Learn Hardcore Turkish: Yıldırım düşünce elektrikler kesilebiliyor. - When lightning strikes, the power can go out.

No. Here, düşünce comes from the verb düşmek (to fall) with the temporal suffix -ünce, meaning “when/once/after.” So it means “when [it] falls/strikes.” If you wanted “when [someone] thinks,” you would say düşününce (from düşünmek). The noun düşünce (“thought, opinion”) is a different, coincidentally identical-looking word; context disambiguates it.

What exactly does the suffix -ince/-ünce mean?

It forms a temporal clause meaning “when,” “once,” or “after” something happens, often implying immediate succession. It’s not an “if”-condition; it’s temporal. So Yıldırım düşünce = “When lightning strikes.”

Why is it -ünce and not -ince/-ınca/-unca?

Vowel harmony. The last vowel in düş- is ü (front, rounded), so the suffix takes the form -ünce. The four forms are:

-ınca (after a, ı)
-ince (after e, i)
-unca (after o, u)
-ünce (after ö, ü)

Could I say Yıldırım düştüğünde instead of Yıldırım düşünce?

Yes. Yıldırım düştüğünde also means “when lightning strikes.” It sounds a bit more formal/explicit and slightly “time-at-which,” while -ünce feels more colloquial and “as soon as.” Both are common and correct.

What’s the difference between yıldırım and şimşek?

Yıldırım is a lightning strike that hits the ground. You say yıldırım düşmek (lightning “falls/strikes”).
Şimşek is the flash you see in the sky. You say şimşek çakmak (lightning flashes). Thunder is gök gürültüsü or colloquially gök gürlemesi.

Why is elektrik pluralized as elektrikler?

In everyday Turkish, elektrikler often refers to “the lights/power (in buildings)” collectively. It’s idiomatic: Elektrikler kesildi = “The power went out.” You can also say the singular Elektrik kesildi; both are common. The plural can feel a bit more colloquial and household-oriented.

Should the verb be plural to agree with elektrikler (e.g., kesilebiliyorlar)?

No. Turkish verbs usually stay 3rd person singular with inanimate plural subjects. Elektrikler kesilebiliyor is normal. Using a plural verb (-lar) is optional mostly with human subjects and sounds awkward here.

What does kesilmek mean in this context?

Kesilmek is the passive of kesmek (to cut), but with elektrik, it’s idiomatic: elektrik kesilmek = “the power goes out.” Active kesmek would be used for an agent: Belediye elektriği kesti (“The municipality cut the power”).

Is the -biliyor part from bilmek (to know)?

No. It’s the ability/possibility marker -(y)Abil- plus the present -iyor. It just happens to look like “biliyor.” Morphology here:

elektrik-ler (plural subject)
kes-il- (be cut, passive)
-e-bil- (can/may)
-iyor (present/progressive) = kesilebiliyor (“can/may be cut; can go out”)

What nuance does kesilebiliyor add compared to kesiliyor/kesilir/kesilebilir?

kesilebiliyor: “can/may go out” with a sense of real possibility that sometimes happens (often used for tendencies).
kesiliyor: “(it) goes out/is being cut” — sounds like it actually happens (now or habitually), stronger than mere possibility.
kesilir (aorist): general truth/habitual: “(it) goes out (when X happens).”
kesilebilir (aorist of ability): neutral, timeless “may/can go out,” a bit more formal than -abiliyor and less “ongoing.”

Can I say Elektrik kesilebiliyor instead of Elektrikler kesilebiliyor?

Yes. Elektrik kesilebiliyor is fully correct. Using the plural (elektrikler) is just a common colloquial way to refer to household power/lights collectively.

Is there any punctuation I should add?

In writing, it’s standard (though not mandatory) to put a comma after the -ince/-ünce clause: Yıldırım düşünce, elektrikler kesilebiliyor. In speech, there’s simply a short pause.

Is -ince “when” the same as “if”?

Not exactly. -ince is temporal (“when/once/after”). For a true condition, Turkish prefers -irse/-arsa. That said, in generic statements like this one, English may translate it as “when” or sometimes “if,” but the Turkish form is temporal.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

c in düşünce is like English “j” in “jam.”
ç (not present here) would be “ch.”
ı in yıldırım is the undotted ı, a close back unrounded vowel (no exact English equivalent).
Stress is typically on the last syllable of düşünce (düşünCE) and on yıldırım it often falls on the final syllable as well (yıldıRIM).