Soruyu nazikçe ben yanıtladım (emphasis on “I” as the one who answered).
Adding contrast: O aynı soruyu sorup duruyor; ben ise nazikçe yanıtladım.